Page 53 of All for the Beast

“You never would,” she said, kissing him softly. “You’re beautiful.”

TWENTY-FOUR

VHARLK

Katy’s hand felt warm and safe in his own. With her, Vharlk could accomplish anything. She had his mark on her nape, meaning he had claimed her for his own. Not only that, but it also meant that she was happy to be claimed by him.

They arrived at the fight with their intentions clear. Dimess stood in front of them with Melyn at his side. Both of them smirked wickedly as though they already knew the outcome of the fight. Vharlk was determined to show them how wrong they were.

Dimess scented the air. “Is that a mark I smell?”

“Yes,” Katy said. She held her head high. There was no fear or doubt in her expression. She looked ready for anything. But would she be ready to watch her mate die? Especially so soon after they became mated? “You might as well give up now and save yourself the humiliation.”

Vharlk’s confidence grew at her words. He was ready to beat Dimess into submission and claim the throne for himself. The crowd around them tittered in excitement. It was just like Dimess to want an audience.

Dimess and Melyn scoffed viciously. “You really think a puny shifter like Vharlk could overpower someone like me? Try again, bitch.”

Vharlk growled at the term. He would make Dimess pay for that.

“Puny?” Katy scoffed. While it was true that Vharlk was smaller, all shifters were big compared to humans. She might not have wanted to see it, but it was true. Vharlk doubted his chances against someone bigger and more bloodthirsty.

The tales of Dimess’s survival might have been greatly exaggerated, but they were still impressive. He had a penchant for killing. Some of the more brutal shifters lived in other parts of Nova Aurora, but Dimess’s cruelty was a blight on their pack’s name.

Vharlk was the only one who stood in the way of Dimess taking over their pack. If Vharlk was killed, there would be nothing stopping Dimess from becoming king.

It was a lot of pressure on Vharlk’s shoulders, but he could handle that. Even though Vharlk hadn’t been in many fights, especially not ones for titles, he was trained by his father to handle himself. It might not be easy, but Vharlk still had a chance in this.

Vharlk and Dimess nodded at each other. They stripped down to nothing, leaving their bodies bare. He glanced at Katy, who looked confused.

“Trust me,” he said. “It’s all going to be okay.”

In the time it took for Vharlk to turn, Dimess charged him. He barely caught Dimess in time and was knocked onto the ground. His human form hurt from the contact, but not for long. As Dimess held him down, Vharlk shifted.

Fur sprouted over his body, starting from his arms and face, before shuddering down his body in a wave. His fingers, toes, arms, and legs grew to twice their size. His nails elongated and hardened until they were claws, sharp enough to tear flesh into ribbons. His nose lengthened to form a snout, housing teeth and a jaw strong enough to crush bone. He was finally ready.

The crowd around them jeered and hollered. Some were shouting for blood, others were shouting for bets, and more were shouting for their favorite to win.

He brought his knees between him and Dimess and pushed until Dimess launched over his head. Vharlk was up in a flash, regaining his composure. That was all it took for Dimess to shift, too, and then they faced each other in their true forms.

Dimess smirked as though he knew he had won. Vharlk tried not to let his fear show. Dimess was stronger than Vharlk in every way. His enemy was the most powerful shifter in Siborim, aside from Vharlk’s father. If Vharlk did not beat him, not only would it bring shame to his father’s legacy, but Dimess would most likely kill him to stop future challenges from him.

Dimess launched through the air, but Vharlk was waiting for it this time. He met the other shifter head-on, tackling him around the stomach. Dimess was stronger and planted his feet to stop from moving. Vharlk pushed with as much strength as he could muster, but it didn’t work. He slipped and fell, and the crowd filled with Dimess supporters laughed.

As he tried to stand, a sharp, blinding pain in his back forced him down again. Dimess had sunk his claws into Vharlk’s spine, inches from killing or disabling him. With his claws, he ripped open Vharlk’s back in thick strips. Blood gushed from the wounds, and Vharlk cried out in pain.

“Vharlk!” Katy cried.

He tried to get up again, but Dimess kicked him in the chest. He slumped back to the ground, winded and gasping for air.

Even though the wound and fractured ribs started to heal in a matter of seconds, the pain was still there, still powerful. Dimess stepped back and walked around, showing off his muscles, parading himself for the crowd’s attention. But Vharlk had a plan.

Dimess lifted his chin to the darkening sky and let out a howl that chased the birds from the trees. It sounded throughout the mountains, the place Dimess called home. From their position, Vharlk could glimpse the ocean a few hundred feet from them.

Vharlk snarled in return. He needed to get to the water. That was his home, his safe place, the one place in all of Nova Aurora he could win. He could not use brute strength to overpower Dimess, but Vharlk was a stronger and better swimmer. If they were in the water, Vharlk would win this fight.

Vharlk’s back knitted itself together, and he stood tall, despite the blood running down his body. His full height was over seven feet. Once, Katy had called him a wall of muscle, and he felt that then. His shifter form was strong enough to splinter trees and throw cars. He would need all his strength to defeat Dimess, but more than that, he would need his cunning.

“Dimess!” Vharlk cried.

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