Chapter 87

I waited with baited breath.

Elena had been so brazen that she had actually confronted Coach and threatened to report him for giving me special treatment, accusing him of having a sexual relationship with me.

Now Coach hesitated, seeming very much like he was about to share my true secret. It would hurt if he did, and it would ruin everything for me. But I’d understand.

Coach had to choose between my life and his.

“I would never be interested in any of you in that way,” Coach said.

Elena crossed her arms, disbelief etched all over her face. “You have no way of proving that, Coach.”

“Yes, I do,” he said. He took a breath. “I’m gay.”

Silence fell over the entire gymnasium. Even Elena had been stunned speechless.

I was totally shocked. All the secrets I had shared with Coach, I had no idea he had been keeping such a big one of his own. I understood now why he hadn’t wanted to share many details of his personal life with me.

Being gay was not accepted in the wolf pack. He would have had to live much of his life in the shadows, hiding his true self to keep this job and his place in the community.

Coming out meant he would be ostracized now.

My heart broke for him. With two little words, he’d sacrificed everything to save my secret.

“Well, I…” Elena uncharacteristically stuttered. “I have to report you for that, then.” She didn’t seem all that happy about it, but no one stood against her.

I wanted to, but I was afraid calling more attention to myself would only make things worse.

Generally, the younger generation of wolves weren’t as invested in maintaining the traditions of a bygone era. Many didn’t care that some people loved those of the same gender. I certainly didn’t.

But my generation wasn’t the one in charge of things.

When Coach looked at me again, his gaze held no malice. He did not blame me for this, even though he probably should have.

Elena glared at me, like everything was my fault, and not the result of her accusations. Then she stormed out of the gymnasium. A few of the other girls followed.

A handful stayed, waiting.

Coach shook his head. “Practice is canceled for today.”

While the other girls slipped away, I approached Coach, an apology ready on my tongue. It wouldn’t be enough, not near enough, to show my appreciation to him.

But he shook his head before I ever said a word, stopping me.

He loved his job, now he might lose it. Not to mention how this reveal could affect the rest of his life. I could only barely comprehend the fear he must have felt, that he only allowed to briefly flash across his face.

“Maybe it will all work out,” he said, smiling a little. It was a wobbly little smile that faded in an instant.

“Maybe,” I said, to encourage him.

I didn’t know what else to stay, but I stood with him in silent comradery for a while, until he sent me away.

“I have a lot of work to finish,” he said and retreated into his office.

I left the gymnasium and walked around campus, distracted by all that had occurred. I fully blamed this distraction for why I didn’t notice Joseph until I practically bumped into him outside the student union.

Despite the terms of the challenge, since Joseph and I both attended the Academy, we chanced seeing each other every time we left our rooms.

It wasn’t a terribly big surprise, seeing him here. Just an unwelcomed one.

With a look of disgust, he glanced at my neck. “So it’s true. You put out for Asher, after all.”

His words made me feel dirty, ruining the pleasure I’d gained from bearing Asher’s marks. I brushed my hair forward to hide them.

It was too late now, of course. With Joseph.

“Asher’s my boyfriend.” I hoped when Asher implied that we would pretend to date to save me from Elena’s rumors, he’d meant I could share the misinformation as much as I needed. Surely he wouldn’t mind if it was to get Joseph to back off.

“Boyfriend?” Joseph snorted. “Sure. You and half the school.”

Joseph was manipulating me, I knew that. He said things like this just to upset me. I hated that it worked.

Still, I reeled in my jealousy as best as I could. I was fairly certain that Asher wasn’t dating other people while he was pretend-dating me. I didn’t know for sure, we hadn’t talked about it.

Regardless Joseph had no room to fling these kinds of accusations around.

“Asher’s not like you,” I said.

Joseph’s lip curled up into a snarl. “Don’t act like he’s so much better than me.”

“He is.”

Joseph’s hands formed fists, and a familiar tingle of fear stirred within me. I knew better than to antagonize him. He often hid his anger behind a friendly face and passive aggression, but more and more, with me, that fury revealed itself in violence.

“You’ll eat those words someday, Cynthia. You’ll come crawling back to me, just like always. After Asher has chewed you up and spit you out. That’s what he does, you know. He never keeps a girlfriend for very long.”

“I won’t doubt Asher. Especially not when you are the one talking badly about him.”

“I’ve only ever watched out for you. If I had won that challenge, Asher would be far away from you.”

“Only because he is more honorable than you.” I slipped my phone from my pocket and unlocked the screen. “You lost the challenge, you are supposed to stay away.”

Opening my text thread with Asher, I typed only one word, Joseph.

“You are the one who nearly plowed into me. Maybe you should try harder to stay away from me. Or is it all a ruse, Cynthia? Do you actually yearn for me?”

I full-body shuddered at the way he emphasized ‘yearn.’ Once I had thought him charming and handsome. That seemed like a lifetime ago now.

“Asher will never be satisfied with you. You think he actually wants to raise another man’s child? When he has so many ready women, begging to be bred? He’ll tire of you like he does all the rest. And when you are back in the gutter, you’ll be begging for me.”

My stomach twisted into an uncomfortable knot. He wasn’t totally wrong. Asher offered to be my baby’s godfather, but a lot of what Asher did, especially back when he had offered it, was driven by Asher’s promises to Dylan.

When my brother returned from his time overseas, Asher might consider his duties to me fulfilled and leave me alone.

Yet even in that scenario, the last person I could see myself seeking out for comfort for my broken heart, was Joseph.

“I won’t. I’ll never.”

His anger multiplied in an instant, and he took a threatening step forward.

“I will not be so easily cast aside as you think,” he hissed. “You think some challenge is going to keep me away?”

I swallowed thickly against the fury burning in his eyes, directed straight at me.

“Don’t forget that it’s my blood growing inside of you. You’ll never be rid of me for as long as it lives.”