Miatta
His declaration of love for me was disturbed by a loud announcement:
“I welcome everyone to this year’s wrestling match,” the Lycan King bellowed, his baritone reaching all corners of the pack land. He arrested everyone's attention and all eyes were on him. I sighed happily, Lucas’ arms around me keeping me warm. He loved me, he adored me and I as well could not wait to have my way with him in the secrecy of his room. He withdrew a little to pay attention to the announcement but he possessively left his arms where they were.
“My son, the Indomitable Champion for nine years has shown himself earlier, fit and ready to take on any contender. However, the usual procedures shall be followed and we shall begin from the group stage. With me are the names of the other contenders and Beta Logan will read them out. Logan.” He called on his trusty second in command and the proud warrior matched forward. He bowed before his master and took the floor.
“The contenders for the wrestling match are as follows. . .”
My mind drifted away from the name calling and I stared out of the booth, examining Hanjo. The monstrous shifter was watching everyone closely, monitoring the happenings. He scared me and I squeezed on Lucas’ arm subconsciously. He caught on to my emotions swiftly and touched my jaw tenderly with a finger. I turned towards him and he searched my countenance, concerned.
“Miatta, you are shaking,” he accurately commented, tracing my jaw softly. It soothed me and encouraged me to speak.
“It's. . . well, Ryker was telling me about your prowess as a successful wrestler.”
“Okay. And?” he prevailed on me, wanting to get to the root of the matter without delay.
“I just. . . I don't know. I–I have this. . . bad feeling about today's match and seeing the wrestler from the werecat clan. . .”
“Hanjo?” he supplied the name helpfully.
“Yes. I don't want you fighting him. It's not like I don't believe in your abilities nor do I doubt your strength. It's none of that. When I look at him, I see something dark and mystic. There's something that's not right about him.” When he said nothing, I felt stupid and continued, hoping to retract my words.
“Maybe I'm overthinking it. Maybe it's nothing really.”
Lucas sighed heavily and rubbed my shoulders slowly, circulating pleasant heat around my body. I attempted relaxing as the contenders filed out in a straight horizontal line. They were eight in number and they were being grouped in twos. Ryker was more interested in the arrangement outside, giving us all the privacy we required. Lucas took my hand and drew invisible circles in my palm.
“I'm going to be very honest with you, Miatta. Not even Ryker knows I am about to say.” He lowered his head to mine so that our foreheads met and merged together. “I am scared of fighting Hanjo. I will never say this elsewhere, especially not to the hearing of my father but with you, I am allowed to feel afraid. I can be at my weakest around you and I don't care. I also have heard many things about the warrior but I know nothing about his strategies and weakness. However, everyone expects me to win somehow.”
I cupped his jaw and looked into his dark, bottomless eyes. “How do you deal with that? How do you go on, knowing that the honour of your people and your father depends on you?”
He smiled weakly and covered my palm with his, warming both of us. He kissed the hollow of my palm and explored the markings there with his wandering tongue. I shivered and he raised his head at once, rescuing my bottom lip from my sharp teeth.
“It's you, Miatta. Usually, I would have a wild orgy before a big fight, consume large quantities of wine ahead of time to give me the courage I need. But since I met you, you are now my reason to go on and I will win this fight because I can't afford to lose you.”
My ears reddened and I blushed brightly, a supernatural firefly. Lucas had a way with words that once he manipulated them, I was eating out of the palm of his hand. Without being coerced, I pulled his head down and rewarded him with a heated kiss. I broke the kiss when I could no longer breathe and patted his hair.
“I'm glad that I inspire you. When you fight Hanjo, remember that I am behind you, sending all my love.”
Lucas
I sat still and allowed Ryker to put me into my wrestling outfit. It was custom-made for me, a red bone — the symbol of our pack— sown on the posterior side of the black outfit. Ryker did buckles at both sides of me, running behind me to do up the buttons and bending over to get my gladiator boots. They had been brushed and mended by skilled fingers, looking almost good as new. Once he was done lacing the boots, he walked around to fetch my leather belt. He found it hanging off a window and cursed at the careless attendants.
Suddenly, I heard a loud masculine voice grunting in pain and peeping through the door, I saw some lycan warriors carrying away a shifter. He was limp as if dead and Athena rose to the occasion, attending to him immediately. His opponent, Hanjo stood victorious amidst cheers from the crowd. He had emerged from the set of contenders and he was mine to defeat or perhaps die trying. Strangely, my vision blurred for a while and my eyes spun in dizziness.
“I'm done, my Lord,” Ryker informed me, backing away from me silently. He pushed the door and held it open for me to pass through. I stopped after making two steps and made peace with myself, breathing in and out.
“Ryker?”
“Yes, my Lord?”
“If I don't survive this. . . if I die in this match, I want you to promise me that you will protect Miatta with your life. Do you promise?”
The loyal warrior fell to one knee and pledged his allegiance to me once more. “I promise but there is no need for this, my Lord for you shall be victorious today.” He tied a rough cloth around my knuckles and I set out with Ryker dogging my heels. As soon as the crowd noticed my arrival, they jumped to their feet to welcome me, cheering and dancing wildly. Their support and love urged me on and I waved to them, accepting their prayers and good wishes. I searched for Miatta’s eyes next and found them fixed on me, a proud smile on her lips. Lastly, she got up, joining in the clapping and cheering. Hanjo on the other hand was unperturbed by the obviously biasness of my pack. He waited impatiently for the fanfare to be over, ready to begin the wrestling match. My vision blurred again and if not for Ryker behind me, I would have staggered blindly. Something was wrong with me and it was not good.