Page 48 of Fated for Flames

I watched as Chad stalked to the arena. One of the shifters gave him a dagger when my friend hopped into the fighting square and dropped his pants on the floor. The crowd went wild. Well, not the whole crowd, but the females howled louder than I had heard them before it was his turn to fight. Guess he was popular with the girls. No surprise there.

Chad was all lean muscle and golden skin in the firelight. His agility was impressive as he danced around his opponent, striking him three times in quick succession before anyone could blink.

Next up was Ryker. The boxer shorts hung low on his hips, drawing attention to the prominentVline that outlined his abdomen and led down to a trail of dark hair. In the dim light, his tattoos seemed to come alive on his skin.

Holy moon goddess!

His formidable size dwarfed the other shifters in comparison. His movements were swift and calculated, so fast that I had trouble keeping up. With ease and precision, he won his round.

Watching Chad and Ryker side by side, it was hard to believe they were brothers, polar opposites in every way but equally impressive in their strength and skill.

As the fights stopped, I realized that every single shifter that was in our tactical defense class had participated, all except me. I knew I was no match yet for these shifters, but I wanted to prove to myself that I could at least get one mark in.

“I’m next,” I declared, stepping forward and throwing the sweatshirt at its owner.

I peeled off my hoodie and legging and kicked off my shoes, revealing my tank top and “Basic Witch”–themed underwear. The crowd erupted in laughter. I rolled my eyes and turned to face the arena.

A low growl echoed through the crowd. I glanced toward the sound and met Ryker’s dark gaze. He was glaring at me, his brows furrowed in disapproval.

I shrugged; I may be a witch, but I was part of their class just like every other shifter that had participated.

My heart raced with a mix of excitement and trepidation. This was my chance to prove myself and to show the other shifters that I was no longer the weak, fragile witch they had once dismissed.

I raised my voice, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Who’s my opponent?”

Silence followed my declaration. The shifters exchanged glances, their laughter dying down as they looked at Ryker and then Chad.

“Oh, come on,” I groaned, throwing my hands up in exasperation.

Turning back to Chad and Ryker, I implored them with a pointed look, “Tell them it’s okay. I want to do this.”

Chad stepped forward. “Okay, little witch,” he said. “I’ll be your opponent.”

“No. You’ll go easy on me.”

Silence stretched once more.

Then, from the back of the crowd, a figure stepped forward.

“I’ll take you on, witch,” he said, smirking confidently as he sauntered toward the arena.

A wave of dread washed over me as I recognized him. It was Viper.

The serpent-eyed shifter took his spot in the arena, his lips curled into a malicious grin.

My heart pounded in my chest, but I refused to let my fear show. I squared my shoulders and met his gaze head-on, channeling every ounce of determination I possessed.

“Ready to get your ass handed to you, witch?” he taunted.

“Bring it on, Viper,” I answered, my voice laced with a confidence I didn’t entirely feel.

I watched as Viper stripped down and stepped forward.

Goddess, he was massive. My only comparison was sparring with Chad, and even in Tactical Defense Training class, I was considered “too weak” to spar with anyone else. Well, it seemed I was about to get my ass thoroughly handed to me.

“Viper,” Chad warned.

I cut him off. “It’s okay, I’ve got this.” I winked at Viper. “He’s so big, it’ll be easy to land a slash,” I teased.

---