Chapter ten

I accept," he said immediately, as if he hadn't even thought about it.

My brother stands up, and I grab him by the arm.

I follow him.

"Please, don't. I don't want to go with him. You're selling me over a match. Do you even care about me?"

My brother doesn't even reply. He slaps my hand away.

The announcer speaks. "Sounds so interesting. Please join us on the stage, girl."

A strong light hits me, and I want to die right there in front of everyone.

I freeze, but the crowd surrounds me, pushing me toward the stage.

Before I know it, I'm standing there—next to my brother and the Alpha, who looks at me with an intense gaze.

Why did I even agree to be here?

"Before we start, let's take another break!" the showman says, and the lights cool off.

"I need to talk to you," I say to the Alpha.

Riven looks at me and smiles, as if I'd just confessed my feelings to him.

He's probably already imagining me in his house, used as a slave.

What would be worse—my current situation or that?

"Sure."

We find a spot backstage.

"I will win. Don't worry," he says as soon as we're alone.

That's the problem.

That's what scares me.

"I don't want to be sold to you. I don't want any of this." I feel my tears rising, threatening to spill.

"If you don't want to stay with me, you can do whatever you want. I'll buy you a house, and you'll have your own place. At least you'll be away from your family."

I sigh. "Why? Why are you helping me?"

"Because I want to. Why are you refusing my help?"

"Please... go easy on him. And promise me you won't kill him. Don't hurt him too much."

"What did he do to you?"

I drop my gaze to the floor, refusing to speak—or to remember the terrible things my brother has done to me.

"Riven. Seven minutes. Come on, you have to change."

Riven nods to the man, probably his trainer or something. Then he gestures for me to follow him.

He removes his shirt, and some doctors begin disinfecting his scars.

I can't help but admire his muscular torso, his defined abs, and his broad shoulders. The view is breathtaking.

Any woman would dream of having someone like him win her over.

But I couldn't.

I promised myself I'd never date a violent man.

"Riven, you have to promise me."

"Okay. You have my word—I'll go easy on him."

"Easy?" the trainer asks, as if he'd just heard the craziest thing ever.

"Did I hear this right? You can't go easy on him. The final match is always the most brutal. That's Death Seal rules."

"He's her brother."

"So what?" The trainer looks shocked.

"Since when do you go easy on anyone?"

Riven grabs a bottle of water and chugs it down like he hasn't drunk in years.

"What if he's strong, and you underestimate him by going easy? What if he wins?"

"Chill," Riven says calmly.

Then he takes another bottle of water, throws it on his face, and pulls his hair back.

"I have good reasons to win this one. Don't worry."

He winks at me before exiting the changing room to head for the stage.

Oh God.

What has my brother gotten me into?

RIVEN'S POV

The crowd roars, their cheers crashing over me like waves, and adrenaline surges through my veins. God, I love this feeling.

I love the rush of the fight, the way it lets me unleash the anger that's been caged inside me for as long as I can remember. No matter how many punches I throw, how many fights I win, it never seems to be enough. As if the rage in me is infinite—an ocean I'll spend my whole life trying to drain.

But now, for the first time, I have something—or rather, someone—worth living for.

I don't even know her that well. Not really. But whenever I'm near her, the noise of the world fades, and for a moment, just a moment, I can breathe. My heart and soul, so used to chaos, find a sliver of peace.

I promised her I'd go easy on her brother. But just the thought of him hurting her makes me sick. Makes me want to break every bone in his body for even thinking about doing her wrong.

The match starts. I let him gain some ground, make him think he has the upper hand. I dodge the first hit—no, I pretend to miss it—and he takes the opening, his fist slamming into my neck.

Pain explodes down my spine. I stumble back, struggling to breathe, coughing against the intensity of the hit. My vision blurs for a second.

Cheap shot.

Not that I expected anything less from him.

I shake it off, growling under my breath. He's lucky he has a gorgeous sister. Very lucky.

He smirks. "What?"

I don't answer. Instead, I slam my fist into his stomach, and he doubles over with a grunt. But then—

He laughs. Loudly.

My hands clench into fists. What the hell is he laughing for?

I hit him again, harder. This time, my punch cracks against his nose, and blood drips down his face.

"This the best you got?" he taunts, wiping his nose. "My sister told you to go easy on me?"

I glare at him.

He feints, and I take the bait, throwing a punch that he dodges easily.

"I just don't want to finish too early." My voice is calm, but my focus shifts for a second—just long enough to glance at Belle in the crowd.

She's watching. Of course she is.

If it weren't for her, I would've already ended this match.

He takes advantage of the moment, sidestepping and landing a hit on my left cheek. Pain explodes across my jaw, and I growl, rage igniting inside me like wildfire.

My turn.

I unleash a flurry of blows to his stomach, making him curl in on himself. He lifts his head, grinning through the pain, blood smeared on his lips.

"I don't blame you for liking my sister," he says, voice dripping with amusement. "She's got a nice body, and she's pretty."

I know exactly what he's trying to do—get under my skin. And it works. My fists clench tighter, fury bubbling in my chest.

So I knee him in the ribs, hard. He stumbles, coughing, but when he looks up—

He's laughing again.

Freak.

"You enjoy the pain?" I snap, breathing hard.

He shakes his head. "No. But I do enjoy the thought of fucking her harder next time I lay my han—"

My fist crashes into his face, cutting off his words.

Then I hit him again. And again.

Until he's on the ground, bloodied and gasping for air.

"What did you just say?" I roar, my voice drowning in the screaming crowd.

Lily stands among them, silent, her hands covering her face. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears.

I'm sorry, Lily

I can't let him get away with this. He doesn't get to talk about you like that. He doesn't even get to think about you like that.

I spit on him and grab him by the hair, yanking his face up to mine. My voice drops to a whisper, lethal and full of promise. "You better never dare touch her again. Or you'll regret it."

He laughs.

I slam his head against the floor.

God, I want to kill him.

Belle shoots up from her seat and runs toward the stage.

"Please! Please stop!" Her voice is desperate, breaking.

I turn to her, chest heaving, heart pounding.

How can she ask me to spare him?

How can she ask for mercy for someone who did such terrible things to her?