Page 44 of Faith and Fury

An unexpected pride flares up inside of me. It’s tempered just as quickly.

“Shit,” I snap. “Faith, duck!”

She’s already down, aiming a low kick behind Maverick’s knees. He jerks forward.

“Well damn,” he laughs. “Look at you go, kitten.”

The fuck did he just call her? I glare at Caleb, only to find his dark-eyed expression is equally deadly.

Maverick jabs. It misses by a mile, colliding with the glass, and I swear the entire building rattles.

Is that asshole really going all out? Maybe he knew she’d dodge, or maybe he’s just getting frustrated. Forgetting to hold back. Either way, he’s in for a world of hurt after these five minutes are up.

Faith bounces on her feet.

She’s goading him, I realize. She wants him to go all-out. This is about proving herself—not just her fighting skills … but her self-control.

Even so—a whole room of alphas ogling the fight, whispering amongst each other, horrified or horny or both—I can’t bring myself to be okay with it. How is this any different from what Faith came from? From what the ringmasters made her do?

She creates another diversion, buying herself a split-second advantage.

But Maverick has finally caught on.

He spins around, seizing her by the shoulders and throwing her across the cell. Faith’s body crumples against the glass.

Blood.

It’s in my eyes. In my ears. In my every fucking breath.

I bulldoze through the crowd, making my way to the computer. Fuck my head alpha. Fuck my squad. Fuck all of this. I’m getting my omega out of there.

With a single command, I unlock the cell.

The door slides open, but the fight continues in earnest. By the time I storm into the cell, Faith’s got Maverick on his knees, choking him out. She could actually win this. Or, he could break out and toss her around some more.

That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.

“Jaxon—hey! Jax!”

I grab Faith around her stomach, tearing her away.

Maverick collapses to his hands and knees, wheezing. Faith thrashes against me, but I’m holding tight, and I’m not letting her go.

Caleb announces, “Time.”

Like a switch has been flicked, Faith goes slack. I don’t let her go just yet—not while her pheromones are still pumping out so hot and thick I can barely breathe.

Across the cell, Maverick grins, revealing a split lip. “Holy shit.”

“Don’t talk to her,” I snarl, holding Faith closer against me. “Don’t fucking look at—”

“You are something else, kitten,” he ignores me.

If not for the fact that Faith is still in my arms, I’d probably be launching into a full-frontal assault. She twists around to face me, her keen blue eyes demanding.

I lift my hand to her face, tracing the faded scar across her cheek. Obviously Maverick has nothing to do with this wound—it’s got to be years old—but still, seeing it there, knowing she was just in a fight … it awakens something in me. Something primal. Possibly dangerous.

“Faith.” My head alpha’s voice snaps me out of it. “You did good.” He smiles. “Should we call it a draw?”

---