CHAPTER 45: CHAPTER 45: THE FIGHT

Zane’s murderous glare could have set the entire courtyard ablaze on its own. His golden fire roared to life around him, licking up his arms and shoulders until he looked like a blazing spirit descending from the heavens. The ground beneath his feet seemed to crackle from the sheer heat radiating off him as he took a step forward.

Ryker, who was never one to back down from a fight—especially not if that fight was with Zane—tightened his fist until his knuckles whitened. His lips curled into something between a smirk and a snarl as he charged forward to meet Zane head-on.

Their fists connected simultaneously.

A wave of heat burned across Ryker’s face, so hot it made his skin sear, and he could smell it—like burnt toast. But Ryker didn’t stop. The force of his punch sent Zane flying back once more, crashing against the same tree he had been perched in earlier.

The noise of the fight was loud enough to draw attention from nearby students. Soon a small crowd began to gather, whispering excitedly to each other. Among them was Ashton, who looked positively thrilled.

"Oh, this is too good!" Ashton grinned, already taking off at a sprint toward one of the hall nearer to the place the fight is taking place. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Everyone! Hurry! Zane and Ryker are fighting! You do not want to miss this legendary moment!"

Students peeked out from classrooms and corridors at the announcement, confusion quickly turning to curiosity.

"Wait, really?" one student asked Ashton, stopping him mid-stride. "Are they really fighting? Where?"

"By the big oak tree near the Herb Hall!" Ashton yelled over his shoulder as he kept running.

The moment the location was shared, students began rushing toward the site like moths to a flame. Ashton could barely contain his giddiness as he raced back. "I’ve always wanted to know who’s stronger between them," he muttered under his breath, almost laughing. "I never thought I’d get front row seats to this!"

When Ashton arrived, Ryker and Zane were still at it. Zane stood, his body healing at an unnatural speed as his bones reset with audible cracks, the golden fire around him blazing even hotter. Meanwhile, Ryker’s face—previously scorched—was already mending itself as fresh skin rapidly grew back. Wolves healed quickly, but watching it happen this fast was still unnerving.

Zane didn’t waste a second. He charged again, his flaming fist ready to strike, and Ryker mirrored him, his body coiled to deliver another devastating blow. Their fists were about to collide again when suddenly both froze in place.

It was as if invisible chains had locked them where they stood.

A faint shimmering ripple opened in the air near them, and a portal tore into existence. From it stepped a tall, elegant woman dressed neatly in the skyline school uniform that glittered faintly in the sunlight.

The students gasped.

"It’s Seraphina!" someone whispered, awe-struck.

Ryker’s jaw clenched. He hated that he’d been so focused on the fight that he hadn’t sensed her approach. Seraphina, his fiancée, stood with a calm expression that didn’t quite mask the irritation simmering in her eyes. She had clearly been the one to cast the movement-stop spell.

Zane didn’t take kindly to it either. He turned his head sharply toward her, glaring.

"What do you think you’re doing?" he asked, his voice low and heated.

Seraphina glared back, her tone sharp as she answered. "Stopping the two of you from embarrassing yourselves any further. You’re supposed to be members of the Student Union Council, and instead you’re brawling in front of half the student body. We’re meant to uphold the rules, not break them."

Ryker didn’t bother looking at her. He simply waited until the spell faded and his body was free to move again. When it finally did, he stepped forward, heading straight for Zane as though Seraphina had never even spoken.

"Ryker, please!" Seraphina’s voice broke through, suddenly softer, almost pleading. "Stop fighting. My heart hurts when you get hurt."

The words made Ryker freeze—not out of affection, but because the sentiment made his stomach churn. He turned to her, his face dark, and glared.

The students nearby fell silent at the sharpness of his gaze. Seraphina’s confident expression faltered. She had expected Ryker to soften, not glare at her like that. The image she had so carefully crafted of the two of them being a perfect couple for years was crumbling, and everyone was watching.

Ryker looked away from her without a word and walked up to Zane, who still stood there, fists clenched, golden fire dancing around him.

"Stay away from him," Ryker said, his tone dead serious. "I mean it."

Zane snickered, his lips curling into a grin. "And why should I? What rule says I can’t pursue a gorgeous boy who doesn’t have a partner?"

Ryker groaned, a deep, low sound that was half frustration and half possessiveness. "He is mine," Ryker said, the words sharp as a blade.

Zane’s grin widened into a smirk. "Really? I’m pretty sure your fiancée standing behind you wouldn’t agree. Stop going after him, Ryker. I’ll take care of him, since he’s already made it clear he doesn’t want anything to do with you."

Neither of them mentioned Aiden’s name, both careful not to expose him. But that didn’t stop the students from piecing together that the cause of Aiden and Ryker’s fight was because of a guy. Whispers started spreading like wildfire through the crowd.

"Did he just say ’he’s mine’?" one girl gasped, clutching her friend’s arm.

"Who are they talking about?" someone else asked.

"No idea, but this is the juiciest gossip I’ve heard all year," another replied, eyes wide.

The whispers quickly turned to an uproar as more and more students demanded to know what was going on, and those who had heard every word repeated it eagerly. Soon, everyone had caught up with the gist.

All eyes turned to Seraphina.

Her face was dark with barely suppressed fury. For the first time, she felt the weight of the students’ pity as they stared at her. They were no longer looking at her like the perfect fiancée of the most sought-after boy in school—they were looking at her like someone who had just been humiliated.

Ryker didn’t care. His eyes never left Zane as he delivered his final warning. "Stay away from him," he said coldly. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

With that, Ryker turned and walked away.

Seraphina, still burning with humiliation, followed him quickly. She waited until they were far enough from the other students before stepping in front of him, forcing him to stop.

"What was that back there?" she demanded, her voice trembling with anger. "You humiliated me in front of everyone! Now the entire school will know, and I’ll be the laughingstock! Do you have any idea how embarrassing that is for me?"

Ryker didn’t bother to answer. He simply tried to step around her, but she blocked him again.

"Answer me!" Seraphina yelled.

Ryker finally stopped, his expression cold. "What exactly do you want me to say?" he asked flatly. "That I care? Because I don’t. Whether you’re embarrassed or not is none of my concern."

Seraphina’s hands curled into fists. She felt like she was going to lose her mind.

"But I’m your fiancée!" she shouted. "You’re supposed to care about me!"

Ryker’s expression didn’t change. He nodded once, his voice calm but cutting. "Yes. You are my fiancée. A fiancée I don’t want—and one I will never want."

Seraphina felt the blood drain from her face. The words struck like a physical blow.

For a long moment, there was only silence between them.