Chapter 32

Chapter 32

I’m gasping for breath by the time I get to the sand pit through which I have to army crawl under a

heavy cargo net. This obstacle marks the final third of the course, which means that I’m almost done

but it’s also the part that always slows me down the most.

I dive in without hesitation, trying to push myself as hard as I can, not giving myself any time to hesitate

or take a break even though my heart is pounding with the exertion.

Rafe is right. I’m a Sinclair. We don’t fail at shit like this.

And the chain climb, which is next?

Well, I’m just going to have to handle that when I get there, aren’t I?

In the meantime, I use my legs to propel me forward, my thighs burning as I use my stomach muscles

to hold my body in the air as much as I can, my forearms moving fast to take my weight as I move

towards the edge.

By the time I get to the end of the sand pit I’m red and panting, my tongue sticky with sand kicked up

into the air by the sixty–some cadets who are already ahead of

like me in line, including Jackson, who has already overlapped me. As usual, he Rafe, Jesse, and Luca

– goes through the course twice in the time it takes the rest of us to do it once, earning a completion

bonus.

But, considering that he didn’t even look my way when he passed me…I’m counting my blessings.

I roll out from under the cargo rope, giving myself ten seconds to lay on the ground and catch my

breath, as Rafe advised I do, before I try to magically levitate myself up this chain or something –

But as I lay stay still, carefully counting my breaths, suddenly a heap of sand hits me in the face –

And I gasp, sputtering and roiling over onto my stomach as I frantically wipe at my face, hacking sand

from my throat. I finally shake the majority of the sand away and get a glimpse of f**king Graham

Wright smirking over his shoulder at me as he starts to pull himself up the chain

God, what an asshole-

He puts a further thirty second dent in my time as I work to spit the sand our of my mouth and ensure

that it doesn’t get in my lungs. Then I pull myself to my feer and start to jog towards the chains, cursing

the Wright family and passively plotting their deaths when suddenly 1 stumble in surprise, because

Because f**king Jackson is right there, kneeling at the corner of the chain obstacle, again tying his

damn shor

I slow my pace but keep moving, trying to figure out what the hell is going on with him –

I mean, honestly, if his boots are messing with him that much, why doesn’t he just take them off and

go? This is going to put a severe dent in his time he’ll still get the completion bonus, but this will be the

worst time he’s ever recorded, and he’ll certainly have given the title for this course to Rafe, who…

But as I jog towards the chains, my mind working fast, Jackson raises his head.

And looks directly into my eyes.

I slow further and he scowls at me, glancing down at my feet, clearly telling me to

get a move on.

I hesitate for a second but then start to run, faster now. He lifts his eyes again to mine and nods, one,

solidly. And then, shocking me, he returns his gaze to his shoe, his body curled over, his shoulders flat

above him almost like…

Like…a table.

Or a platform.

I gasp as I suddenly realize what the hell is happening.

And that…that I have one shot to take advantage of this gift Jackson has laid at my feet –

And I don’t know why he did it – maybe as an apology for trying to choke me? Maybe as a thanks for

the simple act of inviting him to breakfast?

But for whatever reason he did it – Jackson has opened a door for me to f**king make it into the

academy.

His words at the start of the obstacle come back to me as I pick up speed

“There isn’t any language that prevents you from using other candidates‘ bodies as leverage.”

And as my focus lands on the flat expanse of his wide shoulders?

see exactly how he’s positioned them for me.

As leverage.

With a final burst of speed, I launch myself into the air over Jackson’s head, my

right foot landing on flat of his back between his shoulders, and I shout as I straighten my knee and

push

Jackson lets out a yell and stands, acting for anyone who is watching like I did this without his consent

– shouting after me and cursing like a damn sailor at the little Shrimp who used him like a damn step

stool.

But the leverage, and the fact that Jackson shouted and stood just as my foot hit his back – it only

pushed me up higher.

And the boost is everything I need.

I grab the chain about eight feet off the ground, and I grit my teeth, putting every ounce of effort and will

into my biceps as I haul myself the final two feet onto the platform at the top.

But two feet? Two feet I can do.

I ignore Graham’s shouts behind me as he calls me a cheater, and Jackson’s pretend curses, grinning

like an idiot as I sprint forward on to the next obstacle.

But the rest is cake -And as I cross the finish line ten minutes later, my coming in short pants, and

glance up at the time?

I grin, because it’s absolutely the best time I’ve ever made minutes faster than I’ve ever made it before.

Which means…

breath

a whole fifteen

it’s not a good time, the

I start to laugh a little hysterically now. Because I mean obstacle course is still by far my weakest test,

and it counts for so much in the final

ranking

But I think…I think it just might be good enough

And as Jackson crosses the finish line a second after me, I swear there’s a little smile on his lips as he

glances my way.

I fall in at Jackson’s side as the Lieutenants nod to us, letting us know they’ve got our times, my breath

coming pathetically short in comparison to Jackson’s even. controlled breathing.

But neither of us acknowledge it or even say a word as we pass through to the

barracks.

Because whatever is done is done.

And only the rankings truly matter now.

Inside the barracks, Jackson still doesn’t speak to me as he moves to his bunk and I go to mine. I

glance around, looking for Jesse and Luca and Rafe – Ben won’t have come out yet – but none of them

are here. Lieutenants move around the room, barking at us to hurry, and as much as I’d like a second

to run to the bathroom and clean up, there’s just no time.

So, I gather my pack, which really just has my spare blanket and my toothbrush kit in it I didn’t come

with any personal belongings, like everyone else did – and head anxiously for the front door and out

into the sunlight.

Like everyone else, I head immediately for the line of candidates who already stand in formation,

organized according to our ranking yesterday. Everyone stands looking forward, their hands clasped

behind their backs like the soldiers they hope to become, their feet shoulder–width apart.A Lieutenant

directs me to my spot, a little black dot with a small number 70 painted on it. I exhale, tucking my hands

behind my back and lacing my fingers together, assuming the position. As soon as I do, though, I start

to peer around, looking for my family and my friends, hoping to hell that everything went okay for them.

We’re all pretty spread out on the wide lawn at the base of the cliff on which the Academy castle is

built, the entrance just a black door built into the wall of rock directly ahead of us. I curse my short

stature again as I try to see between shoulders and torsos, but luckily we’re far enough apart that I get

a glimpse of Rafe’s dark head rising high above pretty much everyone else’s. Near him at the

front is Jesse, and down the line to their right is Jackson

spare a glance for 1 ucx, and consider looking behind me to see if Ben has emerged yet, but then my

eyes return to Jackson and I consider, again, why he helped me today

But then my stomach sinks as I wonder god, did he help me today?

I go over the events again in my mind.

Jackson waiting for me at the starting line.

Jackson telling me about a vague rule in the handbook – a handbook I’ve never heard of before.

Jackson kneeling at the base of the chains, which he must know is my worst obstacle –

And then the way he looked at me before setting his shoulders flat, basically inviting me to use him as

leverage.

But…was it even real?

If it was – Jackson just gave me the boost I needed to get into the academy. But if it wasn’t… go white

as I realize that Jackson – who basically tried to kill me twice – he may have just gotten me disqualified

from candidacy. If it is actually illegal to use another candidate’s body as leverage, which seems like it

should be…

Then Jackson just fooled me into breaking the rules during the last test.

My face goes white as I realize the risk I just took, and I curse myself heartily as a fool as I realize that I

trusted him because he’s my mate-

But Jackson – he has no idea that I’m his mate. As far as he knows, I’m just the shrimp who is

somehow keeping his mate from him- precisely the person he’d want to eliminate, precisely the person

who he’d want to lure into complacency with an awkward apology and by accepting an invitation to eat

at breakfast.

I press my eyes shut, stifling a moan, realizing just how stupid I’ve been today.

God, I shouldn’t have trusted him I should have just tried to do it on my own, taken the penalty for being

so slow…

Chapter 32

Unless…

I mean, isn’t it just as possible that Jackson, like Luca, does sense a connection between us? That he

might want to help?

“Candidates,” the Captain’s voice booms out, artificially amplified this time so that we’re all sure to hear

him. “Congratulations on your completion of these two rigorous weeks. It is now time to announce the

names of the 96 newest cadets at Alpha Academy. In order, those who have been accepted are as

follows…”

And as the Captain pauses, reaching behind him for the official list of final rankings, I gulp dry air down

around the lump in my throat.

Because in just a few minutes I’ll learn the truth: whether my mate truly saved me, or if he intentionally

ruined my dream of becoming a cadet at the Alpha Academy,