Chapter 4: The Beginning Of The Tournament

Lucas’s POV

I walked away from the scene, running away from the truth. The sweet smell of vanilla and honey still lingered in the air. My wolf clawed at the walls of my mind, howling loudly, “Mate! Mate! I hated the idea of being bound to someone as it was a weakness. I had sworn to break the bond, to remain free. The fact she couldn’t feel the connection between us fueled my anger. “How dare she act so oblivious?” I spat silently, my lips tightening. Looking at how she was being forced to eat that mixture made my jaw tense as I subconsciously clenched my fists. Seeing how her face went pale sent a wave of unpleasantness, feeling like tiny needles piercing through me. I wanted to rush over, stop the whole thing but the whore of a man spoke up too quickly.

My mate trembled, slumping to the floor. Everything inside me screamed to move, to shield her, and carry her up like the princess she deserved to be. But Eric beat me to it. He carried her gently like she was his priceless possession. He brushed a strand of hair from her little face, a gesture that made my muscles tighten as my breathing became rapid. I wanted to leave, disappear, but I couldn’t tear my gaze away. Eric felt my intense gaze and turned, a smirk playing on his lips. It was a challenge, a silent declaration. Then he walked away with her in his arms, and with each step, felt like arrows being shot into my heart.

After a while, my legs followed Eric like they had a mind of their own. He knew I was behind him, but he didn’t say a word, just kept going. He took her to the school clinic, laying her on the bed. I scrutinised my mate and my heart skipped a beat. She was stunning— the most beautiful girl I had ever laid my eyes upon. Her black hair cascaded around her like silk, a contrast to the white sheet beneath her. Her lashes were extremely long like feathers and her lips were pink and tempting. “Take a picture, it will last longer.” Hearing those words, I turned, glaring at Eric. My anger only fueled his amusement as his lips raised up. “What’s with you today? You didn’t even bat an eye when i fucked your ex.” He said, while studying me. “I’m just trying to make sure she’s okay. I didn’t know she wouldn’t be able to endure all that,” I replied. “She’s too weak.” Eric didn’t reply, he squinted his eyes, placing one of his hands on his jaw.

Her eyes flutter open. She looked at Eric with relief but at the sight of me, she jumped up, her heart racing wildly. My chest tightened seeing her reaction but my expression remained unfazed. “Eric, how did I get here?” She whispered. Realizing she knew his name, I clenched my fists till they turned white. “Little bunny, you fainted. But don’t worry, I’m here.” When she heard his words, she took a deep breath while relaxing on the bed. The familiarity between them made a jolt of electricity pass through me. “Little bunny? He had even given her a nickname,” I scoffed in my head, trying to slow my rapid breathing.

“Do you feel better? I asked, not hiding the anger in my voice. She glanced at me before speaking “Please, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you. Just let me be.” She uttered, her voice shaking. My wolf winced in my head, obviously sad our mate was scared of us. What baffled me further was the fact she still didn’t feel the bond. But why? Was the moon goddess doing this intentionally because of how I hated having a mate? Eric held her hands “No one will no longer lay a hand on you, not on my watch.” He declared while glaring at me, his usual playful nature was nowhere to be found. I always knew that was just a mask, a facade to others. He left the room and I followed, making sure I took one last good look at my mate before leaving.

It was time for the tournament and I went out with others, preparing. “Lucas, are you fine? You don’t look too good.” John, my only friend asked, concern evident in his slightly feminine voice. “I’m good. Just want to win this and get it over with,” I replied with a smile that didn’t reach my eyes. Mr. Gream Reaper, one of the founders of the school, stepped forward. We had no idea why he was nicknamed that, but he was quiet, sharp and always had a creepy smile on his face. His height and aura was intimidating, but his face was innocent, yet deceiving. “Today’s challenge is very easy. All you have to do is to survive a long distance run in the forest. This is going to test your perception and endurance skills. Goodluck,” he uttered, his voice, melodious yet edgy. I knew how this school worked, every game was like a death sentence. It could never be that easy.

The sweet scent of vanilla invaded my nostrils as my eyes drifted to her. She kept adjusting her uniform, but it did nothing to hide her perfect curves. I could feel her racing heart, obviously uncomfortable by the intense attention she was getting from the other wolves. I clenched my fists while my jaw tightened as I could see the way their eyes lingered around her burst and hips, how they licked their lips, obvious lust in their eyes. ”How dare they want our mate?” My wolf, Lucian, barked in anger, almost forcing me to shift as the sudden urge to pluck out their eyes overwhelmed me. I took a deep breath, calming Lycian, my wolf. I turned to look at Eric, who was holding a cigarette loosely between his fingers, his gaze fixed on my mate as he took a slow drag. He seemed to notice the intense glare targeted at him, so he turned towards me, smirking while flickering the ash without looking at it.

The forest air hung heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves as starting gun fired. We all surged forward, heading into the unknown. I quickly stole a glance at my mate, her expression remained unfazed, but the sound of her rapid breathing gave her away. She was scared. “What a weakling,” I murmured to myself. I sprinted into the woods, holding back, my senses on high alert. While others relied on brute strengths and speed, I focused on observing my environment. Inhaling deeply, the scent of a hidden snare—a pit covered with cleverly disguised branches, hit my nostrils. I moved sharply to the left, skillfully avoiding the trap as the first waves of competitors plunged into it. Looking at Eric, he was still as nonchalant as ever. Then a sharp cry echoed in the forest. I was about to turn, but my legs were grabbed tightly beneath me. My eyes widened, and I shook intensely, unable to believe what I was seeing before me.