Page 117 of Her Males

Aziel looks hesitant, but I bounce on my toes in excitement. I’ve seen Chev spar a few times, but it’s never by his request and he always comes out on top. He looks bored most of the time, grudgingly accepting the challenges the shifters throw his way.

Echo gasps and drags me away from the small clearing as Aziel picks up the stick, her movements too fast for me to keep up with. She hardly notices as she pulls me aside and plops on the ground. It takes me a bit longer to sit, my sore limbs making the action awkward.

“I’m not fighting you with a stick.” Aziel says, tossing the wood aside.

I turn to Chev, looking for answers, only to choke and turn away when I catch sight of his penis. My eyes land on Aziel as Chev transforms into his bear form, his expression speaking volumes.

Aziel’s going to punish me for that. That thought used to frighten me, but now it evokes a different emotion.

“We can smell your arousal, too,” Echo whispers.

“Then stop sniffing,” I snap, ignoring Aziel’s cackle.

Aziel turns to look at us just as Chev lunges. My hands find Echo’s and squeeze as Aziel’s tossed across the clearing, and I feel my stomach in my throat as I watch him land in a heap and spring up to his feet.

The two men are brutal in their fighting, with fast and calculated movements that usually end with blood. Chev’s enormous in his bear form, and as I watch him and Aziel circle one another, I realize I’ve never truly seen either of them fight.

Aziel’s cocky smile gradually falls as the minutes pass, his confidence wavering as he struggles to get Chev to submit. I think he’s got the shifter a few times, but Chev always manages to rip out a chunk of Aziel’s flesh and wiggle out of the hold.

I’m sure Aziel would’ve just gone for the throat if this were a real fight, but he sticks to punches and kicks. Who knew Aziel could fight without losing control?

I sure didn’t.

Echo takes it upon herself to cheer on Chev, and after a slight hesitation, I decide to do the same with Aziel. His lips curl into a smile the first time I shout his name, encouraging me to continue.

Chev tackles Aziel to the ground with a snarl, and I sit up straight as Aziel wraps his arm around the bear’s midsection and flips them around. He repeatedly punches Chev in the jaw, his movements too quick for me to follow, until Chev stops moving.

Aziel rolls to the side the second Chev goes limp, and he sprawls on his back the way I did earlier.

I stand and hobble over. Echo does the same, but she makes her way to Chev while I approach Aziel.

“You okay?” I ask, prodding Aziel’s ribs with my toe.

He swats me away, and after a few seconds, he stands.

I look him over, my breath hitching. He’s almost already healed, but his shirt is soaked in blood.

“I suppose that explains why you’re all torn up,” he says, reaching for one of the cuts on my shoulder.

His touch is featherlight, but my torn skin is so sensitive, it still stings. Aziel traces the line of my wound as Chev groans and stumbles to his feet. He approaches from the side and knocks his fist against Aziel’s temple.

“That was fun,” he says, letting his sister lead him away.

I watch a bite on Aziel’s shoulder heal as they leave, the muscle knitting together grotesquely.

“I’m surprised you did that without losing control,” I admit.

Aziel shrugs. “Silas has been teaching me breathing exercises.”

I place a hand over my mouth to hide my smile. Breathing exercises? Aziel smirks, fully aware I’m laughing at him, before wrapping an arm around my waist and helping me back to my cabin.

Aziel fits in surprisingly well here, and I hope he isn’t in a rush to leave. He’s made it clear he thinks of me as his, but we haven’t discussed anything beyond that. I know we should, but I’m hesitant to bring it up.

We still haven’t heard from Gray or Silas, and I’m scared to face them.

I’m scared to face what I’ve done.

Aziel is letting me off easy, but I know it won’t be the same with the other two. We were in a committed relationship, and even though our status grew blurry with my leaving, I shouldn’t have been intimate with anybody else.

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