Kael’s POV
Stone Fist came at me like a freight train.
I dodged. Barely. My mind wasn’t here. Wasn’t in this fight.
It was on her.
Aria. Sitting in that VIP section. Watching me with those silver eyes that haunted my dreams.
*Focus,* Fenrir snarled. *He’s going to hit us.*
I ducked just in time. Stone Fist’s fist whistled past my ear. Close. Too close.
What the hell was wrong with me?
I’d been fighting in The Pit for years. Never lost. Never even came close. This was my territory. My kingdom. The one place where I could be Howl instead of Kael Blood Crown.
But tonight, I couldn’t concentrate.
Because all I could think about was the woman I shouldn’t want.
Stone Fist swung again. I blocked. The impact rattled up my arm. Pain. Good. Pain was good. Pain meant I was still alive. Still present.
*She’s Cain’s sister,* I reminded myself. The thought burned like acid. *Her brother destroyed Lucian. Her blood is poison.*
But my wolf didn’t care about blood. Didn’t care about revenge. Didn’t care about anything except the Omega with moonflower scent and eyes like liquid silver.
"Shut up," I muttered.
Stone Fist’s fist connected with my jaw.
Stars exploded across my vision. I staggered. Tasted copper.
The crowd roared. They smelled blood. My blood.
*Pay attention!* Fenrir was furious now. *Or let me take over!*
No. I needed this. Needed the pain. Needed something to drown out the chaos in my head.
I straightened. Wiped the blood from my lip. Looked at it.
Red. Bright red.
Like the rage burning in my chest.
When had this happened? When had I become this pathetic creature who couldn’t stop thinking about a woman? I was Kael Blood Crown. Alpha heir. Undefeated champion of The Pit.
I didn’t fall for anyone.
Especially not Shadow Moon trash.
But the memory of her face kept flashing through my mind. The way she’d looked at me in that hotel room. Drunk. Vulnerable. Calling me "pretty" like it was the most important truth in the world.
Stone Fist charged again. I let him come. Let him get close.
Then I moved.
All the frustration. All the confusion. All the hatred—for her family, for myself, for this goddamn bond I never asked for—I poured it into my fists.
One hit. Two. Three.
Each blow was a question.
*Why her?*
Crack.
*Why now?*
Crack.
*Why couldn’t I have been fated to anyone else?*
CRACK.
Stone Fist went down. Hard. His body hit the platform with a sound that echoed through the arena.
He didn’t get up.
The crowd exploded. Screaming. Howling. Throwing money into the air like confetti.
But I didn’t hear them.
My eyes found her immediately.
Aria. Still in the VIP section. Still watching.
Her hands were pressed against her chest. Her lips were parted. Those silver eyes were wide. Worried.
For me.
Something twisted in my chest. Something dangerous. Something that felt too much like hope.
*See?* Fenrir purred. *She cares. She’s ours.*
I looked away. Had to.
If I kept staring at her, I’d do something stupid. Like jump off this platform and claim her in front of everyone. Like mark her right here in the middle of The Pit.
Like admit that I was falling for her.
No.
I couldn’t fall. Wouldn’t fall.
Her brother destroyed my family. Her blood was the same blood that flowed through Cain’s veins. The same blood that created the monster who turned Lucian into a hollow shell.
I couldn’t love her.
But God, I couldn’t stop wanting her either.
---
The back rooms of The Pit were chaos.
People everywhere. Congratulating me. Slapping my back. Shoving money into my hands.
"Howl! Incredible fight!"
"Never seen anyone take down Stone Fist like that!"
"You’re a legend, man. A fucking legend."
I nodded. Smiled. Said the right things.
But my mind was elsewhere.
With her.
I needed to get back to her. Get her out of here. Take her somewhere safe.
Somewhere I could figure out what the hell I was going to do about this feeling that wouldn’t leave me alone.
I pushed through the crowd. Didn’t care who I shoved. I spun around. Searched the crowd. Looked for silver-grey hair. For that emerald dress. For any sign of her.
Nothing.
Where was she?
My heart was pounding. Actually pounding. I never panicked. Never lost control. But right now, I felt like I was coming apart at the seams.
"Aria!" I called out. My voice was swallowed by the noise. "ARIA!"
Nothing. No response. No silver eyes turning to find me.
She was gone.
I pushed toward the exit. Maybe she went outside. Maybe she needed air. Maybe—
Then I saw her.
Near the back door. The emergency exit that led to the parking lot.
Relief crashed over me. She was okay. She was—
Wait.
She wasn’t alone.
A man had his arm around her waist. Supporting her. Guiding her toward the door.
Her head was tilted against his shoulder. Her steps were unsteady. Wrong.
What the hell?
I started moving. Faster. Shoving people out of my way without apology.
But the crowd was thick. Too thick. Bodies pressed against me from every direction.
"Move!" I snarled. Alpha command rippled through my voice.
People scattered. But not fast enough.
The door opened. Night air rushed in.
The door closed behind them.
I ran.
Slammed through the exit. Burst into the cold night air.
And froze.
A car was parked in the alley. Black sedan. Tinted windows. The back door was open.
And there she was.
Aria. My Aria. The woman I couldn’t stop thinking about. The woman who made my wolf howl with longing.
She was climbing into the back seat. Her body was pressed against his. Her head rested on his shoulder. Her hands clutched at his jacket like she couldn’t bear to let go.
Something shattered inside me.
The car door closed. The engine roared to life.
But I was too slow. Too far away.
The tires screeched. The sedan peeled out of the alley. Disappeared around the corner.
I stood there. In the middle of the dirty alley. Chest heaving. Blood still drying on my face.
My hands were shaking. Actually shaking. When was the last time that happened?
The rage came then. Hot and dark and all-consuming.
Of course she did. Of course.
She was Shadow Moon. Just like her sisters. Just like her mother.
They were all the same. All of them. Trading their bodies for comfort. For security. For whatever scraps they could get from whoever offered.
I’d thought she was different.
I’d actually believed she was different.
What a fool I’d been.