"What were you thinking you're doing?! Move!" one of my attackers barked.
Kael's scoff cut through the air. "Three against one. Doesn't that sound a little pathetic for Strains?"
I felt the heavy intimidation rolling off Kael's deep voice. Not only was I frozen, but the men in front of me had gone stiff, too.
"Get lost! Mind your own business! You're not the leader here, Werewolf! This isn't your district!" one of them snarled.
Kael didn't flinch, didn't even blink. His eyes alone spelled one thing,
a storm ready to be unleashed.
"She's a spy," the pervert pointed at me. "Let's strip her! I bet she's hiding devices on her body!"
"Noo!!" I screamed.
I crawled toward Kael, even though there was no guarantee he'd help me.
"I swear by God, I don't even know what they're talking about! Don't listen to them! I'm not a spy!" I begged through ragged breaths. "Please, believe me!"
"You talk too much! Slut! Stop trying to defend yourself!" the man in the middle snapped, making me tremble even harder.
He lunged forward, fast. His foot swung toward my face, and I squeezed my eyes shut.
But… nothing happened.
I wasn't hurt at all.
When I opened my eyes, Kael's leg had intercepted the kick meant for me. With one hand, he shoved my attacker back by the shoulder.
"Leave," Kael ordered, cold and calm.
"Are you deaf or stupid? Can't you see this defective Strain is suspicious? She'll only cripple our team, like she is!"
"It's too early to call someone a spy just because she seems odd," Kael muttered.
He shot me a brief glance before shifting his icy stare back at the three idiots standing before us.
"There are three hundred participants. Do you really think the government would be stupid enough to send someone like her?" He pointed at me.
"Maybe she's using the weakness act to trick us!"
Kael crossed his arms. "Or maybe you're trying to use her as a scapegoat… to hide the fact that you're the impostor."
"Idiot! Why are you accusing me?!"
"We can all accuse whoever we want, can't we? You can even call me a spy if you like." Kael scoffed softly.
The three men clearly didn't want to risk escalating things with Kael. They stepped back slowly, then bolted the moment they felt far enough from the werewolf.
I let out a shaky breath as the throbbing pain from the earlier slap burned along my cheek. But at least… the worst didn't happen.
I groaned softly. Even standing felt impossible, but Kael didn't offer a hand or even ask if I was okay.
He just stood there, staring at me like I was trash. Like he'd only protected me because I happened to be on his team.
Slowly, forcing myself through the weakness, I pushed myself upright, while Kael's eyes scanned me. His gaze was like a cold blade ready to cut.
I coughed. "Thank you."
"Carry a weapon everywhere you go. Even in neutral zones like this."
My brows knitted. "Why?"
"Because there's no rule stopping participants from hurting each other. Or killing them."
I froze. But… hadn't they told us teammates weren't allowed to fight? That anyone breaking that rule would be punished by the government?
"But the rules said…" I stopped mid-sentence. My lips stung sharply, like they were about to split open. Even speaking hurts.
"Rules are just rules. In the end, there's only one winner." A flicker of yellow flashed in Kael's eyes.
Then he walked away. His body propelled upward onto a tree branch, and within a split second, he vanished.
I didn't want to go to the dining hall anymore, but my stomach was painfully empty. So I dragged myself there, Kael's words echoing in my mind.
Even if we had been a team from the beginning, all participants would still have been rivals. If a fight broke out, no one would step in. Of course they wouldn't. Because fewer competitors meant better odds.
I had to protect myself every second. Danger didn't exist only in the arena; it lived in the neutral zones as well.
The moment I stepped into the dining hall, every pair of eyes turned toward me. Even those three men who failed to hurt me still glare as if they wished I'd break. I ignored them all.
This was the first time I felt so uncomfortable with people's stares. Back in my district, even though we didn't know one another well, we tried to help each other, except for Mom and Windy, who always saw me as a burden.
Ash waved at me once I got my tray of food. When I approached her, I noticed her plate was almost empty.
"You trained so long you lost track of time," she said.
I forced a smile. Talking about the attack didn't feel like a brilliant idea. I'd just keep it to myself, as long as it never happened again. I'd make sure it didn't.
"Hey, what happened to your face? It's a bit bruised." Ash squinted.
"I accidentally hit myself with my baton."
Ash winced. "Ouch. That must've hurt. Don't push yourself too hard. You'll end up hurting yourself."
"I won't be careless again." I chuckled softly, and pain spread through my mouth.
"Well, that can be fixed quickly. I'll heal you later."
Her sincerity caught me off guard. But it also made Kael's words echo louder in my head. There can only be one winner.
I glanced at Ash, who continued eating calmly.
A wave of uneasiness washed over me. We were destined to be rivals, yet she was being so kind. I could never fight Ash. Or see her as an enemy.
Kael walked into the dining hall then. His confident stride drew everyone's attention, not just mine. But Kael carried some invisible wall around him; no one's gaze could shake him.
My eyes stayed glued on him as he sat alone in a corner, quietly eating his dinner. Until he caught me staring. He suddenly stopped, stood, and walked straight toward me.
Cold sweat gathered on my back. Oh God, was I in trouble again?
Kael reached behind him, pulled out something, and placed a pair of batons on my table. Then he walked out of the dining hall without a single word. I just sat there, stunned.
"Why did he give you batons?" Ash frowned.
I had the same question.
Was this… concern? Or something else?