Amani entered her tent, her eyes landing on Malakai sitting on the cot, just as she expected. She had figured he’d be here, a respite away from the crowd. His hand traced the healed wound on his abdomen, though he quickly pulled his shirt down the moment she entered, trying to keep her from worrying more than she already did.
She crossed the tent, her gaze lingering on him as she sat beside him on the cot. “Doesn’t look like that scar is going away any time soon,” she said softly, her tone laced with concern.
“I don’t care about the scar,” he replied, his voice low and distracted.
“There won’t be a war,” Malakai said, his tone distant and resigned. “So, you can call off your troops. Let them rest for the night.”
Amani stared at him, confusion clouding her features. “What do you mean?”
Malakai sighed, the weight of his decision heavy in the air. “I’ve sent word to the Council,” he explained, his voice darkened with grim resolve. “And we’ve come to an agreement.”
Amani’s breath caught in her throat, The reality of his words slamming into her, leaving the air between them thick with dread. “Kai, no…” she whispered, her words strained with emotion. “That is a fight to the death.”
Amani’s heart skipped a beat, her breath catchingin her throat. “You know?”
His gaze softened slightly, the edge in his voice giving way to something more tender. “Yes,” he said, his tone firm but filled with a deep resolve. “Which is why I must do this, Amani. For us… and for the future of our child.”
Amani’s voice trembled, her hands gripping the edge of the cot as her heart pounded in her chest.“Kai, I almost lost you. You were practically on your deathbed.” Her voice cracked as the memory flashed before her eyes. “If I lose you… I will die of a broken heart. I won’t let you do this.”
Tears streamed down Amani’s face, her body trembling with emotion. She pulled away slightly, her eyes blazing with fury. “How dare you make this decision without speaking to me first,” she spat, her voice thick with anger. The betrayal cut deep, stoking a fire in her that even her love for him couldn’t extinguish in that moment.
Malakai gently wiped her tears with his thumb, his gaze steady. “Have a little faith in me, my love,” he murmured, his voice soft, yet filled with finality.
But even as he tried to reassure her, the weight of his decision hovered over them like a shadow that couldn’t be lifted.
“When?” Amani asked, her vision blurred bythe tears in her eyes.
Her heart sank like a stone, her mind clinging to the desperate hope that this was nothing more than a terriblenightmare. She longed to wake up, to reach out and pull him back from the edge of this irreversible decision.But she knew—perhaps better than anyone—the law that governed the brutal tradition of the Battle of the Alphas.
It was the same tradition that had shaped her own family’s legacy, the way Alpha Saul had obtained control of Bloodmoon from the iron grip of his own corrupt father. This challenge, once agreed upon by two Alphas, was absolute, bound by blood and honor, overseen by the unyielding eyes of the Royal Council. There was no room for negotiation, no escape from the outcome. The battle’s victor would not be determined by strategy or mercy—but by the simple, savage truth of survival. Whoever was left breathing would rule over that territory.
Malakai stroked his fingers gently through her hair, tucking a loose strand behind her ear. “I’ll go and inform Darius and Archer of the new development,” he murmured, his fingers tracing the soft curve of her cheek before settling on her bottom lip, his touch tender yet bittersweet.
Without another word, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both a promiseand a farewell. When he pulled back, a small smile curved his lips—fragile, as if it could break at any moment. Then he stood from the cot and made his way to the tent’s entrance.
Amani’s chest tightened as she watched him walk away, the heavy flap of the tent falling closed behind him. The dread that had been simmering beneath her emotions settled deep within her stomach, its grip cold and suffocating. She stared after him, her thoughts a storm of worry, fear, and helplessness.
The dawn would come soon enough, and with it, a fate she wasn’t ready to face.