Chapter 26: Walk Away - Riven's POV

The pack healer’s hands were gentle on the delicate skin of my shoulder. At times, it was too firm as she cleaned the wounds on my shoulder. Every touch felt like fire.

“You’re very lucky,” she muttered, her gray hair pulled back in a bun. “Another inch to the left and this tendon would have been severed. You wouldn’t be fighting anyone tomorrow like that, now would you?”

“Lucky,” I huffed, staring at the ceiling of the healing room.

I had been lying here for what felt like ages. My father stood against the wall, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable. He hadn’t said much since we arrived. Honestly, I wasn’t sure if he was proud of me or disappointed that I didn’t keep going.

To be honest, the silence was worse than any lecture.

“Three fights,” the healer continued, spreading salve over the worst of my wounds. “What were you thinking doing those back to back? Not even the adults do that.”

I chuckled low. “Well, I was thinking that I need to defend my right to my mate,” I said through gritted teeth. “And I had six competitors, two of which dropped.”

“Yes.” She moved to the cuts along my ribs, and I couldn’t suppress the hiss that escaped my mouth. “Well, your mate bond is very strong and from what I gather, she cares deeply for you.”

“He fought like a savage animal,” my father said, his voice quiet.

Savage animal. Ha. He had no idea. The demon had tasted freedom during the fight with Marcus. He had felt what it was like to have full control of this body and to use my wolf’s strength without resistance. And he liked it a bit too much.

Tomorrow night, it whispered now, coiled in the depths of my consciousness. Under the full moon, we'll be unstoppable.

"Shut up," I muttered, then realized I said it out loud.

"Excuse me?" The healer looked up sharply.

"Nothing. Sorry." I forced myself to meet her eyes. "How long until I'm healed?"

She let out a deep sigh. “With proper rest and your enhanced healing, you should be almost healed by tomorrow night. Maybe completely if you’re lucky.” She wrapped bandages around my ribs and clicked her tongue. “But Riven, you need to understand that if you fight while you’re not healed, they could beat you easier. You need to be fresh for the fight.”

“I know,” I said, my eyes sliding closed. “But I don’t have a choice.”

Adrian Moonridge hadn’t proposed the postponement out of fairness. He wanted it to give himself an advantage, time to study me, and to find my weakness. Not that he’d ever find it.

Well, that wasn’t true. My biggest weakness was currently texting me.

The healer finished her work and left, closing the door softly behind her.

“You almost killed Marcus,” my father said, shaking his head. “I know you’re aggressive, but you can’t almost kill your opponents in a no-killing match.”

I laughed softly under my breath. “He deserved it.”

"That's not the point." He pushed off the wall, crossing to stand over me. "Your eyes, Riven. They went completely black. Every wolf in that clearing saw it and felt the wrongness coming off you. They have questions, and so do I.”

My stomach clenched. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“The Alpha King noticed as well.” My father’s expression was grim. “But he didn’t say anything, just watched you with that calculating look he gets when he’s stowing away information for later.”

“It must have been a trick of the light,” I said as dread pooled in my gut.

The Alpha King was dangerously precise, because he was patient. If he saw something tonight, he would continue to watch me, even when I thought I was in the clear.

"Tomorrow night will be worse," I said quietly. "The full moon—"

"I know." My father sat heavily in the chair beside the bed. "Your mother and I have been discussing it. We think you should forfeit the challenge."

My head whipped toward him so fast that it made me dizzy. “What did you just say?”

“Forfeit it,” he repeated firmly. “You need to walk away from the bond and let her find another mate. Maybe the Alpha King will be kind and let it take place once she’s of proper age.”

“No,” I said, the word coming out as a growl. “She’s mine. The Moon Goddess herself marked us, and that is how it’s going to be.”

"The Moon Goddess also gave you free will," he interrupted. "And right now, I think you have bigger issues to worry about, like what was that? Why did your eyes go black? Callista is the only thing that stopped you tonight. Next time, it might not be enough.”

"That won't happen—"

“You don’t know that,” he said, his voice softening, which made it worse. “Son, I don’t want to lose you. Yes, I want you to have your fated match, but not like this or at the expense of your life.”

I looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "My life is just fine. I don’t know what you are talking about and I’m certain it was just the light.”

My father studied me for a long moment, clearly not convinced. “The light doesn’t make a wolf’s eyes go completely black with only a sliver of red-gold or whatever color someone else has. And it doesn’t explain the power you displayed. You moved faster than any wolf your age should and hit harder. Even how long you lasted was a bit…different.”

“It’s because of being more aggressive. I’m the Alpha’s heir and—”

“So are the others you are facing.” He leaned forward. “But you have a darkness within you. I fear that I’m going to lose you, because of her.”

My chest tightened. He was circling too close to the truth without knowing. “I was protecting my mate and any wolf would fight this hard to keep them. You would do it for mom, wouldn’t you?”

“I would kill anyone who stood in my path,” he said, his voice quiet again. “Are you sure about this? I just want you prepared, especially since Adrian might beat you.”

Oh, I'm prepared, the demon whispered. More than you know.

"I'll be fine," I said aloud. "I have Callista. She grounds me and he won’t win.”

"And what if she's not enough?"

The question hung heavy in the air. I didn’t have an answer for that, because the truth was, I didn’t know. The full moon always amplified everything. My instincts, my emotions, and whatever the demon did were always worse around now. If Callista couldn’t pull me back tomorrow night, then I could kill Adrian without thinking. The demon wouldn’t let me just lie down and die.

I couldn't think about that.

"She will be," I said with more confidence than I felt. "She has to be. We’re meant to be together.”

My father sighed and stood. “Let’s head to the house.”

Slowly, I followed him home. It only took a minute, since the healer’s house was close to ours. Once we were inside, my father cut his gaze in my direction.

“Go get some rest,” he said, his voice quieter than usual. “I’ll have some food sent up to you.” He took two steps and paused, turning to look back at me as I approached the stairs. “And Riven? Whatever is happening, and that darkness is, you can tell me. I’m your father and I won’t turn my back on you.”

Guilt twisted in my gut. He meant it. But if I told him the truth that his son had been born with a demon inside him and that every day was a battle to keep it contained, what could he do? Nothing except worry. Or worse, try to find a cure that didn't exist.

“There’s nothing to tell that you don’t already know,” I lied. “I’m just different and always have been.”

He didn't look convinced, but he nodded. "Rest. Tomorrow is going to be difficult."

After I reach my room and lie on the bed, every muscle starts aching again. My phone buzzed, and it was a text from Callista.

“I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about tomorrow.”

Despite our situation, I smiled. “Same.”

“Are you okay? How are your wounds?” She asked and I could almost hear them in her voice.

“Healer says I’ll be mostly healed by tomorrow. Don’t worry about me.”

She sent an emoji with a tongue sticking out. “Too late. I’m already worried about it. Get some sleep. We’ll both need it.”

I glanced at my phone again with a sigh. Though I messaged her back, telling her I would, I knew I would never sleep.

There was too much riding on tomorrow, and the demon was already whispering in my ear.