#Chapter 30 – Tossed to the Wolves

Lila Beside me, Emma clutched my arm so tightly her fingers left marks. We hadn’t really spoken since the scoring was announced, but she kept looking at me like I was going to tip sideways and shatter. She wasn’t wrong. I was tired. Not just in the bone-deep, body-won’t-move kind of way, but in the soul kind of way. My pride was scraped raw. My limbs shook. And the juncture between my legs still hadn’t settled since Damon pinned me to the ground. “You okay?” Emma whispered, glancing over. I nodded, swallowing back the lump that had been stuck in my throat since Ronan called my name. “I made it through,” she said softly, like she couldn’t quite believe it. “Sixty-eight. Just made the cut.” I blinked at her, startled. “Seriously?” She gave a crooked, sheepish smile. “Yeah. I thought for sure I was going home. I almost threw up on Beta Ronan.” Despite myself, I snorted. It hurt. But the sound helped. Like it made me remember I was alive. Emma squeezed my arm again.