36. Ferocity and Desire

The roar that rips from Shadow’s throat fills the clearing, shaking the trees and making the very air grow heavier, denser. His eyes blaze with a wild, feral intensity—but there's something else within them. Something human. Something that screams of battle, survival... and love.

The leader strikes with ruthless precision—each movement sharp, calculated, nearly too perfect to be real. But Shadow, wounded though he is, refuses to yield. His claws clash against his father's in a brutal, deadly dance. Strength and skill intertwine with a force that crackles through the air and pierces me to my core.

I can’t take my eyes off him. Despite the violence, there’s something hypnotic in the way he moves, the way he fights. He’s a warrior—something not quite of this world—and yet, he’s still my Shadow. Every growl, every surge of his body forward, brimming with near-supernatural power, sends a spark over my skin. I shouldn't be thinking about this now, but I can’t help it.

His torso, barely covered by the tattered remains of his shirt, is lined with cuts and scratches. But every muscle flexes with inhuman strength. His dark hair clings to his sweat-slicked face, only intensifying the fierce look in his eyes. He’s dangerous, untamed... and he’s mine.

“Shadow!” I cry, unable to hold back as his father slams him to the ground. The earth quakes beneath me, and every instinct screams for me to run to him—but his warning holds me in place. He asked me not to move. And for him, I keep my promise.

Shadow rises again, staggering slightly, but there’s a crooked grin on his face—a defiant smile full of fury and fire. My heart stutters. He’s not just fighting for me. He’s fighting for himself.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he snarls, voice hoarse and laced with mockery. “I thought you wanted to teach me a lesson, old man.”

The leader roars in fury and lunges again. But this time, Shadow is ready. He dodges with impossible grace and lands a blow that shakes the stones around them. It's a perfect strike—fueled by rage and precision. And as I watch his father stumble back, breathless, I feel a pride I can't explain.

The fight rages on, and though I don’t want to admit it, my heart pounds faster with every motion Shadow makes. It’s the way he defies the rules, the way he refuses to be controlled—it’s what draws me to him. Even now, amid the violence, I see it in his eyes: the same fire that made me fall in love with him in the first place.

Then everything shifts.

In a sudden, desperate move, Shadow slams his father to the ground. His claws press to his throat—and time stops. The clearing falls into silence so complete I can hear my own breath, fast and uneven.

“Surrender,” Shadow growls, his voice low and deadly, pulsing with a kind of authority I’ve never heard from him before. “Or I swear this ends now.”

His father glares up at him, eyes flickering between fury and pride. For a heartbeat, I think he’ll keep fighting. But then, slowly, he raises his hands—an unmistakable sign of surrender.

“Fine.” His voice is barely a whisper, but it’s enough to break the tension in the air. “You’ve won this time, son. But this isn’t over.”

Shadow rises, releasing him, then turns to me. His eyes still burn with that animal fire—but now, there’s something else too. Something soft. Something meant only for me.

Without thinking, I run to him, ignoring the stares of the other clan members. I reach him, my hands cupping his face, feeling the heat of his skin, slick with sweat. His breath is heavy, but his gaze never wavers from mine.

“You’re insane,” I whisper, my voice trembling with relief and anger. “Do you have any idea how close you were to—?”

“I’m fine,” he interrupts, his voice low and ragged. His hands, still shaking from the fight, settle at my waist, pulling me into him. “The only thing that matters is that you’re here—with me.”

My heart slams in my chest as he leans his forehead against mine. His scent—a blend of sweat, earth, and something uniquely him—wraps around me. It’s intoxicating. And before I can think, my lips find his.

The kiss is raw, frantic. His mouth is hot against mine, his teeth grazing as his arms tighten around me with a desperation that steals my breath. His hands roam as if to memorize me, to make sure I’m real. And I do the same—fingers tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as the world fades away.

“Eve…” he murmurs against my lips, his voice thick with need. “You don’t know how much I need you.”

“Then don’t let go,” I whisper back, my words laced with promises. “Never let go.”

And for a moment, nothing else exists.

Not the clan.

Not the laws.

Not the danger that still looms in the shadows.

There is only him.

And me.

And a moment more real than anything I’ve ever known.