#Chapter 75: White & Red

Ava I followed Chris’s long strides as he made his way toward the secluded thicket, my heart pounding in my chest. Despite his reassurances, a sick sense of dread was coiling in the pit of my stomach—and for good reason. “You shouldn’t have come,” he said without even glancing back at me. “I told you to go to the car.” I jutted out my chin stubbornly. “Like hell I’d let you face that brute alone.” Chris finally turned then, fixing me with an inscrutable look. “Ava, I can handle myself. And the last thing I want is for you to get hurt.” “Oh, stuff it,” I snapped. “We both know that the last time you had a trial by combat, you struggled to even drop your fangs and extend your claws. You’ve spent too much time in the human world, Chris. Don’t be so sure that you can win this.” His expression softened slightly at that, and he let out a rueful chuckle. “Fair point. But what could you possibly do if things went south?” I shrugged. It had been a long time since I h