*Maddox*
“She’s mad at me,” I say to Antony as we stand in the royal box overlooking the stadium. The entire room smells strongly of coffee and whatever light breakfast is being laid out in silver trays by my staff. Antony makes a noise in his throat, grunting like he knows exactly how I currently feel.
“Why?”
“Trinity, actually,” I sigh, rolling my ankle as I look down my black coffee, the fluorescent lights reflecting in the inky black liquid.
“Why not just send Trinity away? She has family elsewhere, doesn’t she?”
“Isla isn’t mad at me because Trinity is here….” I sip the coffee, exhaling deeply as I balance the mug on my knee. “She’s actually taken a liking to Trinity all of the sudden, and now she’s dead set on defending her against Trinity’s mate.”
“What?” Antony leans back in his chair, his eyes narrowed into cat like slits. “Trinity doesn’t have a mate–”
“She does–and it’s Elijah.”
“The Alpha of Moorn’s brother?”
“The one and only.”
“Goddess.” Antony runs his hand over his face, huffing out a breath. “He’s a… fearsome thing. I don’t blame either of the women for being apprehensive.”
“He’s competing for the title of Beta.”
“What?” Antony says, his voice clipped and clear as his eyes widen on mine. “What the hell are you talking about, Maddox? I miss one Goddessdamned day of the trials–”
I shrug, still trying to make sense of everything that has happened over the last twenty-four hours. First, we watched the initial day of the trials and found out why Trinity was acting so weird.
Then, Trinity confirmed she was feeling the mate bond with Elijah, who thus far is a total stranger to all of us, even though he helped us greatly after our quest to the temple. Now?
Isla lit into me for even suggesting the two of them meet, face to face, to discuss what needed to be done in order to move forward.
“Elijah and Keenan of Swollen Creek will be competing in the final trial today. Elijah has proven to be a match for Keenan’s physical skills and absolutely crushed the written portion of the trials. He knows his stuff.”
“He was acting Beta of Moorn. Still is, I’m sure. Does his brother know?” Antony shifts in his chair.
“Alpha Hunter isn’t here–” I remind him.
“Then where the hell is he? Does he even know his twin brother is competing for the Beta title?” Antony asks.
“I guess we’ll find out if he wins.” I tap my fingers on my mug. Antony is staring at me, a look of marked disapproval etched into his eyes.
“So, Isla is pissed because you… what?”
“I’m not entirely sure. She is under the impression that Trinity is terrified of Elijah. I was under the impression that Isla wanted nothing more than Trinity to disappear from the face of the earth. Trinity will reject him, of that I have no doubt, and then I’m free to tell Trinity to go back home to her family. I thought Isla would find the whole situation… freeing.”
“Well, I don’t know what to tell you,” Antony says matter-of-factly, shrugging a shoulder. “I rarely know why Poppy’s mad at me, and she seems to be cross with me all the time lately.”
“Because you so violently killed that warrior?”
“No, of course not,” he says wryly, a gleam in his eyes as he lifts his coffee to his lips. “We had a rather… interesting night afterward.”
I roll my eyes away from him, focusing my gaze on the glass panes separating us from the stadium.
“She’s nervous about moving to Maatua, which I fully understand. And earlier than originally planned.”
Confused, I ask, “I thought you were staying until fall?”
He shakes his head, the boyish gleam in his eyes replaced by concern. “I’ve had some reports from the island recently that make it imperative we return soon, possibly within the next week.”
I lean forward in my chair. “Are you going to tell me what kind of reports you’ve been receiving?”
“Why? None of it pertains to you or your kingdom.” He gives me a sharp look, as if he thinks I’m interfering.
Ah, there he is. While I’ve grown to like Antony and appreciate his company, Commander Peplos occasionally still shines through his cutting, sarcastic personality from time to time.
“You may be the Alpha King, but you’re no king to my people,” he continues smugly, swirling the coffee in his mug with a gentle flick of his wrist. “Plus, I’ve inferred this is directly related to the diamond, which I gather you have no interest in dealing with anymore.”
“Peace should have been restored everywhere. That’s how this works.”
“Not on Maatua,” he sighs deeply, his eyes flicking up to meet my gaze. “A hotbed for those with magic, I’m afraid. And not the good kind.”
“Why are you being so cryptic?”
“Because I’d rather deal with this alone, without Isla and her insistence to stick her nose in my business.” He pauses, swallowing. “Don’t tell her I said that.”
“What are you up to, Antony?” I need to know because it involves Isla.
“Just making sure my people aren’t taken over by an angry witch hell bent on revenge. At least, that's the rumor amongst the people of Maatua. There’s been some unrest, but it seems to be… domestic in nature, nothing that makes me think there’s a serious threat. Regardless, Poppy and I will need to leave for the island very soon.”
“Isla is going to be so disappointed,” I breathe, running my hand over my face as I set my now empty coffee mug on the table between us. Great, just great. “When are you and Poppy going to tell her?”
“Well, I’ll see her tonight at the party–”
“No, you can’t tell her then.” I give him a stern warning in my gaze.
“What? Why not?”
With a deep breath, I admit, “Because I’m going to propose to her tonight.” I say it in a hoarse whisper.
Antony cocks a brow, the smug look on his face growing stronger. “Doing things a little backward, I’d say–”
“Some Alphas never marry their Lunas,” I cut in, shaking my head. “The bond is enough, but I want this for us.”
“How likely is she to say yes, being mad at you and all?”
“More so if you don’t say a fucking word about taking Poppy back to Maatua in a week, Antony.”
Antony smirks, crossing his arms over his chest as he leans back in his chair. “I won’t say anything, I swear.”
I rise from my seat as the door opens, and the first few guests to our box trickle into the space. In the stadium below us, seats are already being filled for what will be the weekend’s main event.
The trial that will decide the fate of the two men competing.
* * *
“Are you going to be mad at me forever?” I ask, nudging Isla with my knee. She shifts away from me, her arms crossed over her chest as she watches the giant screen on the other end of the stadium. Keenan and Elijah were dropped off over fifty miles from the stadium earlier in the morning and were now in their wolf forms, having been made to shift and race back to the stadium while dodging obstacles in their paths.
Isaac is lying in my lap, facing the glass panes of the royal box. He’s fast asleep, and I notice Isla’s eyes soften as she looks over at us.
“I’m not going to force Trinity to be his mate,” I continue. “What kind of man do you think I am?”
“You seemed rather pleased about the idea.” She gives me a side-eye but won’t look directly at me.
“I was pleased that Trinity found her mate in general. It’s not my fault she thinks he’s… scary.”
Isla gives me a look, her eyes narrowed into cat-like slits, but she’s fighting the smile threatening to stretch over her perfect mouth. I’ve wanted nothing more than to kiss her, but when we got home from the trials last night, she immediately got into bed and turned her back to me.
“He’s not scary,” she breathes, crossing her legs. “Plus, I’ve wanted to give Trinity some kind of position in our court. If she’s the wife of the Beta… what would that make her?”
“Your consultant, if you want.”
“She’d be helpful with pack matters and dealing with the high ranking jerks you have to converse with,” she sighs. “I have no idea what to even say to these people.”
“I didn't either when I first became the Alpha King, and I was born for this role. Isla–” I reach out and take her hand, knitting our fingers together over the couch cushion between us. “You’re doing a great job.”
“I’m still a little mad at you.”
“That’s fine,” I say, gritting my teeth.
She must notice my utter desperation to get to the root of her sudden fury towards me over the last twenty-four hours because she leans in, dropping her voice to a whisper. “I’m actually not that mad at you.”
“What’s with the cold shoulder, then?” I ask.
“Maddox, you can’t tell anyone, okay?” She is looking at me with desperation in her expression.
I look into my mates eyes, noticing the flicker of excitement in those wells of pure blue. “Tell who, what?”
“Poppy’s pregnant!” she whispers. My brows shoot up, and she nods excitedly.
Damnit, Antony. Isla is going to be absolutely devastated when she finds out they’re leaving so soon.
“And you’re mad at me about it?” I ask, confused.
“No, I’ve just… I’ve had a lot on my mind the past week or so. Mystica, Poppy, what to do with Trinity…’
“I’m on your side, always, Isla.”
“I guess I’m still getting used to that.”
I deserved that, sure. It didn’t make it sting any less. I lean in, planting a kiss on her forehead.
“Seriously, Maddox. Don’t tell anyone about Poppy. She hasn’t even told Antony.”
“Why not?”
Applause rips from beneath us, the entire stadium in a frenzy as the screen shows Keenan and Elijah tearing through the camp, Elijah’s jet black wolf several yards ahead of Keenan, who is slowing down significantly. I gather Isaac into my arms and rise, Isla standing with me, her hand tucked in the crook of my elbow.
“He needs to slow down and reserve his strength,” I say under my breath, my heart beginning to race as Elijah nears the stadium. Keenan drops back and falls into a trot, his large, tawny head bobbing and eyes narrowed viciously on the blurred form of Elijah.
“What’s happening?” Trinity asks as she walks over, a flute of sparkling wine clutched tight in one hand.
“Keenan,” I say, swallowing hard. “Elijah might win the race, but there’s no real finish line. Once they’re both in the stadium they have to–they have to fight.”
Trinity looks down through the glass as Elijah runs toward the center of the stadium, triumphant.
“He can fight,” Trinity says, more to herself. There’s a tremble in her voice as she says it, a flicker of desperate hope. “He can.”
“Keenan is a highly trained warrior,” Isla says slowly, looking up at me.
“Yes, and there is where he’ll shine,” I say, grinding my teeth. Keenan enters the stadium slowly and comes to a stop several yards away from Elijah, who is pacing back and forth.
I have the power to call off this final trial at any point and declare a winner.
But I know in my soul these men will fight to the death. I may not have time to intervene.
Trinity squeaks and drops her wine as Keenan lunges at Elijah, his massive jaw locking around Elijah’s throat as they crash to the ground. Glass shards scatter across the floor as she presses her hands to her mouth while the wolves tear each other to shreds below us.
Elijah suffers another blow, this one sending him rolling across the clipped grass in a blur of black fur and blood. His body comes to a stop, a soft breeze rustling through his fur.
He isn’t moving.