Chapter Sixteen
Saphyra
S hadow seemed on edge, but his growling didn’t scare me. He was used to people being afraid of him, and he used it to push everyone away. He should know by now that wouldn’t work on me. How could I be upset by anything when I saw what was at the end of the hall?
We exited the tunnel into the light of late morning. A cool breeze drifted through the old oaks and felt lovely on my skin. Arching trees canopied a dirt clearing and fallen logs circled the perimeter as if to make convenient seats. Shadow didn’t follow, but instead watched from the mouth of the tunnel, partially obscured by a thicket of sticker bushes. The forest never ceased to mesmerize me, always feeling like a warm embrace.
Voices echoed from the passage we’d just exited, followed by shadows that emerged proud and tall. The female alphas I’d seen in the hangar previously, accompanied by a few others, stomped out into the dappled light. With them, the sweet, rich scents of cherries, figs, dates, pomegranates, and blackberries drifted to my nose. Neutral but pleasant. Mixed into the dark fragrance were sour notes, like overripe wine. That must be the gangly beta tagging along at their heels. I thought I recognized him, too.
They were chatting amongst themselves, but when they noticed me in the clearing, they all stopped and bowed, intoning “Your Majesty” in greeting.
“Hello, thank you. Please, go about your business as if I wasn’t even here.” I smiled at them, hoping to make them at ease with my presence, and hurried over to one of the logs to sit down.
I always felt so awkward addressing people. Hopefully, someday I’d get used to it. For now, we’d just have to suffer through my missteps.
It seemed as if they took me at my word because they tossed their gear down on the opposite side of the ring. Some of them sat, and some started stretching off to the side. I wasn’t completely sure what was about to happen, other than perhaps this was some sort of performance. Shadow had mentioned blowing off steam to the person he’d been talking to on our way down here, so I could only imagine.
Shadow emerged from where he’d been standing in the bushes, his tattooed fingers working at freeing the buttons on the front of his shirt and dropping it on a stump. With one hand, he pulled his black undershirt off, dropping it in the same spot. Every single person’s eyes were glued to his skin as he revealed the dark, mesmerizing patterns of his tattooed body. Some seemed filled with lust, longing, and others, maybe even jealousy. I couldn’t fault any of them. He was beautiful, and he was mine.
The sun kissed his skin as he shook out his arms and stretched, drawing even more attention to his flexing muscles, but his eyes were firmly fixed on me. I felt warmth rise in my cheeks as I watched him circle the dirt.
His gravel filled voice sent shivers across my overheated flesh. “Who’s first?”
If I hadn’t guessed before, it was clear enough now. This was some sort of bare-knuckle fight club. It seemed dangerous, and my heart sped at the thought. His dark gaze drifted over me, and I gave him a smile, letting him know I was fine. He turned back to his potential opponents. One of the women had shucked her shirt, revealing a skintight top that bared her stomach. She was covered in scars, but it only made her look more fierce and beautiful.
They touched knuckles. I was on the edge of my seat as they prowled around one another. When their fists started flying, my hand flew to cover the gasp that was threatening to spill out. The female was fast, avoiding all but glancing blows, but so was Shadow. They went swing for swing until they were both covered in a fine sheen of sweat. The fierce woman slowed, her endurance flagging, and the slightest hint of a smile tipped up the edge of Shadow’s lips.
In the next moment, he had somehow flipped her onto her back in the dirt and had his boot on her throat.
I stopped breathing.
“Yield?” Shadow growled.
“Yeah, I yield,” she replied with a strangled breath.
He took a step back and held out a hand, which she took. He hoisted her back upright. She dusted herself off with a smile. “Good fight, Valyx.”
“Good fight, Dani.”
The next up was the scrawny beta who smelled like spoiled wine. Shadow didn’t look very happy, but then again, did he ever? It might mean nothing. They touched knuckles and stepped into a fighting stance. The beta took a swing, but Shadow made no move to block it.
I was puzzled as the beta’s fist collided with my alpha’s jaw. I bit into my knuckle, worried. Why had he let him hit him like that? Was he injured?
It seemed I was worried over nothing because, in the next instant, Shadow’s fist came out of nowhere, slamming into the beta’s jaw and dropping him to the ground, unmoving.
I gasped. “Stars! Did you kill him?”
Everyone around the edge of the clearing smiled or laughed at my reaction, but a powerful looking blond woman responded. “No, Your Majesty. Mik just likes to hit above his weight class. He hasn’t figured out that money can’t buy success.” She gave me a wink, grabbed the beta’s wrist, and dragged the passed out, but very much alive, man off to the side.
“Albion, do you want to go a round?” Shadow called to her.
She smirked back at him. “I’d hate to make you look bad in front of Her Majesty.”
“If you do, it’s as much as I deserve,” he replied and held out his hand, beckoning her forward.
“If that’s what you want.”
They touched knuckles and squared up. This looked like common practice based on the way they mirrored one another. These two were intensely watching each other’s every move. This fight seemed different somehow. There was more than sheer power at play. The look in their eyes was calculating and patient. One took a step, and the other countered as they circled the ring with purpose. They traded a few blows to the ribs. All the face shots were blocked on both sides.
I wiggled closer to the edge of the log, my eyes fixed on the two fighters.
She kneed him in the ribs, then ducked his swing. She was good, more calculated, if less explosive than the last alpha. Shadow landed a glancing blow and swept her legs from under her, but she was fast and back up on her feet in a blink.
I gasped, wiggling in my seat.
He was already moving toward her, but his attention shifted to me and my reaction. His eyes caught mine just as the woman made her move. She used his momentum to launch him over her shoulder into one of the trees lining the perimeter. The thud nearly stopped my heart. Before I knew it, I was on my feet.
Shadow rolled to his knees, heaving air into his lungs in gasps. Blood streamed down his back in a river of red.
“Shadow!” I rushed to him, but he was standing by the time I reached his side.
He was smiling and bumped fists with Albion. “Good match.”
The woman had a horror-stricken look on her face as she watched me trip over myself to inspect the gash. “Yeah, good match.” She seemed uncertain what to do in the face of my concern.
“I’m fine, little omega,” Shadow said to me.
The rest of the audience was smiling and chatting among themselves, unconcerned with the outcome of the match.
I was not convinced. “Can someone get a doctor? Someone get Grey right away, please.”
Albion grabbed her shirt off a log. “I’ll get him for you, Your Majesty.” She pulled her shirt on and was buttoning it closed as she disappeared down the tunnel.
I grabbed Shadow’s hand and tugged him off to the side, where I pushed him down on one of the logs. “Let me look.”
He seemed slightly annoyed, but bent forward so I could inspect his back. “It’s not a big deal.”
“It’s bleeding,” I said as I looked at the skin peeling away from raw flesh.
As I reached out to inspect it more closely, Shadow caught my wrist and pulled me down onto his lap.
“I said.” He pressed his forehead against mine. “I’m fine.”
I fell into the depths of his fathomless black eyes. His scent enveloped me, dragging my thoughts to starless skies lit by flickering bonfires where it was just the two of us.
The sound of fists on bare flesh brought me back to the moment, and I looked over my shoulder to see a shorter black-haired alpha going a round with the alpha Shadow had first fought. No one else seemed worried about the wound that was still seeping blood, but that didn’t mean I was letting it go.
When my eyes fell on his face, I lost all interest in the raging fight behind me. “Your mouth!”
In the wake of the collision with the tree, I hadn’t even noticed the split lip Shadow had sustained. When had he even gotten that? I cradled his prickly jaw and inspected the swelling laceration on his lower lip.
His arms curled around my waist, anchoring me on his lap as I wiggled. “Stop squirming unless you want me to bend you over and fuck you in front of everyone.”
Heat rushed straight between my thighs, but I stilled. “Sorry.” I really wouldn’t mind if he wanted to bend me over and fuck me in the forest, but it might not be the best first impression on the soldiers that were with us.
The ground shuddered as the scarred female from earlier slammed into the log Shadow was sitting on. The smaller black-haired alpha stood over her, smiling for a moment before helping her up. The two women bumped bloody knuckles and returned to pick up their gear. Everyone else had trickled out during the fight, and we were about to be alone.
My heart fluttered and heat throbbed low in my belly while considering Shadow’s recent suggestion, but then I remembered his injuries. As much fun as it sounded, he needed to be looked at. I needed to find Grey.
Valyx
She was intensely cute, wiggling on my lap. But she was making me hard as stone. Her silky fingertips on my lips only made me want to kiss the fuck out of her. She was fussing over nothing. I’d heal soon enough.
My injuries were nothing new, but somewhat surprising. I’d miscalculated Albion’s strength. She was getting better, more calculating every day. She was a good soldier, even if she’d rather be growing vegetables. Maybe one day, if this war ever ended, she could grow food instead of defending the lives of our citizens.
Something tightened in my chest. Being this close to Saphyra was getting harder every day. Restraining myself from her was more painful than the nasty scrape I had on my back by a shit ton. I’d take a million cuts and bruises over the fucked-up emotions trampling through my ribcage. I couldn’t tell her that. If she fussed this much over a scratch, she would be even more upset by the rest of it. Her agitation set me on edge, and all I could think about was comforting her, or fucking her. Or both.
It wasn’t safe enough out here for that. Not really. When I was paying attention, it was low risk. Very little could sneak up this close to the mountain, but I wasn’t willing to take the chance by letting her distract me. Her pheromones were rising, too. Like her bond was calling out to me. She wanted to wait for Grey, but with the other alphas gone, and me distracted, we needed to head in.
I lifted her from my lap, and she pouted. “Come on, little omega. Let’s go find Grey.” I didn’t need Grey to look at my back, but it would make her happy, and so I would do it, whether I liked it or not.