Page 82 of Moon Kissed

She flinched, body shaking.

I understood her fear. I truly did. Years on top of years of it being ingrained in her that challenging an alpha was the worst mistake she’d ever make. But Nia kept looking to me to get stronger, and somewhere along the way, I started caring if she did.

“Nia, I promised you I wouldn’t make you do something you don’t want to do—”

“Exactly! So why—”

“—but I didn’t make that promise for things you do want to do. And you and I both know, this is one of those things.”

Lips pressed tight, Nia just shook her head.

“I understand that before no one had ever fought or hurt you. You never knew what that felt like,” I said, voice softening. “But I’d also bet anything that no one ever respected you, and you damn sure felt it.”

Balling her fists was her only response.

“Whenyou beat her, you will not only have the respect and/or shit-eating envy of everyone on this field, but you get back what that shit took from you,” I said as she snapped her head up, eyes wide. “Your faith in yourself and your wolf.”

“Get strong,” she whispered, “and then get even.”

“And when that doesn’t work...” I slipped her something, then backed away—winking.

Nia looked from me to Liza to Badr, back to me, and then Liza again. Making up her mind, she stepped up to the mat.

“Ready,” Orion called, stepping up beside them. The white slash of his scar shone starkly on his sun-kissed cheek. “Take your stances.”

Nia planted her feet and raised trembling palms. With her mahogany skin and butterfly clips in her hair, the girl looked like a tiny, bare tree shaking in the breeze.

“As you know, everything goes on the mat as it does in nature,” Orion said. “No mercy.”

Liza’s grin was terrible. “No mercy.”

“Begin!”

“Argh!” Bellowing, Liza charged Nia—fist raised high—and pulled up so fast, her feet tangled and she dropped, falling flat on her face.

Nia blinked at her—shaking fists still bumping her chin.

“What the fuck are you doing!” Badr shouted. “Get up!”

Tossing her head, Liza shoved up on her feet, confusion riddled on her face like she had no idea what just happened. She looked at Nia through narrowed eyes, confirming my suspicions.

Seemed it wasn’t until someone tried to harm Nia that their wolf was tagged in the ass by her super-Nia-omega-wolf tranquilizer. Until then, they assumed she was like any other omega. They never saw her coming.

I cut eyes to Badr.It also explains why he was laughing when I chose her to be my champion, but he’s not laughing now.

“Don’t move!” Liza commanded, her alpha power washing over all assembled. “Stand there and take it, bitch!”

Liza rushed Nia again, then braked so hard, she looked like a mime who crashed into an imaginary wall—her arms comically up above her head and legs spread and planted.

“Nia!” I barked, flapping my hands at her.

She jerked—not in the least bit affected by Liza’s command. “Oh, right.” Quick as a snap, Nia’s leg flew up and busted Liza across the temple—the most beautifully executed roundhouse kick I’d ever seen—and it dropped Liza dead on her ass.

“Ahh!” Nia shrieked. “I can’t believe I did that! Daze, did you see that? Oh my gods.”

The smile she gave me was as bright as the one I returned. I wanted Nia to overcome her fear and reconnect with her wolf again. Years as a priestess showed me what happens when a werewolf doesn’t.

Our wolf was half of our soul. Losing trust in our wolf, or even fearing them, was like your right arm being so afraid of your left that it cut it off. Sure, you’d survive and continue on, but you’d never be the same as before.

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