Chapter 239

Samuel glances from me to Gladys and then finally to Caleb. “You agree to this challenge? You will fight me for Harper?”

“And for the kingdom,” Gladys says.

“I would, if in exchange you disappear and leave us all alone,” Caleb says.

Per the rules of the kingdom, any alpha can challenge the Alpha King for the right to the throne. It is not a complicated process, but it is dangerous, particularly for the challenger. He must be very confident in his strength and skill to stand up to the man who is known to be the strongest Alpha on the continent.

Even with me as an additional prize, Samuel hesitates slightly. His personal safety would be more assured if he hid behind his army, but with so many witnesses in the room, and with me on the line, his cowardice hasn’t quite seized the day just yet.

“Why are you hesitating?” Gladys snaps. “What is there to think about? Are you the leader of this rebellion, or aren’t you? You have been given the opportunity here to face the king, and to claim his throne and his consort. Yet you continue to hesitate. Are you so truly filled with cowardice?”

“No,” Samuel says finally, malice filling his voice. “I am no coward. I will fight the tyrant King and I will win.”

“Good,” Gladys says. To her butler, she says, “Tell our soldiers to stand down.” To Samuel once more, “I imagine we will hold the challenge in the courtyard? Those that follow both of us will want to bear witness.”

“Does this mean you finally stand with me and not against me?” Samuel asks her.

She smirks. “That depends on if you win.”

Samuel turns to his own soldiers. “Tell our side to stand down as well. Tell everyone to gather in the courtyard to bear witness to the rise of a new king.”

“We will meet you down there,” Caleb says. His own demeanor hasn’t changed, as if he is totally unfazed by Samuel’s words. Without fear or hesitation, he shows his back to Samuel. Then, placing his hand on my waist, he leads me to the stairwell.

Tristan and Bethany come with us, though they go on ahead, as I tug Caleb into a small alcove off the stairs to talk to him privately for a minute.

Caleb wastes no time in kissing me. His arms wrap protectively around my waist as his lips cover mine, coaxing mine open as his tongue slips into my mouth. I cling to his shoulders, my knees going weak.

Despite the many dangers around us and the worry that anyone could walk up and see us at any moment, I can’t help from returning the kiss with as much fervor as he’s giving it.

I love this man so strongly, I’d kiss him in the middle of a battlefield if he to, even covered in mud as I am. I must be disgusting, but he doesn’t care.

Perhaps he is feeling possessive, after Samuel looked at me the way he did. Or with the challenge, putting me on the line as a prize.

Caleb doesn’t like taking chances with me. He doesn’t like putting me in danger.

We are both confident in his abilities, but that might not be enough.

Which is why I wanted to talk to him secretly to begin with.

Forcing myself to inch back, away from his tempting mouth, I break the kiss. He tries to chase my lips for a moment, and it’s the most difficult thing in the world to turn away.

His kisses are addicting, but in this moment, what we need to convey to each other can’t be spoken while our tongues are tangled.

“Samuel is going to cheat,” I tell Caleb.

“I know,” Caleb replies.

He chases my mouth again, like he wants to kiss me once more, but I refuse to let him. I want to kiss him. Of course I do. But right now is for talking. Kissing can come later, when we are safely out of this mess.

After a moment, when he realizes I’m serious, he sighs.

“Samuel has increased in strength, but he is still no match for me in a fair fight. Even with you as a prize…” Caleb’s hands grip on me as he says those words, clearly hating them. “He would never have agreed if he did not believe he had a sure-fire way to win.”

I’m glad Caleb knew to be cautious, but going into the ring against Samuel when he knows the other is going to cheat feels like a foolhardy plan at best. Caleb is strong, but there’s no telling what tricks Samuel will pull.

With so much on the line, Caleb can’t afford to be reckless.

“The challenge has been accepted,” Caleb says. “I cannot back out now without forfeiting, nor will I. Even if he cheats, I will win against that vile little traitor.”

“How can you be so sure?”

He lifts a hand to cup my cheek. “Tristan will protect you.”

“I’m not worried about me!” I tell him. “I’m not the one he has to defeat, Caleb. He’s going to do something to you, and I can’t bear it… If something happens to you, I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Just like that, my nerves finally peek and I begin to tremble. I’ve held in the fear for so long, in the forest as we were being hunted, and even before that, since Bethany was taken. Now, with an uncertain resolution so near, everything feels like it’s coming to a head.

My anxiety and fear have merged into sharp, uncomfortable feelings, making my heart race, slamming against my ribcage.

Caleb, his hand still on my cheek, starts running his thumb back and forth, tracing the edge of my cheekbone.

“It pleases me that you worry for me,” he says. “But I do not like seeing you so agitated by this. You do trust me?”

“I do,” I tell him quickly. “Without question.”

“Then trust me to be able to handle this,” Caleb says. “There is nothing in the world that will keep me from losing this fight.”

Without knowing exactly what Samuel has planned, how can he possibly know that? How can he be so unshaking with confidence that he’s certain he’s going to win?

Samuel could poison him, or have a secret blade, or be planning for others to intervene. There’s no limits to his treachery.

Yet here Caleb is, his eyes softening as he looks at me. He’ll be a vicious warrior in the challenge, fighting for his kingdom and for me. Yet here, with me, he is the world’s most tender lover, holding me gently like I’m something too precious to risk breaking.

My heart swells with love for him. There is no one else for me. Only Caleb. However I can have him.

I was a fool to try to fight against that for so long. But I see it clearly now.

Caleb is not perfect, but he is my perfect match.

“I will defeat Samuel and return to your side, Harper,” he says. “My mate.”

My heart leaps into my throat.

“What did you say?” I ask.