Chapter 346

"Four!"

I hear my name being shouted behind me my family-but there's no time and it doesn't matter if it's not safe

I'm moving fast, thanks to my wolf instincts and my training at the academy, and I can feel my canines elongating to points in my feracity as a snarl rips from my lips, because if anyone tries to stop me right now - I'll rip them to shreds.

"Luca!" I scream, just as the ref shouts "Five!" counting down the moments until Luce is timed out.noveldrama

Luca's uncle spins when he hears my voice behind him, his eyes going wide. I think he says my name in protest, putting out a hand to stop me, but I shove him aside, throwing myself against the side of the ring, desperately trying to scramble into it. I shout Luca's name again.

"You can't go in!" I hear Bruce shouting behind me, his hands on my hips, pulling me back. "If you go in, Ariel, he'll be disqualified!"

Something about that rings sense to me, and I shoot a glance back at Bruce alongside a snarl to make him see that I understand, but then I'm moving again, positioning myself, trying to get as close to Luca as I can.

"Sk!" the ref shouts, and I see Luce struggling now - see his eyes fluttering as he tries to pull himself together.

"Luca!" I cry again, my hand pounding on the canvas mat, trying to get his attention as I lean as far in as I can. But it's not working - he's not listening to me-

So I do the only thing I can.

I let go of the hold on our bond, and let it all flood me in a moment-

All of Luca's agony - his pain - his fear - his desperation to get up, to continue fighting, to win-

His weakness, his confusion, and again - again, always-that physical agony that threatens to overwhelm me.

My own eyes flutter back in my head as I'm almost taken down by it.

"Seven!" I can hear the ref's voice hesitating now as he sees me there the nation's Princess - trying to support her mate

Luca - everything he's feeling - it's like a tidal wave, and it threatens to sweep me away.

But it's not stronger than me-not stronger than everything I have all my faith, and my strength, and my love - my love for him, my love for our nation, for our people. And I push it all towards Luca, pushing back against that flood of pain, and I give it to him. I let his pain sweep through me, taking all of it, as I push all of my faith and strength towards him.

Oddly, insanely, at this moment, I think of Jackson.

I think of him passing his strength to me during the Examination - that persistent, unyielding strength. "Fight!"

Because I never, ever thought of what it felt like to him if he had to take an my agony to give me his strength, if our bond opened both ways.

God, and he never said a thing-when here I am, almost collapsing under the strain.

"Too good." I murmur, working hard to dig my nails into the mat, to stay conscious.

And as I do, I see Luca's shoulders raise, see him push himself up, see his eyes lock with mine.

And it's enough.

I can see it, immediately, as the ref shouts out the ninth count, that this faith this gift it's enough. I watch as Luca gathers himself, as he pushes himself up, getting his feat beneath him. He holds a hand out towards the ref, asking for a moment to catch his breath-

The ref nads, and steps back, and Luca pants as he gets his weight up over his knees, and then pushes himself up, his eyes still locked on mine.

But the count stops.

And I nod, staring at him, my jaw clenched, my nails still dug into the canvas of the mat. Go, I say, directly into his mind. Finish this.

Luca stares at me, hard, and gives me a single nad before turning back to his opponent.

And the stadium - it erupts in noise.

The citizens of moon valley- they scream for him- scream for us - scream for the persistence of Luca's heart, scream for freedom, and hope, and everything we represent. And inside, my heart sings, and my wolf howls, screaming along with them.

As the crowd roers for him, Luca raises his fists again to eye level, and as he does I feel something shift in our bond. He takes the pain back - some of it, just enough to keep him sharp. And in exchange, he gives me back some of my faith and passion, along with a great deal of his love.

And then, Luca really begins to fight.