Page 47 of Challenged
“Are you going to be okay?” I ask him quietly, hoping my voice doesn’t betray my nerves.
Blaze turns to me, his brown eyes reflecting the same mix of fear and determination that I feel.
Blaze wraps a strong hand wrap around my wrist.
“Come with me,” he says, his voice low and urgent as he pulls me away from the group. My heart races in my chest.
“Blaze, what the hell are you doing?” I demand as we ascend the stairs, our footsteps echoing through the dimly lit hallway.But he doesn’t answer, only tightening his grip on my wrist as we reach his bedroom door.
The door closes behind us with an ominous click, and before I can even process what’s happening, Blaze drops to his knees, his broad shoulders hunched forward in a display of vulnerability. He looks up at me with pain etched across his face, and my chest aches in response.
“Anna, I’m so sorry,” he whispers, his voice cracking with emotion. “I lied to you about the fighting. I put you in danger.”
I swallow hard staring at him.
“Blaze, you don’t have to…” I start, but he cuts me off, desperation lacing his words.
“No, I do have to,” he insists, his eyes filled with anguish. “I’ve been reduced to nothing more than a fighter for as long as I can remember. I’m a disappointment, Anna. I didn’t want you to see me like that.”
His words pierce my heart like a dagger, and I can feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes.
“Blaze,” I whisper, my voice trembling as I reach out to touch his cheek, feeling the rough stubble beneath my fingertips. “You’re not a disappointment. Not to me.”
He looks up at me and I see true vulnerability in his eyes.
“I’m a failure and I don’t deserve you but I can’t give you up.”
I don’t know what to say. The tension in the air is palpable as I take a step back, trying to process everything. My heart aches for him.
Blaze looks away from me momentarily, taking a deep breath before turning his gaze back to mine. “My entire life, Anna…I’ve been a fighter. It’s what I was forced into, what I was trained for. Even now, on this mission, I find myself back in the ring.” He pauses, his eyes filled with pain. “But I never wanted you to see that side of me. I wanted to be someone different for you.”
I reach out to him, my hand finding his as our fingers intertwine. “Blaze, you don’t have to be anyone other than who you are for me. Your past doesn’t define you. What matters is who you choose to be now.”
He squeezes my hand, but I can tell he’s struggling to accept what I’m saying. “It’s hard, Anna. The fighting, the violence…it’s always been a part of me. Sometimes, I wonder if it’s all I’ll ever be.”
“Hey,” I say softly, cupping his face in my hands. “You’re so much more than that, Blaze. You’re kind, strong, and fiercely loyal. You protect those you care about, even at great personal cost. That’s who you are, not just a fighter.”
Blaze’s eyes search mine, as if seeking some reassurance that I truly believe what I’m saying. In that moment, I realize just how deeply ingrained his self-doubt is, and how much he needs me to see him differently.
My heart clenches at the raw vulnerability in Blaze’s eyes, and I can’t help but drop to my knees before him. Wrapping my arms around his waist, I press my face against his chest, feeling the steady thump of his heartbeat beneath my cheek.
“Blaze,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion. “I promise you, I don’t see you that way. You are so much more than just a fighter to me. You’re kind, gentle, and shy in your own way, and that’s what I love about you.”
He stiffens in my embrace as if he’s not used to being held like this. “Gentle and shy?” he scoffs, trying to hide the uncertainty in his voice. “I’m a dragon shifter, Anna. A fighter. I am not shy or gentle.”
“You’re wrong,” I counter, pulling back slightly to look up into his umber eyes. “You have so much more to offer than just your strength. You’re loyal, caring, and protective. And just because you’re strong doesn’t mean you can’t be gentle, too.”
A flicker of doubt crosses his face, but then he sighs and wraps his arms around me, holding me close. “I love you,” he says softly, his breath warm against my ear. “I just… I’m sorry. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Yes. I forgive you if you promise to never lie to me about something this big again,” I say.
“I swear it.”
I can feel the vulnerability in Blaze’s stance as I pull back from our embrace.
“Blaze,” I say softly, reaching up to cup his face in my hands. “Promise me you’ll come back from the fight tonight.”
“I promise.”
