Chapter 3

Chapter 4 — The Tournament Announcement

Ryker's POV

"A tournament?" Alpha Daniel leans back in his chair. His office smells like old wood and coffee. "What kind of tournament?"

"Fighting." I keep my voice steady. Casual. Like this isn't the most important thing I've asked for in months. "I want to assess your pack's combat readiness for the king's report."

Daniel's eyes narrow slightly. He's not stupid. He knows there's more to this.

"And you need a tournament for that?" he asks. "You could just observe our regular training sessions."

"I could." I lean forward, elbows on my knees. "But a tournament shows me who your wolves really are. How they handle pressure. How they fight when something's at stake."

He studies me for a long moment. Then he nods. "Fine. When?"

"Two weeks."

"That's fast."

"I don't have time to waste."

Daniel stands and extends his hand. "Consider it done."

I shake his hand. Relief floods through me. King settles slightly. One step closer.

"Keep it simple," I add. "No grand ceremony. No fancy setup. Just wolves and a fighting ring."

Daniel raises an eyebrow. "You sure? The pack might expect—"

"I'm sure."

He nods again. "I'll make the arrangements."

I leave his office feeling lighter. Colt is waiting in the hallway.

"He agreed?" Colt asks.

"Yes."

"Good. Now we just have to hope she actually shows up."

"She will." I don't know how I know this. I just do. King is certain. And I've learned to trust him.

We head toward the school. I need to announce the tournament today. Get everyone talking. Make sure word spreads to every corner of this pack.

I'm halfway down the corridor when I hear her voice.

"Ryker, wait."

I stop. My jaw clenches. I know that voice.

Lila appears in front of me. She's smiling. Sweet. Fake.

"Can we talk?" she asks.

"I'm busy."

"It'll only take a minute." She steps closer. Too close. Her perfume makes my nose itch.

Colt clears his throat. "I'll wait outside."

"No," I say quickly. "Stay."

Lila's smile falters. "Ryker, please. Just one minute. Alone."

I sigh. "Fine. One minute."

Colt gives me a look that says you're an idiot, then walks away.

Lila's smile returns immediately. "Thank you."

"What do you want?"

"I wanted to apologize." She touches my arm. I pull away. Her hand drops. "For last night. I shouldn't have slapped you."

"No. You shouldn't have."

"I was just... hurt. You know how I feel about you."

"Lila." I keep my voice firm. Cold. "What we have is physical. Nothing more. You need to stop expecting it to become something else."

Her eyes flash. "But it could be something else. If you'd just give me a chance—"

"I won't."

"Why not?"

"Because you're not my mate."

The words hang in the air between us. Sharp. Final.

Lila's face goes pale. Then red. "You don't know that. You haven't found your mate yet."

"I will."

"And what if you don't? What if she doesn't exist?"

"She exists."

"How do you know?"

"I just do." My hands curl into fists. King is getting agitated. He hates this conversation. Hates her. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have an announcement to make."

I turn to leave. Lila grabs my arm.

"You're going to regret this," she hisses. "When you realize what you gave up—"

I pull my arm free. "Goodbye, Lila."

I walk away before she can say anything else. My chest is tight. My jaw aches from clenching. King paces inside me, restless and angry.

Colt falls into step beside me. "That looked fun."

"Don't."

"I'm just saying, you keep stringing her along and she's going to snap."

"I'm not stringing her along. I told her exactly what this is."

"Yeah, well, she's not hearing you."

I don't respond. Because he's right. Lila hears what she wants to hear. And nothing I say is going to change that.

We turn a corner and I freeze.

She's there.

The girl from the classroom. Dark hair pulled back. Simple clothes. Head down as she walks beside another wolf. A male. Tall. Friendly-looking.

King surges forward. HER.

My breath catches. I can't smell her. There's nothing. But King is certain. Absolutely certain.

She stiffens.

I'm twenty feet away. She can't possibly see me. But her entire body goes rigid. Like she knows I'm here.

The male beside her says something. She shakes her head. Keeps walking.

They disappear around another corner.

"Did you see that?" I ask Colt.

"See what?"

"She reacted. Before she could see me. She knew I was there."

Colt frowns. "You sure?"

"Positive." My heart is pounding. King is purring. Actually purring. He's never done that before. Not once in eighty-three years.

"That's your mate," Colt says quietly.

"I think so."

"You need to talk to her."

"Not yet." I force myself to breathe. To think. "I need to be sure first."

"How much more sure can you get?"

"I need proof. Real proof. Not just instinct."

Colt shakes his head but doesn't argue.

We continue to the school. Students fill the hallways. They part when they see us. Some bow their heads. Others stare.

I ignore all of them. My mind is on her. The girl with no scent. The girl who makes King purr.

The classroom is half-full when we arrive. I scan the room immediately.

There. Back corner. She's sitting with her head down. The same male from earlier is next to her. And another male on her other side.

King growls low. Possessive.

Calm down, I tell him.

He doesn't calm down.

The professor looks up. "Your Highness. We weren't expecting you."

"I have an announcement." I keep my eyes on the girl. She still hasn't looked up. "I'll only take a few minutes."

"Of course. Please."

I move to the front of the room. Students sit up straighter. Whispers die.

Except the girl in the back corner. She stays perfectly still.

"In two weeks, the Midnight Pack will host a fighting tournament," I say. My voice carries easily. "It's open to all pack members. The winner will earn a position in the royal guard."

Excited murmurs ripple through the room.

"Sign-ups start today," I continue. "See your Alpha for details."

I should leave now. I've said what I came to say. But I can't stop looking at her.

The professor clears his throat. "Any questions for His Highness?"

No one raises their hand.

Then the male next to her—the friendly one—leans over and whispers something. She shakes her head. He grins and says something else.

The professor laughs. "Remy, would you like to share with the class?"

The male—Remy—sits up. "I was just saying that Rhea would do well in the tournament. She's tougher than she looks."

Rhea. Her name is Rhea.

King purrs louder. RHEA. OUR MATE. RHEA.

"Is that so?" I keep my voice neutral. Calm. Even though my heart is racing.

The other male speaks up. "It's true. She could take half the guys in this room."

"Alec," Rhea hisses. "Shut up."

Her voice. I've heard it before. In the hallway. Quiet. Controlled.

"I'm serious," Alec continues. He's grinning now. Enjoying this. "I'd be honored to have her as my mate."

My entire body goes rigid. King snarls. Fury explodes in my chest.

"Me too," Remy adds. He's smiling at her. "Rhea would make an excellent mate."

Rhea's face is bright red. She's gripping the edge of her desk so hard her knuckles are white.

"That's enough," the professor says. But he's smiling too. Like this is funny.

It's not funny.

King is screaming inside me. Demanding I rip both males apart. Demanding I claim what's ours.

I open my mouth to say something—anything—when the door bursts open.

Lila storms in.

"Ryker," she says. Loud. Demanding. "We need to talk."

Every eye in the room turns to her. Then to me.

My jaw clenches. "Not now."

"Yes now." She walks toward me. Her heels click against the floor. "You can't just—"

"I said not now."

She stops. Her eyes narrow. Then she notices Rhea.

"Oh," Lila says. Her voice drips with venom. "The girl with no scent. How... quaint."

Rhea's head is still down. But her shoulders tense.

"That's enough," I say. My voice is cold. Final.

"I'm just saying—"

"Guards."

Two wolves appear at the door. They move to Lila's side.

"Escort her out," I order.

Lila's face goes white. "You can't be serious."

"I'm very serious."

The guards take her arms. She tries to pull away but they're stronger.

"Ryker, please—"

"Remove her."

They drag her out. She's screaming now. Cursing. Making threats.

The door closes. Silence fills the room.

I turn back to the class. Everyone is staring at me. Except Rhea. She's still looking down.

"As I was saying," I continue. My voice is steady. Like nothing happened. "Sign-ups are open. Good luck to those who enter."

I leave before anyone can respond. Colt follows.

"Well," he says once we're in the hallway. "That was dramatic."

I don't answer. My hands are shaking. My chest is tight. King is still snarling.

"Did you see the way those males talked about her?" I ask.

"I did."

"Like they had a right to her."

"They're her friends. They were probably joking."

"It wasn't funny."

Colt stops walking. He turns to face me. "You're in deep, aren't you?"

"What?"

"With her. Rhea. You're already claimed her in your head."

I don't deny it. Because he's right.

"I need to know for sure," I say quietly. "I need proof."

"Then get it."

We walk in silence for a while. My mind is racing. Rhea. Her name repeats in my head like a prayer.

We're almost back to my quarters when Colt's phone buzzes. He checks it. Then his eyebrows rise.

"What?" I ask.

"You're not going to believe this."

"What?"

He shows me the screen. It's a message from Alpha Daniel. A list of names. Tournament sign-ups.

And there, third from the top: Rhea Collins.

My heart stops. King roars with triumph.

"She signed up," Colt says. He's grinning. "Your mate just signed up to fight."

I stare at the screen. At her name.

Rhea Collins.

Two weeks. In two weeks, I'll see her fight. I'll see what she's capable of. I'll see if King is right.

And if he is—if she really is my mate—then nothing in this world will keep me from claiming her.

Nothing.