Page 28 of Wilder Obsessions

“No!I can’t do this!”I cry, my breaths ragged, as I burst free into the cool night air.With every ounce of will, I flee the desolate arena, desperate to leave behind the slaughter.Though I know as a shifter’s mate, I’ll never fully escape the darkness that comes with our bond, entwined with the violence of their world.

The fresh air hits me like a wave, but it does little to calm the storm raging inside.My legs give out, and I collapse onto the ground, my body trembling uncontrollably.The world around me blurs as my vision narrows, and I can feel the walls of panic closing in.My breaths come in short, shallow gasps, each one a struggle against the suffocating weight pressing down on my chest.

I clutch at the ground, my fingers digging into the concrete as if it could anchor me to reality.The sounds of the fight club still echo in my ears, a haunting reminder of the madness I’ve just escaped.My heart races, pounding against my rib cage like a trapped bird desperate to break free.Tears stream down my face, hot and unrelenting, as I fight to regain control.

But the panic is relentless, a tidal wave of fear and helplessness that threatens to drown me.I curl into myself, trying to make myself as small as possible, as if I could disappear from the world and the horrors it holds.My mind races, thoughts tumbling over each other in a jumbled frenzy.The image of Wilder, fighting and shifting, is burned into my mind, a constant source of terror.

I don’t know how long I laid there, lost in the grip of my panic attack.Minutes feel like hours, each second stretching into an eternity.Slowly, painfully, I force myself to take deeper breaths, to focus on the sensation of the cool air filling my lungs.Gradually, the tightness in my chest begins to ease, and the world starts to come back into focus.

I look left and right, wondering where to go.I’m basically homeless unless I call Wilder’s place my home, and right now, I’m not sure that I do.I throw my hand in the air, intending to flag down a passing taxi when pain suddenly radiates through my head.The next thing I know, I’m falling into the darkness that awaits me.

Chapter Eight

Wilder

My puma crouches low, as my sleek black fur blends with the shadows, keeping my eyes locked on my opponent.Every move I take is with the grace and precision of a predator, my muscles taut with anticipation.The thrill of the fight barrels through me.The griffin stands in his corner, towering and majestic as he spreads his wings wide, the golden feathers catching in the flickering light.He screeches and lunges forward, talons extended, gleaming like knives.

I dodge to the side, narrowly avoiding the griffin’s razor-sharp talons.I retaliate with a swift swipe of my own, claws slashing through the air.Jasper roars in pain as my claws find purchase, leaving deep gouges in his flank.The beast staggers back, eyes blazing with rage.I can feel the heat rising as he gains altitude, but I anticipated this.Timing is crucial.I unleash all my strength and spring upward, aiming to meet him mid-air.My powerful hind legs propel me like a missile, ready for our inevitable collision.We strike with a bone-jarring impact, feathers and fur mingling in a whirlwind of motion.My claws somehow find their way to his shoulder, sinking in deeply.Jasper lets out a roar, and the audience wails, the vivacity of the moment washing over me.

In our tangled fall to the ground, the scent of sweat and fear intermingle, a fragrant reminder of the stakes at play.I’ve never been beaten and I intend on staying that way.But the thought is fleeting.With every visceral struggle over dominance, a strange tingle lances through me.

Suddenly, a chill shoots straight to my core as fear envelops me, but it isn’t my own.It is Arwen’s—our connection unfolds, sharp and revealing.I had mistaken her anxious energy all evening for excitement, thinking it was for the thrill of the fight.But now?Now it is sheer panic.Briefly, in the chaos, all I can see is her silver hair, shimmering like ethereal moonlight, as she dashes between the sea of bodies, tears flowing freely down her flawless cheeks.My beast roars, unleashing a sound that vibrates through the cramped space, drowning out the cheers and jeers that mix together.Desperation drives the command, a primal urge to go to her.She is all that matters—not my fight, not this ring.

The precious moments I let my guard down became precisely the opening Jasper needed.He beat his wings together, creating a powerful gust of wind that throws me off balance and sends me tumbling to the ground, disoriented.

I curse at myself as I regain my footing.I can hear Jasper’s throaty growl reverberating through the air above me, his shell of fury encasing him wholly.With a swift motion, he attempts to dive down upon me like a ravenous beast, his wings flapping with the might of a storm.

A surge of instinct floods my veins.I rush forward, using every ounce of strength in my sinewy muscles to leap out of his path.I feel the air whistle past me as his massive form hits the ground with a thud, missing me by mere inches.

I land gracefully on my feet, then turn instantly, watching Jasper’s feet scramble to regain balance, his wings folding tightly against his back.

He screeches again, but his voice is now tinged with desperation.The display of brute force transitions into a calculated attack as he charges once more, but I am ready with countermeasures in mind.

As he approaches, I leap and dodge, claws poised and ready.But my mind finds only one thought—Arwen—and how every fight is meaningless without her.I have never been beaten, but tonight, the grip of my heart is far stronger than the grip of my claws.I need to get to her, but the only ticket out of this arena is through the death of your opponent and that won’t fucking be me.I just found my Starlight and I’ll be damned if I leave her on this earth unprotected.I’m her mate, her protector, her everything, so I need to kill this bastard by any means necessary to get my girl back.

With resolute determination, I summon every ounce of my energy and leap again, twisting just in time to evade Jasper’s massive talon as it slashes through the air to meet me.I land solidly on the ground, my senses heightened, adrenaline coursing like fire through my veins.

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