Chapter 18 Jane's Pov
1147 Words
The break between halves stretched longer than it should’ve. Too long. Long enough for the crowd to get restless. People whispered like they had nothing else to do. Some acted hopeful. Others were already certain Damian’s team was done for. And the rest? They were talking about the stupid wager that somehow everyone knew about, even though no one should’ve known.
I stood near the exit, arms crossed, listening to all of it whether I wanted to or not.
Geneva elbowed me gently. “You good?”
“Yeah.” My voice sounded flat. “I’m fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Doesn’t matter.”
She stared at me for a few seconds before sighing. “If he loses, it won’t be because of you.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
I didn’t reply. Mostly because I didn’t know what to say. Partly because I didn’t want to admit how irritated I felt. Irritated at the Alpha i***t on the other team. Irritated at Damian for agreeing to the match like a fool. Irritated at everyone acting like this was some grand entertainment.
I looked toward the rink again. Damian stood with his team, looking like the weight of ten mountains sat on his back. He didn’t look at me. Not directly. But I could feel his frustration from halfway across the room.
His wolf was restless. I could sense it. Agitated. Snapping at the edges of his control. Every mistake from the first half clung to him like something heavy.
But I didn’t stay to watch him struggle.
I didn’t clap. I didn’t cheer.
I left.
Just turned and walked out, ignoring Geneva calling after me. I needed air. Space. Quiet. Anything but the chaos buzzing around the arena.
…
The hallway outside felt colder, but that didn’t make the tension disappear. It followed me anyway, crawling under my skin. I kept walking, heading toward the parking lot, trying to shake off the whole mess.
I was almost outside when I felt it.
That scent.
Sharp. Arrogant. The same predatory smugness from the supermarket.
Before I could react, he stepped into my path.
The rival Alpha.
He leaned against the wall like he’d been expecting me. His smirk widened slowly, like he enjoyed being in my way.
“Leaving already?” he asked. “Shame. You might as well stay, your new Alpha is about to win.”
I stared at him.
Blankly.
No fear. No embarrassment. Nothing.
Just… done.
He waited for me to react. A glare. A blush. Anything. But I didn’t give him the satisfaction. I stepped to the side and kept walking.
The dismissal landed harder than a slap. I could feel it in the way his smile dropped.
His hand shot out and grabbed my wrist. Too tight. Too possessive.
“Where do you think—”
A snarl cut through the hallway so sharp it made the walls vibrate.
I didn’t have to look to know who it was.
Damian.
He appeared out of nowhere, stepping between us like he’d been dragged there by instinct alone. His eyes weren’t their usual dark brown anymore. They were darker. Wilder. His wolf was right under the surface.
“Let go of her,” Damian said, voice low and lethal.
The Alpha chuckled, as if Damian had just made a joke. “Or what?”
Damian didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t puff his chest. He didn’t threaten with theatrics.
He just stared at the guy and said, very calmly:
“Touch her again and I’ll break your hand. Stay ten feet away from her.”
The words left no room for misunderstanding. They weren’t dramatic. They were a promise.
The Alpha leaned forward, fake-confident. “You’re losing, Ross. And when you lose, she’s mine. That’s how this works.”
I rolled my eyes.
No one cared about my opinion, clearly.
Damian stepped closer until the rival Alpha had no choice but to take a step back. Damian’s jaw was tight. His shoulders squared. His wolf pushed against his skin so hard I could almost feel the heat coming off him.
“No,” Damian said. “What happens next is simple: we finish the game. And when I win, you shut up and stay gone.”
The Alpha’s grin slipped for a second. Just a second. But I saw it.
I didn’t stick around for whatever came next.
I turned and started walking again.
No more drama. No more posturing. No more men acting like I was some trophy to fight over.
…
The hallway behind me buzzed with whispers as I left. People had obviously followed to watch. Of course they did. Wolves loved drama even when it wasn’t theirs.
By the time I got outside, my chest finally loosened a little. Not much. But enough.
The walk back to the dorm felt longer than usual. Every step made the night seem heavier. Or maybe I was the one who felt heavy.
When I reached my room, I shut the door and didn’t move for a moment. Just stood there, leaning against it, breathing slowly. I didn’t want to think. But my brain refused to listen.
Eventually, I sat on my bed and pulled my laptop onto my lap.
I didn’t hesitate.
I opened the transfer portal.
Found the form.
Clicked on the request section.
My fingers hovered for a second.
Then I started filling it out.
Name.
ID.
Reason for request: Personal circumstances.
Simple. Clean. No explanation needed.
I wasn’t doing this because I was scared. Or overwhelmed. Or confused. I wasn’t running because of Damian, or the Alpha, or the match, or the dead wolf.
I was doing it because I refused to let anyone claim me.
Refused to be a prize in a game I didn’t sign up for.
Refused to wait around and see who “won” me.
If Damian lost tonight, I wouldn’t be here tomorrow.
I’d be gone before sunrise.
I paused halfway through the form, fingers still on the keyboard.
The arena was still roaring in the distance, faint but unmistakable.
I closed my eyes.
And for the first time since coming to Cornell, I admitted it quietly, even if only to myself:
I didn’t want him to lose.
Not because of the wager.
Not because of pride.
But because something inside me didn’t want to walk away.
Even if I told myself I would.
I shook my head, shoved the thought away, and went back to typing.
The form blinked at me, almost done.
All I had to do was hit submit.
But I didn’t.
I just stared at the button.
Waiting.
Hesitating.
Maybe hoping.
I didn’t know.
All I knew was this:
Tonight would decide everything.
For him.
For me.
For whatever this was becoming.
And I wasn’t sure I was ready for the answer.
- Writer
