All Chapters of Adopted by an Alpha, Claimed by three: Chapter 21 - Chapter 26

CHAPTER 21EDENMorning Broke cold and grey over the arena staging grounds.The slaves who were going to join the competition had already been woken up earlier and we were prepped with survival speeches.I stood in the cold long path of the assembly archway, my jaw set, my body coiled tight. I haven't slept a minute since last night and the thoughts of the words I said to Killian weighed heavily on my mind.The cold weight of my folded sponsorship paper pressed against my ribs, hidden inside my shirt, I looked up toward the elevated Elite Station overlooking the stadium Jaxon and Asher sat near the front rail.Killian was nowhere in sight. Jaxon's jaw was white-tight, his eyes locked on the staging floor. Asher sat motionless beside him, his hands resting flat against the stone railing.“Look at the screen, Eden,” Maya whispered, stepping beside me in the prep line. “Vance looks like he's about to kill everyone here and Asher hasn't blinked in five minutes, I thought he was a statue

CHAPTER 23EDEN It's just an aura-blocker, Eden!” Maya choked out, taking a slow, shaky breath as she forced her trembling hands to drop into her lap. “My mother bought it so I wouldn't faint when the high-tier Alphas drop their command pressure in the arena.”I stared at her, my hand holding steady on the hilt of my dagger. The metallic seams and glowing runes on that cylinder were far too complex for a standard charm. It was a lie.The heavy arena bell tolled its final warning outside, vibrating through the stone walls.I stepped back, letting my blade slide half an inch into its sheath. “Keep it tucked away, Maya. If that device turns on me, I'll slip my blade through your ribs before you even know what's going on. Don't make me hurt you.”she swallowed hard, zipping her kit bag shut and sliding the strap over the shoulder without another word.We turned and stepped into the shadow archway leading to the arena floor, waiting behind the heavy iron gate,Bright sunlight spilled acro

CHAPTER 25EDEN Jaxon's grip on my arm was crushing, his fingers digging straight into my flesh as if trying to anchor me to the dirt.I stood frozen. The thick, metallic taste of copper was heavy on my tongue. My heart slammed against my ribs as I stared into Jaxon's panic-stricken eyes.I had done something terrible, I knew it. Kia had taken control for a second, and I didn't even know what she had done to Maya..Before I could demand and answer, three Council Judges cut across the field, their heavy robes kicking up dust as they mounted the stand and called out the results.“That strike carried out by Eden Thomas was unknown which in turn makes that win none and void!” The Lead Judge shouted, pointing a gloved finger at the dead assassin on the floor. “She moved with unnatural speed, killing another wolf when she could have easily granted mercy. She acted like a savage, like a complete mongrel. We demand her removal from the matches!”I pulled against Jaxon's grip, stepping up t