Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 170

**Chapter 170**

A piercing NO! echoed in my mind, Mona’s voice a frantic wail that I chose to ignore. How could he be giving up? It was beyond comprehension. He was letting me win, and I refused to accept that.

“Get up!” I commanded, my voice sharp and demanding.

“I concede,” Kairos replied, his tone flat and devoid of emotion.

“Get the fuck up!” I shouted again, my voice rising in pitch, laced with hysteria.

“You concede?!” Maximus exclaimed, back on the mat, disbelief etched across his face as he stared at Kairos.

“Fuck you!” I spat, fury coursing through me. “Get up! Fight me, goddammit!”

“No,” Kairos stated firmly. “I refuse.”

I turned sharply to Maximus, who mirrored my shock, his eyes darting between Kairos and me, then flickering out toward the audience. My heart raced, pounding against my ribcage like a caged animal desperate to escape.

“Smith wins,” the announcer declared, his voice booming.

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of disbelief. Cheers mingled with cries of protest, a chaotic symphony that overwhelmed my senses. Behind me, a throng of people surged forward, their hands clapping on my shoulders, their voices a mix of congratulations and confusion. Yet, my gaze remained fixed on Kairos as he stood up slowly, his demeanor calm and collected, walking steadily toward the locker room.

A ferocious rage ignited within me, burning hotter than a thousand suns. It radiated from my skin, a palpable heat that caused those around me to instinctively recoil. I pushed through the crowd, creating a path toward the men’s locker room, vaguely aware of Loren and Maximus calling my name in the distance. But their voices faded into the background; nothing mattered except confronting Kairos.

I burst through the door, slamming it open with a force that echoed in the small space. There stood Kairos, his locker half-open, his back to me. At the sound of the door crashing against the wall, he turned his head slightly, his expression a mask of indifference that only fueled my anger further. I marched toward him, my fury propelling me forward like a comet hurtling through the cosmos.

“How dare you!?” I screamed, shoving him back against the locker with all my strength, my hands pressing against his chest. “How fucking dare you!?”

My words tumbled out in a chaotic stream, tears now streaming down my cheeks, mixing with the heat of my anger. My fist continued to pound against Kairos, who was desperately trying to wrestle my hands away. I felt like a volcano ready to erupt, my emotions boiling over, desperate to be released.

“Zora—”

Kairos tried again to soothe me, but his grip tightened around my other wrist, pinning it against his chest. The fire coursing through me twisted and turned, fueling my anger further.

“I hate you!” I cried out once more. “I hate you, I hate you, I hate you!”

I could have continued this tirade indefinitely, but then Kairos did something that took me completely by surprise. I expected him to retaliate— to punch me, kick me, or swat me away like an irritating fly. Our relationship had always been steeped in animosity; it was our normal.

But what unfolded next shattered that norm. Instead of striking back, Kairos Moon lowered his head, closing the distance between us, and pressed his lips against mine with such urgency that it ignited a fire within me, more intense than all my previous anger combined.