Page 132 of Faith and Fury

In the end, I snuggle into his chest, waiting for my breaths to even out. I manage to fall asleep, even if it’s just for a couple hours, but by the time the lights flip back on, I can tell Fang was not so lucky.

He urges me to explain what happened. As I speak, gesturing tiredly, his features get darker and darker.

“Shit,” he mutters.

I wish we had more time to talk, just to be together, before the door swings open. Two guards I vaguely recognize bring us breakfast. Then they make an announcement.

“I-9 and D-1.”

Fang and another rogue alpha perk their heads up.

“You two are on. Tonight.”

I-9—a rookie, by ring standards, but built like a fucking tank—stands. “Are you for real?”

“You know the rules,” the guard drawls on. “Prepare however you want. But no fighting until you’re in the ring.”

“What ring?” Fang dares to ask. “Where?”

The guard grins. “I guess you’ll find out.”

With that, he leaves, the door bolting behind him and his friend.

I-9 curses the second they’re gone. “This is bullshit.”

One of the omegas tries to comfort him. He shoves her aside, but there’s no malice in the gesture—only despair.

Fang and I aren’t the only ones suffering here. I have to remember that. Everyone’s tired. Everyone’s scared. What’s worse, they’ve given up hope.

Fang, I sign, this is it. You’ll have to be careful.

He nods, understanding. Fight too well, or too dirty, and the old alpha might get scared off. He needs to win, but it’ll have to be quick and clean.

I’ll win, he assures me, like he’s reading my mind. But what then? They stick you in there—with that ankle?

I guess so. No-one commented on it last night.

“Fuckers,” Fang snarls. Where are your RDF alphas when you need them?

They’ll be here. I just … don’t know when.

“Hey.”

We both turn, bristling, as I-9 storms up to us. Fang shifts automatically, putting himself in front of me.

I-9 clenches his fists. “You guys planning something? Trying to take me down?”

Fang steels. “We’re only doing what we have to do.”

“Sure.” His lip curls. “Then you know I’ll be doing the same.”

My blood runs cold, a silent growl ripping out of me. Are you threatening my mate?

Fang puts a hand on my thigh. “Understood,” he says to I-9.

The other alpha trudges off. Neither Fang or I relax. We can’t afford to.

Tonight, it begins. Or ends.

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