Chapter 9 Off The Track
Zarek POV
The heat from the engine still clung to my skin when I stepped out of the car.
The crowd noise rolled through the track in waves, loud enough to shake the metal beneath my boots. Wolves moved around the pit lane quickly, mechanics, racers, spectators. The smell of gasoline mixed with burnt rubber and adrenaline filled the air.
Normal people would probably find it overwhelming.
To me, it felt like home.
I pulled my gloves off slowly just as Brennan came around the front of his silver car, shaking his head.
“You’re annoying,” he muttered.
A small smirk pulled at my mouth. “You almost sounded proud.”
“Don’t flatter yourself.” He grabbed a bottle from one of the crew members and took a long drink before pointing at me. “You held back on the second curve.”
“I didn’t.”
“You absolutely did.”
I shrugged once.
Brennan scoffed. “One day I’m actually going to beat you.”
“You say that every week.”
“And one day it’ll stop being funny.”
“It already is.”
He glared at me while I removed the collar fastening around my wrist.
“You know what your problem is?” Brennan continued. “You enjoy this too much.”
“That’s usually the point of racing.”
“No,” he corrected. “You enjoy terrifying people.”
Before I could answer, Lena walked toward us.
Unlike Brennan, she still looked perfectly composed despite the chaos around us.
“What was that near the final stretch?” she asked immediately.
Brennan blinked. “Hello to you too.”
“You nearly clipped the barrier,” Lena ignored him completely.
“I didn’t.” Brennan argued.
“You did.”
“I had control.”
“You always say that right before something stupid happens.”
Brennan looked personally offended. “You know, for someone not driving, you’re surprisingly stressful.”
Lena folded her arms. “And for someone supposedly intelligent, you make reckless decisions often.”
I held the smile that threatened to escape my lips.
Brennan pointed toward me. “Why are you blaming me? He’s the one that suddenly decided to become dramatic during the last lap.”
Lena’s eyes shifted to mine instantly. “You slowed down.”
“I won.”
“That wasn’t my point.”
Before I answered, my attention shifted automatically toward the staircase leading down from the viewing platform.
Sylvie.
She was walking toward us slowly.
The black dress moved softly around her legs with every step, drawing attention without her even trying. Wolves nearby glanced at her instinctively before immediately looking away once they noticed me watching.
Kairo stirred beneath my skin instantly.
I ignored him.
Brennan noticed my attention shift and followed my line of sight. A grin immediately appeared on his face.
“Oh,” he muttered. “So that’s the new thing.”
Lena looked unimpressed already.
Sylvie finally stopped in front of us.
Up close, I could smell traces of her scent. It was oddly addictive.
Her eyes moved between Brennan and Lena briefly before settling on me.
“What?” she asked carefully.
I realized I had been staring. “Nothing,” I answered pretending to act nonchalant.
Brennan snorted beside me. Loudly.
Sylvie’s gaze shifted toward him now, clearly noticing him properly for the first time.
I tilted my head slightly toward him. “Sylvie, this is Brennan. My beta.”
Her brows lifted a little at that.
Brennan extended his hand first. “The very overworked beta, actually.”
She hesitated for half a second before shaking it. “Sylvie.”
“So,” Brennan tilted his head slightly, studying her with open curiosity, “you’re the girl causing all this chaos.”
Her brows pulled together immediately. “I don’t think I caused anything.”
“Oh, you definitely did,” he replied casually.
“Brennan,” Lena warned.
“What?” He smirked. “I’m being welcoming.”
“You’re being irritating, especially when we are all aware that you aren’t this friendly or most importantly you don’t care about anyone.”
“That too but except you aren’t the future Luna.”
Sylvie looked between all three of us like she was trying to figure out how any of us functioned together.
Then her gaze returned to me.
“What did you think about the race?” I asked her opinion.
She shrugged immediately like she wasn’t awe. “It was alright.”
Brennan burst out laughing.
Lena looked mildly shocked.
I narrowed my eyes slightly. “Alright?”
Sylvie folded her arms. “I’ve seen better.”
“You are lying,” Brennan said instantly.
Her chin lifted slightly. “Am I?”
“Yes.”
A faint smile tugged at the corner of my mouth before I could stop it.
She noticed.
Her eyes narrowed at me immediately like she didn’t appreciate that reaction.
“I’m serious,” she defended.
“No, you’re stubborn,” Brennan corrected.
“I just don’t think driving in circles is that impressive.”
Brennan stared at her for a second before looking at me slowly. “I hate her.”
Lena looked exhausted already. “Of course you do.”
Sylvie glanced back toward the track where crews were still moving around the pit lane.
“But…” she paused slightly. “The silver car was good.”
Brennan straightened immediately. “See? Finally, intelligence.”
….
Sylvie POV
By the time we left the track, the night air had cooled slightly.
The loudness from the race still lingered in my chest though, the engines, the crowd, the tension. Even now, walking beside Zarek through the compound, I could still feel the adrenaline sitting under my skin.
Brennan walked ahead of us with Lena beside him.
Well… beside him was generous.
Lena walked like she was tolerating his existence.
“You nearly lost that turn on purpose,” she said flatly.
Brennan looked offended immediately. “You wound me.”
“You do enough damage yourself.”
“I still came second.”
“You say that every time like it changes the fact that you lost.”
“I hate talking to you after races.”
“Then stop driving badly.”
I blinked once before quietly leaning closer toward Zarek. “Are they always like this?”
“Yes.”
“That seems exhausting.”
“It is.”
A small laugh escaped me before I could stop it.
Zarek glanced down at me briefly. That look again.
I looked away first.
The Alpha house came into view a few minutes later.
Massive black stone walls. Tall glass windows glowing warmly from inside. Wolves stood near the entrance, immediately straightening the second they noticed Zarek approaching.
The doors opened before we even reached them.
Brennan had just stepped into the main hall when another voice suddenly echoed from the staircase above.
“Well look who finally decided to come back home.”