I shoved the resignation paperwork across Coach Miller’s desk.
"I'm done," I said, ignoring his sputtering protests, and walked out of the office.
Asher blocked the hallway. He leaned heavily on his aluminum crutches, a thick brace locking his right knee in place. He didn't look sorry. He looked annoyed.
"You're making a mistake, Lena," Asher stated.
"Move."
"I have a compromise," he said, shifting his weight to block my path. "We keep the bond a secret."
I stopped. "Excuse me?"
"You're wolfless. It’s embarrassing for me," Asher explained, his tone completely flat. "But you're my mate. So, we keep it private. If you ever manage to shift, I'll claim you publicly. Until then, you belong to me behind closed doors."
"And Vanessa?" I asked.
"She stays my public girlfriend. You don't interfere with us."
My palm met his cheek with a sharp, echoing crack.
Asher’s head snapped to the side. A red mark bloomed across his jaw. He touched his face, his golden eyes flashing with anger.
"Keep your secret," I told him. "I reject your offer."
I shoved past his shoulder and headed straight for the training rink to clear out my locker. I needed my personal gear before I left this place for good.
"He’s going to reject you, you know."
I paused at the top of the bleacher stairs. Vanessa stood two steps below me, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger.
"I don't care," I replied, gripping the handrail. "Get out of my way."
Vanessa grabbed my wrist. Her grip felt like a vice. "You think you can just walk away and make him chase you? I won't let you play the victim."
She yanked her hand back, let out a piercing scream, and threw herself backward. She tumbled down the last three steps and landed in a heap on the rubber matting.
"Vanessa!"
Asher hobbled out from the tunnel, dropping one crutch to rush to her side. He scooped her into his arms.
"She pushed me," Vanessa sobbed, burying her face in his jacket. "I just asked her to leave us alone."
Asher glared up at me. "Apologize to her, Lena. Now."
"I didn't touch her."
"Apologize," Asher barked, his Alpha command lacing the word. "Or you are done with this team forever."
I unclipped the plastic staff badge from my waistband. I tossed it down the stairs. It hit his chest and clattered onto the floor.
"I already quit," I said.
I turned my back on him.
"Wait!" Asher yelled. His voice cracked. For the first time, panic leaked into his tone. "Lena, stop!"
I kept walking.
Nighttime blanketed the arena. I returned at nine to empty my locker, hoping the building would be completely empty.
"Look who slinked back."
I froze. Vanessa stood blocking the locker room exit. Three of her friends flanked her, holding up their phones. The red 'LIVE' icons blinked on their screens.
Vanessa held a stack of faded pink envelopes. My letters.
"Found these in his old desk," Vanessa announced to the cameras. She ripped open the top envelope. "Let's see what the pathetic Omega wrote to the future Alpha."
"Give those back," I demanded, stepping forward.
Vanessa laughed and read aloud. "'Dear Asher, I know I don't have a wolf, but when you look at me, I feel like I belong.' Oh, that is tragic."
Laughter echoed off the concrete walls.
"Stop it!" I lunged at her, snatching the letters.
Vanessa snarled. Her eyes flashed bright yellow. She shoved me hard in the chest.
My sneakers slipped on the polished concrete edge of the high bleachers. Gravity yanked me backward.
I tumbled down the steep stairs. Hard metal struck my ribs. My skull smacked against an iron railing. Warm blood immediately slid down my forehead, blinding my left eye.
I braced for the crushing impact of the floor.
It never came.
Thick, muscular arms caught me mid-fall. The scent of cedar and storm clouds washed over me, grounding my spinning senses.
I blinked through the haze. Piercing blue eyes stared down at me. A sharp, chiseled jawline. Ronan. The new transfer student. The rival team's ace.
"Got you," Ronan murmured, his grip tightening securely around my waist and shoulders.
The gym doors slammed open with a deafening crash.
Asher stood in the doorway, chest heaving. His nostrils flared as the scent of my blood hit the air. His eyes went entirely, terrifyingly gold. The dormant mate instinct violently clawed its way to the surface.
"My mate," Asher growled, his voice dropping an octave. He limped forward, completely ignoring his injured knee. "Put her down. Now."
Ronan didn't flinch. He held me closer, his broad chest a solid wall against my battered ribs.
"She doesn't look like yours," Ronan challenged smoothly.
"I said, give her back!" Asher roared, baring his teeth.
Ronan looked down at me, ignoring the furious Alpha storming toward us. "Who do you want to go with?"
I looked past Ronan's shoulder. Vanessa had scurried down the stairs and was clutching Asher’s arm, acting terrified. Asher growled at Ronan, but he didn't push Vanessa away. He still shielded her.
I turned my face into Ronan's chest, wrapping my arms tightly around his neck.
"Take me away," I whispered.
Ronan smirked, shifting my weight higher in his arms. He turned his back on the furious Alpha.
A deafening, inhuman roar ripped from Asher's throat, shaking the very foundation of the arena.
But Ronan was already carrying me out the door.
"You're going to pay for that," Ronan said quietly to me as we stepped into the cool night air. "He's following us."