Chapter 29

Sophia Hope

The next day, Drew is a faint thought in the back of my mind as I gather my things for the cage fight tonight. I hope the female shifter I had to face the last time I was in the ring doesn't make an appearance.

I don't have to work at the bar this evening, so I head straight over to the boxing gym. I'm going to be quite early for my match, but I still have to sign my contract with Mathew.

When I get there, there's already a fight taking place, and I enter through the back door. After dumping my bag in my dressing room, I make my way to Mathew's office.

He's doing some paperwork, which is odd since he's always out front when there's a match happening. When I enter, he looks up.

"I thought you'd be watching the fight," I say, blinking in surprise. "I was just going to pick up my contract. When I called this morning, you said it would be on your desk."

Mathew gives me a smile. "Come on in." He seems to be in a cheerful mood. "I wrote up your contract, but let's sign it after your match tonight," he says, gesturing toward the empty chair across from him.

As I sit, I ask hesitantly, "You're not upset about me leaving after one more year?"

He chuckles. "It's not going to be a problem. Have you really managed to save up a decent amount of money? That is what you were planning, after all."

"A somewhat decent amount," I reply vaguely. "But it's not just about the money, Mathew. Like I told you before, my body can only take so much wear and tear before it collapses. That's one of the main reasons I feel I need to stop after this next year."

Mathew leans back in his chair and studies me. "I could offer you more money, you know."

"If I wanted more money, I would have asked for it." I smile at him, not insulted that he's ignoring what I just said about my body. "But I also need to make sure I don't damage myself too much. Even though my strength is greater than a human's, I still have to take punches and kicks to keep up the fa?ade. It's not like those blows don't cause any harm."

Mathew sighs. "You're right. Well, let's have a drink then, to commemorate our last year together."

He heads over to his liquor cabinet and takes out a bottle of whiskey and two shot glasses. I look around his office as he pours each of us a drink.

"Alcohol before a fight?" I ask cautiously. "That might impair my judgment."

"Nonsense!" Mathew booms as he sits back down. "Even with impaired judgment, you will still always come out on top. Now, come on. I'm not drinking alone."

He lifts his glass and, left with no choice, I lift mine as well.

"Here's to another fruitful year of working together!" I toss my shot down my throat, and Mathew beams at me. "Excellent. Now go get ready in your dressing room. I'll come get you when it's your turn to fight."

His words throw me off. "What do you mean? Isn't there a schedule? Just tell me what time the fight is, and I'll come out then, like I usually do."

"Not tonight." Mathew rests his cheek against his fist, watching me. "There's a new fighter I'm trying out, and it's hard to say how much time she'll need. I'll fetch you. Don't worry."

"Okay." I get to my feet. "Or I could watch—"

"No need. Just stay put and trust me."

I head back to my dressing room, finding the whole situation bizarre. After putting on my fighting gear, I sit down to wait.

I expect Mathew to show up in half an hour or an hour, but no luck. I'm starting to feel tired, and I yawn multiple times, the urge to sleep becoming overwhelming. I just want this fight to be over so I can go home and lie down. It's getting to be quite late when I finally lose my patience and decide to go see what's going on. I make my way to the end of the hallway and the door that opens into the arena. I'll have a clear view of the fight from there.

Mask in place, I push open the door and watch. Nobody can see me, but I can see everyone.

There are two people in the ring, and I recognize one of them. It's the Beaver, the female opponent I faced a couple matches ago. She was a professional and skilled fighter.

Hold on…Wasn't I supposed to fight her tonight?

Why is she fighting somebody else?

The Beaver's opponent has her back to me, but I can tell she's wearing the same outfit I am: a black tank top and tights. I can't see her face. Suddenly, she tosses the Beaver to the ground and turns around.

A shock wave passes through me.

Her mask! It's the same as mine!

What is going on here?!

The crowd is cheering her on.

Nobody seems to realize it's not me in the ring. Where is Mathew? Does he know about this?

My eyes search for him, and I see him watching the match from the opposite doorway, a smug smile on his face.

What is he up to? Is he replacing me with this woman? It's not like I'm overly attached to the identity of the Wily Vixen, but this doesn't make sense. Why wouldn't he simply tell me he was training somebody else under my stage name?

No. There's something else going on. This is way too strange.

My eyes flick back to the fight taking place, and the woman wearing my gear is now pummeling the Beaver. Her attacks are ruthless and oddly familiar. She isn't even giving her opponent a chance to breathe.

Wait, what is she doing? My body stiffens.

Even the most inexperienced fighter knows that once an opponent goes down, you're not supposed to attack them.

The Beaver is no longer moving. And the other fighter is still beating her ruthlessly.

She's going to kill her!

I take a step forward to intervene when I realize it's too late. Horror courses through me.

From the way the Beaver's body is jerking with each punch, I can see that she's already long gone. Her mask has slipped off, and her eyes are open and faded. She's not reacting anymore, but the woman wearing my mask is not stopping. A tense silence is falling over the crowd. They're seeing the same thing as I am.

Why isn't Mathew doing anything?!

"Somebody stop her!" a voice screams from the crowd.

"She's killed her!"

"What the hell is going on?!"

Why would Mathew—

Suddenly, it hits me why I found the fighter's movements so familiar. It's the same shifter who was in the cage with me last time. I warned Mathew not to let her back in. There was something deranged about her attacks.

"Stop her!" People are shrieking now, some trying to open one of the doors to the cage. They finally succeed.

But the fighter with my mask rushes out of the cage, heading straight toward me. She sees me, and I try to stop her, but she unsheathes her claws, swiping at me. I jump out of the way, and she runs past me. As she does, I hear laughter coming from her.

Stunned and shocked, I stay put after she disappears into the corridor.

"There she is!"

I recognize the voice as Mathew's, and my head swivels toward the crowd of people approaching me. Mathew is leading them, glee in his eyes.

What is he doing? Why is he pointing at me?

"It's her!" he shouts. "She's just standing there! Grab her!"

Instinct is telling me to run, but I'm frozen in place.

No! He knows it's me! Why is he leading them toward me?

And why is he smiling like that?

What have I gotten myself into?

My head feels groggy now. My tongue is thick in my mouth, and all my senses are turning dull.

The crowd is making its way toward me, and fear strikes me in the heart. Why aren't my legs moving? I need to run!

Two figures wearing cloaks dart out from the crowd at a speed a normal human eye cannot detect. One of them grabs my hand and pulls me along with him. The other person runs alongside us.

"Somebody stop them!" Mathew screams, sounding furious now. "They're getting away! Stop that murderer!"

I can hear the stampede behind us, and I'm trembling uncontrollably. But the man pulling me along with him isn't stopping.

"Get her things!" he orders his companion, and my head jerks up to look at him.

Alex?

He doesn't stop moving. He's basically dragging me behind him at this point, as I can't keep up with his speed.

His companion darts into my dressing room, but Alex keeps going, leaving the man behind.

"Wait!" I look over my shoulder. "What about him?!"

"He's going to be fine," Alex says tersely. "Don't even think about stopping."

We run out the back of the building, and I see three familiar faces moving toward us.

"A-Alex…" I stammer.

The three members of the pack security team shift into their wolf forms.

My mind is in shambles. I don't understand what is happening. How could things go so wrong so quickly? Why is Mathew doing this? And how did he involve the pack security?

Alex doesn't stop even when faced with this new threat. His grip on my hand tightens.

"Make sure your mask doesn't fall off. And trust me. I'm going to get you out of here."

His speed is so fast that even the wolves aren't able to keep up with him.

They race after us, and then suddenly, out of nowhere, three large, black wolves appear and attack the brown ones. As they fight each other, Alex keeps pulling me away, until we're out of sight. He comes to a staggering halt before ripping his cloak off. He wraps it around me and then shifts. I understand his intention immediately. He wants me to climb on his back.

I do so, and when he starts to run, my fingers dig into his fur and I bury my face in his neck. I've never been so terrified. My heart is pounding, my blood buzzing. My wolf is anxious and nervous, yet secure in Alex's presence.

I'm worried about his companions. I'm concerned the one we left behind is still stuck inside the building. I don't understand why that female shifter killed the Beaver. And why was Mathew leading everyone toward me? Nothing makes sense.

We race through the trees, heading deeper into the forest. Alex is not taking me to my apartment; he's going somewhere else. We head further and further into the woods, and soon enough, Alex slows down, and then I hear footfalls behind us. It's the black wolves, all three of them covered in blood. I hope it's not theirs.

When we come to a stop, the three black wolves turn their backs to us and face the other way, on guard. Alex shifts back to his human form, and then he's cradling me in his arms. After lowering me to the ground, he doesn't let go. "Are you all right?"

"I think I'm going to be sick," I blurt before breaking free of him and stumbling to the bushes. Lifting my mask up over my mouth and nose, I throw up.

I can feel Alex's hand rubbing my back. "Just breathe."

I still feel groggy and nauseated.

I don't know what's happening to me.

"I—"

I barely say one word before I vomit again. My stomach now empty of its contents, I lean against Alex, feeling weak.

"I've got you," Alex says firmly.

He's not looking at my face, but I immediately pull my mask back down.

"You don't need to bother with that anymore, Sophia. I figured out who you were a while back."

I go still. When he reaches out to remove my mask, I don't fight him.

"Why didn't you say anything?" I feel awkward, watching him study the worn, old, fox mask.

"I felt guilty about your injuries," Alex admits. "That day you came back to the apartment, all beaten and bruised, it was because of me. Also, I sort of hoped you would tell me yourself. It was your secret to tell, after all. I knew you'd gone to great lengths to hide your identity, and I wanted you to be the one to reveal it."

I ignore what he's implying. He hoped I would trust him enough to put my safety at risk. Fat chance.

"If you knew it was me, why did you come to the arena today?"

"Because of Julia," Alex replies grimly. "Remember the female shifter you fought last time you were in the ring?"

"Your people were watching?"

"They were. And that fighter was Julia. She noticed my interest in the Wily Vixen and decided she was a threat. Her plan was probably to kill the Wily Vixen in the ring that night, but luckily, you were too good for that. Julia has been acting rather secretive lately, avoiding us. I knew she was up to something, but I didn't realize what till it was too late."

"How did you know Julia was going to be here tonight?" I ask, looking over his shoulder at the three black wolves who still have their backs to us. Now it feels like they're simply giving us privacy for this conversation.

"Nathan. He's been keeping an eye on Julia. When she left the motel tonight, he and I followed her, but we couldn't enter through the back of the building because of the pack security guys prowling around. So, we came in the front door as spectators. I don't think Julia knows the Wily Vixen's identity; she would've simply revealed it to the security team. I think her plan was to get you captured and out of her way."

I'm starting to see where he is headed with this story. Julia was the female shifter I fought? I knew that opponent was crazy!

Alex keeps going. "When the Wily Vixen entered the ring, I immediately knew it wasn't you. It was just the way she walked. And then, when she started attacking her opponent so viciously, I knew something was up. I contacted the others just in case and told them to keep an eye on the back door to the arena. I didn't know if Julia had sent word to your pack's security team, but I had a feeling there was going to be some sort of raid tonight, and I wasn't about to leave you in there by yourself."

He runs his fingers through his hair, looking agitated. "Of course, I didn't know exactly what she had planned. Just as she was about to kill that other fighter, the Beaver, she looked at someone in the crowd: the owner of the boxing gym. I'd figured out who he was the last time I was there. Anyway, that's when I knew something was up. I'm just glad we got you out of there."

All the air leaves my body as Alex confirms what I've been guessing. I sink down on the log next to me. Staring blankly at the ground, I bury my head in my hands. "So, that was Mathew's plan."

All these years, I fought for him. I thought we were close. I thought I could trust him. Maybe Elsa was right; I really am na?ve when it comes to people. Stabbing me in the back like this is something I never imagined Mathew doing. Of all people, I never thought it would be him. He risked his cage fighting ring business to do this to me. Now, even the human authorities will be looking into what happened.

"He knows my identity," I breathe. "He knows who I am and where I live. He's going to hold that information hostage."

"What do you mean?" When I don't answer, Alex crouches at my side, grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him. "What are you talking about, Sophia?"

"Mathew. The only reason I was taking part in the cage matches was to make money. I want to buy my freedom from the South Alliance. You know there's no other way to escape, aside from buying my way out. I was saving up for it. But fighting was becoming very dangerous in more ways than one: my identity could have been leaked, and my body was suffering. Plus, I was tired of it. Always having to get kicked and punched; I just didn't want to do it anymore. When you guys kept sniffing around, I was constantly scared that I would be discovered. I don't want to live like that anymore."

Wearily, I push Alex's hand aside.

"Mathew wanted me to sign a new contract, and that's when I told him I didn't want to stay on for more than another year. I hoped I would have enough saved by then, and if not, I would make the rest of the money by cutting costs and working odd jobs. And then…" I recall Mathew's behavior when I went to see him the other day. "He was acting very off. He wouldn't let me read the contract. Today, he told me I could sign the new one he'd drafted, but not until after the fight. He sent me back to my dressing room, telling me not to enter the arena until he came to get me. He must've given Julia a mask and clothes just like mine."

I run my hands over my face, resigning myself to the situation. "He's going to tell the pack security who I am, Alex. I'm done for. This isn't something that can be overlooked. Shifters fighting humans is not allowed. I break pack law every time, and he knows it." Anxiety is building up within me now. "What do I do? How do I escape? They're going to be looking for me soon enough."

"You said he might hold the information hostage, though," Alex probes. "Why would he do that?"

"Because I make him a lot of money," I hiss. "If he holds the threat of disclosing my identity over my head, he can force me to fight for him. Not as the Wily Vixen anymore, of course. Not after what ‘she' did tonight. But Mathew knows the risks I face if my identity is leaked to the pack security. He could even stop paying me. It doesn't matter to him how much my body suffers. He makes far too much money off of it to care. I've seen his books; he doesn't pay me a fraction of what I bring in." My hands grab hold of my head above each temple. "I'm screwed whether Mathew outs me or not."

"It's going to be fine," Alex tells me. "Nothing is going to happen to you."

"You don't understand!" I give him an aggrieved look as my hands drop to my lap. "You are going to be gone soon! You have no idea what my situation is like—"

"I'm telling you, nothing is going to happen to you!" Alex says firmly, grasping my shoulder. "I will deal with this."

I push away his hand once again. "I don't want you to deal with anything. I don't want you trying to fix my problems. You have your own problems to deal with. I—I have to figure this out myself."

Alex growls as I get to my feet, grabbing my hand when I try to walk away. "Is it that hard to accept help from me?"

"Yes!" I whirl around and glare at him. "It is hard. It's hard because you're making me dependent on you, and that's the last thing I need."

My words rock him. I can see it in his face. Dammit! I keep messing things up.

"Thank you for saving me, Alex. For helping."

I try to breathe through the panic and find some semblance of calm. I am so sick and tired of hurting Alex with my words. I just need to do one thing right. Everything else is collapsing around me.

"Thank you, but I cannot lean on you. I have to take care of myself. I'm not a complete lost cause; I will figure something out. There has to be a way out."

I'm rambling now, but I'm mostly just trying to convince myself. I decide that I have to get out of here right now; I can't be near Alex. He's good to me, but I'll say something else, and then he's going to have that hurt look in his eyes again. I don't want to keep doing the same song and dance.

I turn around to leave when I see Nathan walking past the black wolves.

He tosses my backpack at me. "Where are you going?"

The other black wolves shift, and I see Jared, Saul, and Patrick.

"Thanks for all your help. I'm leaving. This is my problem, not yours."

I've only taken two steps when Nathan blocks my path. "Your problem is our problem. You're Alex's mate, after all."

For a moment, I gape at him. "Did you hit your head somewhere?"

His face turns red. "No! But Alex cares about you, so no one here is going to let you go deal with your messed up life all by yourself."

"Thanks for the concern," I say dryly, not sure I buy his words. "But it would be better if you leave me and my messed up life alone. Alex and I have already decided that we are not going to be mates. So, unless you're saying that to rub it in my face—"

"That's not what he meant." Patrick speaks up now, putting one hand on Nathan's shoulder. "This is a decision we all made. Because if we let him, Alex will rip out his own heart and give it to us. What you said the other day was true; none of us were thinking about Alex's well-being. We were solely focused on ourselves and what would benefit us. And by us, I mean the pack. Alex has never asked for anything in return. He has given up everything for the pack. We're not going to let him lose you, too."

Saul nods. "We need the Silver Wolf, yes. And we want to keep looking for her. But we are going to ask her to help us. Even if that means emptying the pack's treasury if we have to. But we will not sacrifice our Alpha to get her."

I don't understand. I look at them, confused by what they're saying. They don't mean it. This must be some sick joke.

"Your sister, Nathan…" My mouth has gone dry. "You have to save your sister."

His hand curls into a fist by his side. "We will find a way. I'll figure something out. But—" he looks forlorn now— "I was wrong when I said the pack would never accept you. You were willing to help us even though it meant you had to find another woman for your own fated mate. You did it for our pack. And you did it for Alex. You did it for us. You never complained. Our pack would be lucky to have somebody like you as Alpha Female."

Jared laughs suddenly. "And more importantly, Sophia, our Alpha is madly in love with you. I don't think he would survive without you. You don't have to worry about this town anymore. We plan to bring you home with us."

I look at Alex, unable to believe my ears. There has to be a catch. Good things don't happen to me like this. And despite what all of them are saying, Alex hasn't spoken even once. He's watching me, his expression unreadable.

He approaches me when he sees me looking his way.

"I've made a lot of sacrifices for my people, Sophia. But I'll be honest with you: I asked Patrick to step up as Alpha. The thought of losing you was too much. I couldn't leave you behind here. I was willing to relinquish my position to my second-in-command in order to be with you. I know things haven't all been rosy between us, but walking away from you is something I can't even fathom doing. So, don't ask me to."

My eyes feel wet as he takes my hands in his. "I don't care if your wolf is latent or you have three horns on your head. I know you don't trust people easily, and I know you most likely don't trust me, either, after what I've put you through, but—"

"That's not—" I begin, my heart full to the point of bursting.

Alex cuts me off. "I haven't been fair to you. I know that. And I hurt you when I should have been the one to protect your heart. I know you have a huge heart. You keep hiding it, but I can see it. I don't want to experience the rest of my life without you by my side."

"This isn't…" My eyes flick between Alex and his friends standing behind me. "This isn't fair. You're ambushing me. I'm not going to let you—"

My head is spinning. I'm trying not to cry. Good things simply don't happen to me. And now that something I secretly wished for is happening, I don't know how to feel. I should still be angry with Alex. I want to be angry with him. But am I? I'm torn between how I actually feel and how I think I should feel.

I've been so miserable, so broken, and now he's saying all of this? It's not fair!

"What am I supposed to do if you change your mind?" All of a sudden, the words come pouring out of me. "What if you suddenly decide that you want the Silver Wolf after all? You can't do this to me, Alex. You can't play with my emotions like this. I don't—"

"I don't want the Silver Wolf, Sophia. I only want you."

"But what if?" I insist, desperate to hear him admit it. All I keep thinking is that these sorts of things don't happen to me. I'm scared. I'm scared of what he's offering me because I know, if I reach out and grasp it, I'll have every bit of happiness I've ever craved. But what if I lose that happiness later?

Alex cups my face, his voice gentle. "You're thinking too much."

"No, I'm not." I try to sound firm, but even as I do, my voice cracks. "I have to protect myself."

"I understand that you've done that your whole life, Sophia," Alex says quietly. "But I can also protect you."

"I—"

"We'll give you guys a minute," Jared says, ushering everybody else away. "We'll keep guard."

Once we're alone, Alex squeezes my hands. "I know you don't trust me."

"I don't even trust myself, Alex. I am not the right fit for you. I don't know anything. You're better off with—"

"But I don't want her." His voice is resolute. "What does she have that you don't?"

"Power," I say, having already thought about the answer to that question. "For starters. She can help you save your pack. I can't do that."

"I will still find a way to save my people, Sophia. I'm not going to sacrifice my happiness. Ever since my parents died, ever since I was handed this enormous responsibility, I've never once lived for myself. When I see you, I want to do that. I want to live for myself. I want to live for you. I never understood the word ‘lonely' till I met you and then we were apart. I've tried my hardest to do the right thing for my pack, but I can't do it alone anymore. I can't do this without you. I need you."

"I can't help you, Alex," I try to tell him, helplessly.

"All you have to do is exist," he breathes. "All you have to do is look at me. All I need you to do is stand by my side. I don't care what you can or can't do, as long as you're with me. As long as I can touch you and hear your voice, that's all I need."

His words break down the last barrier around my heart. As long as I exist, it's enough for him. He doesn't want anything from me; he just wants me. I want to believe him. I've spent my whole life wishing somebody would want me for me. Finally hearing those words, it breaks me. But as it breaks me, it also completes me.

"Why are you crying?" Alex wipes away my tears, looking horrified. "Is it something I said?"

I shake my head. "I'm not…I'm not good at this. I mean—"

"You don't have to explain." Alex smiles softly as his arms come to wrap around me. "You don't have to explain anything. I understand."

I don't push him away this time. When he holds my chin with his thumb and forefinger and presses his lips against mine, my heart soars. There's no explosion of heat like when he kissed me before. Instead, there's a slow building of warmth within me, something I can only identify as happiness.

A happiness that I want to cherish.