EMBER

My gaze lifted to hers, my nose wrinkling in a snarl.

I turned feral and plucked the rusty sword from my leg, huffing and snarling.

Whatever she saw in me, she must have known something had changed as well.

Her eyes widened as if she’d seen a monster crawl out of a cave.

Jumping to the side in a blink, I ran around her, causing her to look about.

That was what I trained for.

To move so smoothly and fast, they lost track of me.

Slipping in, I drove my fist into her throat with all my weight.

With a sputtering choke, she grabbed her neck, curling over, her mouth open, gulping for air.

Swinging the stick at the back of her knees, whacking her off her feet, she fell to the ground, the impact taking what was left of her air.

All strength seemed to flee her body while mine buzzed with life.

I stood over her, staring down at her.

Inhaling sharply, her throat bobbed as blood streamed down her face, her dark eyes locked on me.

Defiant.

Proud.

She didn’t say anything, accepting her death as she watched me twirl the sword in my hand, still dripping with my blood.

The crowd screamed and chanted for me to finish it.

I knew there was no other way.

One of us lived, and one of us died.

That was the game.

Looking her in the eyes, I gave her the respect she deserved in the end.

My arm went up,the rusty sword she almost killed me with was her end.

Nausea churned in my stomach, shooting up my throat, but I knew there was no stopping now.

With a grunt, I drew it down with all the strength I had left, the point spearing through her throat.

It made a sick sound of flesh tearing, cartilage snapping as blood spurted out and sprayed my face.

She gasped, choking on her own blood, air to stay in the hole in her throat, spewing up red liquid like an unchecked tap.

She fought for air for a while before her body went stiff.

Then life abandoned her in one violent jerk to her body, her figure going limp.

I heard nothing but the sound of my own breath.

My mind pulled back from the harshness of my feral state to one of what I had just done, the spear stuck in her throat, piercing into the ring.

Adrenaline ran through my muscles, shaking me with excessive energy.

I had killed her.

Another wolf clan Luna.

Brutally.

But I was alive.

I survived.

Wiping the blood from my face with my arm, I stepped back, my sight catching the slient movement in the crowd before my ears finally synced with it.

Bursting me from subspace and crashing me back to Earth.

“Blood wolf!”

“Blood wolf!”

another yelled out over the rest.

“Blood wolf! Blood wolf! Blood wolf!”

The masses chanted, jumping up and down, their fists in the air rocking back and forth with their chant.

I scanned the crowd of people on their seats filled with aggression, as the overwhelming energy of the crowd, drowning in their lust for blood and their anger.

I felt a subtle tug in my gut, a flutter drawing my gaze to the side.

His eyes burned with an intensity like in the darkness, grabbing on to me, pulling me back to reality, filling my lungs with air.

I jerked as our gazes collided.

He sat in his usual place i see him all the time when training, leaning back and angled to one side.

His hand propped underneath his chin like he was watching a dull movie, but his gaze was sharp, burning into me.

My lids shut briefly, and I swallowed against the feeling that he stood right in front of me, his aura circling, touching me.

“Ember.”

I twisted around toward the voice behind me.

My trainer stood there with his expression blank, but his eyes were shining.

“Your box is full girl, we made bank tonight.”

A smile hinted on his face.

“You prevailed.”

“I prevailed.”

“Good.”

He moved past me to Velcria’s body.

I watched him for a second before my gaze snapped back up his spot in the stands.

It was Empty.

Leaving me feeling as if I had imagined the whole thing.

Strolling out of the arena, covered in blood, the cries of my new name against my back, I slipped down the dark tunnel away from the exhibition.

Velcria’s death revealed one thing to evrybody.

I was capable.

The guards escorted me to a healer for my wound who cleaned it, gave me medicine.

Before I headed to the showers.

Under the spray of water, blood swirled pink around my feet, slipping toward the drain.

My arms shook as I pressed my palms to the tile, trying to keep myself up, the ringing in my ears and buzz of adrenaline receding dramatically.

Then I feel it in my lower abdomen, pain.

Oh My God , my heat is here.

In a boxing ring full of testosterone filled Alpha wolves.

“Hello?”

A voice pulled rang out.

I stood immediately, turning toward the doorway.

Suddenly, my legs were restless, moving without me telling them to, moving towards the familiar voice.

Lucan Tenebris, My captor!!!!!!!!!

My knees went back and forth, rubbing my thighs together, the friction warming them and sliding up between my legs, an area that was just then was drenched with wetness.

“Oh my God,”

I breathed, looking into his fathomless eyes.

As my mating mark burned bright on my neck.

This wasn’t right.

My hand moved from my waist over to my belly and down and I couldn’t stop it.

God, I had to touch myself, now while he watched.

Lifting my other hand to my hair, I pulled out the band that held it in a ponytail out of my face for my fight.

The fall of my hair moving towards my back went through me, making my nipples hard.

So hard they were aching.

“Oh God,” I whispered, knowing it was my heat making me feel this way.

But it was too late, suppressants won't work now.

My hand at my belly moved down to cover the juncture of my legs.

but I had to touch myself.

I had to.

Or better, find someone to touch me.

Oh yes.

Find someone to touch me, Lucan had to touch me.

A soft knock came at the door.

My eyes went to the door and my mind filled with Lucan in shirt and Cargo pants.

Especially those pants.

Blood rushed to my breasts and more wet filled between my legs.

“Ember, Ember Noctelle?” his deep voice sounded outside the door.

I was across the bathroom in a flash, as if he was my date not my captor.

I turned the lock, threw open the door and reached out a hand.

I clenched it in his shirt and yanked him into the room.

“hell, what the fuck?”

I knew I should stop.

I knew it.

I just couldn’t.

As my wolf preened in my mind.

Ours, ours, ours.

I ran my hands over his shirt at his chest, the feel of the soft material and the hint of hardness beneath it, swear to God, I nearly climaxed on the spot.

My knees did get weak, and I had to lean into him, my hand darting up and curling around the back of his neck.

I put pressure on and tipped my head back to see him looking across the room.

I distractedly noticed he’d put a hand to my waist but his body was tight and unmoving as I unsuccessfully tried to pull his head down to me at the same time I pressed deep into his body.

Finally, what seemed like took years, his chin dipped and his unbelievable jade eyes looked into mine.

“Ember, hey, is your heat here?”

he asked gently, but his tone also sounded wary, urgent and alarmed.

“you're delicious,”

I whispered, going up on my toes, pressing close to his body, putting more pressure on pulling his neck, my other hand sliding down his chest with a specific aim.

He caught that wrist and yanked my hand back up his chest and pressed it there.

“Listen to me,” he said, now sounding only urgent.

“Okay,Mine”

I growled out and successfully got my nose on his jaw.

I ran it the length and inhaled deeply and felt his fingers around my wrist tighten.

I took that as a good sign so when I came back down his jaw, I used my lips.

He pulled back and shook me carefully.

“Ember, look at me and listen.”

“Come closer,” I begged.

“I need to gag you and tie you to the bed,” he declared.

Oh my God. I want that.

Awesome.