Page 35 of Tamed

Kendra heard one of the onlookers request medical assistance, so Kendra rushed toward her apartment. Tears blinded her and muscle memory guided her steps. All of her onetime friends looked as if they wanted to kill her. And two weeks ago most of them disliked Jessie as much as she did.

She reached the apartment and rushed inside. Making a beeline for the bathroom, Kendra ran her hand under cold water. Gingerly wiggling her fingers and shifting her wrist, she determined that nothing was broken. Still, she was going to have some nasty bruises. Jessie’s blood had washed away, but she stood there shaking and let the coolness soothe her abused knuckles. Her heart still thudded in her chest and her emotions tossed back and forth like a stormy sea. She hadn’t wanted to fight Jessie, had tried damn hard not to, but there was only so much provocation anyone could take.

“Provost Nadis to see you, Kendra. Shall I let her in?” the apartment’s AI asked.

After turning the water off, Kendra grabbed a towel and walked out into the living room. “Yes, let her in.”

Nadis was statuesque with silver-blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Kendra had only interacted with her in a classroom setting, so she immediately felt defensive. “Is Jessie going to be all right?” How much of the fight had the provost seen? Did she realize that Jessie provoked it?

“That question might have been more appropriate before you inflicted her injuries,” Nadis pointed out.

“She left me no choice.”

Nadis shook her head. “There are always choices.”

“Did you see how the fight started or only how it ended?” Frustration sparked to life inside Kendra again. Jessie was the biggest troublemaker on the outpost. Why was there such disappointment in Provost Nadis’ eyes?

“You ended up with blood on your hands. Jessie did not. What does that say to you?”

Confused by the provost’s attitude, Kendra squared her shoulders and met her gaze. “She threw plenty of punches. I just avoided them.”

“Why did you not continue to do so? Why did you go on the offensive?”

Holy fuck, Nadis was blaming her for the fight? Kendra couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “I pushed Jessie away and tried to avoid her. She was not going to stop no matter what I said or did.”

“I’ve observed Arcon’s self-defense classes.” Nadis arched her brows as she asked, “What are you supposed to do when faced with an attacker?”

“I tried to run away,” Kendra objected. Her frustration was escalating into anger and that was not going to help her convince Nadis that she was innocent. She took a deep breath and pulled back her emotions before she spoke again. “I tried, more than once, to leave the scene. Jessie would not let me.”

“You are much more skilled when it comes to physical altercations. I know how many hours you’ve logged in the gym. Could you have continued to avoid her blows until she tired herself out, or immobilized her without harming her?”

Shocked by the injustice of the outcome, Kendra just stared back at Nadis in silent defiance. Jessie deserved everything she got. Kendra refused to regret what she’d done.

Nadis shook her head, starting to look annoyed rather than disappointed. “She made you angry and you chose to hurt her. Is that not so?”

“She called me a whore. She said I went after Zevon and Arcon to avoid going to Houkdi.”

Nadis shrugged, unimpressed by the arguments. “Are those things true?”

“No,” Kendra cried. “I have been attracted to both from the start and my power started to activate.”

The door slid open and Zevon walked in. His gaze swept over Kendra before he asked, “Were you harmed by this brawl in the corridor?”

She shook her head. He’d cared enough to ask, but he was clearly angry. And like Provost Nadis, Zevon was angry with her, not Jessie. “Jessie started it. Jessie always starts shit.”

“That is not an excuse and you know it,” he warned. This was not her loving mate. This was President Zevon, ultimate authority at the Citadel. “There are strict rules against fighting and every person on this outpost is subject to them. I will not make an exception because you are my mate.”

“She attacked me.” Kendra couldn’t believe that they were angry with her for defending herself. “I tried to get away, but she came after me. It was self-defense.”

“You are uninjured while she has broken ribs, a split lip, and a fractured nose,” he argued. “You did more than defend yourself.”

This was ridiculous. She’d put up with Jessie’s bullshit for weeks. Jessie was a hateful bitch and Kendra was shocked that it had taken this long for someone to beat the shit out of her. “Fine. She pissed me off and I shut her mouth for her. If that deserves punishment then punish me. Jessie is a toxic bully. Why didn’t anyone deal with her misbehavior?”

“Jessie has been reprimanded for her behavior,” Nadis told Kendra. “More than once.”

Zevon looked at the provost and said, “You may return to your duties. I will deal with this.”

“Of course, sir.” Without a backward glance, Nadis left the apartment.

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