Marcel began walking away. “Why would I divulge my reasons to you?”Celia followed him, wondering that as well. “Because maybe a good reason would make you seem less like a power–hungry maniac.”Marcel smirked. “Maybe I am a power–hungry maniac.”This bastard is playing with me. “If that were true, I imagine you’d have been making us build a castle like the humans do.”“You know, little Omega, that’s a good idea.”“It’s Celia, and I’m being serious here. Or at least I’m trying to be.”Marcel stopped and fixed her in place with his eyes. “My reasons are mine, and you must fancy yourself special if you think I’d confide in you. Is it supposed to be some privilege of being my mate?”“I’m not your mate. I’m just a member of the council.”His brows shot up in surprise. “Won’t force the issue then? None of that ‘fate binds us’ crap that the old ones won’t shut up about?”“None of it. In fact, you couldn’t want this ‘mate’ thing over as much as I do, so I hope you weren’t joking about breaki

Explaining that they would understand what he meant when they saw it, Marcel led the group out of the forest edge, and into a human settlement.It was Celia’s first time being in a place inhabited by the other species, but not her first time encountering humans. She had once encountered them with her father at a very young age. It had not been pleasant.The settlement was big. Too big. She reckoned she could only see everything if she had a bird’s eye view. Flaming lanterns hung from lines that were tied from one wooden pole to another, illuminating the part of the settlement they were at. Humans milled about, some dressed in clothes much finer than Marcel’s, and others dressed in clothes as shabby as the rest of Celia’s group.They conversed and spared them nothing but a glance as they moved about. Cabins flanked the roads, and other structures that seemed less for living and more for business.Like the one Celia immediately swiveled her head to find. The aroma of intertwined and hea

The Inn of Marcel’s choosing had two floors, and the one room he had paid for was on the upper floor. It had a soft bed of foam that could fit two people, a lamp that sat on a bedside stool, a window that looked down at a dirty alley, and not much else.The Alpha promptly took off his shoes and laid on the bed, his hands between his head and pillow. “You can all make yourself comfortable on the floor. You’re used to it anyway.”True. The pallets they slept on were barely different from sleeping on the floor, and even then most Weres would prefer sleeping on dirt or the cold wooden floor of their cabins.“No one goes out for any reason,” Marcel declared, eyes shut, the other males quickly claiming territories in the small room.Celia noticed Duncan’s amber eyes suggest the small space he left open by the door, far from the bed and Marcel. She smiled thankfully, but took position in the center of the room. If Layla felt like joining Marcel on the bed, she didn’t act on that feeling.Mar

Celia’s match with Hassan was the first of four fights that would be happening that night. The moment she and Hassan were locked in the steel cage and were atop the raised platform within it, there were murmurs of confusion, and then outright laughter from most people in the crowd of spectators.Her wolf-like hearing could pick up most of the conversations had about her. Summarizing and leaving out profanities, they were saying how it was ludicrous that a female should be in the tournament, much less one so young and petite in body frame.They weren’t so delicate with their words. Some were making it clear where they thought Celia should be—in their beds. Again, they weren’t so delicate with their words.Celia blocked them out, focusing instead on Marcel. She hated to admit that his confidence in her was the reason why she was just a tiny bit okay with being locked in a cage and fighting the man some distance across from her.Marcel was in the arena, moving about. She couldn’t see him