Episode Seventeen - Jealousy and Cowardice (Part 2)

Chapter Song Suggestion "Someone Else by Rezz ft Grabbit"

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Eira's breath shortened as her heart accelerated, and she peeked around the corner. A little gasp of indrawn breath escaped her.

"Oh, yes! Lars! Harder!" Kalina moaned indiscreetly, fingers scratching his broad back.

Lars was pumping wildly into Kalina's tightness, fueled by a violent fury of hate and resentment — directed at himself. He had her pinned against the wall as he took her roughly from behind.

Pain unfolded in Eira's chest, crowding the breath from her lungs. Horrified to feel the sting of desperate tears, she ran out of the locker room and raced out to the gardens. Finding a hidden corner, she threw up as memories of a distant time cascaded in her mind.

"Whore!"

"Useless slut!"

"Nobody wants a broken woman. You're only good for fucking."

Why? she mentally screamed, tears running down her face. Why would Lars betray her like this?

Pain bled from every pore of her being. She didn't deserve this. Not from Lars. For hours, she wept until there were no more tears left and darkness surrounded her. She didn't move, lost in her thoughts when she heard Florian calling her name. "Eira! Are you here?"

Covering her mouth with both hands, she prayed for him to leave. She didn't want anyone to see her in this state – broken and ugly. When he finally left, she escaped the gardens and went to hide in Xue Long's pen.

The white dragon lifted its head immediately, sensing her pain and confusion.

{Master, not feeling well?}

Bursting into tears, she wrapped her arms around the dragon's neck, conveying her sorrow to a predator she knew that wouldn't hurt a single strand on her head.

A sorrowful song emitted from the depths of Xue Long's chest, a low but mellifluous rumbling that helped to soothe her soul. It was the first time a predator attempted to comfort her, and she was genuinely touched. Soon, she fell asleep to its gentle lullaby.

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"Has anyone seen Eira?" Florian walked into the breakfast room the next day. "She's been missing since yesterday afternoon."

"Nope, I just returned from Volaris," Koga answered, busy stuffing his mouth with omelette and bread rolls.

"Captain?" There was no hiding the suspicion in that one word. Florian had sensed something brewing between Eira and Lars. He wouldn't be surprised if she ran out of tolerance. Even Florian was unable to understand what the fuck their Captain was thinking. For an astute man, Lars was deliberately being obtuse and mean.

Lars cracked an eye open from where he was nursing a hangover. After the fucking session with Kalina, he tore away and drowned himself in alcohol. He was a fucking coward. He was regretting that one stupid idea. No doubt, he had hurt Eira in the worse way. He deserved her hatred. "No."

Just then, the subject of their conversation floated in, looking sprightly and cheery. "Good morning, everyone!" Apart from her swollen eyes, she didn't look defeated. Had his plan backfired? But it was obvious she had been crying.

"Where were you?" Florian settled in the opposite seat from her, concern in his voice.

Eira helped herself to a hefty breakfast, piling her plate with bread, bacon, potatoes, and sausages. "I was training Xue Long the entire day and fell asleep in her pen. We're bonding magnificently."

Lars sat up straighter. She was lying. He had heard her entering the locker room last evening where he planted that scene.

Sharp, emerald eyes cut straight to him – fiercely accusing. Eira had seen them. Her tone could have carved diamonds. "I hope you had a wonderful evening, Captain. I heard it was...unruly."

Florian's eyes narrowed at the heavy undercurrent.

"Did you go to a party or something?" Koga asked through a mouthful of bread rolls.

"Excellent question." Eira stabbed her sausage with a fork and demonstratively bit off the end. "I think it was a 'private party'. We weren't invited."

"Huh, that's strange," Koga continued, oblivious to the growing tension in the room. "But you don't like wild parties, Captain. You even hate attending the annual kill hunter championship celebration with the higher ups."

"It was splendid," Lars forced out through clenched teeth. All the while, his gaze was locked onto Eira. "Not that it's anyone's business."

She outright ignored him, turning her attention to Florian. "Why were you looking for me?"

"I wanted to inform you that the Ataxian Intra-Unit Battle has been announced."

She appeared puzzled, chewing pensively. "What's that?"

"It's the second most important battle for all Ataxian kill hunters," Koga explained with stars in his eyes. He curled a fist. "This year, I'm ready to crush unit one and rob them of the championship title."

"It sounds exciting." Eira was honestly just glad for the distraction. If they had to fight, then she wouldn't be dwelling on useless thoughts. "How does it work?"

"All six units are to participate, and the results will determine our new ranking."

"If this happens annually then why is our unit always the last?" she asked boldly.

Koga and Florian opened their mouths and exchanged helpless looks. Nothing came out.

"Because the Captain refuses to participate and he doesn't take it seriously," Anaelle announced, walking in to take her usual seat by the window. "Captain doesn't put faith in the system."

"But why not?" Eira refused to look at Lars even though she itched to do so.

"It isn't mandatory for Captains to participate," Florian explained. "The battle is mostly to test the team members and to hone our skills. It's the ultimate training menu."

Eira's lungs expanded, feeling a genuine spark of excitement. It was the Qeathan blood flowing in her veins — the reverence of a good battle. "Does that mean we get to test our skills against powerful unit members?"

"Hell yes!" Koga resounded, equally as hyped as Eira. "Finally! Someone understands how I feel."

Anaelle hopelessly shook her head. "It seems we found ourselves another battle idiot."

"When does it begin?" Eira wanted to be physically and mentally prepared for it. It had been ages since she'd felt the thrill of a good fight. This would be a perfect opportunity to test the results of her training with Xue Long — if they allowed predators to participate.

"We have three weeks," Florian replied. "And the good news is you can participate with Xue Long if she's mission ready. I've already sorted out her paperwork and enlisted her as our newest predator member."

Eira brightened considerably, all worries forgotten. "Oh, thank you, Florian! That's good news. We have been training everyday and our coordination is nearly synchronized. I can't wait to try it out in an actual battlefield."

"Excellent!" Florian praised, glad that he could put that smile on her face. "Then I'll enter her in Aeolus's place since the Captain's not participating this year too."

"Come on, Captain," Koga deplored, making a face. "We need you to win the champion title."

"If you can't win it on your own, then you're weak," Lars replied deadpanned.

"We don't need him, Koga. This year, you've got me," Eira boasted, deliberately goading Lars. "The Captain will only get in our way."

Anaelle's brows hitched up to her hairline. Eira was provoking the Captain? She was always hovering around him like a puppy dog. What had she missed?

Amber eyes narrowed sharply.

Koga snorted. "You won't be able to defeat Captain Leitis of unit one. Our Captain's the only one on equal footing with that monster."

Eira ignored Lars's hard stare. "Speaking of which, why haven't we met the other unit members?"

"That's because unit one always snags the high-profile missions, and they aren't on base for most of the year. The lower your unit number, the more jobs you receive. Since we are number six, we are assigned to undertake emergency cases and odd jobs."

How demotivating, Eira thought miserably.

"We do get to do joined missions with the others from time to time," Anaelle attempted to inject a sense of optimism.

Florian grinned. "You can think of them as our training buddies. We're all on neutral terms."

"He's lying. What he meant to say is that they fight as much as they get along." Anaelle poured herself a cup of herbal tea. "A bunch of fighting barbarians."

"You're just sore because you lose every time." Koga poked fun at her.

She nailed him with a frigid scowl. "I prefer using my brains over brawns."

He mimicked her fancy accent and received a bread roll, smack, dab in his face.

Eira stifled a giggle at their childishness.

"Good morning, everyone." Kalina waltzed in, a cloud of her perfume trailing in her wake. The room fell as silent as a graveyard as she crossed the room and planted a kiss on Lars's cheek. "I had a very good time last night, Lars, baby."

Eira shot to her feet, her eyes throwing daggers at the couple. "If you will excuse me, I just lost my appetite."

Well, Anaelle took a sip of tea. Now it all made perfect sense.