Domination
Kaiden lunged.
Not like a wolf.
Not like any shifter Scarlett had ever seen.
His body blurred with impossible speed, faster than any Alpha transformation she’d witnessed.
One second he stood rooted in the blood-soaked grass, red eyes blazing; the next he was airborne, claws extended, fangs bared in a snarl that echoed like thunder. He aimed straight for Rhys’s throat.
Rhys didn’t flinch.
He raised one arm in a lazy, almost casual block.
Kaiden’s claws slammed into flesh.
Rhys’s forearm tore open in four deep, ragged furrows. Blood sprayed in a hot, wide arc, splattering across the air like spray paint. The metallic scent flooded the air.
Scarlett screamed.
“STOP! KAIDEN, STOP!”
She thrashed in Kane’s iron grip, kicking wildly, twisting against his chest. “He’s going to kill him, let me go!”
Kane’s arms didn’t budge.
He just held her tighter, one massive hand splayed across her stomach, the other around her throat, not choking, just holding her there. His chest rumbled against her back with low, amused laughter.
“Shhh, princess,” he murmured into her hair, voice dripping dark delight. “Let the boys play.”
Rhys’s golden eyes never left Kaiden.
He was smiling.
Not a smirk.
A full, slow, lunatic smile like a man watching a private show he’d paid dearly for.
Blood dripped steadily from the deep gouges Kaiden had carved into his forearm, but Rhys didn’t even glance at the wound. He just tilted his head, studying Kaiden like he was a particularly interesting toy.
Kaiden snarled and attacked again, claws flashing in a blur, slashing at Rhys’s hands he held up in front of him, his throat.
Rhys danced.
That was the only word for it.
He moved like liquid shadow, sidestepping, leaning, twisting, never quite letting Kaiden land a clean hit against his throat. Every time Kaiden’s claws grazed him, Rhys smiled wider, blood welling from shallow cuts across his collarbone, his cheek, his ribs.
“You’re fast,” Rhys said softly, sounding amused. “I like that.”
Kaiden roared, pure fury and lunged again.
This time Rhys caught his wrist mid-swing and twisted it, not fully, this time around, he didn't break the bone since it had reset after he had hit kaiden against the building.
Kaiden grunted, but didn’t stop, his other hand slashing upward toward Rhys’s face.
Rhys blocked with his forearm again, more blood splattered out and then drove his knee into Kaiden’s gut so hard the air exploded from Kaiden’s lungs in a choked gasp.
Kaiden staggered back one step.
Rhys didn’t follow.
He just stood there, arms loose at his sides, blood dripping from both forearms, shirt hanging in tatters, golden eyes glowing brighter with every moment.
“Had your turn yet?” Rhys asked, almost sweetly.
Kaiden coughed once, blood flecking his lips, then straightened. And then just as he lifted into the air, aiming for Rhys again.
Saint growled low beside Scarlett, hackles raised, red eyes locked on the fight, he turned to Kane who just nodded and then rushed forward.
Kane chuckled into her hair. “Look at him go.”
Scarlett twisted again, desperate. “Let me go! You all are sick!”
Kane’s arms didn’t budge.
He just looked down at her, silent, smiling, eyes black and endless.
Saint lunged at kaiden.
Kaiden was too focused on Rhys still slashing, still snarling, still not landing anything clean.
Saint’s jaws closed around Kaiden’s shoulder.
A sickening crunch.
Kaiden roared in pain.
Saint shook him like a rag doll, once, hard then flung him across the courtyard.
Kaiden twisted mid-air, landed on all fours, skidding in the grass, blood pouring from the bite wound.
Rhys laughed.
He looked down at his bleeding arms, then back at Kaiden.
Kaiden snarled again, red eyes blazing.
Rhys glanced at Saint.
“Go,” he said quietly. “Don’t interrupt again”
Saint huffed, annoyed, and reluctant but obeyed, trotting back to Scarlett and Kane. He pressed against her dangling legs, whining softly, rubbing his bloody muzzle against her calf like he was trying to comfort her.
Kane scratched behind his ear absently.
“Good boy.”
Then Rhys and Kaiden were alone in the center of the ruined courtyard.
And Rhys started to play.
He moved fast, graceful, almost lazy, dodging every slash, every claw swipe, every desperate lunge. Kaiden was fast, inhumanly fast but Rhys was untouchable.
“You’re angry,” Rhys observed, sidestepping another wild swing. “That’s cute. You're cute when you're angry.”
Kaiden roared and charged again.
Rhys caught his wrist, twisted, forced him to his knees with casual strength.
Kaiden snarled up at him, fangs bared, red eyes blazing.
Rhys leaned down, close enough that their faces were inches apart and whispered:
“Does your beast scream ‘mate’ when it looks at her?”
Kaiden’s eyes went wide.
Shock.
Pure, raw shock.
Rhys’s smile widened, he looked so beautiful and terrifying at the same time.
“I thought so.”
Kaiden tried to surge up, claws slashing.
Rhys caught his throat in one hand.
Lifted him off the ground again.
Kaiden’s feet dangled, kicking uselessly.
Rhys’s other hand came up, slowly, tenderly and pressed against Kaiden’s temple.
Not clawing.
Just pressing.
Kaiden’s body jerked once.
Then again.
His red eyes flickered.
Rhys leaned in until their foreheads almost touched.
“I’ll spare your life,” he murmured, voice soft as silk and deadly as poison. “Because it amuses me. And because it will hurt her more if you die.”
Kaiden’s body spasmed.
Once.
Twice.
His eyes rolled back.
Then he went limp.
Rhys dropped him.
Kaiden hit the ground like a broken doll, unconscious, chest rising and falling shallowly.
Rhys straightened, wiped blood from his hand on his torn shirt, and turned to them.
His golden eyes met Scarlett’s.
Calm.
Amused.
Utterly insane.
“Shall we go, little one?” he asked softly.
Kane chuckled and adjusted his grip on her.
Saint whined happily, rubbing his massive head against her thigh.
And just like that…
They walked away.
Carrying Scarlett into the night.
Leaving Kaiden broken in the dirt behind them.
And the screams of the Purge still echoing in her ears.
Not realizing what awaited her.