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“I challenge you to a duel,” Raider snarled.
“Raider!” I shouted. “He’s already shown himself!”
There wasn’t supposed to be a duel.
Rider turned around, facing his brother. He let out a dark chuckle.
“Raider,” he said. “I accept your duel.”
CHAPTER20
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Raider
I felt rage as I stared at my brother. I saw him press the gun against Mari’s back and almost lost it.
The fact that he had come up on stage to threaten her like that in front of everyone meant that he was too far gone.
I glowered, taking a step closer to him.
Clearly he didn't care what happened now. I wasn't sure what I had done for us to come to this point. He was my brother, after all.
But, he had threatened my mate.
He wouldn’t take anyone or anything else from me again.
Rider let out a low growl, facing me. The two of us squared off. My fingers itched, ready to grab my guns if needed, but Mari had to get out of the way.
“I can smell the bond,” he sneered. “Was it worth it? Mating with a human? Did you really believe I wanted her in the first place? I planted those lies with the guard. I never cared. I just wanted to create more evidence to point to you being the bad guy.”
“You don't need to do this, Raider,” Mari said. “We already got him to confess. There's no reason for a duel!”
I felt a flicker of worry. I hated distressing her, but the rules here were different. Fighting him was the only way now.
Rider laughed. He turned, giving her a demeaning look. “Do you not know how it works here, princess? If he doesn't challenge me to a duel, then all of the stuff that I blamed him for still stands. Our justice system isn't like yours on your stupid planet.”
I snarled. “Stop talking to her.”
She glared at him. “But you've just proved that you're not the good guy. You've been lying to the people on your planet.”
“None of that matters,” he snarled. “You think any of them care? I’m their ambassador. That’s all they care about.”
“Mari,” I said. “I can do this, sugar. But I need you to get off the stage.”
“I’m not leaving you,” she said. Her voice was shaking.
I hated seeing her like this, knowing that she was scared that I would fail.
But, there was no way that I would.
Everything was riding on me beating him. I wanted a future with her, a life with her. I wanted to finally be able to live after all this time.
I wanted Rider out of my life.
Now that I had him in front of me, I could feel all the anger and frustration that built for years coming to the surface.
We had to go through with this duel.
