5 BONUS


    Julian’s POV


    I saw everything. Roman touching Amber’s face. Her reaching up to sp his wrist. Roman leaning down to kiss her with the fireworks going off behind them


    Inside, something broke. The dam I had built to hold back the flood of possessive and aggressive feelings inside of me cracked straight down the middle


    Unable to stop myself, and mostly unwilling to, after seeing this man put his hands and his mouth on my mate, I surged forward through the crowd. Grabbing Roman by the front of his shirt, I yanked him away from Amber and then punched him square in the face.


    Roman cupped his jaw a moment like he couldn’t quite believe what I’d done. But then, very quickly, she straightened, recovering, and seemed ready to fight back


    Good. I could use the exercise, and I’d finally have a decent target for all <b>this </b>pent up anger and


    frustration


    Yet, before another blow could bended, Rafael pushed through the crowd.


    “Roman!” Rafael said. “There’s no need for this. If you two want to fight, then do it the right way, through a challenge. Sort your differences out in the ring”


    *Julian,” Amber said, sounding like she wanted to say more, but I was beyond listening, even to her Everything was tinted red and all I could really feel was my rage surging through my veins


    “The winner gets to pursue Amber romantically,” Roman said, increasing the stakes.


    *Roman” Amber said, scolding him now. When he didn’t listen either, not giving her more than a passing nce, she turned her rage on Rafael “You have to stop this *


    “Why should I stop it?” Rafael asked. “It’s the perfect way for them to sort this out the werewolf way


    “The loser has to back off of her,” I said to Roman, thinking only of keeping this man away from my family


    Roman’s eyes shed red like mine “Agreed”


    “It’s decided then,” Rafael said


    “This is ridiculous!” Amber said. “I get to decide who I ept romantically, and no challenge is going to change that”


    “The rules of the challenge dictate – Bafael started.


    “To hell with the challenger Amber shouted. They might have agreed, but I didn’t Only I can decide


    Chogoter 199


    who I want, and right now, with how they are both acting, I don’t want either of them!”


    <b>Tuning </b>then, she grabbed Alice’s hand and pushed through the crowd, walking back to the ballroom in a sea of aquamarine skirts


    I wanted to follow her. I knew I should have. In my head, I knew the right thing would be to ept her


    words


    But the call of the challenge was instinctive inside of my werewolf bones. To back down now would be to <b>forfeit </b>my rights to pursue Amber, and make way for Roman to chase her as he wanted.


    <b>With </b><b>that </b>kiss… maybe she wanted that, maybe she didn’t.


    But my possessive rage couldn’t allow me to back down and allow another male toe in. Amber was my mate. She and Alice were my family.


    For their sake, for the sake of our future, I would fight in this challenge and I would win.


    So I stayed, even after Amber and Alice left.


    I red at Roman as I asked Rafael, “As the judge, you decide the time and ce.”


    Two days“<b>Rafael </b>said. “Right here in my backyard. I will prepare the challenge circle. Rest and prepare, both of you. I expect great things from a challenge between two Alphas, as will the audience. As will


    Amber.”


    I didn’t know if that was true. With how upset she seemed, I wasn’t sure she would even show up to the contest, let alone take sides.


    Why would she kiss Roman?


    The question ran through my mine again and again.


    I didn’t have any answers


    I stayed at Rafael’s long enough for the challenge to be official, to learn the specific time and logistics of


    the fight. Then, with everything agreed, I finally left the house and returned to the hotel.


    +15 BONU