“If it’s… what my mate… wants,” he rasped, the words broken and raw, “then please… get rid of… what… displeases you,” then motioned to his body.
His words hit harder than they should’ve. Those pale-yellow eyes stayed open, steady, trusting.Too trusting. He could’ve broken my grip. He could’ve ended this. Instead, he knelt thereand offered me his throat on a platter. Who the fuck was this guy?
My wolf howled inside me, furious, desperate.He’s ours.
I clenched my teeth until I tasted blood, fighting her with everything I had. I was the boss. I was in control. I was the power.
But the way he looked at me…
The heat, the surrender, the sheer madness of it… it was enough to make even a Syndicate boss hesitate.
When I looked down at my wrist, the world dulled into static. The noise, the crowd, the flashes, everything vanished beneath the sight of that thin, fine-lined wolfsbane plant wrapped around my arm like inky vines. The tattoo that was supposed to stay invisible.
Someone called my name, but it was distant, muffled. I couldn’t look away. Each delicate flowerbud throbbed with a faint pulse, having a heartbeat of its own, until something cracked open beneath my skin. Heat surged through me, curling up from my belly and clawing through my chest in trembling waves. My breaths became shallow, each one threatening to splinter me apart.
What the hell is happening to me?
My fingers loosened, and Deslen collapsed to the mat, coughing and gasping for air. The crowd roared back into focus just in time for someone to shove a mic in my face. Questions hit me like bullets.
“Was he right?”
“Are you his mate?”
“Tell us what that means for the human audience. Are you now married?”
I closed my eyes and dragged in a breath until Zeth’s voice cut through the chaos. I clung to it, needing something to ground me as I told myself,Hold it together, Nova. At least until you get to the damn car.
Ignoring the wildfire tearing through my veins, I lifted my head and smiled seductively at the crowd, hoping they didn't see the sweat rolling down my neck.
“He’s not bad-looking, huh, ladies?” My laugh came out sharp and hollow. The crowd hesitated, eyes darting between me and the cameras, so I pushed the act harder, channeling Ezra’s easy charm.
“No, no, I joke,” I said, waving my hands in the air, still smiling, though my jaw ached from holding it. “I was a little upset, don’t get me wrong.” I casually shrugged as if I wasn’t one wrong word away from breaking apart. Humans already thought we were a violent bunch, so it shouldn't be hard to sell it as a regular fight between supes. Maybe a misunderstanding?
“Due to the language barrier, he mistook mate for partner.” I eyed him on the floor with a smile, “This will make my legal team throw a fit, but what the hell!” I threw my hands up and chuckled before holding one out to help him up. “Right before this fight, Rossey Fighting Enterprise signed Deslen, so you’ll be seeing a lot more of his fights to come.”
Deslen rose slowly, that unshakable grin plastered across his face. With a smile, I threw my chin to the crowd, and he nodded, turning to wave at the crowd like my lie was gospel.
The humans ate it up, laughing, clapping, completely oblivious. The supes, though… their eyes told another story. No one mistookmateforbusiness partner.They knew, but I could deal with them later, ripping their hearts out one by one if I had to. The humans were the ones I needed to convince.
Letting go of his hand, I clapped for Deslen as they buckled the championship belt around his waist, then I began to retreat, heading toward the cage door. When Deslen tried to follow, I cut him a warning glance.You. Stay.
He froze, his expression flickering before he fixed on that charming grin and turned back to his adoring audience.
Zeth, Conrad, and Nick were waiting just outside the cage. Zeth started to speak, but I shook my head. He shut his mouth and moved in beside me, solid and silent. His presence steadied me just enough.
“How about a drink? I know I need one,” Conrad said, looping an arm through mine. I leaned into him for a heartbeat, just long enough to feel the weight shift off my shoulders.
Then my phone buzzed against my thigh.
Of course, it would.
Reaching into the hidden pocket of the dress, I pulled it out and caught the name flashing across the screen.
Ezra. Video chat.
Oh, fuck.
I pushed my way out as fast as I could, the roar of the crowd snapping at my heels. “Zeth, get the car,” I called back, but healready had his phone out and was ordering someone to bring it around the front fast.
