Chapter 25 The Refusal

• "Every eye burned into me, waiting for my answer."
• The world seemed to shrink until it contained only two souls suspended in a moment that would define everything that came after.
• Darius stood in the center of the blood-stained arena, crimson still streaked down his jaw from Gideon's brutal assault, but his golden eyes remained unflinching despite the pain he had to be feeling. His hand extended toward me with the formal grace demanded by tradition—strong and commanding as befitted an Alpha heir, but not entirely steady.