Chapter ThirteenArthur’s POVIt’s the first day of the Cup and the arena is a living beast.Growls, shouts, laughter, clashing metal, the thud of bodies hitting the ground. Thousands of voices blend together into a roar that bounces off the stone walls and into my bones. The air is charged, thick with adrenaline and competition. Above us, banners ripple in the breeze, snapping like angry wolves baring their teeth, but all of it fades the second I see her.Melody moves through the warm up grounds with the confidence of someone who has bled for her place here. Every step is measured, every breath steady. She looks powerful. Controlled. Glorious.And not mine.That thought hits so hard I sway for a moment before regaining my footing. My wolf snarls, “Mate. Ours.”I swallow hard. “I know,” I murmur under my breath. “I know. But she needs time. We need to give her that.”My wolf disagrees. Violently.Dane elbows me lightly. “Mate, you’re staring. Again.”“I’m observing,” I growl.
Read more