His smile was sharp enough to cut.

I stared at Gideon's outstretched hand for a long moment, weighing my options. My wolf was still growling warnings in the back of my mind, but honestly? I was tired of listening to instincts that had gotten me nowhere.

"One walk," I said finally. "That's it."

"One walk." He didn't lower his hand. "I promise I don't bite. Well, not on the first walk, anyway."

Despite everything, despite the horrible morning and the whispers and the rejection still burning in my chest, I almost smiled.

Almost.

I ignored his hand and started walking down the trail. He fell into step beside me easily, hands shoved in his pockets, looking completely relaxed.

"So," he said after a moment. "How does it feel to be the most talked-about person on campus?"

"Fantastic. Really living my best life."

He laughed. Actually laughed, like I'd said something genuinely funny instead of bitter. "See, that's what I like about you. No pretense. Most people would try to play it off, act like they don't care."

"Who says I care?"

"The tension in your shoulders. The way you haven't looked at me directly since we started walking. The fact that you're gripping your bag strap hard enough to leave marks."

I loosened my grip immediately. "You're observant."

"I pay attention." He glanced at me sideways. "Especially to interesting people."

"There's that word again. Interesting."

"Would you prefer 'fascinating'? 'Intriguing'? I can use a thesaurus if it makes you more comfortable."

This time I did smile. Just a little. "You're annoying."

"I've been called worse."

We walked in silence for a bit. The path curved along the forest edge, dappled sunlight filtering through the leaves overhead. It was actually peaceful out here, away from the stares and whispers. Away from Darius.

The bond tugged faintly in my chest, like it was checking to make sure I hadn't forgotten about him.

As if I could.

"Can I ask you something?" Gideon said.

"You're going to anyway."

"True." He kicked a stone off the path. "Why did you come here? To the Academy, I mean. You had to know it would be rough. Wolfless girl in a school full of predators."

"I'm not wolfless anymore."

"You know what I mean."

I did. And the truth was complicated. My family had pushed for me to come here, hoping the Academy's training might trigger my shift. My aunt had called in favors with the council. My uncle had practically begged.

But the real reason?

"I needed to get away," I said quietly. "From home. From people who looked at me like I was broken."

"And how's that working out for you?"

I shot him a look. "You tell me."

He grinned. "Fair point."

We reached a small bridge that crossed over a stream. Gideon leaned against the railing, looking out at the water. I stood beside him, grateful for the excuse to stop walking.

"For what it's worth," he said, "I don't think you're broken."

"You don't even know me."

"I know you stood up to Darius Fenrir. Twice. That takes guts." He turned to face me, one elbow still resting on the railing. "Most people are too scared to even look him in the eye, let alone tell him off in front of half the dining hall."

"Maybe I'm just stupid."

"Or maybe you're exactly what this place needs." His expression shifted, something darker flickering behind his eyes. "Someone who doesn't worship the ground he walks on."

There was an edge to his voice when he said Darius's name. Old anger. Old hurt.

"You don't like him much, do you?" I asked.

"That's putting it mildly."

"Why?"

Gideon was quiet for a moment, his jaw tight. Then he shook his head. "Long story. Not a good one. Let's just say Darius and I have history, and it didn't end well."

I wanted to ask more, but something in his expression told me to let it go. For now.

"So what's your deal?" I asked instead. "Why help me? You barely know me either."

"Maybe I like the underdog." He pushed off the railing and started walking again. I followed. "Or maybe I just enjoy watching Darius squirm. Either way, seems like a win-win situation."

"I'm not a weapon you can use against him."

"I'm not asking you to be." He glanced at me. "But if you happen to make his life a little more complicated just by existing? Well, that's just a bonus."

We crossed back onto the main path that led toward the quad. Students were scattered across the lawn, studying or tossing a frisbee. Normal afternoon activities.

Except the moment they saw me walking with Gideon, everything stopped.

Again.

Conversations cut off mid-sentence. Heads turned. Eyes tracked our movement like we were the day's entertainment.

"Here we go," Gideon muttered. "Three, two, one..."

The whispers started.

"Is that Gideon Wicke?"

"Why is he with her?"

"Did she move on already?"

"This is going to make Darius lose his mind."

My wolf stirred uneasily. She didn't like the attention. Didn't like being watched like prey.

"Ignore them," Gideon said softly.

"Easy for you to say."

"Actually, it's not. But you fake it long enough, eventually it gets easier."

We were halfway across the quad when I felt it. That familiar, overwhelming presence that made my wolf sit up and take notice.

Darius.

I didn't have to look to know he was there. The bond told me exactly where he was, standing near the library entrance with his arms crossed and his eyes locked on us.

On me and Gideon.

The fury radiating off him was almost tangible.

"Don't look," Gideon said quietly. "Keep walking."

"I wasn't planning to."

But I could feel Darius's stare burning into my back. Could feel the bond stretching tight between us, vibrating with his anger. My wolf whined, confused and distressed by his emotions.

He rejected us, I reminded her. This shouldn't bother him.

But it clearly did.

Gideon steered us toward a bench near the fountain, deliberately choosing one in full view of where Darius was standing. He sat down and patted the space beside him.

"Are you trying to start something?" I asked.

"Me? Never." His smile was pure innocence. "I'm just tired from our walk. Can't a guy rest?"

I sat down, more out of stubbornness than anything else. If Darius wanted to glare, let him glare. He didn't get to reject me and then act like he had any claim over who I spent time with.

"That's the spirit," Gideon said, reading my expression. "Show him you're not waiting around for him to change his mind."

"I'm not."

"Good. Because he doesn't deserve you."

The words should have felt hollow. Meaningless. But something about the way Gideon said them, casual and certain, made me believe he actually meant it.

We sat in silence for a few minutes, watching students pass by. The stares continued, but they felt less suffocating with Gideon beside me. Like having someone in my corner made the weight of their judgment a little lighter.

"So," Gideon said eventually. "What are your plans for surviving this place?"

"Keep my head down. Graduate. Leave."

"Boring."

"Practical."

"Where's the fun in that?" He stretched his arms along the back of the bench. "You could make waves instead. Show everyone they were wrong to underestimate you."

"And how exactly would I do that?"

"Training. Prove you're not weak just because your wolf came late." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "I could help, if you want. I'm pretty good in the arena."

"Why would you do that?"

"Because watching you kick ass would be incredibly satisfying." He paused. "And because, like I said, I think you're interesting."

There was that word again. But this time, it didn't sound like a lie.

My wolf was still wary of him, still uncertain. But she wasn't growling anymore. That had to count for something.

"I'll think about it," I said.

"That's all I ask."

Movement caught my eye. Darius had shifted positions, no longer leaning against the library but walking toward the quad. Toward us.

His expression was stone. Cold. Furious.

The blonde from earlier rushed to catch up with him, grabbing his arm. He shook her off without looking at her.

"Incoming," Gideon murmured.

"I see him."

"Want to leave?"

I thought about it. Thought about running, avoiding the confrontation, making this easier on everyone.

But then I remembered the rejection. The humiliation. The way he'd looked at me like I was nothing.

"No," I said. "I'm not running."

Gideon's smile widened. "There's that fire. Hold onto that."

Darius was only a few feet away now. Close enough that I could see the tension in his jaw, the way his hands were clenched into fists. The bond screamed between us, a mess of anger and hurt and something else I couldn't name.

But he didn't come all the way to the bench. Just stopped. Stared. The silent fury in his eyes spoke volumes.

The blonde caught up to him, tugging at his sleeve. "Darius, come on. Let's go."

He ignored her.

Gideon leaned back casually, completely unbothered by the Alpha heir's rage. "Problem, Fenrir?"

"Stay away from her," Darius said, voice low and dangerous.

"Why?" Gideon's smile was all teeth. "You made it pretty clear you don't want her. So why do you care who she spends time with?"

"That's not your business."

"Actually, I think it's Elara's business. And she chose to sit here with me." Gideon looked at me. "Unless you want to leave?"

All eyes were on me now. Students had stopped pretending not to watch. This was the drama they'd been waiting for all day.

I met Darius's gaze and saw the conflict there. The wolf that wanted to drag me away from Gideon. The pride that refused to admit he'd made a mistake.

"I'm fine where I am," I said quietly.

Something flickered across Darius's face. Pain, maybe. Or anger. I couldn't tell.

The blonde tugged harder on his arm. "Darius, please. You're making a scene."

He finally looked away from me. Looked at her instead, and whatever he saw there made him step back.

"This isn't over," he said.

Then he turned and walked away, the blonde hurrying to keep up.

I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"Well," Gideon said cheerfully. "That was fun."

"Fun is not the word I'd use."

"Exciting? Dramatic? Weirdly satisfying?"

Despite everything, I laughed. Short and sharp, but real.

Gideon turned to look at me, and his expression softened into something genuine. "You handled that well."

"I didn't do anything."

"Exactly. You didn't give him what he wanted. That's everything."

The sun was starting to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the quad. Students were packing up their things, heading to dinner or back to their dorms.

Gideon stood and offered me his hand again. This time, I took it.

He pulled me to my feet, and for a second, we were standing closer than I expected. Close enough that I could see the flecks of amber in his dark eyes. Close enough that my wolf took notice and sat very, very still.

"He'll regret rejecting you," Gideon said softly, his voice pitched just for me. "I'll make sure of it."

Darius was everywhere. Watching. Silent. Dangerous.

I noticed him first in the hallway outside my morning class. Leaning against the wall, arms crossed, eyes tracking my every move. He didn't say anything. Didn't approach. Just watched.

The bond hummed between us, restless and uncomfortable.

By lunch, he was at the Alpha table with his usual crowd, but his attention wasn't on them. It was on me. Every time I glanced up from my food, there he was. Staring.

"He's doing it again," Celeste muttered, stabbing at her salad.

"Ignore him."

"Kind of hard when he looks like he's planning your murder."

I forced myself to look away. To focus on my food. On Celeste's stories about her pack back home. On anything that wasn't Darius Fenrir and his intense, burning stare.

But the bond wouldn't let me forget. It tugged constantly, a thread connecting us no matter how much I wanted to cut it. My wolf was confused and restless, not understanding why our mate was near but not approaching. Not claiming. Not fixing what he'd broken.

Because he doesn't want us, I reminded her for the hundredth time.

She whined in response.

After lunch, I had Pack Dynamics, which was basically a history class focused on wolf hierarchies and territory laws. Boring, but necessary. I grabbed my books from my locker and headed to the second floor.

The classroom was half full when I arrived. I chose a seat near the back, hoping to blend in and avoid any more attention.

No such luck.

I'd barely opened my notebook when someone dropped into the seat beside me.

"Hey. You're Elara, right?"

I looked up. A guy with sandy brown hair and an easy smile sat next to me, his own books already spread across the desk.

"Yeah," I said cautiously.

"Caleb Bane." He offered his hand. "I'm a Beta. Second year."

I shook it. His grip was firm but not aggressive. "Nice to meet you?"

"Sorry, that was weird. I just noticed you're new and figured you might want some help navigating Professor Hale's class. He's brutal if you don't keep up with the reading."

"Oh." That was... surprisingly nice. "Thanks."

"No problem." Caleb pulled out a worn notebook filled with detailed notes. "I've got all the lectures from last semester if you want to borrow them. Might help you catch up."

"You'd do that?"

"Why not? We're all stuck in this place together. Might as well help each other out."

My wolf settled slightly. Caleb's energy was calm. Friendly. No ulterior motives that I could sense.

"That would actually be really helpful," I admitted.

"Cool. I'll bring them to the library later if you want to study."

Professor Hale walked in before I could respond, and the class fell silent. He was an older wolf with silver hair and sharp eyes that missed nothing. He dove straight into a lecture about Alpha succession rights, scribbling terms on the board faster than most students could keep up.

I tried to focus. Tried to write notes that made sense. But my concentration kept slipping because I could feel Darius again.

The bond told me exactly where he was. Outside the classroom. In the hallway. Pacing.

Why was he here? He wasn't in this class. His schedule was completely different from mine.

But I could feel him out there, his wolf agitated, his emotions bleeding through the bond whether I wanted them or not.

My hand tightened around my pen.

Class dragged. Every minute felt like an hour. When Professor Hale finally dismissed us, I packed up quickly, hoping to slip out before anyone could corner me.

Caleb caught up with me at the door. "Hey, so library? Around four?"

"Yeah, that works."

"Cool. I'll grab my notes and meet you there."

I stepped into the hallway and immediately froze.

Darius stood across from the door, leaning against the opposite wall. His eyes locked onto me the second I appeared.

Students flowed around him, giving him a wide berth, but he didn't move. Just stared.

Caleb noticed him too. "Uh. Is that who I think it is?"

"Yep."

"And he's staring at you because...?"

"Long story."

"Right." Caleb glanced between us nervously. "Want me to walk with you?"

"I'll be fine."

"You sure? Because he looks like—"

"I'll be fine," I repeated, more firmly this time.

Caleb hesitated, then nodded. "Okay. See you at four."

He headed down the hallway in the opposite direction. I took a breath and started walking, keeping my eyes straight ahead.

Darius pushed off the wall.

My wolf perked up immediately.

He fell into step beside me, matching my pace easily. His presence was overwhelming, taking up all the air in the hallway.

"We need to talk," he said.

"No, we don't."

"Elara—"

"You made yourself very clear the other night, Darius. There's nothing left to talk about."

I walked faster. He kept up without breaking a sweat.

"Who was that?" he asked.

"None of your business."

"The Beta. Caleb. Who is he to you?"

I stopped walking and turned to face him. Students scattered around us, sensing the tension. "Are you serious right now?"

"Answer the question."

"He's someone helping me with class notes. That's it."

"You don't need his help."

"Actually, I do. Because unlike some people here, I didn't grow up learning all this pack hierarchy stuff. I'm behind, and he's being nice enough to help me catch up."

Darius's jaw tightened. "I could help you."

"No, thank you."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want your help, Darius. I don't want anything from you."

The bond twisted painfully between us. My wolf whimpered, hating the conflict, hating the distance.

But I held my ground.

"You can't just walk around with random Betas," Darius said, his voice low. "People will talk."

"People are already talking. In case you forgot, you rejected me in front of half the school. My reputation is already in the gutter. What difference does it make who I study with?"

"It makes a difference to me."

"Well, it shouldn't. You don't get to reject me and then police who I spend time with."

His eyes flashed gold. "That's not what I'm doing."

"Then what are you doing? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you want all the control and none of the responsibility."

"I'm trying to protect you."

"From what? A guy offering to share his notes?"

"From people who might use you to get to me."

I laughed. Actually laughed, bitter and sharp. "You think Caleb is using me? He's a Beta who's been nothing but kind. Meanwhile, you rejected me, humiliated me, and now you're following me around like some kind of jealous—"

I stopped myself before I could finish that sentence.

But Darius heard it anyway.

"Jealous?" His voice was dangerously quiet. "You think I'm jealous?"

"I don't know what you are. And honestly? I don't care."

I turned to walk away, but his hand shot out and caught my wrist. Not hard. Not bruising. But firm enough to stop me.

"Let go," I said.

"Not until you listen."

"There's nothing to listen to, Darius. You made your choice."

"I made the wrong choice."

The words hung in the air between us.

My wolf surged forward, hopeful and desperate.

But I shoved her back down.

"Too late," I said quietly. "You don't get to take it back now."

"Elara—"

"No. You called me weak. Wolfless. A mistake. You said you didn't want me." My voice cracked slightly, and I hated myself for it. "So whatever regret you're feeling now? That's your problem, not mine."

I yanked my wrist free and walked away.

This time, he didn't follow.

The library was quiet when I arrived just before four. Most students were at sports practice or hanging out in the common areas, so the reading room was nearly empty.

I found a table near the back and spread out my books, trying to focus on the lecture notes I'd scribbled earlier. They were a mess. Half-finished sentences. Missing key terms.

"Rough class?"

I looked up. Caleb stood there with a thick binder under his arm and that same easy smile.

"Something like that."

He sat down across from me and opened the binder, revealing pages of neatly organized notes. "Here. Start with chapter three. It covers the basics of Alpha succession, which is what Hale's been focusing on."

I pulled the binder closer, genuinely grateful. "Thank you. Seriously."

"No worries." He pulled out his own textbook. "Want to go through it together? Sometimes it helps to talk it out."

"Sure."

We spent the next hour working through pack hierarchy structures and territorial rights. Caleb was patient, explaining things I didn't understand without making me feel stupid. It was nice. Normal.

For a while, I almost forgot about the bond. About Darius. About everything.

Almost.

The library doors opened. I didn't look up, too focused on a particularly confusing section about Beta obligations.

But my wolf went on high alert.

And then I felt him. That overwhelming presence. The bond snapping tight like a rubber band about to break.

Darius stood at the entrance, his eyes locked on our table.

On Caleb sitting across from me.

"Uh," Caleb said quietly. "That's the Alpha heir."

"I know."

"And he looks really angry."

"I know."

Darius crossed the library in long strides. Students looked up from their books, sensing danger, but no one moved to stop him.

He stopped at our table, his hands flat on the surface, leaning forward. His entire focus was on Caleb.

"Leave," Darius said.

Caleb's eyes widened. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me. Leave."

"We're studying," I said sharply. "You have no right—"

"I have every right." Darius's voice was low and dangerous. "This is my mate."

The word echoed in the quiet library.

My mate.

After everything. After the rejection. After telling me he didn't want me.

Now he was claiming me in front of witnesses.

"You rejected me," I said coldly. "Remember?"

"I made a mistake."

"That's not my problem."

Caleb stood slowly, clearly uncomfortable. "Maybe I should—"

"Sit down," I told him. "We're not finished."

But Darius's wolf had other ideas.

It burst forward without warning, taking partial control. His eyes blazed pure gold. His canines extended. The air around him crackled with Alpha power so strong it made my own wolf cower.

He turned that power on Caleb, and his voice came out as a growl.

"Stay away from her."

It should have been a spar. Instead, it became a battle.

But first, I had to survive the rest of yesterday.

Caleb had left the library without another word, practically running from Darius's Alpha command. I'd grabbed my things and walked out too, refusing to look at Darius, refusing to acknowledge what he'd done.

He'd followed me all the way back to my dorm. Silent. Watching.

I'd slammed the door in his face.

My wolf had howled all night, confused and hurt and angry. She didn't understand why our mate kept pushing and pulling, claiming and rejecting, acting like he owned us when he'd made it clear he didn't want us.

I didn't understand either.

But I knew one thing: I was done being his punching bag.

Combat Training was mandatory for all students. Twice a week, everyone gathered in the arena to spar under the watchful eye of Coach Ramsey, a grizzled former Alpha who'd retired from active pack leadership but still had enough bite to keep even the cockiest students in line.

I'd been dreading it all morning.

The arena was an outdoor space behind the main training building, surrounded by bleachers and covered in fine sand that was supposed to cushion falls. Supposed to. I'd seen enough training sessions from a distance to know that the sand got stained with blood regularly.

Students were already warming up when I arrived. Stretching. Practicing strikes. Showing off for each other.

I found a spot near the edge and started my own warm-up routine, trying to ignore the stares.

"Alright, listen up!" Coach Ramsey's voice boomed across the arena. He stood in the center, arms crossed, looking like he could still tear through half the students here without breaking a sweat. "Today we're doing partner sparring. I'll be assigning matches based on skill level and weight class."

Groans echoed through the crowd.

"None of that," Ramsey snapped. "You don't get to pick your opponents in real fights. You work with what you're given."

He started reading off names from his clipboard. Pairs were called and moved to designated sections of the arena. Some matches looked even. Others... not so much.

I waited, hoping I'd get paired with someone reasonable. Another new student, maybe. Or a Beta who wouldn't try to kill me.

"Bennett!"

I straightened.

"You're with Fenrir."

The arena went dead silent.

Every single head turned to look at me. Then at Darius, who stood on the opposite side of the arena with his arms crossed and an unreadable expression on his face.

"Coach," I said carefully. "I don't think—"

"Did I ask what you think, Bennett?"

"No, sir, but—"

"Then get in position." He gestured to the center ring. "Fenrir, center. Now."

Darius moved. So did I, because refusing a direct order from Coach Ramsey was a good way to get expelled.

We faced each other in the sand. Ten feet apart. Close enough that I could see every detail of his face. The tension in his jaw. The gold flickering in his eyes.

The bond hummed between us, electric and angry.

Students crowded around the edge of the ring, whispering.

"She's dead."

"He's going to destroy her."

"This is insane. She barely has her wolf."

"She'll be crushed in seconds."

My hands curled into fists. My wolf stirred, responding to their mockery with a low growl.

"Standard rules," Ramsey said, walking around us in a slow circle. "Fight until submission, knockout, or until I call it. No killing blows. No permanent damage. Everything else is fair game." He stopped and looked directly at Darius. "That includes Alphas who think they can throw their weight around. You fight clean, Fenrir, or you're out. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

Ramsey's eyes shifted to me. "You sure about this, Bennett? You can forfeit if you're not ready."

Every instinct screamed at me to take the out. To avoid the humiliation of getting destroyed in front of the entire class.

But then I saw the look on Darius's face. That slight smirk. That absolute certainty that I'd back down.

That I'd show my throat like a good little wolf and let him win.

"I'm sure," I said.

Ramsey nodded once. "Alright then." He stepped back. "Fighters ready?"

I dropped into a defensive stance. Darius did the same, moving with the kind of fluid grace that came from years of training.

"Fight!"

Darius moved first.

He came at me fast, closing the distance in three strides. His first strike was a test, a jab aimed at my shoulder that I barely blocked. The impact jarred my arm.

He was holding back.

That made it worse somehow. Like he was proving a point. Like he was showing everyone that I wasn't worth his full effort.

My wolf snarled.

I countered with a low kick aimed at his knee. He dodged easily, stepping back, circling.

"Come on, Elara," he said quietly. "You can do better than that."

"Shut up and fight."

His eyes flashed. "Careful what you wish for."

He came at me again, faster this time. A combination of strikes that forced me back, back, back until I was nearly at the edge of the ring. Students pressed in closer, sensing blood.

I ducked under his last punch and rolled to the side, getting some distance.

My wolf was restless. Angry. She wanted to fight properly, wanted to shift and tear into him with claws and teeth.

But I'd never shifted before. Didn't know how. Didn't know if I even could.

So I fought as a human. Using the self-defense moves my uncle had taught me. The dirty tricks I'd learned from growing up unwanted and having to defend myself.

Darius lunged. I sidestepped and drove my elbow into his ribs. Not hard enough to do real damage, but enough to make him grunt.

The crowd gasped.

"Good," Ramsey called out. "Use your speed, Bennett. You're smaller. Make it count."

Darius's expression darkened. His wolf was closer to the surface now, I could feel it through the bond. Feel his irritation that I'd actually landed a hit.

He stopped holding back.

The next strike came so fast I almost didn't see it. His fist connected with my shoulder and sent me stumbling. I caught myself before I fell, but barely.

Pain bloomed across my arm.

My wolf surged forward, protective and furious. She pushed strength into my limbs, heightening my reflexes, sharpening my senses.

I could feel her power flooding through me even though I hadn't shifted.

Darius charged again. This time I was ready.

I dropped low and swept his legs. He went down hard, sand flying. Before he could recover, I was on him, knee pressed to his chest, arm cocked back for a strike.

Our eyes met.

The bond screamed between us. Want. Need. Anger. Confusion.

"Submit," I said.

His wolf rose to meet mine. Gold eyes blazing. "Never."

He bucked me off with pure strength, and we both scrambled to our feet. The sand was churned up now, our footprints everywhere, evidence of the battle neither of us was willing to lose.

The crowd was going insane.

"Did she just take him down?"

"Holy shit."

"He's not even trying."

"Are you kidding? Look at his face. He's pissed."

Darius and I circled each other. Both breathing hard. Both bleeding from minor cuts and scrapes.

"You're stronger than you look," he said.

"You're not as good as you think you are."

His jaw tightened. "Last chance to yield."

"You first."

We clashed again. Fists and feet and pure stubborn will. He was stronger, faster, better trained. But I was angry. Fueled by every rejection, every insult, every moment he'd made me feel like I was nothing.

My wolf poured power into every strike. More than I'd known I had. More than should be possible for someone who'd only gotten their wolf a few days ago.

Darius blocked most of my hits, but not all of them. I could see the surprise in his eyes. The reassessment.

He hadn't expected me to fight back this hard.

Hadn't expected me to be a challenge.

The fight grew brutal. Less controlled. We were both running on instinct now, wolves and humans tangled together, fighting for dominance in a battle that was about so much more than a training exercise.

I saw my opening.

Darius overextended on a punch, his guard dropping for just a second. My wolf screamed at me to take it.

So I did.

I drove my fist forward with everything I had, aiming for his face. He tried to dodge but wasn't fast enough.

My knuckles connected with his jaw.

The impact sent him stumbling back. He caught himself, hand going to his face, and when he pulled it away, blood stained his fingers.

His blood.

Red drops fell to the sand, dark against the pale ground.

The entire arena went silent.

Darius stared at his hand. Then at me.

And the look in his eyes was something I'd never seen before.

Not anger.

Not pride.

Something else entirely.