Chapter 18: Ensnared by His Looks
Stahl bantered on for a bit longer with her father that morning before setting out to the arena with her thoughts just a little lighter from the older wolf’s efforts. Before FINALLY getting to get a good, up-close look of her weird little friend’s face with her own two eyes, eyes that could see him clearly.
Aster was thankful Javis had agreed to come witness the final two rounds since his cover had already been blown. He was more grateful to have an ally stand by him for at least the first few steps into the scary new reality that was his life now.
In truth, the human was feeling deathly anxious, knowing what awaited him as he stepped through the entrance of the Selection Grounds.
The curses and booing spat down by the audience towards the human as soon as he walked into sight was nothing unexpected for Aster, and yet his chest felt a little tighter still.
A few more paces in, and the pair stopped. The teacher gave his student one final reassuring nudge despite the vulgar cries and primal snarls around them, and parted with the boy he’d half raised as he went to find a seat among spectators.
Aster swallowed hard and turned to the entrant seating, feeling smaller than ever now that he was alone. The human kept his sights on the dirt below as he practically fled to the furthest corner, as far away from every other person in that overwhelming arena as possible.
Aster couldn’t help but to recall his father’s final pleading words at that time... They replayed over and over again in his mind, enticing his heart to beat right out of his very chest.
’You are not safe here.’
Stahl watched on in utter disbelief as his weird little friend didn’t even acknowledge her... Just... plopped down in the corner, never even glancing her way.