Chapter 181
Chapter 181:
“Is everything alright?” Adelina asked, noticing the slight shift in my posture.
“Everything is perfect,” I said, my voice dropping an octave. I carefully tucked the ticket into the inner pocket of my suit jacket. “What are your plans for the evening, little wolf p>
“Oh, I’m just going to stay in tonight,” she said quickly, taking a step back toward the hallway. “Order some takeout. Catch up on reading p>
I nodded, playing along with her little ruse. She was going to sneak out and meet me there. She wanted the dramatic reveal at the arena.
“Enjoy your quiet evening, Adelina,” I said, my eyes lingering on her lips for a fraction of a second longer than necessary.
“Have fun,” she replied, offering me a tight, almost relieved smile.
I turned and headed back toward the private elevator. My Lycan was practically clawing at my ribs to get to the underground arena. I couldn’t wait to see her sitting in Seat 2, waiting for me in the dark.
S𝖺ve у𝗈𝘂𝗋 𝗳𝖺𝘷𝗈𝘳i𝘁е 𝗻𝗈𝘃e𝘭𝗌 oո
Kain POV
The heavy bass of the underground arena vibrated through the soles of my custom leather shoes. The Blood Ring reeked of sweat, cheap beer, and the sharp, metallic tang of old copper. I sat in the iron throne of Row AA, Seat 1, completely ignoring the brutal cage match being prepped in the center of the pit.
My thumb traced the velvet box hidden in the inner pocket of my suit jacket — a black diamond tennis bracelet I had rushed to procure on the way here. A symbol of eternity for the woman I thought was finally stepping into my world.
Two minutes to the opening bell. A figure approached through the dim lighting. I inhaled deeply, my Lycan practically vibrating against my ribs as I waited for the intoxicating scent of wild roses and a post-storm forest.
Instead, the crisp, familiar tang of citrus hit my senses.
Fletcher Banks stood before me, looking utterly bewildered, the ticket for Seat 2 held loosely in his hand.
“Alpha?” Fletcher asked, his voice barely carrying over the roar of the crowd. “Luna mind-linked me. She said she arranged a surprise date night for us. She said she was ordering takeout and staying home p>
The velvet box in my pocket suddenly felt like lead. The atmospheric pressure around my throne plummeted to an absolute, freezing vacuum.
My Inner Wolf let out a wounded, disbelieving howl that echoed through the hollows of my skull. She thinks… she thinks we are with HIM?
She hadn’t been shy. She hadn’t been trying to bridge the gap between us. She had been pitying me. My Fated Mate thought I was a charity case who needed his fake wife to arrange a romantic evening with his Beta.
Before I could unleash the suffocating weight of my fury, the arena lights dimmed. The massive screen suspended above the blood-stained cage flared to life. The announcer’s voice boomed over the speakers, initiating the Claim Cam — a twisted, underground version of a kiss cam.