Chapter 19 Chapter 19
Anya’s POV
I knew Alpha Kai would never let anyone embarrass him, especially not in front of his entire pack. He was too proud. He wouldn't back down from a drunken challenge, not when his pride—and his property—was on the line.
He didn't even look at Miguel. His cold, assessing gaze was locked on Zakarius. He agreed.
I took a deep, shuddering breath, my eyes wide as I stared at him, unconsciously shaking my head in a silent plea. He saw the terror in my expression. He turned to me, and as his Beta pulled him back, he leaned in, his voice a low, arrogant whisper meant only for my ear.
"Are you scared I'll lose?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Good. Now, watch me."
Then, in one fluid motion, he reached for the hem of his tunic and pulled it over his head.
I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly bone dry.
His torso was a sculpted, brutal masterpiece of lean muscle and old, faded scars. He was the perfect, terrifying image of a warrior. I heard a collective, quiet gasp from the she-wolves in the tavern; their eyes were glued to him, practically drooling.
I, on the other hand, felt sick.
Beta Miguel gently but firmly tugged my arm, pulling me back into a corner, out of the way of the inevitable brawl.
I had no choice but to clutch the coat to my chest and watch as the two Alphas faced each other.
This wasn't a fight for honor. This was a bloody, drunken fight for me.
My stomach churned, and a cold sweat broke out on my back. If Zakarius won... if Kai, by some horrible chance, lost... I knew exactly what would happen to me.
That drunken monster would collect his prize. He wouldn't just use me; he would wreck me over and over.
Zakarius, swaying but still arrogant, grinned at the tavern. "No hard feelings, brother!" he boomed, spitting blood onto the floorboards. "Whatever happens, we're still blood! I'll... I'll even let you visit her when she's in my bed!"
Kai didn't answer. He just moved.
It was an explosion of violence. Zakarius, bigger and drunker, swung with wild, powerful blows.
Kai, a blur of controlled fury, moved like a panther, taking the hits on his shoulders and arms, and returning each one with two of his own—short, brutal, bone-cracking shots to the ribs and jaw.
It was a bloody, savage brawl. Within a minute, both Alphas were covered in blood, some of it their own. But Zakarius was fading. He was sloppy, and Kai was relentless.
Finally, Zakarius lunged. Kai sidestepped, grabbed Zakarius by the back of the neck, and slammed a devastating uppercut into his jaw.
There was a sickening crack, and Zakarius's eyes rolled back in his head. He crumpled to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut, landing in a heap.
But Kai wasn't finished.
A low, animalistic growl ripped from his chest. He was going to finish it. He stalked forward, his hands clenched, ready to pounce on the downed Alpha.
"Alpha, no!" Miguel shouted.
It took Beta Miguel and two other large warriors to physically tackle their Alpha, to pin his arms and haul him back from the unconscious form. "He is beaten, Alpha! It's over! He's your cousin!"
Kai thrashed against their hold, his eyes black with a rage that hadn't yet crested.
But as they held him, something strange happened. Zakarius, lying unconscious on the floor, began to change. The wolf fury drained from his face, his features softened, and his fangs, which had been partially elongated, slowly retracted. He looked... normal.
Seeing his opponent defeated, the fight finally drained out of Kai. He shoved his men off, his chest heaving.
He didn't speak. He didn't look at anyone. His wild, adrenaline-filled gaze found me in the corner.
He stalked toward me, grabbed my arm in a bruising, non-negotiable grip, and dragged me from the chaos, leaving the silent, stunned tavern behind.
He hauled me all the way back to his chamber, his pace so fast my feet were barely touching the ground. He kicked the door shut, then released me, and I stumbled back, my heart in my throat.
He was pacing, his hands clenched, his body still thrumming with the violence.
I watched, terrified, as the clock on the mantle chimed, signaling the approach of midnight.
He stopped. He turned. He looked at me, and his eyes... changed. The rage was gone, replaced by something hotter. Darker.
He inhaled, a long, shaky breath, and his gaze turned predatory. "Your scent..." he growled, his voice rough.
Before I could even flinch, he was on me. He backed me against the wall, his hands caging me in, his body pressing me into the stone.
He didn't kiss me. He claimed my mouth.
It was a bruising, desperate kiss, full of the adrenaline from the fight and a new, terrifying hunger.
He tasted of ale, blood, and something intoxicatingly wild. I felt the sharp edges of his fangs graze my lip, and a choked, terrified moan escaped my throat.
The sound seemed to break him. I pushed against his chest, my panic rising. "No... Alpha Kai... please, it's midnight! You'll change! You'll—"
He pulled back, his forehead resting against mine, his breathing ragged. His eyes were glowing, a swirling, feral mix of gold and crimson.
"I want to taste you, Anya," he whispered, his voice a strained, desperate growl. He was fighting himself, and I didn't know which side was winning.
"...Allow me."