Page 10

Wilder

M y puma crouches low , as my sleek black fur blends with the shadows, keeping my eyes locked on my opponent. Every move I take is with the grace and precision of a predator, my muscles taut with anticipation. The thrill of the fight barrels through me. The griffin stands in his corner, towering and majestic as he spreads his wings wide, the golden feathers catching in the flickering light. He screeches and lunges forward, talons extended, gleaming like knives.

I dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the griffin’s razor-sharp talons. I retaliate with a swift swipe of my own, claws slashing through the air. Jasper roars in pain as my claws find purchase, leaving deep gouges in his flank. The beast staggers back, eyes blazing with rage. I can feel the heat rising as he gains altitude, but I anticipated this. Timing is crucial. I unleash all my strength and spring upward, aiming to meet him mid-air. My powerful hind legs propel me like a missile, ready for our inevitable collision. We strike with a bone-jarring impact, feathers and fur mingling in a whirlwind of motion. My claws somehow find their way to his shoulder, sinking in deeply. Jasper lets out a roar, and the audience wails, the vivacity of the moment washing over me.

In our tangled fall to the ground, the scent of sweat and fear intermingle, a fragrant reminder of the stakes at play. I’ve never been beaten and I intend on staying that way. But the thought is fleeting. With every visceral struggle over dominance, a strange tingle lances through me.

Suddenly, a chill shoots straight to my core as fear envelops me, but it isn’t my own. It is Arwen’s—our connection unfolds, sharp and revealing. I had mistaken her anxious energy all evening for excitement, thinking it was for the thrill of the fight. But now? Now it is sheer panic. Briefly, in the chaos, all I can see is her silver hair, shimmering like ethereal moonlight, as she dashes between the sea of bodies, tears flowing freely down her flawless cheeks. My beast roars, unleashing a sound that vibrates through the cramped space, drowning out the cheers and jeers that mix together. Desperation drives the command, a primal urge to go to her. She is all that matters—not my fight, not this ring.

The precious moments I let my guard down became precisely the opening Jasper needed. He beat his wings together, creating a powerful gust of wind that throws me off balance and sends me tumbling to the ground, disoriented.

I curse at myself as I regain my footing. I can hear Jasper’s throaty growl reverberating through the air above me, his shell of fury encasing him wholly. With a swift motion, he attempts to dive down upon me like a ravenous beast, his wings flapping with the might of a storm.

A surge of instinct floods my veins. I rush forward, using every ounce of strength in my sinewy muscles to leap out of his path. I feel the air whistle past me as his massive form hits the ground with a thud, missing me by mere inches.

I land gracefully on my feet, then turn instantly, watching Jasper’s feet scramble to regain balance, his wings folding tightly against his back.

He screeches again, but his voice is now tinged with desperation. The display of brute force transitions into a calculated attack as he charges once more, but I am ready with countermeasures in mind.

As he approaches, I leap and dodge, claws poised and ready. But my mind finds only one thought—Arwen—and how every fight is meaningless without her. I have never been beaten, but tonight, the grip of my heart is far stronger than the grip of my claws. I need to get to her, but the only ticket out of this arena is through the death of your opponent and that won’t fucking be me. I just found my Starlight and I’ll be damned if I leave her on this earth unprotected. I’m her mate, her protector, her everything, so I need to kill this bastard by any means necessary to get my girl back.

With resolute determination, I summon every ounce of my energy and leap again, twisting just in time to evade Jasper’s massive talon as it slashes through the air to meet me. I land solidly on the ground, my senses heightened, adrenaline coursing like fire through my veins.

The crowd is a swirling mass of agony and ecstasy. They want blood. They want chaos. With a sudden rush, Jasper lunges, and I can feel the wind from his wingbeats hitting me like a wall as I pivot just in time. His talons graze my shoulder, tearing through skin, but I growl with exhilaration instead of pain. Each bruise, each cut only fuels my resolve.

He thrusts his wings again, trying to slam me down, but I’m quick, dodging low before springing back up, ready to meet him. I charge forward, diving into the belly of the beast. Our bodies collide, and I land a pummeling blow against his abdomen, feeling his muscles tense beneath my strikes. The impact shocks us both mid-tangle, but the exhilaration of the fight sends my spirit soaring.

With unfathomable grit, I twist and throw a flurry of feral blows, each one fueled by the vision of her face streaked with tears but illuminated by courage. He recovers, infuriated, and I brace myself for the tempest. This time when he lunges, I don’t dodge. Instead, I dig deep, my heart thrumming in sync with the battle, anticipating his every move.

We clash again, the sound of flesh tearing reverberating through the air, but I find myself overwhelming him, pushing him off balance and into the arena wall. I channel the rage and love that fuels my every strike.

As he falters, I see my chance. I pivot, redirecting my energy into one final assault, ripping through the air toward him. My claws find their mark, and the arena is steeped in silence as he crashes to the ground, his body lifeless beneath me.

The announcer’s voice is a distant murmur, but victory fills my senses like a potent whiskey, sweet and numbing. It wraps around me, but shadowed emotions grip my heart. It’s obscured by another outburst—a wave of terror washes over me, an insidious whisper in my mind that tugs at my very soul. I can feel her pain radiating through me. She’s in danger. If someone dares to lay a finger on my precious mate, they will regret the day they were born.

I’m out of the ring, bounding toward the exit, my heart pounding erratically, overshadowing the cheers for my victory. The announcer’s voice bellows through the speakers, but I don’t care about the fucking money. The only true possession I have is Arwen, and I can’t lose her.

I burst through the heavy wooden doors, a rush of adrenaline surging through my legs as I claw my way toward freedom. I shift quickly, grabbing a spare pair of clothes I find—rough-spun fabric that smells of sweat and leather—and barrel up the stairs, my arms moving with a life of their own.

“Fuck!” I growl. She’s got her claws so deep in me. What is it that makes me want to tie myself in knots to keep her safe? All I can think about is that she’s mine, and she needs a good hard fuck to teach her to behave.

My senses heighten, the sounds of the bustling bar fading into the background. I look in all directions for any signs of her. Her sweet scent of an ocean breeze is faint, but I know she was just here. It lingers in the air around me, a ghostly memory that makes my insides twist painfully.

I sprint through the dark alleys and crowded squares, fighting against the dwindling scent that beckons me. My eyes are scanning every corner, searching for any sign of her. I can feel the dark void expanding within me, a sensation that something—someone—is stealing my light.

Then, a muffled scream slices through the air, raw with terror, coming from a shadowy alley just ahead. Without a thought, I race forward, heart pounding, as dread coils tightly around my chest. I turn the corner to find a figure standing over Arwen, her arms tied tightly behind her with something shoved into her mouth. She’s on her knees, looking up at the masked predator. Pain strikes through me as I lay eyes on her. Bruises mar her porcelain skin, desperation and defiance glittering in her eyes like shards of glass. Her glorious spirit who, even now, fights so fiercely against the shackles of despair. Fury ignites within me, roaring like a wildfire.

The assailant, a hulking brute dressed in dark leather, looms over her. “You think you can resist, little siren?” he hisses, voice dripping with contempt. My teeth grind, fury igniting like a wildfire within me.

“Get away from my wife!” I thunder, my voice a booming thunderclap, the earth seeming to quake beneath the force of my declaration.

The creature turns, surprised by my sudden appearance. His mocking grin fades to an expression of fury as he sizes me up. He draws a knife, glinting as he flicks it open, the blade flashing like a serpent ready to strike.

“This siren is mine. I’ve been searching for years. Her voice is the key to my domination,” he seethes, placing the blade dangerously close to her throat.

Every instinct screams for me to protect her. In two swift strides, I close the distance, my fist connecting with his face—a satisfying crunch reverberates through my knuckles. He staggers back, shock morphing into immediate hatred. I follow up with a flurry of brutal strikes, each connection fueled by the rage and desperation to defend what is mine.

“You think you can take her from me?” I roar, striking again, punctuating each blow with the power of my feelings.

He swings wildly in retaliation, but I duck, my body reacting with instinctual swiftness. Anger whirls in my chest as I retaliate, delivering a swift kick to his side that sends him sprawling. The alley echoes with the sounds of our struggle—the grunts, the thud of flesh on flesh. I bend, pulling his back to my chest, circling my arm around his throat and squeezing. He claws at my arms and thrashes beneath me but I remain firm, tightening my hold more. He slowly begins to lose his strength until he’s lying limp in my arms. I drop the bastard to the ground and turn toward my mate.

“Arwen!” I rush to her side and kneel down at her level. I take in her bruised face, the tears glistening in her eyes, cradling her face with my hands. “I’m here, my Starlight. I’ve got you.”

As I untie her, she leans closer, and for a moment, just a moment, the shadows retreat. Her fingers tremble as she touches my cheek, her voice breaking free from the gag.

“You came for me. You found me,” she whimpers.

I release a shuddering breath, knowing I will guard her against the night, for in her vulnerability lies a strength that can transcend darkness. “Always, Arwen. I’ll always find you.”

“He wanted...” she trails off on a sob.

“I know, baby. He will get what’s coming to him.” I promise, pulling out my phone to make a call to Gus Scott at the SRA. I’ve known him since I came to this city. He’s helped me clean up more messes than I care to admit, but tonight I need his expertise in taking this bastard away and finding the true nature of his pursuit of Arwen. I need to know if there are others involved because I will stop at nothing until my love is safe.

“Mr. Scott, this is Black, sir. We have a situation. There’s a masked man here that was hell-bent on finding a siren for his personal gain. He’s unconscious for now, but I need him questioned and then thrown away,” I explain, anger once again rising to the surface at the thought of his hands on her. Within minutes, agents arrive at the scene, detaining the assailant and carrying him away.

I lift Arwen from the ground, pulling her close to my chest as I walk her toward my car. Her trembling has faded but she clings to me like I may vanish in an instant. The valet sees me and takes off into the parking lot to bring my car around.

“Um...” She bites her lip as her cheeks flame.

“Yes?” I run my fingers along her cheek, brushing the silver-spun hair from her violet eyes. She’s absolutely mesmerizing.

“Back in the alley,” she begins. “You called me your wife,” she whispers as if she’s scared to speak the words aloud. I know what I said and I meant them.

“I did. You will be my wife, Starlight, but in my mind, you already are,” I admit. A tear streaks down her face before I catch it on my tongue.

“Is this you asking me?” she taunts with a smile.

“No, baby. This is me telling you it’s a done deal. You and me...” I pause, trying to find the right words. “We were two lost souls who wandered way too long looking for our other piece. I found you and I’ll never let you go. You became a part of me the moment I saw you. Your shattered songs filled the cracks in my heart without knowing it. I love you, my little Starlight. Today. Tomorrow. Forever. ” I press my lips to hers, tasting the salt of her tears.

A radiant smile breaks through her pain as she melts into my embrace. In this moment, the echoes of the arena, the scorn of the fights, and all I’ve sacrificed blur into insignificance. The fierce love that envelops us feels like an impenetrable shield against the darkness of my past. I no longer want to be the “Notorious Black.” I want to be everything to Arwen, the protector of her heart, the sanctuary where she finds peace and happiness. I’ll be the harmony to Arwen’s melody.