Chapter 7
Viviane’s POV
“I’m sorry!” I immediately squeak. “I didn’t mean… You… I–”
Caspian closes the remaining distance between us, coming so close I have to tilt my head all the way back to see his face. I try to back away, but he catches my nape in one powerful hand. “You what, Viviane?”
His fingers send bolts of electricity all the way down my spine. “You startled me.” I admit weakly.
“You didn’t seem very startled.” He growls, squeezing the back of my neck. “It looked like you knew exactly what you were doing.”
I’m shutting down, preparing for the physical retribution I’m sure is coming. “I swear I didn’t mean to.”
Caspian studies me for a long moment, watching as I twist myself into knots waiting for his attack. I flinch when he releases me, stumbling to regain my balance. “Prove it.”
I blink in confusion, amazed that he hasn’t hit me yet. “I– how?”
He thinks for a moment, cocking his head to the side. “Lend me some money. The fights are about to begin – I think I’ll place a few bets.”
I open and close my mouth, wordlessly. Caspian Shaw belongs to the richest family in the pack; he can’t possibly be short on funds. Wait. Fights? What is he talking about?
Caspian lowers his lips to my ear, speaking so quietly even the shifters in the room cannot hear his words. “Now, Mate.”
Without thinking I pull a handful of cash from my pocket, “That’s all I have.” My tongue trips over the words.
His fingers caress mine as he pulls the bills from my hand, boredly flipping through the meager stack. His scarred brow raises, “We’ll have to do something about that.”
Caspian strides away from me, Chase and a handful of other betas at his back. They disappear into the crowd as I watch in stunned silence. Kiera grips my elbow. “Viviane, are you alright?”
I want to leave, but I see the way her eyes are following Chase, full of longing. I give myself a little shake, “I’m fine.” I lie. “What was he talking about – what fights?”
A she-wolf on Kiera’s other side looks down her long nose at me, “You must not come to these often. The fights are the only reason we throw these parties.”
Kiera and I descend to the mansion’s underground level with the rest of the crowd, walking into a sprawling space which must run the length of the building. A makeshift boxing ring is at the center of the room, the only furniture or equipment in the entire basement.
Every male pack member under the age of 25 appears to be crammed into the space, fawning socialites hanging on their arms. So many smells and sounds fill the room it’s hard to focus on any one in particular. A group of men near the ring have stripped their shirts and are wrapping their knuckles in athletic tape.
“Oh my Gods.” Kiera whispers to me. “It’s an underground fighting ring.”
Too late I realize she’s right. This is illegal, no matter who brought us. I can’t be caught here.
Caspian jumps into the center of the ring, raising his voice above the melee. “Alright everyone, You know the rules. Three rounds, best two out of three. The first round you fight as you are, the second is at half-shift, the third you must be fully shifted. No holds barred – everything goes.”
Kiera’s fingers are digging into my arm, “Viviane, are you okay? You look like you’re about to start hyperventilating.”
I turn to look at her, but I can’t see or hear anything but Caspian.
His savage eyes find me through the crowd, “All bets must be placed by the time the first bell rings. Get your picks in fast.”
I drag in a gasping breath, finding enough composure to answer my friend. “I’m okay.”
Relieved by my answer, Kiera returns her attention to the object of her desire. “Do you think Chase will fight?”
“No,” I answer, trying to be soothing and not reveal my total and complete panic. “It sounds like he and Caspian are running this thing.”
“So?” Kiera asks, as if that means nothing. “Caspian’s fighting, why wouldn’t Chase?”
“What?!” I whip back around to look at the future Alpha, discovering that he has joined the other fighters. He’s no longer wearing a shirt, his rippling muscles and swirling tattoos on full display. My mouth goes dry as I take in the sight, noticing a number of scars decorating his smooth, dark skin. He doesn’t bother wrapping his knuckles like the other shifters.
As if he can feel my stare, Caspian looks up, meeting my wide-eyed gaze with a wolfish grin. He winks, and I feel like I might faint. The crowd surges around me, their excited shouts melding with the thumping bass of music pumping in through speakers mounted on the walls.
Holding Kiera’s hand for support, I take a sip of the punch Caspian brought me, coughing as it burns down my throat. Is punch supposed to burn?
“This is the most exciting thing that’s ever happened to me.” Kiera exclaims, eyes shining with anticipation.
“Speak for yourself,” I mutter. I’ve had my share of violence – I don’t need to see anymore. Yet I can’t seem to walk away.
“What?” Kiera shouts over the tumult.
I shake my head, waving her off as we focus on the two men now circling each other in the fighting ring.
The next hour is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. I’m used to life at the end of a whip. I’m used to pain and suffering, wolf domination and inter-species oppression. I’m not used to watching wolves take on their own kind, and I’m not prepared for how different retaliatory violence is from simple abuse.
As men the fighters circle each other like vultures, attacking with bare knuckles and vicious assaults. It’s almost like a dance; the way they bob and weave, charge and evade, grapple and clash with every muscle they possess.
As animals the bouts take an even more vicious turn, bruises and cuts replaced by fang inflicted gashes and claw marks so deep you can almost see the bone. Shifters heal quickly, it is true, but the damage they inflict with nothing but their bodies is unbelievable.
To my terror and oddly enough, relief, Caspian proved once and for all why he is bound to one-day fill his father’s role as Pack Alpha. All the other fights seemed equally matched for the most part, with a few imbalances but nothing too extreme. But there wasn’t a single shifter – wolf, bear, panther or otherwise – that held a candle to his strength and skill.
I found myself holding my breath through his bouts, though it was ultimately unnecessary. He trounced every competitor within minutes, and at the end of the night his bets paid out the highest. After all, he’d been betting on himself.
When it’s finally over the crowd parts, allowing the fighters to pass. We clear the way to the stairs so the competitors can get cleaned up before joining the afterparty. I’m feeling much more relaxed, on my third glass of punch and elated that the worst seems to be over.
Kiera is cheering next to me, still riding high from the thrilling events. The shifters glisten with sweat, offering smiles and thanks as they go by. Caspian follows at the end, looking as unruffled as he had when we arrived – other than the fact that he’s only half-dressed.
I link arms with Kiera as he approaches, but that doesn’t stop him from hooking his arm around my shoulders when he nears, pressing a much larger wad of bills into my hands than the one I originally handed him.
“What–”
“I told you we’d have to do something about your financial situation.” He purrs in my ear, his lips brushing my skin. “Your money placed the bets, I just helped you win them.”
I’ve never felt as stupid as I do with this man. It’s as if I lose the ability to think, speak or function whenever I’m around him. All I can manage is to freeze like a deer in the headlights or flee like a scared bunny. Currently I’m doing the former.
“What did you think?” Caspian asks, tugging me along beside him. He seems completely oblivious to the furious glances his attention is sending me from the women in the room.
“Of the fights?” I ask, stalling for time and avoiding the jealous glares burning into my skin.
He chuckles, all confidence and swagger. “What else?”
I squirm against him, and he tightens his arm to still me. “I didn’t care for them.” I say to the ground.
“Why not?” Caspian frowns.
I shrug, though I know exactly why I feel this way. “I don’t really see the point. I don’t understand why anyone would enjoy hurting other people.”
“It’s a sport, kitten.” He says, his voice oddly gentle. “No one is truly getting hurt.”
“Violence is violence. Whether it’s for sport or not.” I’m afraid to look him in the eye, but I can feel his gaze piercing into me like a knife.
Caspian sighs. “Fighting is an art, violence is about power. They are different.”
“They didn’t look very different.” I shrug his arm away, uncomfortable with the odd sensations his touch is sending through my body.
Before Caspian can respond, a she-wolf I vaguely recognize blocks our path. She’s wearing a tight pink dress and matching heels, her auburn hair perfectly coiffed, ears and neck dripping with jewels. Clearly an Academy student. “Caspian darling, introduce us to your… friend.”
Malice drips from her tongue, and I’m instantly on edge.
“Courtney, this is Viviane.” Caspian obliges, “Viviane, meet Courtney. We go way back.” From his tone and the expression on the redhead’s face, it’s clear what “way back” means.
“It’s nice to meet you.” I murmur, not meeting her eyes.
Courtney ignores me. “Family friend?” She asks Caspian.
“No.” He corrects, pulling on his shirt but leaving it unbuttoned so his gleaming abs remain on display. “Just a new friend.”
“Is she blind?” Courtney asks, as if I’m not there. “Or just ugly?”
Caspian places a cigarette to his lips, pausing to light it before he answers. “I haven’t figured that out for myself yet.”
The she-wolf’s cheeks split into a venomous smirk, “well we can’t have that.” She says. “Here, let me help you.”
I jerk my hands up to stop her, but it’s too late. Courtney’s shifter speed bests me instantly. For the first time since I arrived in Asterion, my sunglasses are ripped from my face.
