His Trouble Maker

Chapter 49

Jessica

I’ve never felt so much pain in my entire life. It’s like everything inside me is being torn apart. I didn’t know where I was, but I knew something had gone horribly wrong.

“She shouldn’t have been out there,” Pierce’s voice snapped. It was so sharp, full of fury. I could hear his teeth grinding through the words. “You knew what would happen. You should’ve stopped her.”

I flinched at the sound of his voice. He’s always so damn protective of me.

“I couldn’t save her.”

Was that….Grayson? What is he talking about? Save me from what? The last thing I remembered–the rain. The downpour. The way it slammed against me, against the earth, as I faced Kael.

Had I… won?

Did I beat him?

I remember throwing him out of the circle when my vision starts to blur.

“Damn it, Grayson!” Pierce shouted. I heard some sound of chairs rattling. “You told me that there’s no fucking way she will make it as a

warrior!”

I flinched, though I wasn’t sure if I moved at all. I couldn’t even feel my fingers. But his words… they hurt like hell. I remember his exact words

when we were younger. He always excluded me from his training. Always. He never let me in. For what? Why?

“She’s stronger than you think.”

“No, she’s not!”

“Then what do you want me to do, huh? Tell her that no, Jess, don’t fucking try because Aria made sure you will never make it even if you fucking won the trial? Do you think how she will feel-”

Aria?

My mind was foggy, my body broken. But the mention of Aria…snap me back to reality.

“You think she’s ready?”

I wanted to answer, wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t form. And then Grayson growl. I know that’s a sign Pierce is pushing his damn limits. “I didn’t have a choice,” he muttered, his voice low but raw. “She needed to do this. She needed to prove it.”

“Prove what?” Pierce spat. “That she’s strong enough to survive your fucking games? To survive Aria? To be your fucking Luna?”

Ready? Was I? Was I ever ready for what?

Grayson had been

mind flashed back to all those sessions, the endless hours I spent pushing myself

grinding myself into the dirt to prove

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Chapter 49

trying to gather whatever strength I had left. Grayson’s words, Pierce’s anger, the pain in my chest, everything felt like it was crashing into me all at once. My head spun ! thought I have no

It’s disgusting.

went to my side as if they hadn’t been at each other’s throats seconds

his lips parted but I cannot

between them, my voice rising with each word. “What the actual

J

He hadn’t expected this–hadn’t expected me to come

He reached for my

hand away. “Don’t

sting of my palm hitting his skin echoed in the suddenly silent

weak omega?” I spat, jabbing my finger into Grayson’s chest. “Some broken little doll you need to

Goddamn it. I swallowed

trying to-”

My laugh came out ugly, twisted. “That’s rich coming from you two.

“You’re not being

screaming now, my hands shaking so hard I had to clench them into fists. “Was it fair when you went behind my

running my fingers through my tangled hair, yanking at

you,” I whispered, then louder: “I TRUSTED

Something hot and wet

voice softened, but his eyes–Goddess, his eyes looked like he was the

dare look at me like that,” I hissed. “Like I’m breaking your heart when

me. I grabbed the nearest thing–a book–and hurled it

right into Grayson’s eyes. “I fucking won. You saw it. I pushed Kael out of the circle. That’s the

fucking won and I’m going to fight for that. There’s no way I am letting them bully me into thinking that I am

is not

burned behind my eyes but I refused to let them fall. “Grayson…baby..please? Tell me,

the reflection of my pain. It’s like he’s hurting

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Chapter 49

his hands through his hair. “But Jess, you’ve passed out after the first

“No…no…no..that’s not true.”

to reach me for a hug but I can’t. This is not real. He’s lying. There’s no way

and finish the next pool.” I straightened my shoulders, wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

heard Pierce cursed beside me but all my attention is on Grayson. I watch how his face crumpled in pain. Not all at once, but in pieces–first his brow, then his eyes, finally his mouth.