Page 32

Cassandra's POV

The crowd buzzed with excitement as Alec and I circled each other. His eyes, sharp and unreadable, stayed locked onto mine, tracking my every movement.

He smirked. "Are you sure you're ready for this, sweetheart?"

Cocky bastard.

I tilted my head, feigning innocence. "Oh, absolutely."

Alec took a slow step forward, testing my reaction. I mirrored him, shifting my weight lightly on my feet. I knew his game—he wanted me to strike first, to give him an opening. But I wasn't stupid.

Wait him out, study his movements.

Lia huffed inside my head. Or... we could just show him who's boss.

I barely had time to process her words before she took control.

Attack!!

With a burst of speed, I lunged.

Alec sidestepped effortlessly, but I was already twisting mid-air, landing lightly on my feet behind him. I launched a kick aimed at his ribs—only for his hand to catch my ankle mid-strike.

"Nice try," he mused.

Before he could yank me off balance, I used his hold to my advantage. Shifting my weight, I kicked off the ground with my free foot, twisting into a spin. He had to let go or risk taking a knee to the face. He let go.

I landed in a crouch, grinning. "What's the matter, your highness? Losing your touch?"

Alec rolled his shoulders, his own grin forming. "Oh, darling, I was just warming up."

In a flash, he was moving.

I barely had time to react before his arm was sweeping toward me—fast.

I ducked, dodged, and—

Shit.

His hand caught my wrist, yanking me forward. I stumbled, but before I could recover, he spun me around and pinned my back against his chest, one arm locked around my waist.

The crowd erupted in cheers and laughter. Jack was howling.

"You done playing, Cassie?" Alec murmured in my ear, his breath warm against my skin.

Oh, hell no.

Lia growled, and I smirked.

"Not even close."

With all my strength, I threw my head back—right into his nose.

The satisfying crack of my head meeting Alec's nose sent a shockwave through the crowd. Gasps and cheers echoed around the arena as he loosened his grip just enough for me to slip free.

I spun around, ready to follow up with another strike—only to find Alec standing there, barely phased, wiping a streak of blood from his nose with his thumb.

"Oh, you are ruthless," he muttered, lips quirking into a smirk. "I like it."

The cocky bastard was enjoying this.

I shifted my weight lightly, shaking off the slight dizziness from our scuffle. "You talk too much, your highness."

His eyes darkened with something between amusement and challenge. "Fine. No more talking."

And then he moved.

Fast.

I barely had time to register it before he was on me. A left hook—I ducked. A sharp jab—I dodged. A low sweep—too late. His leg caught mine, and suddenly, the ground was rushing up to meet me.

Damn it.

I hit the dirt hard, rolling just in time to avoid his next move. Springing back to my feet, I retaliated with a swift kick aimed at his ribs. Alec caught my ankle again, but this time, instead of pulling me off balance, he twisted—sending me spinning mid-air.

Shit.

I landed with a solid thud, air whooshing out of my lungs. Stars danced in my vision, and before I could fully recover, Alec was on me, pinning my wrists above my head.

The crowd erupted. Cheers, whistles, some dramatic gasps—it was chaos.

Alec's face hovered inches from mine, his breath warm against my cheek. His grip wasn't painful, but it was firm, unshakable.

"Yield," he murmured.

My heart pounded in my chest. Part from the fight. Part from the way his voice dropped an octave when he said it.

"Not a chance," I breathed.

He chuckled. "Stubborn."

I smirked. "You knew that when you met me."

Then, using his own weight against him, I twisted my hips and slammed my knee into his ribs. Alec grunted, momentarily losing his balance, and that was all I needed.

With a sharp twist, I flipped us over, reversing our positions so I was straddling him, my hands pressed against his chest.

The crowd lost it.

Jack was practically howling from the sidelines. "That's right, Luna! Show him who's boss!"

Alec looked up at me, surprise flickering in his eyes before it morphed into something else. Something dark and dangerous.

"That was impressive," he admitted. "But tell me something, sweetheart—"

I never saw his next move.

One second, I was on top. The next, Alec had shifted his weight, grabbed my waist, and flipped us again. This time, his hold was unshakable, his body pressing against mine, arms caging me in.

His voice dropped, low and teasing. "What now, Luna?"

I hated how good he was at this.

But I hated losing more.

I lifted my chin. "Now? I make you regret underestimating me."

His grin widened. "I look forward to it."

I twisted sharply, aiming a knee at his ribs again, but this time, he was ready. He blocked with ease, shifting his grip to press my wrists further into the dirt.

I clenched my jaw. "You're enjoying this too much."

"Maybe." His voice was casual, but his eyes gleamed with something else. Something undeniably amused.

Jack's loud voice cut through the tension.

"Alright, lovebirds, as much as we're all enjoying this weird foreplay, some of us would like to know who actually wins the fight."

The crowd roared with laughter.

I groaned. Alec just smirked.

Jack stood on the edge of the ring, arms crossed, tapping his foot. "You two gonna keep rolling around on the ground, or should we call it a draw?"

Alec leaned in slightly, his lips brushing against my ear. "What do you say, Cassie? Call it a draw?"

I narrowed my eyes. "Only because I let you win."

He laughed, finally releasing me and standing up. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, love."

I took his offered hand and let him pull me up, brushing dust off my clothes.

Jack clapped his hands. "Alright, folks! No clear winner today, but damn if that wasn't the best fight I've seen all year. Give it up for our Luna and King!"

The arena erupted in cheers. I barely had time to catch my breath before a swarm of people surrounded us, clapping me on the back, exchanging bets, and excitedly rehashing the fight.

Jack threw an arm around my shoulder. "Cassie, I swear, I have never been prouder. That was art."

I grinned, stretching out my sore muscles. "You act like I don't fight every day."

"Yeah, but you usually don't almost castrate the King."

Alec, who had been greeting some of the pack warriors, turned his head at that. "Excuse me?"

Jack gave him a deadpan look. "You heard me, your highness."

Alec groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Remind me why I haven't had you exiled yet?"

Jack grinned. "Because I'm the best thing that's ever happened to this pack."

I snorted. "Debatable."

The banter continued as we left the ring, but my mind was still buzzing from the fight.

Because for all Alec's teasing, I knew something for certain—he hadn't been fighting me at full strength.

And if that was him holding back...

I couldn't wait to see what he was capable of when he didn't.

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Hey everyone! First of all, I want to say a huge thank you for your patience. I know this chapter took longer than expected, and I truly appreciate you sticking around. Writer's block has been hitting hard, but I'm finally back, and I can't wait to share more with you all!

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter—I'd love to hear from you. Your feedback and support mean the world to me!

Happy reading! ??