22. Brylee
22
brYLEE
The next week is…weird, to put it mildly.
Not better, but not worse.
Alpha Team X no longer makes “Teddie’s” life a living hell.
But they also don’t stop other classmates from taking over where they left off.
After I’m thrown onto my back a-fucking-gain during training by a stocky alpha, I’ve just about had it. Any member of X could blow their whistle and announce that the fight is over.
But they don’t.
They never do.
They simply watch me getting my ass kicked with pursed lips, folded arms, and intense eyes. I know what they see when they look at me—someone too weak to be the next ruler. I’m determined to prove them wrong.
Since I’ve started Eros Academy, my body has changed. While it used to be soft and delicate, my curves prominent, I’m now gaining muscle. In a few more months, I might even have abs. My stamina has increased too. Now, whenever I take a jog, I can last nearly the entire mile before needing to stop for a break.
The one thing I can’t do yet?
Fight alphas nearly twice my size and win. Just because I’ve got a bodysuit and put on some muscle, doesn’t mean I’m nearly as buff as all these alphas. Some of them have biceps as big as my head. Colter does, that’s for certain, though I try never to let my mind linger on him. Or them—as in, those biceps. Ugh.
“Yield, princeling?” The alpha above me flashes a cocky smirk, and I bare my teeth in response.
“Never.”
Yeah, probably idiotic, but I refuse to bend to any of these stuck-up, pompous men.
The alpha—I think his name starts with a Z —lowers his arm to my neck and applies just enough pressure to have stars speckle my vision. I flounder, bringing my hands up to claw at his skin, but he doesn’t ease up. If anything, he applies even more weight.
“Yield!”
I can’t speak. Not with his arm cutting off my air supply. Everything is turning fuzzy and indistinct at the edges like a chalk drawing that got smudged. I feel lightheaded. Oh god. I can’t pass out. If I do, there’s a good chance they’ll bring me to the infirmary—which they only use for severe cases—and then my secret will be discovered.
With a growl of frustration, I tap my hand against the mat three times.
The alpha doesn’t immediately get off of me, though. He remains there, looming over me, a malicious smile on his scarred face.
“I can’t believe you’re going to be the one ruling the country,” he hisses. His rancid breath would’ve made me gag…if I wasn’t being choked to death. “My father died in the war your mother started.” More pressure is applied.
Tears leak from the corners of my eyes. Dark splotches erupt across my vision. I can feel myself fading…
“All right. That’s enough. He tapped out,” a cold voice barks. A second later, the alpha jumps to his feet, all smiles—as if he didn’t try to kill me or at the very least make me lose consciousness. I wheeze and pant, chest on fire, able to think of nothing but air for a solid thirty seconds.
Ridge stands at the edge of the mat, a scowl fixed to his face and his arms folded across his chest. He regards me with barely veiled disgust before turning toward my sparring partner.
“Zane, give me five laps around the gym.”
Zane. That’s his name.
Huh. Never thought I would want to know the name of my would-be killer, but here we are.
Zane’s smirk fades, and he throws his arms wide with a scoff of outrage. “What the fuck? I won the challenge. Why the hell do I have to run?”
“Because you didn’t yield when your opponent tapped out,” Ridge says in that curt, no-nonsense voice I’ve become familiar with. “You need to learn when to let shit go.” His eyes flick to me and his lips curl. “Especially when your opponent is a scrawny pencil.”
Rude.
But at least I can breathe again.
I suck in more lungfuls of air greedily, not even bothering to put on a front for the watching students. Most of them know I suck anyway. They’ve all seen me get my ass handed to me on more than one occasion.
As Zane begins his run around the gym—cursing under his breath the entire way—Ridge steps even closer until the tips of his boots touch my legs.
“You’re weak. Ill-trained. Pathetic.”
“Geez, thanks. You really know how to make a guy feel good, don’t you?” I drawl sarcastically, glaring up at him through my wig of messy hair. I’d like to see him try fighting with an additional fifty pounds strapped to his body, along with a wig that’s more itchy than…well…I honestly don’t know what would be itchier than this wig.
“How are you supposed to defend our country if you can’t even defend yourself?” His voice is harsh, and a retort automatically pops to my lips. But I stop myself because…he’s right. At least, in a sense. I may not be next in line for the throne like my alpha twin, but I am unable to defend myself.
If I could fight, would I have been able to stop my exes before they sold me off?
My heart pounds dauntingly in my chest, so loud I wouldn’t be surprised if he could hear it from where he stands above me.
“It’s apparent that the class time you receive isn’t enough.” His lips peel away from his teeth. “You’ll need additional training if you have any hope of surviving.”
The words are ominous and send a shiver down my spine because, while I am fully aware I’m not physically the most capable, the “any hope” part of his statement makes me shudder. That’s why it takes a moment for me to gather my thoughts and comprehend the other part of his statement.
Additional training? I’m already running thin as it is. And why would he even offer that to me? I’m awful, yes, but there are other alphas who don’t know the difference between a punch and a kick. I don’t see any members of Alpha Team X offering their services to those students.
I slowly push myself upright and narrow my eyes suspiciously. “This is about…Brylee, isn’t it?” It feels strange to refer to myself in the third person.
Something undefinable flickers across Ridge’s face, there and gone too fast for me to decipher. But for a brief moment, his features almost seemed to soften, the frost in his eyes thawing. His mask is back in place in less than a second, as immaculate as always.
“You know nothing of my relationship with Brylee.”
“Relationship.” I snort. “Yeah, sure.” I shake my head slowly. “From what I heard, you guys don’t have a relationship.”
But instead of seeming deterred or even angry, Ridge appears…happy? What the fuck?
“So she’s talking about us?” He props his hip against the wall, his smile broadening. It’s a sharp smile, I realize. Beautiful in a way a rose would be skewered on the edge of a sword. I wonder if he’s capable of smiling without an undercurrent of maliciousness. Of danger.
Fuck, am I really thinking about his smile? Dammit.
Then his words register, and I realize my error.
“Of course Bry doesn’t talk about you,” I say with a scowl. She only thinks about you constantly—and hates herself for doing so. Semantics.
“That’s not what you said a little bit ago.”
Stupid, cocky alphas.
I try to think of a way to save face. “She talks about Brock’s team all the time. She seems to really like them. My sister believes they’ll be mated by the end of the year.” My smile grows as Ridge’s fades, replaced by his customary scowl that makes his angelic features appear devilish.
“We’ll meet every morning at six a.m.,” he instructs, his voice practically a bark of sound.
Six in the morning? I may not have classes, but I do have responsibilities at Darling Academy. How the hell am I supposed to change into my “Teddie” costume, train, hurry back to Darling, put on my uniform, and go about my day without anyone noticing?
A jittery feeling dances through me. Nerves—but also a very, very foolish level of excitement at getting to see Ridge one on one as the sun rises.
“Is that a problem?” Ridge arches an eyebrow at me, exuding arrogance. I wonder if he expects me to refuse his offer. Heaven only knows I should. Being around Ridge longer than necessary is a bad, bad idea.
But I need to train.
To be better.
Stronger.
Faster.
“I’ll be there,” I say with a determined head nod.
“Good.” If Ridge is surprised by my declaration, he doesn’t show it. He simply clasps his hands behind his back and moves toward the next blue mat, where two more alphas are sparring. Kylian is watching over this particular duo, and I spy the two of them lowering their heads together as they discuss something.
Give you two guesses what that “something” is.
As if on cue, both men turn to stare at me. Ridge’s expression is as stormy as always, but Kylian smiles like a psychopathic puppy and lifts his hand to wave.
I resist the urge to flip them both off.
“You okay?” Sam materializes beside me and tosses me a water bottle. I take it gratefully.
The beta is covered in a thin layer of sweat. He often gets his ass beaten too, but he’s been able to make friends despite it, because no alpha seems to expect a beta to beat them. They all feel a little pity, actually, that his family tossed him into the fire. It’s helped him make friends, which has also kept him out of my hair for the most part. But…it also makes me all the more resentful of the alphas’ disdain for me. I glare at a few smirkers before I answer his question.
“Oh, you know. The usual.” I wave a hand in the air for emphasis. “Just getting my ass handed to me over and over again.”
Sam snorts and extends a hand for me to take. “I saw.”
“You weren’t fighting?” I could’ve sworn I saw him a few mats down from me.
Sam’s grin widens. “Oh, I was. But my partner and I both stopped to watch the third time you got thrown down to the ground. I’m pretty sure everyone was watching by then.”
I bring the water bottle up to my lips to give myself something to do. I pray that he believes the red in my cheeks is from exertion, not embarrassment.
As roommates go, I have to admit I got the jackpot with Sam. For one, he was able to get me into the beta fight clubs where I’m able to practice what I learned—though I still have a long way to go before I’ll be able to hold my own against most of the alphas. For another, he doesn’t seem to give a damn that I’m never in the room. He could report me at any time, but he hasn’t yet and I doubt he will. And finally, he has become somewhat of a friend. It almost makes me wish I didn’t have to lie to him all the time.
“You didn’t do horribly,” Sam assures me as I finally accept his hand and he hauls me to my feet. I tremble on unsteady legs before taking a deep breath and getting my bearings.
“Don’t sugarcoat it.” I brush at a strand of hair sticking to my sweaty forehead. Good lord, I wish I wasn’t in my “Teddie” attire. At least girls can pin their hair up or place it in a ponytail. Anything is better than feeling it against my skin at the moment.
“I can’t believe Ridge offered to tutor you.” A hint of wonder enters his voice.
“He’s only doing it so he can get in my pa…I mean, my sister’s pants.” I fumble over my words, but fortunately, Sam doesn’t seem to notice.
“Either way, I’d use the opportunity while you have it. Alpha Team X is the best of the best.” He glances in both directions, as if ensuring no one’s in hearing distance, before leaning in closer. “I heard that’s why they’re at the academy teaching.”
“I thought they were here because they were being punished?” At least, that’s the rumor floating around, though the explicit details elude me and I haven’t had time to ask Ted.
“Maybe.” Sam shrugs, but his tone suggests he doesn’t quite believe that. “But I heard someone else saying that your parents hand-selected them for a mission.”
“And what is that mission?” I arch an eyebrow as I drain the last of the water. It does very little to quench my thirst.
Sam grins. “To spy, of course. Rumor has it that Eros Academy has a mole in its midst.”