Chapter 20
*Jiselle*
I didn’t expect Nate to show up.
Not after what happened in the cafeteria. Not after I had spent the morning before classes tangled up in Max’s arms. Not after I knew he knew.
Yet here he was, standing across from me at the private training spot in the woods behind the school, his expression unreadable as we squared up for our session. He had to be thinking about it. Ethan must have told him. Or maybe it was obvious.
But it shouldn’t have mattered, and it didn’t. Because he was still true to his word. He trained me. I was out of line for attacking him today about Emari. I had no right. I couldn’t contain my emotions, and he was right.
Yet, for some reason, he was being extra rough.
The session started fine, normal even, but the longer it went on, the harder he pushed. He put me on my back more times than necessary, his movements sharper, faster. Every block I attempted, he countered twice as hard. My body ached, my shoulders burned, and after another brutal takedown, I stayed on the ground, panting, glaring up at him under the half–moon.
“Break. I need a break,” I panted.
Nate stepped back, his expression cold, his stance rigid.
“Break?” He scoffed. “Do you think the enemy will say, ‘oh, let’s take a five–minute
recess‘?”
My glare deepened. “What’s your deal?”
He didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed my arm and pulled me up, too close, his grip firm, his scent overwhelming. I hated myself for still feeling it–the pull.
I tried to remind myself of the morning I had with Max before he was thrown into some third–year training that didn’t release him until two hours ago–another reason I wasn’t sure Nate was going to show. But I should be thinking about that, not this.
I tilted my head, narrowing my eyes. “You’re upset with me.”
It wasn’t a question. He might’ve acted like I didn’t, but I knew him. He was hard, he was brutal, and he was rough.
But he wasn’t… spiteful,
“This isn’t about training,” I said, and his jaw ticked, his eyes darkening. “This is about Max, isn’t it?”
‘Take your stance,” he ordered, ignoring my question, but I stood my ground, literally and figuratively.
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“Why do you hate Max?”
Max had said Ethan shouldn’t push. But he never said I couldn’t.
Nate’s jaw ticked. “Because he’s an arrogant prick.”
I scoffed. “Every male in this sexist–ass school is an arrogant prick, including you. So tell me something else.”
His lips twitched slightly, but there was no amusement behind it..
“His brothers are even worse arrogant pricks.”
He threw a punch, and I deflected it, my body reacting without hesitation. A flicker of pride crossed his face before he masked it.
“Stop lying to me,” I demanded, throwing a kick of my own which he batted away as if it was a small toy.
He exhaled through his nose, rolling his shoulders. “I can’t tell you the actual reason. But the short answer is the prick thing.”
I snorted and took a step back, trying to catch my breath. “I’m tired. I’m going to bed.”
Nate moved faster than I could react, knocking me onto my back once more and the breath left my body as I saw stars, and not the ones in the sky.
Nate’s body hovered over mine, his blazing eyes drilling into me.
“If you can’t balance your energy levels between training and pleasure, then maybe you should reconsider your priorities,” he all but growled.
My breath hitched.
Then he yanked me up. “Again.”
***
I sneaked back into my room, relieved to find Eva finally back.
Last night, I had returned to the dorms, sore and exhausted from Nate’s training, only -to find her bed empty, Looked like she’d been having fun, too.
I wasn’t about to stay alone with Emari, of all people, so I went straight to Max’s room. He had opened the door without hesitation, barely questioning why I was there. I had collapsed onto his bed within minutes and fell asleep almost instantly.
Now, slipping back in, I found Eva curled under her covers with a book. At least one of us was going to pass the Alpha Strategy test at nine today.
The moment I entered, she perked up, but I saw the question about where I’d been.
“I kissed your brother,” I blurted out before I could stop myself. There. I said it.
Eva blinked, pushing herself up more. Emari, sitting at her desk, slowly glanced up. She had a pen between her teeth, flipping through a book, looking shockingly normal
for once.
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She raised a bored eyebrow.
I cleared my throat. “Can we please have the room?”
To my surprise, Emari gathered her things without protest and left.
I frowned. She really didn’t care about Max.
Eva stretched, rubbing her eyes. “Which one?”
“Max, obviously.” I shivered, making a face. “I wouldn’t even think of being with Lincoln, and I don’t even know the other one.”
Eva studied me before flicking her gaze over my wrinkled shirt and the red love bite on my neck.
“By the looks of your bed hair and that mark, I’d assume you did more than just kiss my brother.”
I sat on my bed. “Are you mad?”
Eva sighed, setting her book down. “Of course not. You’ve become my closest friend. And don’t tell him, but Max is my favorite brother.”
“Hate to break it to you, but they all already know that.” I chuckled.
Eva smiled softly, but then her face sobered. But that puts me in a situation where I’ll have to choose if things go south.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “And why would they go south?”
Eva sighed, looking me dead in the eye.
“Have you told him that Nate is your mate?”
I winced.
That was answer enough.
Eva exhaled.
“You are going to tell him, right? Because I know you’re not over Nathaniel. And I don’t -care if you use Max as a rebound. He’s a big boy. He can handle himself. But at least
give him the option to decide what he wants to do once he knows Nathaniel wasn’t just some childhood crush.”
“I will.” I fidgeted, not meeting her gaze. “I promise.”
Eva nodded, but her voice remained firm.
“You do know that the mate bond will pull you until you either yield, reject each other, or take another’s mark, right?” she asked and I heaved a breath, falling back onto the
bed.
Okay. Maybe this was more than I thought.
“I know,” I mumbled.
I had mated parents and had seen it firsthand. Even after decades, they could barely
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keep their hands off each other.
“Good think about that before you make any more decisions. Because I’ve never seen Max… care this much before. Just… don’t hurt him blindly, please.”
I finally met her eyes and nodded. “I promise I’ll tell him and give him the option to stay or leave.”
Eva smiled. “Good. If he stays, at least he’ll know what he’s getting into.” Then her face twisted in mock disgust. “But for the love of the moon goddess, Jiselle, don’t tell me about your sex life with my brother. I don’t want to know what he can or can’t do.”
A smirk pulled at my lips and my voice dropped dangerously low.
“Oh. He can do.”
Eva gagged and threw a pillow at me. I laughed so hard I fell off the bed.
