#Chapter 28 – Unyielding

Damon I stepped into the arena to silence. Even with the crowd still buzzing, whispering, shifting with anticipation, it felt quiet compared to the storm inside my chest. “Elena Ashford versus the Lycan King.” Ronan announced. Not a pairing I planned. Not something I orchestrated. But the moment the lots were set, I didn’t stop it either. And now, there she was. Dirt-smeared. Sweat-soaked. Still heaving from the obstacle course. Her shoulders drawn back, eyes locked on mine, a spark of steel in their depths that refused to be extinguished. She was barely standing. But she was incredible… and so fucking beautiful. Ronan signaled the start of the match; Elena moved first and was quicker than I thought she’d be considering how exhausted she must be after everything. Her blade came at me in a downward strike before feinting left and sweeping low. I blocked her easily, turning her momentum aside and stepping clear without effort. She pivoted, not letting the miss shake he