Page 35

WYLDER

I roll my shoulders back, sweat already clinging to every part of me as I practice my swings. Tonight is going to be a good night.

Asher is nose-deep in his cell phone, like usual, while Tatum has been lost in his sketchbook for most of the week.

Lincoln, however, is on his high horse, throwing weight around to try to get to the bottom of the wolf that tried to attack Polaris.

He’s yet to find answers. I’m half considering offering him my position in the ring so he can let off steam, but I need it myself, especially with the vampire in question.

Did we make Lincoln acknowledge his place in Polaris’s life? Yes.

Have I thoroughly done it myself yet? Definitely not.

I’m furious—eager to rip his limbs off—but I know deep in my soul that he’s going to be a part of this whether we like it or not.

Besides, he saved Polaris in the assembly hall, and fuck knows what would have happened if he wasn’t there, but one thing is for sure: I’d rather live with him than without Polaris.

Bouncing on the balls of my feet, I tilt my head back as I take a deep breath, counting the minutes down, when a knock comes from the locker room door.

My gaze snaps in the direction of the sound, but before I can consider taking a single step, Tatum stuffs his sketchbook in his backpack and heads for the door.

Excitement pools in my gut at the idea of my Little Witch coming to see me before the fight, but when the door swings open, my dream is shattered.

Blaze.

“The fight takes place in the ring, not here, asshole,” I grunt, and he cocks a brow at me.

“No shit,” he murmurs, rocking back on his heels as Tatum closes the door behind him. He’s a vampire among wolves, completely out of his comfort zone with no protection, but looking at him, you wouldn’t know it.

He’s relaxed. Too relaxed.

“What do you want, Blaze?” Lincoln asks with a sigh, and the vampire swipes his tongue along his bottom lip, the only hint of nerves he reveals.

“Before we do this, I think there are a few things we need to straighten out.”

“That’s what the fight is for,” I grunt back, and he shakes his head.

“There’s more to this than just pounding the fuck out of each other,” he replies with a pointed look, and I snicker.

“That’s what she said.”

He stares at me, blinks, and continues to stare.

Nothing. Nada.

That was funny.

Fucker.

“Fine, I’m listening,” I grumble, folding my arms over my chest, and he nods.

“Once we’re done in the ring, we’re done.”

“Agreed,” Tatum chimes in, but Blaze doesn’t pull his stare away from me. He’s searching for something. What, I’m not sure, but eventually, he sighs.

“I need you to win.”

I scoff. “That’s the plan,” I explain, and he doesn’t say a word, but the grin on his face spreads.

My jaw ticks when he tilts his head at me, happy to let the silence linger. “Anything else?” I bite, the tension in my muscles coiling, and I channel it, eager to let it spur on my adrenaline.

“Yes,” he breathes, nostrils flaring ever so slightly as he nods before stuffing his hand into his pocket. “I’m also here because I believe you know about this.” He lifts his hand, revealing a gold coin between his thumb and forefinger.

“She told you?” Asher asks, and he shakes his head.

“Nope.”

“Then how?” Lincoln snarls, glaring at the vampire like it’s going to burn him on the spot.

“My gut is telling me it’s the only thing making this almost amicable between us.”

“That still doesn’t make any sense,” I mutter, and he gives me a pointed stare.

“I just showed you a coin, a special fucking coin at that, from across the room. You didn’t blink or frown in confusion. You know exactly what it is and how important it is.”

“Maybe.” My hands flex at my sides. I feel overwhelmed when I’m not in control, and with this fucker, I feel like I’m spiraling.

“Maybe you have one, or maybe you know what I’m talking about?

” he asks, looking for clarity, and I shrug.

“Because I know she has one,” he adds before turning his attention to Tatum.

“And if my research serves me correctly, it’s Tatum who has a coin out of the four of you.

” Tatum gulps, but none of us offer an answer.

“I’ll take your silence for what it is, but once this is done, we have to get over this shit.

For her.” It’s not a request. It’s a demand.

“I’ll do what I please,” Lincoln snaps, a small vein protruding at his temple with anger as he clenches his fists at his sides.

“My priority is her; if yours isn’t, I’m not going to take your opinion into account,” Blaze bites back, and Lincoln grunts.

“Of course not,” he mutters under his breath, turning away from the vampire, but the way he said that… the meaning and determination that was there… I like it. More than I care to admit.

Without thinking, I cut the distance between us, clenching my right hand into a fist before lifting it in the air. Blaze looks from me to my fist and back again before he finally takes the olive branch and fists bumps me.

No words to initiate our agreement. No contract. No signature on the dotted line. But it’s there. We can both feel it.

I grin. “Okay, motherfucker. See you in the ring.”

Adrenaline courses through my veins, controlling my every step as I make my way down the corridor and toward the noise and lights.

My music plays through the speakers, but it’s barely audible over the chanting of my name.

Before I turn the corner and step into the audience’s view, I pause for a moment, letting their chants filter into my mind, fueling me further.

Cracking my neck from side to side, I pry my eyes back open and turn into the light. If I thought the noise was loud before, I was mistaken. It’s insane now.

Prowling down the walkway, slapping a few hands as I make my way past, I spy my opponent, waiting patiently for me in the ring.

But his eyes aren’t trained on me. I know without following his line of sight where he’ll be staring, but I take the breadcrumbs anyway and wind up spotting the most stunning woman here.

Fuck it. The most stunning woman to ever exist.

My Little Witch.

Her hair looks brighter than ever, but her skin against the silver dress leaves me drooling. I have to snap my gaze away and focus on the vampire. Otherwise, I’ll fucking forfeit before we’ve even begun, and he can’t win. Ever.

As I enter the ring, the cheers die down, or do I tune them out? I’m not sure. Either way, the referee calls us both to the center of the ring.

“Neither of you are going to wear gloves?” he clarifies, and we both grunt in response. “You’re two insane motherfuckers, that’s for sure,” he states before holding his hand palm down between us. “Touch,” he orders, and we both lift our fists, ready to connect.

“Remember what I said,” Blaze murmurs, drawing my gaze to his, and I nod, knocking his fists with mine before taking a step back.

“It won’t be a problem,” I explain, and a hint of a smile gives him the air of a serial killer as he eyes me.

“We can’t make it look like we did it on purpose,” he states, and I roll my eyes.

“Don’t worry. I won’t go easy on you,” I reply just as the bell chimes, calling the start of the first round.

As we sidestep one another, the crowd falls silent. My focus is on watching his every move, piecing him together brick by brick. It’s fun taking the time to assess how they step, the distance, and the sway between each move. It’s like unraveling a mystery, only to use it to my advantage.

He rears his lift arm back an extra inch twice, giving me a small tell of when he’s sizing up his actual move, and when it happens for the third time, I duck to the right, prepared for what’s to come, but I stumble back a step when his right-hand connects with my jaw instead.

Holy fuck.

I blink at him, arms still raised, and he grins.

I’m surprised, but I’m not losing.

He’s got more skill than I gave him credit for, but that doesn’t make me cower away. If anything, it makes this whole thing more exciting.

“I’ll give you that one,” I state, and he scoffs.

“You didn’t give me shit. I took it. Just like I took her,” he goads, hitting the mark immediately.

Any fighting decorum I had is gone, shattered between us as I barrel toward him, slamming my shoulder into his stomach and sending us both to the mat. Shuffling my knees, I try to pin him as I take a swing at his face, but his arms are locked in position, shielding him from me.

Fucker.

I can play dirty, though.

Instead of aiming for his jaw like I want, I aim for his side instead, earning a grunt after the third swing before he jerks his hips, sending us both to the left.

I don’t give him a chance to pin me to the mat.

I’m up on my feet, arms raised and fists ready as we circle each other once again.

Only this time, there’s purpose in every stride I take.

“I thought you wanted to win? I thought you wanted her to yourself,” he pushes, using his words to bring me to the edge, but as well as it worked last time, I refuse to let my composure slip again.

“Oh, I’ll have her to myself. I’ll have her any way I want her. In the locker room… in the girls’ bathroom… on the log flumes, coming all down my?—”

His fist slams into my face, knocking me off balance, but I manage to avoid the mat.

Anger burns in his eyes as his chest rises and falls rapidly, and it’s my turn to grin.

Two can play at this game, now that fact is clear.

“One day, you’ll get to hear her cry your name, Blaze. One day. Just not today. But I promise you, it’s the sweetest fucking sound you’ll ever hear. That pink hue that ghosts her cheeks all the time… fuck, you’re not even ready,” I insist, and his gaze snaps to the woman in question.

He lingers longer than he should, his arms dropping a fraction, and I use this to my advantage, slamming my left hook straight into his chin. His eyes roll as his head knocks back, and he lands on the mat with a thud.

I expect him to be out cold. Anyone else who has been on the end of that has seen stars for a long time after, but not him, it seems. He snarls, rising to his feet with blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.

He looks unhinged as fuck.

Feral.

Like a fucking rabid wolf.

Looking into his eyes at this moment is like looking in the mirror. The way this woman makes us feel; it’s impossible to deny and too addictive to let go.

“That’s it, Blaze. Do you want to know a little secret?

When you fuck her, she’s going to want you just like that,” I promise, surprisingly not angry about the thought of him having her.

Not like I thought I would want to be. It’s going to be amusing watching the uptight vampire unravel for the woman who has drawn us all in.

“When I fuck her, you’re going to hear every throaty breath she exhales,” he murmurs, and my jaw ticks, irritation quickly clinging to me as I glare at him.

It’s funny when I say it. Definitely not amusing when it’s the other way around.

Fucker.

We both move together this time, colliding in the middle of the ring with a bang as we both land a hit, and another, before we drop to the mat.

Arms flail, fists not connecting as we try to take each other out.

I almost manage to tangle our legs so I can shift us both, earning the advantage, but he beats me to the exact same move.

Just when I think he’s going to slam me against the mat, he keeps rolling, giving me the opportunity he insisted on.

I don’t think twice. I balance myself above him and slam my fist into his face before twisting my legs around his arm, locking him in a deathly grip until I hear the sweet tapping coming from his submission.

Relief floods my veins as I ease up on him, rolling to my back as I catch my breath.

Fuck.

That was more than I was expecting, a bigger fight than I predicted, but it was worth it. Because now I have the perfect prize.

Rising to my feet, sweat beads down my temples as I ignore the grumbling vampire sulking from the ring without a backward glance and settle my gaze on the sweet witch in question.

Taking my prize and claiming her for myself has never been sweeter.