bChapter /bb34 /b

“Seriously? Did bshe /bbjust /binvite bCael /bbto /bbtea/bb–/bon a battlefield?b” /bbVessa’s /bbvoice /bsliced through bthe /btraining air, thick with disbelief.

bI /bbarely moved my beyes /bfrom the sight in front of bus/bb. /bMi, in all her frilly bpastel /bglory, was waving from behind the bfence /bbas /bbif /bbshe /bbwere /bbat /bba /bsummer garden party instead of a warriors‘ camp. “That woman has no concept bof /bshame,” I muttered, arms folded.

“bShe’s /bbat /bbthe /bwrong training field if bshe’s /bhere to make eyes at Thorneb,/bb” /bbVessa /bgrowled. “Let me bgo /bbchase /bher off.”

Before bI /bcould stop her, Mi’s shrill voice echoed through the open bspace/b.

“Alpha bCael/bb!/b”

Cael froze mid–bstep/b. His expression went t, but he turned nheless.

“Would you like to join us for some afternoon tea?” Mi’s fan fluttered like a peacock tail as she shed him a wide smile.

b“/bbIs /bshe… trying to seduce him?” Vessa hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously. “Has she lost itpletely?”

“Let him handle it,” I said calmly. “I want to see exactly what she’s ying at.”

Cael strolled toward the fence like he had all the time in the world, his smirkzy.

“Ladies,” he greeted, voice smooth. “What a surprise.”

All five of them stood up like synchronized dolls, curtsying in unison. The tent behind them was straight out of a fashion magazinece, crystal ssware, imported biscuits, and Mi front and center, batting hershes like a debutante in heat.

“We just needed a change of scenery,” she purred, leaning over the fence so far I thought she’d fall in. “Your training style is so… captivating.”

Cael raised an eyebrow. “Then why not watch your own soldiers train?”

She giggled and leaned even closer. “Because yours are far more impressive. Especially you, Alpha Cael. The way your muscles move, the way your legs–strong, precise…” She trailed her manicured finger along his forearm. “Care to show me how to get a body like that?”

Cael blinked.

“In the gym?” he asked dryly.

She leaned into his ear, breathy. “I was thinking… somewhere more private. Like my bedroom.”

He took a step back immediately, as if she’d shoved a snake in his face.

“Appreciate the invitation,” he said, voice clipped. “I’ll think about it.”

As he walked back toward the field, I waited.

“Well?” Vessa pounced on him.

“She’s hitting on me,” he said tly, plopping onto a bench.

“Unbelievable.” Vessa looked like she was ready to storm the tent. “What does she want now? Thorne wasn’t enoughb?/bb” /b

bme/bb./bb” /b

bCael /band Vessa turned btoward /bbme/bb. /b

“Everyone thinks I’m your lover,” bI /bcontinuedb. /b“That’s why they think I got the Gamma position. If Mi bcan /bget byou /bon her sideb, /bit bdiscredits /bbme/bb./bb” /b

“That maniptive bwitch/b,” bVessa /bbspat/b. “You didn’t flirt with her, did you?” she snapped at Cael.

He bgave /bher an incredulous look. b“/bNo. I have standardsb.” /b

bVessa /bcrossed her armsb. /b“You flirt with everything that breathesb.” /b

b“/bbI /bsaid standards.b” /b

“Oh bplease-/bb” /b

“Enough,” I cut in, rubbing my temples. “This isn’t high school.”

They fell into a tense silence.

I nced toward Mi’s tent, watching herugh and flip her hair at absolutely nothing. “Time to make her regret crashing my training.”

A n formed.

I signaled to Jory.

He jogged over. “What’s up?”

I whispered in his ear. He grinned wide. “I’ve been waiting for this.”

Within minutes, our dodgeball training resumed. But this time, Jory and his squad strategically positioned themselves nearest to the fence.

And then the balls started flying.

First one.

Then another.

Then three at once.

Mi shrieked. One had hit her directly in the face.

“You idiots!” she screamed, face turning blotchy. “You’re doing it on purpose!”

“No way!” Jory yelled innocently. “We’re training!”

The next ball knocked over a teacup. Anothernded in herp.

Mi scrambled to swap seats. It didn’t matter. The balls had a homing instinct–for her.

After a third hit, Mi jumped up, holding her temple. “That’s it!”

bChapter /bb34 /b

She stomped toward bthe /bbfence /bband /bbscreeched/b, b“/bbYou’re /bbtargeting /bbme/bb!/bb” /b

bI /bwalked bover/bb, /bkeeping my btone /bbeven/b. “We’re doing agility drillsb. /bbThis /bbis /bba /bbtraining /bfield. bMaybe /byou shouldn’t pic bhere/bb./bb” /b

b“/bbYou /btold them to do bit/bb!/bb” /bbshe /byelled, pointing a trembling finger at meb. /b

“If you weren’t bhere/bb, /byou wouldn’t bbe /bhit.” I tilted my head. “So again–what bare /byou doing bhere/b, Mib?/bb” /b

Before she could banswer/bb, /bbshe /bspotted Cael. “Alpha bCael/bb! /bbTell /bthem to stop!”

bCael /bambled bover/b, hands in his pocketsb. /b“Mi’s with me,” he said bcasually/b. “Be niceb.” /b

bHer /beyes sparkled. She practically purred.

But I caught the wink he threw me behind her back.

“Enjoy your tea, Mi,” I said with a sugary smile. “Try not to sit near the drills next time.”

She nodded, bdazed/b. And walked back toward her tent, limping slightly from the bst /bball.

Cael turned to bVessa/bb. /b“Do I get brownie points for ying along?”

b“/bYou’re still a walking red g,” she muttered.

“But an attractive one,” he replied with a grin.

I rolled my beyes /band blew the whistle again.

“Back to training!”

And as we resumed drills under the afternoon sun, Mi sat stiffly beneath her fluttering canopy, nursing a growing bruise and ia /irapidly crumbling n.

“Tell me again why I’m not allowed to throw one at her head?” Vessa growled.

“Because I want her conscious when she finally realizes she’s losingb,/bb” /bI said, grinning.

bAD /b

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