I happened to glance toward the shade where my mate was sitting, and my pulse spiked instantly. A small group of boys—younger pack members who clearly lacked the common sense the Goddess gave a squirrel—were approaching Artemis and Mia. Luca stiffened beside me, the air around him darkening as he followed my gaze. "What do you think that's about?" he asked, his voice dropping into a low, dangerous register.
I didn't answer. My wolf was already pacing the cage of my mind, a low growl vibrating deep in my chest. Nothing good, I thought. Through my peripheral vision, I saw Luca cross his arms, his posture a mirror of my own lethal tension. The training field was a chaotic mess of clashing bodies and shouted orders, making it impossible to catch their words, but their body language was screaming.
Mia suddenly took a menacing step toward the ringleader. Beside me, Luca snapped. He let out a sharp growl and lunged forward to intervene, but I was faster. I slammed my palm against his chest, holding him back with the weight of my command. He whipped his head toward me, his eyes flashing with pure outrage. He wanted to protect his mate, but I simply shook my head, my eyes locked on Artemis. Luca scoffed, shoving my hand away with a frustrated grunt, but he stayed put, vibrating with suppressed rage.
We watched as Artemis suddenly stood. My breath caught in my throat. Even from this distance, her height made the boys look like pups cornered by a lioness. My confusion only deepened when she reached out and firmly shook the ringleader's hand.
I watched, my narrowed eyes tracking her every move, as she began leading the group toward the center of the field. Mia followed closely behind her, but it was the four boys trailing in their wake that made my blood simmer. They were whispering to one another, their faces split with arrogant grins that they wouldn't have dared to wear if they knew I was watching.
Beside me, Luca let out another guttural growl. I looked back at the boys and realized they weren't just following; they were blatantly staring at our mates' backsides with a disgusting, lingering disrespect. My wolf snarled in the back of my mind, and my own anger intensified until it was a physical ache in my jaw. This time, I didn't reach out to stop Luca. I let him stalk forward, falling into step right beside him.
When we met them in the center of the field, the air seemed to go still. Luca walked straight to Mia, pulling her into an embrace that was as much about protection as it was a warning. Over her shoulder, he leveled a glare at the boys that made them visibly wither, their cocky whispers dying in their throats as they shifted uncomfortably under our collective gaze. Artemis met my gaze as I approached, a playful, knowing smile tugging at the corners of her lips. I came to a halt in front of her, my arms crossed over my chest as I raised a skeptical eyebrow.
"What exactly is going on here?" She shrugged nonchalantly, as if she weren't currently surrounded by a group of boys she was about to dismantle. "Do you mind if we borrow a few things for a quick sparring match?" I felt my eyes widen slightly. I looked at the boys—who were now looking at me with a mixture of terror and confusion—and then back to my mate. I shrugged my shoulders, the corner of my own mouth twitching. "Do whatever you need to do. The field is yours."
She gave me a brilliant smile before turning her attention back to the ringleader and his crew. "Tape up," she commanded, her voice holding an edge of authority that made them jump. "If you don't want to worry about broken wrists or bruised knuckles, you'd better get ready." The boys scrambled to follow her order, fumbling with rolls of athletic tape as Artemis moved to the center of the ring. She began to stretch, her movements fluid and cat-like, radiating a quiet power that made the air around her feel heavy. One of the boys looked up from his hands, his brow furrowing as he watched her. "Aren't... aren't you going to tape up?"
Artemis let out a low, melodic chuckle that sent a cold shiver racing down my spine. She didn't even look at him as she reached for her toes, her movements fluid and hauntingly graceful. "I doubt any of you will even be able to challenge me enough to make me consider that," she said, her voice smooth and utterly certain. She straightened up then, her eyes locking onto the boys with a predatory stillness that made the air in the training circle feel heavy. "I'll be just fine."
"Now," Artemis said, her voice cutting through the tension as she straightened up. "Who's up first?" The ringleader—the same one who had dared to shake her hand with such misplaced confidence—stepped forward. He tried to hide the slight tremor in his knees with a cocky grin, but the sweat on his brow told a different story. Artemis smiled, but her gaze shifted over to where we stood. "Luca," she called out, "would you mind being the spotter? I'm sure you know exactly what you're doing."
Luca's eyebrows shot toward his hairline. I was just as stunned as he was. Of all people to oversee a match, she had chosen the man who had been nothing but disrespectful since the moment she arrived here. Despite his surprise at the request, Luca stepped into the ring, his presence looming over the teenagers like a storm cloud. "Fine," Luca grunted. "Fine, don't expect me to be favorable towards you." Artemis's smirk only widened, a dangerous glint dancing in her eyes. "I know, Luca. That's exactly why I asked you."
One by one, the warriors on the field stopped their drills. The rhythmic sounds of sparring faded into a heavy, expectant silence as the pack gathered in a wide circle to watch the match. I stood to the side, my muscles coiled like a spring, while Mia stepped up beside me. "What is this, Mia?" I ground out, my voice barely more than a snarl. "What is she doing?"
Mia rolled her eyes at my outburst, completely unfazed by my Alpha aura flaring. "Oh, please, Kayden. Do you honestly think any of these boys even have a shot at winning against her? This is the same person who was able to take down a pack of our highly trained warriors when she first arrived. She's a tiger shifter, for Christ's sake. It would be like a house cat trying to take down a semi-truck." I clenched my jaw, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the railing. Logically, I knew Mia was right. I had seen Artemis's lethality firsthand; she was grace and destruction personified. But logic didn't stop the possessive roar of my wolf. The mere thought of her being "won" as a prize by anyone else—especially these arrogant pups—made me want to level the entire training field.
I watched the boy across from me. He was bouncing on the balls of his feet, shadow-boxing the air in a display of nervous energy that he clearly thought looked intimidating. He stopped, flashing me a confident grin. "I'm already wondering where I should take you after this is over," he said, his voice loud enough for the surrounding crowd to hear. "I've got to make it special, since it'll be my victory celebration, too. Just don't take it too hard when I win, okay?"
I didn't shift my stance. I didn't even blink. I just watched him with the clinical detachment of a cat watching a mouse corner itself. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to count your chickens before they hatch?" He smirked, settling into a low crouch. "I think I'll be just fine." The words had barely left his mouth when Luca's voice cracked through the air like a gunshot. "Begin!"
The boy charged, his movements fueled by a surge of adrenaline and a desperate need to prove himself. I felt my hands ball into fists, every muscle in my body turning to stone as I prepared to jump the line if he actually touched her. Artemis just stood there. She didn't flinch; she didn't even raise her guard. She looked like a statue of a goddess, calm and untouchable.
Then, just as the boy's punch was about to connect, she vanished. It wasn't the lunging speed of a wolf; it was a blur of pure, liquid motion—an explosive displacement of air that I'd rarely seen even in our fastest scouts. She reappeared directly behind him, her posture relaxed, leaning in to whisper just loud enough for the front row to hear. "Is that the best you've got?" A collective gasp rippled through the onlookers before the field went deadly quiet. The warriors, the trainees—everyone was frozen in astonishment. They weren't just watching a match anymore; they were watching a predator play with its food.
The boy scrambled back, putting distance between us. His heart was hammering so violently I could hear the frantic rhythm from ten feet away. "How... how did you do that?" he wheezed, his eyes darting around as if looking for the trick. I just smiled, my pulse steady and cool. "You're going to have to do a lot better than that if you want to win a date with me." The reminder of the stakes seemed to snap his pride. His face flushed a dark, angry red as he lowered his center, charging toward me again with everything he had. "Don't underestimate me!" he bellowed.
He threw a flurry of punches—hooks, jabs, desperate swings—but I moved like smoke. Each time his fist whistled through the air, I simply stepped to the side or pivoted my hips, letting the momentum of his own weight carry him past me. I ensured he couldn't land so much as a grazing blow. With every missed strike, his form grew sloppier. I could see the exact moment his patience frayed; his eyes went wide and wild, his breathing coming in ragged gasps as he realized he was fighting a ghost.
This time, when he lunged with a desperate right hook, I didn't just step aside. I flowed into his personal space, my hand shooting out to catch his wrist. In one fluid motion, I twisted his arm behind his back and swept the back of his knee. Gravity did the rest. He hit the turf with a muffled groan, the air rushing out of him as I held him pinned. I leaned down, my voice a calm, steady contrast to his ragged breathing. "You should never charge forward blindly, especially against an opponent you don't know," I said near his ear, "Strength is useless if you don't have the foresight to use it. Think ahead. Predict the movement. Only then can you counter it." I released his arm and gave him a firm, dismissive shove forward as I stepped back. He stumbled, his hands slapping against the dirt to keep himself from face-planting into the grass.
He scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving, his eyes burning with a humiliated, frantic rage. "Do you still want to continue this?" I asked, my voice cool and steady. He didn't answer with words. He roared and rushed me again, a wild, swinging lunge that screamed of desperation. I didn't even shift my feet. As his fist flew toward my face, I deflected it with the back of my hand—a casual, flicking motion—and stepped into his guard. I drove a punch into his gut, precise and controlled. I made sure to pull the strike, using just enough of my strength to wind him without shattering his ribs.
He collapsed to his knees, clutching his stomach and gasping for air that wouldn't come. I stood over him, my shadow falling across his trembling form. "It isn't raw power that makes a strike lethal," I said, my voice carrying across the silent field. "It's the force drawn from motion. If you want your punches to have a real impact, keep your hands closer to your body. Tighten your rotation. Only then will you strike with the weight of your entire being, not just your arm."
He forced himself upright, one hand still clamped over his stomach as he glared at me through a haze of pain and disbelief. "How is this possible?" he spat, his voice cracking. "Just who the hell are you?" I rolled my eyes, my patience finally beginning to wear thin. "I told you. You should never underestimate anyone in a battle, or it will be your downfall every single time."
"This shouldn't be possible!" he growled, his voice dropping into a distorted, animalistic register. The scent of his frustration was turning into something far more volatile. I ignored his tantrum, my eyes narrowing as I sensed the shift in the air. "Do you still wish to continue, or have you had enough?"
"I refuse to lose to a human!" he roared. He lunged, but this time, he wasn't playing by the rules of a friendly bout. His eyes flashed a predatory yellow as he entered a pre-transformed state, and with a vicious snarl, he swiped at me with his claws fully extended. He wasn't trying to pin me anymore; he was trying to draw blood.
I didn't even have to think; my body moved on instinct, dodging the lethal arc of his claws with a sharp pivot. I flowed behind him like a shadow, my arms snaking under his to lock him in a crushing full-nelson. He let out a strangled snarl, thrashing violently against me. I could feel the heat radiating from his skin as his muscles coiled and rippled—a clear sign that his wolf was clawing to the surface. He was seconds away from a forced transformation, a desperate move that would have put everyone in the circle at risk. I didn't give him the chance.
I planted my feet, arched my back, and lifted his entire weight off the ground. With a burst of strength, I threw us both backward. It was a perfect, devastating suplex. He took the full brunt of the impact as we hit the turf, the air exploding from his lungs as his head snapped back against the grass. The world went still. I rolled away and stood up in one fluid motion, smoothing my hair back as I looked down at him. He was out cold—exactly as I'd intended—his half-extended claws retracting as his body went limp.
Luca stared at me, his eyes wide as I stood up and casually brushed the grass from my legs. He gave me a quick, sharp look-over, checking for any signs of injury I might be hiding. "Are you okay?" he asked, his voice still holding a trace of the shock that had paralyzed the rest of the field. I offered him a calm nod. "I'm just fine, Luca." He blew out a breath, his shoulders finally dropping from their defensive hunch. "I'm sorry. I should have stepped in and stopped it sooner. I didn't think he'd be stupid enough to try and shift in a sparring match." I shrugged, my gaze drifting to the unconscious boy at our feet. "It's all good. I took care of it." A slow, impressed smirk spread across Luca's face—one warrior recognizing another. "That you did," he murmured. "Thank you for not breaking him permanently."
I looked past him toward the edge of the ring. Amelia and Kayden were standing at the front of the crowd, their faces etched with a mix of lingering concern and fierce pride. Behind them, the rest of the pack remained frozen, a sea of stunned faces trying to process how a "human" girl had just suplexed a shifting wolf into oblivion. The silence was broken when a woman stepped out from the crowd. Her face was pale with a mixture of shame and worry as she approached Luca and me, bowing her head apologetically.
"I am so incredibly sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. "My son... he had no right to cause you such trouble." Before she could spiral further into an apology, I stepped forward and placed a steadying hand on her shoulder. She looked up, startled by the gesture. I offered her a soft, genuine smile. "It's fine," I assured her. "But you should probably take him home now. He's going to wake up with one hell of a headache, and he'll need his mother more than he needs a lecture right now." Relief washed over her features, and she gave me a grateful nod. She rushed over to her unconscious son and, with the effortless strength of a seasoned shifter, scooped him up in a bridal carry. Without another word, she turned and disappeared toward the residential edge of the pack lands, her burden looking like a child in her arms.
I turned my gaze toward the three remaining boys, a playful tilt to my head. "So," I asked, my voice smooth but carrying a dangerous edge. "Does anyone else still have the confidence to go up against me?" They exchanged frantic, wide-eyed looks before simultaneously shaking their heads. They began backing away slowly, their tails virtually between their legs, clearly terrified of ending up face-down in the dirt like their friend. I let out a low chuckle at their retreat, the predator in me satisfied. I was about to say something to Mia, but the sudden, heavy thud of approaching footsteps made the hair on my neck stand up.
I turned my head just as Kayden reached me. He didn't say a word. His eyes were dark, swirling with a volatile mix of pride and possessive fury. Before I could even ask what was going on, his hand shot out, his fingers firm as he gripped my chin and tilted my face up. He crashed his lips against mine in an aggressive, bruising kiss—a claim that left no room for doubt. It wasn't a gentle greeting; it was a public declaration to the pack, and a reminder to me, exactly whose mate I was.
The moment our lips met, the world around us simply ceased to exist. The mate bond didn't just flicker; it exploded, sending a physical current through my veins that made every nerve ending fire at once. Kayden was a force of nature. One arm coiled around my waist like a steel band, crushing me against his chest, while his other hand tangled in the hair at the nape of my neck, tilting my head back to anchor me in place. There was no escape, and I didn't want one.
My heart hammered against my ribs—a frantic, staccato rhythm—as he deepened the kiss. He didn't wait; he didn't ask. He pushed his tongue past my lips with a demanding, possessive force that was as addictive as it was overwhelming. A soft whimper escaped my throat, lost in the heat of his mouth. My strength, so certain just moments ago against the boys, began to dissolve. My fingers dug into the hard muscle of his shoulders for support, my knuckles white, as my knees turned to water. In that moment, the warrior was gone, replaced entirely by a mate who was drowning in him.
My stomach did a slow, dizzying flip as the heat of the kiss hummed through my entire body. When he finally pulled back, he didn't go far. He hovered just inches from my lips, his breath hot against my skin. "You are mine," he rasped, his voice a deep, husky growl that vibrated in his chest. "Don't you ever forget that." I was so lost in the haze of the bond that the world had bled into a blur of colors. It took a moment for my vision to clear and for the reality of our surroundings to snap back into focus. We weren't alone.
The entire pack was staring, their expressions a mix of awe and silent respect. But it was the three remaining boys who caught my eye. They were frozen, their faces drained of all color as the horrific realization finally set in: they hadn't just been hitting on a guest; they had been aggressively pursuing their Alpha's mate. Kayden felt my gaze shift and turned his head slowly toward them. The moment his cold, lethal eyes locked onto theirs, the boys didn't wait for a command. They didn't even say a word. They spun on their heels and took off at a dead run, disappearing into the distance as if the devil himself were at their backs.
I couldn't believe how fast those runts scrambled the second our eyes met. It was pathetic, especially considering they'd had the stones to flirt with their Alpha's mate in the first place. My wolf paced inside me, still snarling at the lingering scent of their disrespect. I looked back down at Artemis. Her eyes were still dark, clouded over with the lingering heat of our kiss and a raw desire that mirrored my own. She looked breathtaking—flushed, defiant, and entirely mine. I felt a surge of possessiveness so strong it ached.
I caught her chin between my thumb and index finger, tilting her face up to force her to meet my gaze. "Do you understand me, kitten?" I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "You are mine. Don't you ever agree to go on a date with anyone else again. I don't care if it's a bet." Artemis didn't flinch. Instead, she slowly raised a skeptical eyebrow, a small, knowing smirk playing on her lips. "I never make a bet that I think I might lose, Kayden," she countered, her voice smooth and unimpressed by my flare of temper. She gestured vaguely toward the empty spot where her opponent had been laid out. "Besides, you witnessed that fight. Did you honestly think for a single second that I would lose?"
He let out a deep, frustrated growl. "That's not the point, and you know it." I just smirked, leaning into him slightly. "Well, I don't think you have to worry about anyone else making a move now. You just made our relationship very public in front of your entire pack." At my words, Kayden finally pulled his focus away from me and glanced around. Most of the pack members were still staring in stunned silence, their mouths hanging open. Others, however, were beaming with pure happiness, whispering to one another about the fact that their Alpha had finally found his mate.
But then, my eyes caught a flash of movement in the crowd. I recognized her instantly: the blonde girl from Kayden's office on my second day here. She wasn't smiling. She was staring at me with a gaze so full of vitriol it felt like a physical weight. Her entire body was vibrating with a rage so intense it reminded me of a high-strung chihuahua before it starts yapping. She looked like she was one second away from a total meltdown. She held my gaze for a split second longer—her eyes burning with pure hatred—before she spun on her heel and disappeared into the thick of the crowd.
Kayden let out a long, weary sigh before finally releasing my chin. "Don't do it again," he repeated, though the edge in his voice had softened into something more like a plea. I stepped back, my skin still tingling where his fingers had grazed me. "I don't make promises I don't plan on keeping," I replied with a shrug. He narrowed his eyes, his Alpha aura flickering. "I mean it, Artemis." I just smirked, crossing my arms over my chest. "Haven't you learned by now that I don't do so well with orders?" He shook his head in disbelief, a frustrated but fond groan escaping his lips. "You will be the death of me, I swear."
I was about to give a witty retort, but Luca's voice broke the tension. He stepped toward us, looking from Kayden's possessive stance to my relaxed one. "Is that the end of the sparring matches for today?" he asked, his tone professional but his eyes dancing with amusement. Kayden didn't answer immediately. Instead, he looked at me and raised a single eyebrow, silently asking if I was satisfied or if I wanted to continue schooling his trainees.
I turned my gaze back to the crowd, a challenge dancing in my eyes. "I don't know," I said, my voice projecting across the field. "Does anyone else think they're capable enough to challenge me? Or was that boy the best this pack has to offer?" Kayden's lips curled into a proud smile, but Luca just rolled his eyes, clearly thinking I was being reckless by poking the hive.
"Just because you won against a single trainee, don't get cocky," a voice called out from the side. A warrior—older and broader than the boys from before—stepped forward, his arms crossed. I shifted my attention to him, my smirk widening. "Oh? You think you could do better?" He snorted, looking me up and down with blatant skepticism. "Please. You'd probably go down with the first punch." I raised an eyebrow, stepping back into the center of the ring. The "Tiger" in me was purring at the prospect of a real fight. "Then why don't you prove it? In fact, I'll make it easy for you. I'll let you take the first hit, just to see if your theory has any merit."
The man hesitated, glancing nervously at Kayden. "Oh, please," he muttered, shaking his head. "Like anyone here would actually dare to hit the Alpha's mate. I'd like to keep my head attached to my shoulders, thanks."
I chuckled, the sound cool and mocking. "It isn't your Alpha you should be worried about," I said, my voice dropping an octave. "But if you're that scared, I'll give you my word: he won't lay a hand on you for anything that happens in this ring. This is my decision, not his." The warrior's hesitation vanished, replaced by a cocky, plastered smirk. He stepped over the boundary line, cracking his knuckles. "Fine. But don't say I didn't warn you, little girl."
I felt Kayden's gaze burning into the side of my head. When I turned to look at him, his eyes were searching mine, silently asking if I was truly ready to take a full-force hit from a grown werewolf warrior. I gave him a single, sharp nod. He sighed, the sound heavy with a mix of trust and lingering protectiveness, before he stepped back to give us the space we needed. As he passed my opponent, he slowed his pace just enough to level the man with a lethal, bone-chilling glare—a silent promise of what would happen if he enjoyed this a little too much. Kayden took his place next to Mia, his arms crossed over his chest, his entire body coiled like a spring.
I caught Luca's eye and gave a sharp nod. He sighed, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else, and barked the command: "Begin!" The warrior didn't hesitate. He lunged forward, his weight behind a massive, driving hook. I didn't move. I didn't dodge. I let the strike land. A sickening crack echoed across the field as his knuckles collided with my cheek. My head snapped to the side from the sheer force of the impact, but my feet stayed rooted to the earth. A collective gasp rippled through the pack—a sound of pure, unadulterated shock.
I slowly rotated my jaw, the joint popping back into place with a dull thud. As I turned my head back to face him, I ran my tongue over my lower lip. The sharp, coppery tang of blood met my senses where his blow had split the skin. My opponent stared at his own fist, then at me, his face pale with confusion. He was certain that he put enough force behind that punch to send a girl like me crashing onto the ground. Beyond him, I could feel Kayden's rage radiating off him in waves. He was halfway to a shift, his claws digging into his palms as he stepped forward, but Amelia threw her arm across his chest, anchoring him in place. She was the only thing keeping him from tearing this man apart.
I looked at the man, a dark, predatory glint catching the light in my eyes. I didn't wipe away the blood; I let it stain my teeth as I smiled. "Not bad," I said, my voice smooth and chillingly calm. "But it appears you were wrong. I told the boys earlier, and I'll tell you now: you should never underestimate your opponent. It's a fatal mistake." His face twisted into a feral snarl, his ego clearly bruised by my lack of reaction. "Oh, shut it!"
He roared and threw a wild, heavy-handed swing. I didn't let it land this time. I dipped my shoulder, the air of his fist whistling past my ear as I moved with a fluid, effortless grace. "That was the only hit you get," I told him, my voice mocking. "I only agreed to the one to test your theory. Now that we've proven your theory is garbage, you should probably prepare yourself accordingly." He growled, his frustration boiling over into desperation. He launched a flurry of punches, his movements becoming sloppy as his temper took over. I danced around him, dodging each strike by a hair's breadth, making it look like I was barely trying. I made a soft tsk sound, shaking my head as I slipped under his latest jab. "You really don't listen, do you? I told you it was over."
"Do you ever stop talking?!" he roared, his face turning a deep, mottled red as he took another swing at me. I slipped the blow effortlessly, my voice remaining conversational. "I'm trying to help you. If you want to throw a decent punch, you need to keep your fists tighter to your core. Draw the power from your rotation, then drive it forward."
"Shut up!" he screamed, lunging at me again. I didn't dodge this time. I stepped into his guard, meeting his momentum with a clinical punch to the gut. I put just a fraction more weight behind this one than I had with the boy earlier. The air left his lungs in a sickening whump. He doubled over instantly, his knees hitting the turf with a heavy thud as he began to wheeze and cough, gasping for oxygen that refused to return. I stood over him, watching him struggle. "Can you tell the difference now?" I asked calmly. "That is how a real punch should feel."
He looked up at me, his eyes watering, his face twisted in a mask of pure spite. "You wench," he wheezed, "how dare you—" I didn't let him finish. I snapped a backhand across his jaw with a sharp crack, the force of it sending him sprawling backward onto the grass. "You really should watch your language," I said, looking down at his dazed form as I smoothed my clothes. "There might be children around. It's best to set a better example."
A heavy, stunned silence hung over the field, broken only by the sound of the wind through the trees. Luca looked down at the unconscious warrior, then back at me, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "This match is over," he announced, his voice echoing in the quiet. "The victor is Artemis." I looked down at the man sprawled in the grass. His head was lolled to the side, completely out cold. I let out a small, frustrated sigh. Dammit, Artemis, I scolded myself internally. I hit him too hard. I needed to be more careful with my own strength; if I hadn't pulled that backhand at the last microsecond, I might have fractured his skull instead of just rattling his brain.
Luca signaled to two nearby guards, who stepped forward to drag the man off the field by his shoulders. He looked like a ragdoll compared to the "tough warrior" who had entered the ring minutes ago. Once the space was clear, I smoothed my hair back and turned my gaze toward the rest of the pack. I didn't look tired; I didn't even look winded. I looked like I was just getting warmed up. "Well?" I asked, my voice cool and inviting. "Does anyone else wish to challenge me? Or are we done for the day?"
*
I watched from the sidelines, my arms crossed over my chest, a feeling of intense, burning pride settling deep in my gut. Artemis was a whirlwind. One by one, my warriors stepped up, and one by one, she dismantled them with a grace that was as beautiful as it was terrifying. What surprised me most wasn't her strength—I'd already felt a taste of that—but her patience. She wasn't just humiliating my men; she was teaching them. From his position as referee, Luca had the best seat in the house, his eyes tracking her every move as she stopped mid-spar to adjust a guard's footing or to explain the mechanics of a counter-strike. She was winning them over, shifting the pack's perception from "the human mate" to "the master warrior" in the span of a single afternoon.
Even my elites, men who had survived countless skirmishes, were looking at her with wide-eyed respect. Finally, the ring went quiet. Artemis stood in the center, not a single hair out of place, her skin barely glowing with a fine sheen of sweat. She looked like she could go for another ten rounds. She turned her sharp gaze toward Luca, who was standing at the edge of the circle, a playful, dangerous smirk tugging at her lips. "How about it, Luca?" she challenged, her voice ringing out clearly across the silent field. "Do you think you can beat me?" Luca, who had been busy calling out the results of the previous matches, went dead still. He looked at her, then he slowly turned his head to look at me. He was searching for permission.
Luca's shocked expression melted into a sharp, eager grin. "I thought you would never ask." He glanced around the field, then back at her. "But if I'm in the ring, who's going to preside over the match?" Artemis's gaze drifted to mine, her eyes sparkling with that same dangerous, playful light I was growing to crave. "Why don't we have Kayden do it?" she suggested. Luca looked at me, a challenge of his own beginning to brew in his eyes, and smiled. "Sounds good to me."
I chuckled, the sound low and rumbling in my chest, as I stepped onto the grass and walked toward them. The crowd parted like the Red Sea, the atmosphere electric with anticipation. This wasn't just another spar; this was the Beta versus the Alpha's mate. I stopped between them, my presence grounding the chaotic energy of the field. I looked from Luca's determined face to Artemis's calm, predatory smirk. "I expect a clean, fair match between the two of you," I stated, my Alpha voice carrying enough authority to remind everyone watching exactly who was in charge. "I'll be watching every move. I will call either of you out the second I see something I don't like. Do you understand?"
I looked at Luca, my expression stern. "I'm not starting this match until you tape yourself up. I don't need my Beta sidelined because of a broken knuckle." Luca rolled his eyes and let out a dramatic groan. "Fine, Alpha." Mia was already moving, walking up to him with a smirk as she handed him a roll of athletic tape. I turned away from them and focused entirely on my mate. As I stepped toward her, Artemis tilted her head, her eyes wide with a touch of curiosity.
I pulled a fresh roll of tape from my own pocket. Without saying a word, I reached out and took her right hand in mine. Her skin was warm, and the contact sent a familiar spark of the bond through my palm. I began to wrap the tape firmly around her knuckles and wrist, my movements practiced and methodical. She didn't pull away. Instead, she watched me with a soft smile, her gaze following the movement of my fingers as I finished the first hand and moved to the second. I wanted her protected; I wanted the pack to see that every inch of her was under my care.
Once I was finished, I didn't step back immediately. I lingered in her space, reaching up to cup her cheek in my hand. Her skin was flushed from the previous fights, and she looked more alive than I had ever seen her. "Try not to get hurt," I said softly, my voice intended for her ears only. It wasn't a command—it was a hope. Even though I knew she was a tiger, my wolf hated the idea of a single bruise marking her skin.
She smiled up at me, causing my breath to hitch in my throat. I stared at her lower lip. The split, which had been weeping blood only twenty minutes ago, was already closing. It was a full inch smaller than it had been after that warrior's punch. I felt a jolt of pure shock settle in my chest. Even for an Alpha, that kind of puncture usually took time to knit back together, and it hadn't even been a full hour. Artemis noticed my hesitation. Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion, her gaze searching mine. "Everything okay?"
I blinked, forcing myself to snap out of my daze. I couldn't let the pack see me falter, and I certainly didn't want to distract her right before she faced Luca. I shook my head to clear the fog and offered her a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine," I promised, though my mind was already racing with a thousand questions. I took a deliberate step back, then another, moving toward the edge of the clearing to give them the space they needed. The crowd was breathless, a sea of eyes darting between the Beta and the woman who was quickly becoming a legend.
Once they were back in their stances, they both gave me a sharp, synchronous nod. Their focus snapped together like a magnet, the playful banter from before replaced by a heavy, vibrating intensity. The air between them practically hummed with the desire to win. I took one final breath, my wolf pacing restlessly behind my ribs, and shouted the word everyone had been anxiously waiting for: "Begin!"
Luca and Artemis began to circle one another, their movements synchronized and predatory. The air was thick with tension until Luca exploded forward, closing the distance in a blur of gray and throwing a punch that would have leveled a brick wall. Artemis didn't just dodge; she flowed around the strike like water, her voice calm as she spoke mid-motion. "Nice punch. Your form is excellent. But even the most powerful strike is useless if you can't make contact."
Luca instantly sprang backward, putting several feet of distance between them. He tucked his arms close to his chest, his eyes narrowed as he braced for the counterattack he assumed was coming. He was treating her exactly how he should—as a lethal threat. Artemis didn't follow. She stood her ground, nodding in approval. "Not bad, Luca. I can tell you're a seasoned fighter." Luca raised an eyebrow, a cocky smirk tugging at his mouth as he regained his confidence. "Thanks, though I don't recall asking for your approval," he retorted, his voice light but his body coiled like a spring. "I'll admit, you've got skills. You dismantled my trainees and even the elites I personally coached. But don't expect this fight to end like all those others just because you had a lucky streak." I watched them from the sidelines, my heart thudding against my ribs.
"Well," Artemis said, her smirk widening into something truly wicked, "I just hope you put up a decent fight, Luca. Otherwise, this would have been a waste of my time. I've barely managed to get in a decent workout since I arrived here." A wave of shocked gasps swept through the pack. To them, she was a human girl insulting a high-ranking Beta; to me, she was a goddess looking down on a mortal. Luca's eyes narrowed into slits, his jaw tightening as he glared at her. He didn't waste any more breath on words. He lunged.
Luca moved with the precision of a machine, throwing a flurry of organized, lightning-fast punches—one right after the other. It was a beautiful display of the combat style I had helped him perfect. But Artemis was better. She dodged every single one, her body swaying with a rhythm that made his strikes look like they were in slow motion. As he committed to the final punch of his set, Artemis dipped low. Before he could reset his stance, she exploded upward, driving a clean, brutal uppercut into his chin. The impact made his head snap back, forcing him to stumble several steps to find his footing. The crowd went dead silent. No one ever landed a clean hit like that on Luca.
He reached up, rubbing his jaw as a fresh smirk spread across his face—the look of a man who had finally found a worthy opponent. "Not bad," he grunted. "You're going to have to try a lot harder than that if you want a chance of winning this," she countered, her eyes dancing with excitement. "I can see that," Luca replied, his voice dropping into a low, predatory growl. "Well, then... why don't I get a little more serious?" Artemis didn't flinch. She just beckoned him forward. "Yeah. Let's see what you've got."
The two of them clashed, Artemis dodging his blows with cat-like reflexes—a choreographed dance where she forced her partner to follow her lead. Every movement was elegant and precise; she moved with the economy of a seasoned veteran, never wasting a single step. As they blurred across the field, I noticed the smiles. Luca was grinning, clearly exhilarated to finally find someone who could push him. But Artemis's smile was different. It was sharper, colder, and held a mischievous edge that sent a shiver down my spine. Her eyes were glowing with a dark, playful light as if she were merely toying with a mouse.
I turned to Mia, expecting to find her gripped by concern for her mate. Instead, a strange expression met my gaze—a slow, knowing smile that didn't reach her eyes. She watched them with a predatory intensity, her focus so sharp she seemed to be deconstructing their every move. The look sent a cold chill down my spine, snapping me to attention. I opened my mouth to ask what she saw, but my voice was drowned out as the crowd erupted into a deafening roar.
I looked back to the center of the ring to find Luca flat on his back, Artemis standing victoriously over him. Luca let out a long sigh before sitting up, raking his fingers through his hair with a satisfied smirk. 'You won fair and square,' he admitted. Artemis smiled, extending a hand to pull him up. 'You didn't do too badly yourself. But next time—'
I tuned out the rest, my attention snapping back to Mia. But the chilling stranger I'd seen a moment ago was gone. Now, she was just like the rest of the crowd—cheering with wide-eyed amazement and pure joy. Just as I opened my mouth to question her, she bolted. She rushed into the ring the second Luca was back on his feet, launching herself into his arms.
I decided to let the odd moment with Mia go, focused instead on Artemis as I approached her. She flashed me a smile so radiant it made my heart skip a beat. I reached out, brushing a stray strand of hair from her forehead before cupping her cheek. "You were incredible, Artemis," I murmured. She smirked, arching a playful eyebrow. "What, did you think I'd actually lose to him?" I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't hide my grin. "No, but Luca is the strongest warrior we have after me. I expected you to at least break a sweat." She shook her head, her expression momentarily darkening with the weight of a memory. "Trust me, I've dealt with much worse. The battles in my home village were brutal—the training there was savage. Compared to that, this was child's play."
My heart ached at her words. A surge of curiosity burned in me—I wanted to know exactly what she had endured, and a protective part of me wished I could reach back through time to shield her from it all. Sensing my shift in mood, she smirked, her tone turning playful. "Besides, none of you ever stood a chance against me in the first place." I shook off the heavy thoughts and raised an eyebrow, matching her cocky expression. "Oh yeah? You're awfully full of yourself today."
"For someone who just took on your entire pack and won," she countered, rolling her eyes with a grin, "I'd say my confidence is justified." I crossed my arms over my chest, the challenge finally bubbling over. "You haven't won against everyone yet." She tilted her head to the side, a dangerous, pleased light dancing in her eyes. "Is that a challenge I hear, Alpha?"
Before I could respond, the crowd erupted. A wave of sound crashed over us as the pack began chanting my name, shouting for me to show my mate exactly why I was the strongest Alpha in the territory. I looked around, momentarily stunned by their fervor. I let out a mock sigh and turned back to Artemis with a growing smirk. "I guess I have no choice now. My pack is practically demanding we face off."
Artemis shrugged, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "You don't have to if you're worried about your reputation. But I never back down from a challenge." "Oh, I'm not backing down," I promised, my voice dropping an octave. "Just don't get upset when you lose." She chuckled, a sharp, confident sound. "We'll see if you're even able to lay a finger on me."
I rolled my eyes at her bravado. "Let's see what you can actually do before you get too cocky, Artemis." I glanced over at Luca and gave him a sharp jerk of my head. He caught the signal immediately, stepping into the center to act as our referee. Artemis and I backed away from each other, carving out a wide circle as we moved into our starting positions. The playful energy from a moment ago vanished, replaced by the heavy, electric hum of a real challenge. I settled into my stance, my muscles coiling with the familiar weight of my Alpha strength. We locked eyes, and after a silent, mutual nod, Luca's voice sliced through the anticipation. "Begin!"
Neither of us moved when the command echoed through the air. The silence stretched until I could hear the confused whispers of the pack rippling through the clearing. They were waiting for a collision; instead, they got a standoff. I watched as Kayden's smirk widened. He took a slow, deliberate step toward me. "I noticed something while watching your fight with Luca," he said, his voice smooth and far too confident. I raised an eyebrow, a matching smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. "Oh? And what might that be?"
He laced his hands behind his head, strolling toward me with a nonchalance that would have looked arrogant on anyone else. He took another step, closing the gap between us. "I noticed that you're always watching your opponent. You never take your eyes off them, not even for a heartbeat." I rolled my eyes and planted my hands on my hips, unimpressed by his 'revelation.' "You do realize that's exactly what you're supposed to do in a fight, Kayden?"
He chuckled, finally dropping his hands to his sides as he took another step, invading my personal space. "Yes, but you do more than that. You deconstruct them. You analyze their movements and map out their attack patterns before you even strike. You're even watching the twitch of a shoulder to predict the exact moment a blow is coming." My smirk faltered slightly. He had been paying much closer attention than I'd realized. "Most people can't do that," he continued, his voice dropping as he stepped directly in front of me. "Not without a terrifying amount of skill—and the kind of experience that leaves scars."
He leaned in, his warmth radiating against me as he whispered into my ear, his voice barely audible over the wind. "I can tell you went through a lot. This has something to do with that village, doesn't it? I'm sorry you had to go through that, Artemis." A sudden tightness gripped my chest. He wasn't just trying to find a weakness in my fighting style; he was looking at the girl underneath the warrior. In front of the entire pack, while we were supposed to be starting a fight, he had chosen to see my pain instead. I knew he had whispered to ensure we were the only two souls who heard those words. Despite the walls I had built around my past, I felt my heart soften at his kindness and the genuine concern in his voice. For a split second, the warrior in me faltered.
Then, Kayden leaned back and flashed me a knowing smile. Without a word of warning, he vanished. To the crowd, he likely seemed like a blur—a shadow disappearing. I simply smiled to myself. He was trying to catch me off guard, using his speed to exploit the "eye contact" he thought was my only trick. He was right about my observations, but he was wrong about my limitations. Only a novice would rely solely on their sight. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, letting my other senses take over. I could hear the shift of weight on the dirt and the rapid, rhythmic thud of his footsteps as he circled me. He was moving toward my blind spot, certain that if I couldn't see him, I couldn't predict the strike.
I sensed his presence the moment he moved behind me. It was more than just sound; I could feel the displacement of air and the heat of his body as he reached out, his arm extending to snatch me from the blind spot. To him, I was an easy target. To me, he was moving in slow motion. The second his fingers were an inch from my skin, I pivoted. My hand shot out like a coil spring, snapping around his forearm before he could even register that I'd moved. I caught the flash of pure shock in his eyes—the realization that the hunter had become the prey. Without pausing, I stepped into his space, tucked my shoulder, and used his own rushing momentum against him. With a sharp, fluid heave, I launched him over my shoulder. He went airborne for a split second before slamming into the dirt, the impact sending a dull thud through the soles of my feet.
I blinked in a daze, the world momentarily replaced by the vast, open sky. One second, I was closing in for the win, and the next, the wind had been knocked right out of me. I shifted, my gaze meeting my mate's glowing blue eyes as she loomed over me. She had an amused smile playing on her lips, looking every bit the victor. "That was a nice try, but not good enough," she teased, her voice vibrating with a playful edge. "I don't let my guard down that easily." I let out a dry, breathless chuckle, the impact of the ground still humming through my spine. "Apparently not." She raised a mocking eyebrow, her stance relaxed but her energy still humming. "Is that all you've got, Alpha?" I smirked up at her, my wolf stirring under my skin, invigorated by her strength. I wasn't done—not by a long shot. "Not even close."
I watched, unimpressed, as he performed a clean kip-up, springing off the dirt and back onto his feet in one fluid motion. As he turned to face me, I slowly brought my hands together in an exaggerated, mocking round of applause. "Wow. So you do know how to perform some simple moves," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I let my smirk widen as I looked him up and down. "That's good to know. I was honestly starting to wonder if I'd have to go easy on you." He rolled his eyes, his expression clearly asking if I was quite finished with the theatrics yet. I didn't give him the satisfaction of a serious answer; I simply shrugged my shoulders, my smirk never wavering. If he wanted me to stop talking, he was going to have to make me.
He sighed, but the smirk stayed fixed on his face. "Let's find out exactly what else you're capable of handling," he challenged. Then, he was gone. He used his Alpha speed to turn himself into a blur, vanishing from my line of sight. A second later, the air behind me whistled. He began a relentless assault, rushing me from every angle, his strikes coming in a chaotic, high-speed blur from my flanks and my back. I knew his game. He was testing me, searching for a gap in my awareness, a blind spot he could exploit, or a weakness in my footwork. Unfortunately for him, I didn't have any.
I didn't need my eyes; I could feel the ripple of his movements in the air and the vibration of his footsteps on the ground. I moved with a cold, effortless grace, swaying just out of reach of a strike to my kidneys before catching a blow meant for my ribs. Every attack he sent was met with a perfect block or a seamless dodge. He avoided my front entirely, but it didn't matter—to me, he was as visible as if he were standing right in the light of day.
I came to a halt in front of her, my lungs burning slightly from the sheer speed of that last blitz. I stared at her, genuinely floored. She hadn't just defended herself; she had made my top-speed assault look like a beginner's drill. I couldn't help the proud smile that broke across my face. "You are quite skilled indeed," I admitted, breathing through the adrenaline. "I can see exactly why you were able to handle everyone here without a problem." She flashed me a smug, beautiful smile. "Why, thank you. But you know, I thought you would have realized that already after watching the other fights. Did you really need to test me yourself?"
I chuckled, shaking my head. Her teasing tone was infectious, even as my wolf hummed with the thrill of being bested. "Yes, well, seeing it is one thing. Being on the receiving end is another entirely. You're even more skilled than I originally thought, Artemis. To reach that level... that took more than just luck. It took serious discipline." She gave me a playful, sweeping bow, her grin lighting up her face in a way that made my chest tighten. "Why, thank you for noticing."
I rolled my eyes, fighting back another grin. "Has anyone ever told you that you tend to be a little over the top sometimes?" She didn't miss a beat. She smiled playfully and began batting her eyelashes at me with dramatic flair. "Some have tried," she confessed airily. "But where's the fun in life if you can't ruffle a few feathers?" I let out a long sigh, shaking my head at her antics. She was impossible, yet I couldn't deny how much I was enjoying this. She was the only person in the world who would dare to mock me like this in front of my entire pack.
"So," she said, her tone shifting as she tilted her head. "Do you actually want to fight, or do you just want to stand here asking me pointless questions?" Behind her, I heard the warriors begin to mutter. A few were nodding, their low voices filled with the same restless energy. They were here for a show, and we were giving them a comedy routine instead. Before I could find a witty retort, she hit me with another question. "Is this normally how you spar with your warriors?" She asked, her eyes searching mine, "Or is this treatment limited to me?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, looking uncharacteristically sheepish. "Well, no... this isn't how it usually goes." I let out a sharp sigh and crossed my arms over my chest, pinning him with a look. "Then what do you normally do, Kayden?" He shrugged, his shoulders tensing as he looked out over the pack. "It's normally more like a test of strength and will. We go until someone breaks. It's about seeing who can last the longest." My lips curved into a sweet, dangerous smile. "Then let's do exactly that." I leaned in slightly, batting my eyelashes with mock innocence. "Tell you what—I promise I'll only use half my strength."
Kayden rolled his neck, a heavy sigh escaping him. "Artemis, I'm an Alpha. I am significantly stronger than the majority of shifters. That wouldn't be fair to you." I shrugged, my patience thinning. "Then at least we'll be more evenly matched. So, are we going to get started, or are you going to keep lecturing me?" He still looked unconvinced, his eyes clouded with that annoying 'protector' instinct. I'd had enough of being underestimated. "Fine," I snapped, my playful tone vanishing as my aura sharpened. "If you aren't going to take me seriously, I'll just have to make you."
She vanished. One second, the air was still, and the next, she was a blur of motion directly in my space. She threw a punch that I barely managed to catch, followed immediately by a barrage of strikes that forced me into a desperate defensive shell. With every hit, she ramped up the pressure. Her speed increased, and the weight behind her fists grew heavier, vibrating through my forearms. My hands began to ache from the sheer force of her "half-strength." Just as I thought I'd found her rhythm, she feinted high and drove a lightning-fast jab deep into my right side. I hissed, a sharp spike of pain radiating through my ribs as I stumbled back.
The crowd around us fell into a stunned silence, followed by a collective gasp. I looked up to find her wearing a triumphant smirk. "Feel like taking it more seriously now?" she challenged. I narrowed my eyes, clutching my side as the ache settled in. "Don't you think you're taking this a little too far?" She rolled her eyes, her gaze sharp enough to cut. "Maybe if you'd stop underestimating me—thinking I'm fragile just because I'm a woman and your mate—I wouldn't have to drive the point home."
"I'm not looking down on you, Artemis," I insisted, though my ego was stinging as much as my ribs.
"When you don't take me seriously, Kayden, you are looking down on me," she countered, her voice dropping to a dangerous, icy level. "And that arrogance will be your downfall if you don't wake up."
The moment those words left her lips, she vanished again. Before my brain could even register the shift in the air, a white-hot spike of pain bloomed in my left side. I hadn't even had a chance to twitch. A low, involuntary growl vibrated in my chest. I was beyond impressed now; I was annoyed. "Watch it," I ground out through clenched teeth. She reappeared directly in front of me, her face twisted into a mocking, plastic smile. "Aww," she cooed, her voice dripping with false sympathy. "Is the big bad wolf getting angry?" Her expression hardened instantly, her eyes narrowing into icy slits. "Good. Maybe now you'll finally take this seriously."
My jaw tightened until it ached. Before I could retort, she was gone again. Almost immediately, another blow crashed into my right side—striking the exact same bruised spot from earlier. A roar of pure, unadulterated pain ripped from my throat as she doubled the force of the hit. But this time, I was ready. As she tried to recoil, my hand shot out like a viper, snapping around her forearm. I lunged forward, using my weight to jerk her toward me. My other hand moved instinctively, my fingers wrapping firmly around her throat—not to crush, but to dominate. I pulled her in until we were mere inches apart, our breaths mingling in the heated air. "You'd better stop while you're ahead," I hissed through clenched teeth, my wolf staring at her through my eyes. "Because I promise you... you won't like me when I'm angry."
A collective gasp rippled through the pack as Kayden's hand clamped around my throat, jerking me forward. The air filled with the frantic muttering of the spectators; I could hear the concern in their voices, the sudden fear that their Alpha was crossing a line. I looked up into his eyes. They were swirling—a storm of shifting colors that told me his wolf was pushing to the surface, fueled by his rising temper. Most people would have been paralyzed with terror, pinned by the strength of an enraged Alpha. But as I felt his fingers tighten against my skin, I felt... nothing. No fear. No panic. Just a cold, crystalline calm. I wasn't concerned in the slightest.
I knew I could take him. I knew I wouldn't lose. To me, this wasn't a show of dominance; it was proof of his failure. He was stronger than the average shifter, yes, but he was vulnerable. He couldn't even keep his animalistic side under control when pushed. In the heat of battle, you can never afford to surrender to anger or any other overwhelming emotion. The moment you do, the animal takes over—and animals are driven by predictable, mindless instinct. I didn't just have power; I had the discipline to direct it. And that made me the more dangerous predator in this circle.
I stared down at her, expecting to see a flash of fear or at least a hint of submission. Instead, one side of her lip curved upward into a slow, chilling smirk. Before I could tighten my grip or even register the change in her energy, she moved. Her hand shot up, catching my wrist. I felt a surge of pure, raw power—enough to make my own wolf recoil in shock—as she pulled my hand away from her throat. She did it effortlessly, as if she were simply moving a curtain aside, without the slightest hint of a struggle.
My heart hammered against my ribs, but before I could reclaim the upper hand, she stepped into my space. She closed the gap until our chests were pressed together, then leaned up on her tippy-toes. Her breath was warm against my ear as she whispered, "You're going to have to try a lot harder than that, Kayden." I opened my mouth to growl a response, but the words died in my throat. Without warning, I felt the warm, wet swipe of her tongue against the side of my face. The sheer audacity of it—the intimacy of the act in the middle of a brutal fight—hit me like a lightning strike. My Alpha instinct took over, but not for combat. I immediately released her arm and shoved her away from me, my mind a chaotic mess of confusion and adrenaline.
He let out a low, guttural growl as he wiped the side of his face, his eyes burning with a mixture of fury and total bewilderment. I felt a slow, amused smile spread across my lips. Deep inside me, my tiger swished her tail, letting out a pleased, rumbling chuff. She was preening, savoring the fact that I had just claimed our mate in front of his entire pack—even if it was only a taunting lick rather than a true mark. Watching the confusion war with the rage in Kayden's eyes brought me a deep sense of satiation.
"I warned you," he ground out, his jaw so tight I thought it might snap. "Just remember that." I rolled my eyes, making a lazy, beckoning gesture with my hand. "That's fine, Kayden. But you'd better start putting up a decent fight instead of continuing this charade." He scoffed, his Alpha pride finally flaring to its full height. "Just remember this was your decision. Try not to regret it too much when you're the one in the dirt."
"I have never experienced defeat," I countered, my voice flat and cold as I scoffed back at him. "And I highly doubt you will be the one to claim a victory against me. As for regret? I haven't felt it yet in this lifetime; I don't plan to start today." He squared his shoulders, his frame expanding as he prepared for a serious assault. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
"You already said that," I replied, my voice dripping with boredom. "Just get started already." I waited a beat, watching him hesitate. I let out a long, dramatic sigh. "Fine. Since you're still standing there overthinking, I'll just have to come to you."
I launched myself at him. This time, he was ready. He met my barrage with a solid defense, his movements sharper and more focused than before. He even managed to throw a few heavy counterattacks that forced me to stay on my toes, but I deflected them with ease. He saw an opening and lunged, throwing a powerful hook aimed at my head. I didn't just move; I flowed. I ducked beneath the arc of his arm, dropping my center of gravity until I was nearly pressed against the cool earth. In one explosive, circular motion, I swept my leg out, catching him right at the ankles.
The air left his lungs in a sharp woosh as his feet were knocked out from under him. He went down hard, his back slamming into the dirt for the second time. I didn't give him a second to recover. I lunged forward, pinning him to the ground as I climbed on top of him, ready to end the match. But just as I went to secure his shoulders, his hands shot up. He didn't push me away this time. Instead, his fingers locked around my arms, and with a sudden, forceful yank, he pulled me down against his chest. Our eyes locked, my breath hitching as the distance between us vanished.
I was barely an inch from his face. Suddenly, everything else—the crowd, the dirt, the fight—faded into a blur. His scent hit me like a physical wave: forest rain and sandalwood, rich and intoxicating. It invaded my senses, wrapping around my mind until I couldn't think straight. I stared into his eyes, watching the silver and gray swirls of his wolf churning with a raw, dark anger. I felt him shift beneath me, his powerful muscles bunching as he moved to flip our positions. I knew—deep in the back of my mind—that I could break his hold. I could pivot, strike, and be free in a heartbeat. But I didn't move.
The mate bond sparks were screaming across my skin wherever he touched me, and I felt myself becoming lost in the depth of his gaze. I let him roll me over. I let the dirt settle against my back as he moved to hover over me, his weight pinning me down. He moved with a sudden, predatory efficiency, snatching both of my wrists and pinning them above my head with a single hand. Then, his other hand moved to my throat. I felt his fingers wrap around my neck, the pressure slight but firm as he squeezed, asserting his dominance in a way that made my breath catch for an entirely different reason.
I had her. I had her pinned, her wrists locked, my hand firmly on her throat to show her exactly who she was dealing with. But instead of the submission I expected, her lips curled into a sudden, wicked smirk. "This is the third time now you've attempted to choke me," she said, her voice smooth and entirely too calm. "Is this some sort of kink you have, Kayden? Is there something you've been wanting to tell me?"
I felt the air leave my lungs. I was completely taken aback, my Alpha aggression stumbling over the sheer absurdity of her words. I stared down at her, my mind racing to catch up. "Is everything a joke to you?" I demanded, my voice cracking with disbelief. She just shrugged, that amused smile never leaving her face. "It depends on the day, really."
Lying beneath him, my senses were dialed to an agonizing sharp edge. I could feel the heavy rise and fall of his chest against mine, and his heartbeat was so loud in my ears it felt as though my head were resting directly over his ribs. He shifted, trying to find his footing to regain some semblance of control, and the movement drew my eyes back to the vulnerable line of his throat. A wicked idea sparked in my mind. Without a second thought, I leaned forward. I closed the distance until the heat radiating from his skin warmed my face, and then I swiped my tongue firmly along the column of his neck.
The reaction was instantaneous. I felt his pulse jump, a frantic thud-thud-thud against my tongue that betrayed exactly how much I was affecting him. His entire frame went rigid, his muscles locking up in total shock. He jerked away from me as if he'd been burned, his face a mask of pure horror and utter surprise. I didn't give him time to recover. I let a sharp, triumphant smile spread across my lips and used his clumsy, off-balance retreat to my advantage. With a firm shove to his chest, I sent him reeling back and rolled out from under him in one fluid, feline motion, springing back to my feet before he could even blink.
For a moment, he just lay there on his back, staring up at the sky as if he were trying to remember what planet he was on. Then, he sat up abruptly, running his fingers through his messy hair. He glared at me, his face still flushed from the shock of the lick. "Do you have some weird licking kink that I need to be aware of?!" he demanded, clearly trying to throw my own words back in my face to regain some dignity.
I didn't miss a beat. I stood over him, my hands on my hips and a sharp smirk playing on my lips. "No, I don't," I said simply. Then, I tilted my head, my voice softening into a mock-serious tone. "But my animal counterpart... she's very fond of you. That was just her way of showing her love. Honestly, Kayden, what are you going to do if you end up hurting her feelings with all this aggression?" He had been in the middle of pushing himself back to his feet, but the moment the words left my mouth, he froze. He stood there, halfway up, looking at me with a mix of genuine shock and dawning concern. "Are you serious right now?" he asked, his voice dropping. I could see the Alpha in him struggling—he was prepared to fight a tiger, but he wasn't prepared to break a tiger's heart.
The second the question left my lips, she vanished. I spun, trying to track her, but she was already a ghost in the wind. Then, I felt the heat of her body pressing against my back, and her voice drifted into my ear—a low, melodic whisper meant for me and me alone. "Haven't you heard? Feline shifters love playing with their mates," she purred. I could feel her hot breath ghosting over the shell of my ear and the sensitive skin of my neck. "It's like that cat-and-mouse game you've heard so much about. And licking... well, it's a very clear sign of affection."
A violent shiver raced down my spine, and goosebumps erupted along my arms. My body was betraying me, reacting to her proximity with a hunger I couldn't suppress, no matter how hard I try to. "And trust me," she continued, her voice dropping to a sultry, dangerous level that made my blood boil. "My tiger and I find you completely delectable. We'd love to lick every single inch of your body."
My groin jerked at the mental image she'd just seared into my brain. The sheer, unadulterated lust of it hit me like a physical blow. I let out a low, warning growl, spinning around to face her, my eyes likely glowing with a mix of frustration and desire. "Don't test me, Artemis," I warned, my voice thick and strained. She just leaned back, a peal of bright, genuine laughter breaking from her lips. She raised her arms, interlocking her fingers behind her head in a casual, relaxed pose that showed she wasn't threatened by me at all. Once her laughter died down, she arched a single eyebrow, her eyes dancing with mischief. "Oh, Kayden." She wore a playful smirk that made my wolf pace restlessly. "But you just make it so incredibly easy."
I rolled my eyes, a long, weary sigh escaping me. "You truly are going to be a handful, aren't you?" She shrugged, her smile widening into something almost cat-like. "At least I'm never boring." A reluctant chuckle caught in my throat. "No... definitely never boring." I took a moment to look around the clearing. The circle of pack members was a sea of mixed reactions: some looked utterly confused by the shift in energy, others were wearing knowing, amused smirks, and a few of the younger shifters just looked bored that the hitting had stopped.
I looked back at my mate, trying to reclaim some shred of my Alpha authority. "We're both skilled, Artemis. But why don't we call it a draw for the day? I don't think either of us has our hearts in this fight anymore." She raised an eyebrow, her gaze raking over me from head to toe. Her eyes drifted down, narrowing as they landed on my waist. A slow, mischievous grin spread across her face. "Well," she said, her voice carrying easily to the back of the crowd. "I can certainly tell by the tent you're pitching exactly why you want to stop fighting."
The silence of the clearing was instantly shattered as a dozen pack members erupted into loud, raucous laughter. My face burned with a heat that had nothing to do with the sun. I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting every instinct I had to cover my groin with my hands and hide the evidence of how much she affected me. I opened my eyes, letting out a heavy, defeated sigh as I looked at her. "Are you done playing around yet?"
She shrugged, a lazy, unrepentant smirk playing on the corner of her mouth. "I don't know," she teased, her eyes sparkling with far too much joy at my expense. "Should I be?" I raised a flat eyebrow, doing my absolute best to look unamused despite the fact that my heart was still racing. She didn't buy the "stern Alpha" act for a second; she just chuckled at me, the sound light and airy. "Okay, fine," she conceded, giving me a mock-gracious nod. "We can call it a draw."
I rolled my eyes and let out a long, weary sigh, looking up at the sky for strength. "What am I going to do with her?" I muttered to myself, the words a silent prayer. "Moon Goddess, help me." I knew she'd heard me—her hearing was as sharp as her tongue—but I didn't give her the satisfaction of a comeback. I turned away, squaring my shoulders and projecting as much Alpha command as I could muster given the circumstances. I looked out at the lingering crowd, my voice booming across the training grounds. "Okay, everyone! The show's over. Let's get back to work!"
A chorus of groans echoed through the clearing as the pack members reluctantly trudged back to their stations. The entertainment was over, and the hard work was beginning again. Kayden turned to me, the hard, defensive edge of the Alpha replaced by a gentle, genuine smile. "Would you like to join us?" he asked, his voice low and inviting. "You seem to have a much better eye for what they're lacking than I do. I'd love to have your help with their training."
I felt an unexpected swell of warmth in my chest at his words. It wasn't just kindness; it was respect. He wasn't asking me to stand by his side as a trophy; he was asking for my expertise. He reached out his hand, palm up, waiting for me. I looked at it for a heartbeat before sliding my hand into his, my fingers curling around his palm. The sparks of the mate bond flared instantly, but I kept my voice steady. "I won't go easy on anyone, Kayden," I warned him, a familiar spark of mischief returning to my eyes. "I hope you're prepared for the fallout of me being in charge." He let out a soft laugh and tugged me toward him, closing the distance until we were walking shoulder-to-shoulder toward the ranks of shifters. "I wouldn't have it any other way."