Chapter 4
855words
The underground fight club operated from an abandoned warehouse near the docks.
A hidden playground for supernatural beings—
Vampires and werewolves could openly compete here without worrying about discovery by ordinary humans.
A massive iron cage dominated the center, surrounded by tiered seating.
Many familiar faces had come.
I'd brought Sebastian to social events before without much reaction—everyone assumed he was just my latest plaything.
But today, seeing Sebastian beside me, their gazes paused before they began whispering.
"Dominic's back in town. This should be good!"
"Dominic? That Grey Pack Alpha?"
"Yeah. Word is he and Isabelle are Fated Mates. They were supposed to complete the ceremony before everything went south."
"And now Isabelle's got a vampire by her side… this should be interesting."
The voices weren't loud, but they reached my ears perfectly.
I shot a worried glance at Sebastian.
He betrayed no reaction, eyes downcast, those impossibly long lashes stark against his pale skin.
Quietly holding my hand.
That perpetually cold hand.
I squeezed back, oddly comforted.
Though amateur fights, I watched with fierce intensity, screaming myself hoarse.
Sebastian timely offered me water.
As the fight ended, an unnatural hush fell over the crowd.
Everyone turned toward the entrance.
I followed their stares—
A tall figure stood in the warehouse doorway.
Backlit, features hidden in shadow.
Yet his overwhelming presence stole the breath from every throat.
He advanced, each step deliberate.
Light gradually revealed his features.
Dark hair. Amber eyes. Features sharp enough to cut glass.
Dominic.
His gaze swept the venue before finding me.
Or more precisely, Sebastian beside me.
The air crackled with tension.
In an instant—
His eyes transformed.
Amber melted into molten gold.
A wolf's eyes.
Wild. Lethal.
The crowd parted like the Red Sea.
No one dared obstruct an Alpha's path.
Dominic strode to the center of the arena and halted.
"Anyone feeling brave tonight?" He surveyed the crowd, voice dripping with challenge.
Silence answered him.
He sneered. "Pathetic."
His gaze locked onto Sebastian.
"You. Bloodsucker."
Sebastian remained perfectly still.
"Scared?" Dominic continued his provocation. "Or do you only know how to hide behind women and drink blood?"
The crowd erupted.
I stood. "Dominic, that's enough!"
He didn't even glance my way. Those golden wolf eyes remained fixed on Sebastian.
"What's the matter? No spine?"
Sebastian finally stood.
He looked at me once, expression gentle. "I'll be quick. Right back."
"Sebastian..."
He was already striding toward the center of the arena.
The two men squared off.
One tall and powerfully built, every muscle coiled with tension.
One lean and pale, elegant as ancient nobility.
Werewolf and vampire.
Natural enemies.
The referee raised his hand to signal the start—
Dominic lunged.
So fast he blurred before my eyes.
In a heartbeat, he'd transformed into a massive black wolf.
Hurtling straight for Sebastian's throat.
"Sebastian!" I screamed.
Sebastian's form blurred.
Vampires had their own supernatural speed.
He evaded the wolf's initial lunge.
But Dominic pivoted instantly, claws slashing in a vicious arc.
This time, Sebastian couldn't completely dodge.
Wolf claws raked across his shoulder, tearing through cloth, leaving three bloody marks.
Blood flowed out.
Black blood.
Vampire blood was black.
Sebastian frowned slightly but didn't counterattack.
He just kept dodging.
The wolf's attacks grew increasingly savage.
Each strike aimed to maim or kill.
After another brutal assault—
The black wolf froze, poised before Sebastian.
Massive wolf paw suspended above his throat, razor-sharp claws less than an inch from that pale skin.
Sebastian looked up, calmly meeting the black wolf's gaze.
No fear.
The wolf's golden eyes bored into him, a threatening growl rumbling from deep in its chest.
The message clear: Is this all you've got?
The black wolf shimmered and reverted to human form.
Dominic towered over Sebastian, lips curled in contempt.
"The Ashford heiress has pathetic taste."
"A vampire who can't even defend his woman—what right does he have to stand beside her?"
I shoved through the crowd, planting myself between them.
"Dominic! Apologize to Sebastian, now!"
Dominic's gaze finally shifted to me.
"Apologize?" He barked a laugh. "To a bloodsucker? Have you lost your mind?"
Bloodsucker—the werewolves' favorite slur for vampires.
Because vampires survived on blood.
"Sebastian is not a bloodsucker!" Rage boiled through me. "He is my—"
I drew a deep breath.
And announced to the entire room:
"He is my partner!"
Dominic's pupils contracted to pinpoints.
Those golden wolf eyes flashed back, narrowing to dangerous slits.
An even stronger oppressive aura surged forward.
The humans in the crowd staggered backward, unable to withstand the pressure.
I gritted my teeth, standing my ground against the onslaught.
"Partner?" He spat each syllable. "Isabelle, what did you just say?"
"You heard me." I grabbed Sebastian's hand—
Cold as winter, but I gripped it firmly.
"Sebastian is my partner. Now apologize to him."
Dominic's gaze fixed on our intertwined fingers.
His expression darkened like a gathering storm.
Without another word, he turned and stalked away.
Throwing one last sentence over his shoulder:
"Isabelle, you'll regret this."
I tugged Sebastian after me, and under the weight of countless stares, we walked out together.
