My Mate. My Mission

Chapter 11

RYKER

“Keep telling yourself that, omega. Everyone here knows what you are. Weak. Useless. Just another low-rank trying to climb by spreading your legs. You think kissing the crown prince would help you?”

The she-wolf’s voice rang across the arena.

Kissing? So she's behind the person who recorded that clip? My jaw tightened. She had guts.

But something was off with Vae. She had moved just before the next hit landed. She was holding back. I could feel it through the bond. The way she fell looked deliberate.

I narrowed my eyes. Why was she holding back?

The she-wolf charged again. I watched Vae closely, especially her eyes. They looked timid and scared, but I couldn’t miss the fire behind them, the same fire she’d had after kissing me and then apologizing. It was like…

Then she hits the ground hard. Something flared in my chest, the sudden sharp urge to protect her. My nails dug into the chair, she was there being beaten and I just sat here. But through the bond she wasn't showing any signs of being weak... She can handle this.

The she-wolf didn’t stop. “Stay down where you belong, you worthless little thing ” She came at Vae again, harder this time, clearly aiming to hurt her for real. And Vae was not showing any signs of getting up.

Then the she-wolf raised her arm for a real strike, the kind meant to break something.

Something in me snapped.

I was on my feet before the thought fully formed. The entire arena froze as my growl tore through the air deep and laced with pure command.

“Enough.”

The she-wolf’s fist locked mid-swing.

I was in the arena in seconds. My hand closed around her throat, fury flooding every muscle. Every hit, every insult, every second I had forced myself to watch flashed through my mind. My grip tightened.

“You want a fight?” The words came out through gritted teeth, thick with venom. “Then fight me. But don’t touch what’s mine.”

She struggled, claws scraping at my wrist. I only squeezed harder.

My eyes darkened as I held her there. The anger kept building. Rafik was already growling in my head, ready to end it.

Then the instructor’s voice cut in. “Prince Ryker, please.., the rules….”

“She needs to be taught a lesson,” I said through clenched teeth.

“Understood. But we have to follow protocol. If you want an official match, you become the challenger and she becomes your opponent. We cannot afford a student’s death in this arena.”

I forced out a slow breath, pushing my wolf back, and loosened my grip. She dropped to the ground with a heavy thud, gasping.

I turned to Vae immediately. The second I reached her, I picked her up. She looked weak. Pale. But through the bond I could still feel her anger, resistance, sharp and alive. She didn’t feel weak at all.

What the hell was going on?

Then she went limp in my arms. Her body gave out… but the bond stayed active. She was still awake. Still angry. Was she doing this on purpose?

“I’ll get the medics to look at her,” the instructor started. “As for the challenge…”

The she-wolf cuts in, scrambling onto her knees, tears already falling.

“Please, Your Highness… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean.., I did not know she's your mate please, I don’t want to fight you. I can’t. Forgive me…” She reached for the hem of my jacket.

I looked down at her, anger flaring in my chest. She’d brought up the kiss while attacking Vae. No one in the school knew who the girl in that video was. But she mentioned it, which meant she either recorded it or was connected to whoever did. And she’d picked Vae on purpose, to humiliate her in front of everyone in the academy. Especially in front of me.

I pushed her hand away.

“I’m not fighting you. But I’m having you arrested for filming my private life without permission. The rest… I’ll deal with personally.” I said turning from them and leaving the arena, the whispers continued as I left towards the exit of the arena with Vae in my hands.

Cassian soon appeared at my side.

“I’ll get the drivers,” he said, and walked ahead.

I glanced down at the slender figure in my arms. She looked hurt. She’d even fainted. But through the bond I could still feel she was alert and active. Was she faking it?

Just then, one of her eyes cracked open. She glanced around quickly, then closed it again.

An amused smile tugged at the corner of my lips. So she was faking it. The whole thing had been a show?

I bit the smile back and kept my face serious as the cars pulled up outside the training arena.

The driver opened the door. Cassian was already in the car in front of this one with one at the back.

I slid into the back with Vae still in my arms, settling her carefully against me. My eyes stayed on her the entire time, watching the way her breathing stayed too steady for someone who was supposed to be unconscious.

The engine started the moment the door shut. A few students lingered outside, trying to look in, but the tinted glass gave them nothing.

My gaze dropped back to Vae.

“You can open your eyes now,” I said, still fighting the smile that wanted to break through.

Her eyes fluttered open, those rosewood red eyes that somehow always managed to pull my attention, even when I didn’t want them to.