Bad News

Reya’s POV 

After one week of wins and losses for every pack that attended the pack games, it was time to announce the results and know what teams would be heading into the second rounds and which of the packs were hosting.

The next three days was set aside for resting – for those of us who fought – and celebration for the packs who were going into the next round.

Of course, my team came in first place with a lot of points. Then, there was the team from Lycan Tristan’s pack, Alpha Wyvern’s pack made the cut by a narrow margin and the last team in the list was a pack I didn’t know. 

At the announcements of those who were going to the next rounds, there was cheers, applause, hugs and kisses and I wasn’t left out of it. Both Lydia and Lycan Xander peppered me with hugs and kisses till I couldn’t breathe and I was smiling from ear to ear, despite the tightness in my chest. 

“The next round of the competition will be hosted by Moon Crest Pack,” The announcer said and my heart skipped a beat. My eyes snapped to Lycan Tristan’s face to find him watching me and I looked away immediately. 

The announcer was still talking but I wasn’t hearing a word he was saying. My ears rang and my heart was beating with such a wild ferocity it could have shattered my ribs.

Could I really go back there? To a place where the only memories I had of it were gruesome? Most of all, returning to Moon Crest pack was only going to reveal the truth I had been hiding from everyone I had come to love. 

Would Lycan Xander ever forgive me if he knew I kept such secrets from him? Will he accept me in his household again? I shook my head. That was impossible. The moment he found out who I was, he was going to cut all ties with me and I was going to lose all the people who were now like family to me. 

Weighing my options, I decided the best move was to make sure I wasn’t chosen to represent our team in the next rounds. I could make up an excuse not to go and stay in the city. 

That was my only way out. 

‘Go tell Lycan Xander then,’ Ciara urged. ‘Tell him you can’t make it and would like to drop out of the games. I’m sure he’ll understand.’ From her voice, I could tell that she hated the possibility of us returning to that pack just as much as I did, even if it was just for a short time. 

I sighed as I thought about Helen and how much I missed her. I would have loved to see her again, but going back to Moon crest pack was going to be a miscalculated risk and one I couldn’t take. 

With that thought, I set out to find Lycan Xander and give him good enough reasons why I needed to drop out of the games. 

After more than thirty minutes of searching, I finally found him, but to my dismay, he was standing with Lycan Tristan and Beta Isaac and it looked like they were deep in a conversation. 

“Shit!” I muttered under my breath, changing course before any of them could see me, but unfortunately, Lycan Xander glanced up and his face lit up with a smile when he saw me. 

“Ray!” he called out happily. “There you are! Lycan Tristan was just talking about your skills in the arena.”

Taking a deep breath in, I plastered a fake smile on my face and walked towards them, making sure I avoided Lycan Tristan’s eyes the best I could. 

“I was trained by the best,” I answered as I came to a stop beside Lycan Xander. “And learned from the best. Only the best is expected of me.”

Lycan Tristan scoffed. “It’s clear that you aren’t the best, Ray,” he said. “They are many other in your team that can do better than you and I’m sure even Lycan Xander can see that. I am hoping he puts this into consideration when he’s picking out your team’s representative.”

I glowered. I could tell he was trying to bait me but I wasn’t biting at it. 

Easing my smile into a grin, I answered, “I’m sure that whatever choice Lycan Xander makes will be good for ‘his’ team.”

Lycan Xander nodded. “Besides, I don’t see any reason why Ray shouldn’t stand for our team in the next round. She’s one of the best and while she still needs to do a lot more, I have full confidence in her.”

I held myself from rolling my eyes. How could I tell him that I was going to drop out of the contest if he had so much faith and confidence in me, more than even I had for myself? 

“I think you are overhyping this one, Lycan King,” Lycan Tristan continued. “She may be good, but I am sure you have far better fighters. The less skilled of my men can beat her in a duel –”

“Get ready to be proven wrong,” Lycan Xander said impatiently, cutting him off. I stiffened as a wave of anger rolled off Lycan Xander but then he pulled it back in, smoothing out his expression and forcing a smile on his face. 

 Lycan Tristan smiled. “I have never been wrong, Lycan King,” he said with a confidence that made me want to puke out my lunch. 

I wanted to argue that he had never been right about me either, but I was too worried about how to sort out this mess than anything else.

I didn’t want to go back to the past which I thought I buried a long time ago.

Still, a part of me yearned to see Helen again. She was the only family I had left from that past and I longed to introduce the children to her. I knew she was going to love them the same way she loved me.

I wouldn’t be here if not for her and that was a blessing, I didn’t forget every single day. 

I left as soon as I could, mumbling an excuse, I left them. While I walked, I felt Lycan Tristan’s stare on my back but I ignored it. 

Most importantly, I wanted to prove to him that I wasn’t the same Reya he knew five years ago. The girl who would cry at his feet and worship him was gone. The woman I was now wasn’t going to take anything lightly. 

Even if I was going back to that pack, it was going to be on my own terms and not because I was trying to prove anything to him. I was my own woman now and it was all thanks to him. 

I was in my room in the next minute and began packing my things. If I didn’t manage to convince Lycan Xander to let me drop out of the games in the next three days, then I was going back to my past whether I liked it or not.

And I wasn’t sure how I felt about it.