Chapter 5

Winter.

Living in Elko for about a month wasn’t different from in Vegas. I still wake up and work my ass like crazy. I never had time to enjoy my free time. All I ever thought about while I had spare time was how to get more money to ensure that I could eat while living on the run.

I did every job I could do. From the moment I escaped my former pack, I never rested properly. I knew once I let my guard down, they could take me back and torture me until I lost my life.

For the past few weeks, I only tried to work in a bar and grocery store, but I found the money wasn’t enough to fund me if I ever needed to move again, so fighting was my only solution to get quick money.

I knew it wasn’t fair to fight with humans, knowing I was far stronger than them. However, I would not follow my moral values because it wouldn’t give me money. After all, fairness didn’t exist in this world.

So here I am, facing a man twice my size.

“Diana, was it?” The man—Carlo, the legendary underground fighter in Elko who had won every time he fought. “What a petite woman like you doing here? You’d be crushed by me in no time. Yield while you still have a chance, baby.”

Rolling my eyes, I stepped closer to him. “This petite woman has been kicking ass to get here. After tonight, you won’t be remembered as the legend Carlo anymore. So, shut up and fight me.”

Carlo smirked, finding my words amusing. “Daring one, aren’t you?” He tried to punch my left side, which I evaded. “I like a woman with backbone. I’ll enjoy every second while I ruin you.”

‘You wish.’ Snow muttered, sounding like she was terribly bored to entertain Carlo.

“You are the one who will be ruined, not me,” I said, then punching his jaw—hard enough to make him wince. He attacked me in anger, throwing a punch after punch without thinking much.

My arms circled his stomach and pushed him until his back collided with the fence. Carlo didn’t hesitate to punch both my sides, and I let him do so he could have a brief moment of victory. I could almost picture his smug smile while thinking he had won.

I moved swiftly, making a small gap between us. Judging by how proud he was while looking at me, I knew my complexion was bad. Yet, I didn’t falter. Instead, I smiled at him. He was so wrong if he thought I’d yield.

We fought for several minutes until I heard Snow’s low growl in my head.

‘Fucking end it. I’m getting tired.’

Well, she had enough. Without thinking, I hit Carlo as hard as I could. I kicked one of his legs until he fell, then jumped to him. He used his hands to shield his face, but it was for naught because I attacked him left and right, leaving him no room to escape.

I only stopped once the referee pulled me away from Carlo.

Wiping the blood on my lips, I asked, “How are you doing there, Carlo? Still up for the fight?”

“Bitch!” Carlo snarled, then moved toward me—ready to crush me with his punch.

He was one step slower. Before he could touch me, my knuckle hit the front of his face and I believe his nose broke. Then, he fell unconsciously.

The referee ran towards Carlo, checking his breath before beginning to count down. “Three, two, one. Diana won!”

I smiled, knowing I just won another match. I didn’t care much what the referee was saying and how loud the spectators’ cheers. All I had in mind was money and bath. The referee said something to me which I believed was a pointer to where I should get the money, to which I replied with a quick nod.

“Thanks,” I told the referee, and left the fighting arena.

“Wait a moment, Diana.” A man—one of the organizer — grabbed my wrist, forcing me to spin around. My brows arched, waiting for him to explain the reason behind his silly action. “This gentleman right here wants to challenge you.”

I didn’t bother to look at the one who challenged me and replied to him, “You know my rules. I don’t fight twice a day.”

“He is betting two million.”

“Two million?!”

That definitely caught my attention.

“Yes, that’s if you win.” I finally look at the challenger. He was awfully familiar, and I didn’t like this feeling. “If you lose,” he drawled his words, looking at me from head to toe with an interest in his eyes.

“No, thanks. I’m busy.” If he didn’t show an interest, I would have accepted, but the way he looked at me made me uneasy, as if he had a plan for me.

“Wait. Five million if you win and five minutes’ talk with me if you lose.”

“Five minutes’ talk? Does this talk involve anything shady?”

“Shady as in a sexual way?” He smiled widely, making his appearance look friendly. “Don’t worry, you are not my cup of tea.”

“I won’t hesitate to hurt you if you try anything funny!”

“I won’t dare. So?”

“Tell me your name, and I’ll accept.”

“Kieran Cole.”

“Kieran? Where have I heard this name before?” I muttered.

“Everywhere. My name is not unusual, you know.” Kieran tapped my shoulder lightly. “So, we are fighting, right?”

“Okay.”

“Another round between Diana and Kieran! Place your bet!” The main host announced, making the audience cheered louder than before.

Kieran and I entered the arena. He looked around before his eyes landed on me again, and then he offered a polite smile.

A polite smile before fighting. Weird, but I ignored all the alarm that ring in my head.

The new referee entered the arena, exchanging glances at us before saying, “Three, two, one…fight.”

“Come, Diana, show me what you got.”

The fight was different. And I hate myself for realizing it later. Kieran wasn’t a human. He was a fucking werewolf. An amusement flashed in his eyes as if he knew what I was thinking.

Fuck, I should have seen it coming. How could he easily bet so much money for a mere fight that gave him nothing in return?

‘Focus!’ Snow screamed in my head, forcing me back into reality.

Kieran kept throwing punches, and it hurt so much that I felt like dying. This male was far stronger than me, and I knew for sure there was no way for me to win this fight. Shit.

‘Stop thinking and fight. You are not that weak, Winter. Show him your claws.’

Right, I wasn’t that weak. If I were weak, I wouldn’t survive the torture my former pack had given me. So, I emptied my mind and focused on this moment. And once I was calm, I could handle Kieran. I could even hit his fatal point.

“I’ve never seen you around,” I said while we stood several steps away from each other. I needed to know his reason for doing this stunt.

“I’m here for business.”

“Why are you fighting me? You don’t seem to lack money nor seem to be bored.”

“I am not.”

“Then why? You can’t possibly be doing this to gain my attention, right?”

“Of course not! I won’t even dare to think about that.” He denied it vehemently, as if my assumption disgusted him.

“Then tell me, why?”

Kieran pointed at something behind me with his chin. “My Alpha asked me.”

“Alpha?”

“Alpha?!” I felt it then—the feeling of being watched by a hunter. Turning around slowly, I found Dante staring at me. “Fuck!”

“Yeah, fuck. You are in so much trouble.”

‘He found us,’ Snow purred at the sight of our mate—this darn traitor.

I ignored Dante and pounced on Kieran. In a panic, I didn’t care about strategy at all. I only needed this fight to be over so I could flee away from Dante.

“If you ever think about running away, don’t. Our sentinels are outside.”

My heart drummed so hard and loud that I could hear it myself. Adrenaline pulsated in my veins, pushing me to attack and attack. Several times, I heard Snow remind me to focus and not let myself lose my shit.

‘Focus, focus, focus.’

I couldn’t. I was under so much pressure that I believed I’d lose my mind this instant.

“I’m sorry,” Kieran uttered before his punch landed on my left face.

My body fell to the ground. The voices around me faded as my head spun. Feeling my heart beating rapidly, my hand instinctively went to my chest.

‘I think I will die.’

‘You won’t, idiot. A mere punch like that will only knock you down.’

‘But I feel lighthearted. I even imagined Dante staring worriedly at me.’

‘Well, he is.’

“What the fuck you are doing?!” That was Dante’s voice.

‘This imagination is getting too much. I’m close to dying, Snow. Sorry for making the reason of our death so silly.’

‘Look closely, idiot. He is here.”

“Let me see your eyes, sweetheart.”

I blinked twice, and he was still there.

“You—“

“Shh, don’t speak. You are going to be okay.” His hands caressed my cheeks tenderly—just like a lover.

“You are real.”

“I am.”

And my heart stilled.