Chapter 6
805 Words
Kaelani POV
Today is the first day of the sparring tournaments, and to say I’m excited would be an understatement.
We haven’t had any sparring sessions in Combat because Mr. Hall thinks it’s better if none of us know how the others fight. No patterns. No preparation. Just instinct.
So today is going to be interesting, to say the least.
This round is students only—no family. My first opponent is a girl from Frostveil Pack, and I’m actually looking forward to it.
“Kae, are you ready for your first fight?” Liam asks as he walks up beside the ring.
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m ready.”
My name flashes on the screen overhead, followed by hers. The announcer’s voice carries through the arena.
“Our first match is Kaelani Quinn of Blackridge Pack versus Samantha Hines of Frostveil Pack.”
We step into the ring.
“Remember the rules,” he says. “No shifting. No claws. First one down loses.”
He steps out of the circle.
“Begin.”
The moment the word leaves his mouth, she lunges.
Mistake number one.
I move, stick my leg out, and she stumbles. She recovers quickly, but not quickly enough. She swings wildly. I dodge, grab her arm, and drive a punch into her ribs. She stumbles back and rushes me again, so I kick her straight in the stomach.
Stop playing with her, Nyra snaps.
But I’m having fun, I reply.
She huffs and retreats to the back of my mind.
“You fight very sloppy,” I tell my opponent calmly.
That’s enough to make her furious.
She charges again. I grab her arm and flip her. She rolls when she hits the mat, trying to kick me, but I catch her leg and twist. I feel the joint give.
She backs away, tries to stand—and goes down.
I dislocated her leg.
The bell rings.
The screen flashes: WINNER — KAELANI QUINN.
When I step out of the ring, Kaia runs up to me, grinning.
“Oh my Goddess,” she laughs. “You played with her like prey.”
“She wasn’t real competition,” I shrug. “That was a test. My next opponent will be an actual fight.”
The announcer calls the next match, and the rest of the day goes by quickly. We won’t know rankings or matchups until the next tournament.
That’s fine.
Kieran POV
Something feels off.
Wrong—but at the same time, familiar.
Something is wrong, Atlas growls. You won’t go near mate.
“She isn’t my mate,” I snarl back.
He keeps talking about her.
Just the thought of Kaelani makes my skin crawl now, even though it used to make me feel calm. Grounded. I don’t understand when that changed.
I’ve been staying away from her. Avoiding her.
On my birthday last week, I smelled it.
Caramel.
Mate.
The realization hit me hard—and then disgust followed immediately, sharp and sudden, where acceptance should have been.
“Kieran, your fight today was amazing,” Aliza says as she walks up beside me. “The way you took that boy from Silverbrook out was hot.”
“Thanks,” I say. “He was an easy win.”
“Are you ready to go?” she asks, looping her arm through mine. “Watching you fight turned me on.”
I let her lead me toward the school.
I started sleeping with Aliza again, and she’s been great. Easy. Comfortable. I’m not sure what I was worried about before.
She isn’t our mate, Atlas snarls. When mate finds out we’re hers, you better not reject her.
Reject her.
Kaelani isn’t my mate.
Aliza will be my mate. Aliza will be my Luna.
NO, Atlas roars, the word shaking through my head.
“She can’t be ours,” I growl out loud.
“Kieran?” Aliza asks, concern flashing across her face. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah,” I say sharply. “But I have to go.”
I storm out of the school and head toward the parking lot, my chest tight and pulse racing.
Atlas is fighting me harder now, pushing against my control. The more I try to focus on Aliza, the more he pulls toward her.
I want mate, he huffs.
“I do too,” I grit out, collapsing to the ground. “But we can’t.”
“Atlas, you have to stop,” I beg. “It gets worse the more you push, the more you want to be near her.”
Please.
Finally, he growls and retreats to the back of my mind, shutting me out completely.
I drop to my knees, shaking, exhausted, and no closer to understanding what the hell is happening to me.
- Writer
