After my mom had apparently turned down being Alpha, Clan Caeruleus Genus passed to her cousin. Although they'd never been close, they'd always kept on good terms with an alliance. It boiled my blood to think they were in line with the other clans and trying to take what was mine.
Thinking back to yesterday's second challenge, I felt unprepared. The second challenge wasn't really a challenge. One of the wolves yielded before the fighting got underway. It made me wonder why they accepted the challenge at all. For status? Unlikely, as everyone knew that clan would have to pay a steep price for forfeiting the match. Even though I'd been Alpha for 5 years, I wasn't ready to play the political game of the tournament.
Today went by too quickly. Before I could get a grasp around the challenge it was time. We stood in the large plexiglass dome. I heard they upgraded the domes a few years back so they were bulletproof. Nothing like two werewolves fighting then a silver bullet evening the odds.
The stands were filled surrounding the dome. My pack had the front row on my side.
*Don't be nervous.* Prudens nods at me from the bench.
*I wouldn't dream of it.* I smirk. Praesul is confident. Her chest puffing out slightly.
I take off my robe and beneath have a loin cloth of my own. I was also give a makeshift loincloth bra but it wasn't hiding much.
The Challenge coordinator speaks to the crowd. "We have gathered for the challenge given by the Blue Gene Pack to the Sun Pack. Alpha Regina has accepted. This is the first challenge of the new Alpha of Sun Pack. Blue Gene Pack - excuse me, they're going by Rain Pack now? Okay, well, they have designated their warrior, Nubes to fight in place of Alpha Nimbus. Let the challenge commence!"
The crowd cheers.
He turns to us. "The terms will be negotiated after the winner is announced. Play fair. Give three counts before the kill. Wait for the drop of my hand."
His hand moves slowly down to his side and he exits the ring. Nubes is already in wolf form and lunging at me. I summersault and shift into Praesul. We pace each other walking in circles. I don't want to give away my style and technique if I don't have to. After all, if Clan Primus or Clan Argenteus is here, I'd be giving them the keys to my destruction.
He taunts me with a fake lunge. I don't bite. Praesul sits down with her head cocked to one side. She's insulting him by saying he isn't worth the effort expended to walk around. This bothers him and he growls at her. Praesul doesn't flinch. He comes at her but she waits until the last possible second to move. It's barely perceptible but as he glides past her, she grabs his neck midair. She tosses him to the floor not removing her mouth from his neck. His paws lash out at her and scratch her chest and face. She doesn't move. Being an Alpha, she's larger than he is. She growls in his face and he closes his eyes. He didn't yield and he didn't shift back. I had counted to three and yet he didn't move.
Praesul picked him up by the neck and tossed him. She was making a statement. He was still alive yet she turned her back to walk away. She heard his attempt at an assault from behind but she had already turned to receive him. Her paw was creating a cavity in his chest. She ripped his heart out and he fell to the ground. Dead.
Shifting back I still held his heart in my hand. I tossed it on the floor and walked to put my robe back on.
The crowd was silent. Polite clapping began and then the whole crowd was soon cheering. Our fight lasted just under 5 minutes.
"Well done!"
"One hell of a fight!"
"Nice going Alpha!"
I nodded a thanks to everyone who congratulated me. I could feel my hair plastered to my head and sweat dripped off me. The stench of body odor and blood lingered on my skin.
"I've got to shower." I say to my pack members.
"You've got to discuss terms first." Prudens nods to the Challenge Coordinator and the Alpha of the Blue Gene Pack. The Apha stood aloft, a hard pressed frown on his face. Clearly unhappy he lost with such a quick defeat.
"Out of the frying pan and into the fire." I mumble and Praesul nods in agreement.
"Alpha Regina." I'm greeting by the Challenge Coordinator when I walk over. A nod from Alpha Nimbus is the only recognition I receive. Blood relatives but you wouldn't know it. "Alpha Nimbus has agreed to give you 50 acres, and develop the land for you. Do you accept?"
"Just because I'm new to the tournament and a female Alpha doesn't mean I'm ignorant." Those terms were low even for a small clan. "We want 100 acres, the land developed, and 5 of your best warriors. You obviously just sacrificed a random warrior in The Dome. It's the least you can do for insulting me."
Nimbus waved his hand as if shooing a fly, "Agreed."
We both cut our hands and dropped some blood into the challenge goblet. The Challenge Coordinator added some wine. The Coordinator sipped, I sipped, then Nimbus sipped. The terms were complete.
"I'd watch my back if I were you." Nimbus whispered to me as the Coordinator left. "You're the daughter of my cousin, I didn't send that warrior to offend you. I sent him to die for you. Now you've gained some status and have completed your first challenge. Don't underestimate any of the larger clans. They've got their eyes on you."
Abruptly he turned and walked away. So he wasn't a part of the plot to showcase my skills for the larger clans? My head swam with all he said.
"Alpha, let's go get you cleaned up. Would you like food brought to your room?"
"Yes. Thank you Prudens."
After my shower, I throw on some sweats and a big t-shirt. Not bothering to wear any undergarments. A knock on my door sounds timid.
"Enter." I call out laying on my bed.
"Hey." I sit up to see Indicum standing in the doorway.
I sit up quickly and cross my arms over my chest. "What are you doing here?"
I relax at the thought my wards wouldn't let anyone enter who intended to do me or my pack harm.
"I don't know." He looked at me with a puzzled expression, his head tilted to one side. "When I saw you after my victory in The Dome, I felt drawn to you."
I motioned for him to sit in the living space on a chair. Quickly I made my way to the closet and put on a sports bra before putting my shirt back on. When I entered my room, he was sitting on the chair, rubbing his thumb back and forth on his lower lip.
*Fuck, that's hot.* Praesul whined.
Ignoring her I sat in the other armchair across the coffee table.
"Do you still feel drawn to me?" I ask, my face devoid of emotion.
"I don't know." He says again staring at me. "It's been a while since we've just hung out."
"Yeah well being an Alpha takes up most of my time. You're an Alpha in training, you understand the commitment."
He nods slowly. "This was a mistake."
Indicum gets up to leave and Praesul cries out but only in my head. *Stop him! He's our mate!*
*One of our mates.* I snap.
"Indicum, wait." He turned around and I'm only a few feet from him.
I look down and play with my necklace nervously. I feel his hand lift my chin and the sparks are there. Not as intense as Rex, but still there. His eyes widen and whatever he was about to say fell dead on his lips. Oh shit... could he feel the sparks too?
Another knock came at the door. I pulled back from Indicum's touch.
"Enter."
Prudens brings in a tray of food. He looks at Indicum questioningly.
"Indicum was just leaving." I inform Prudens who then gestures for Indicum to leave first.
"I'm heading back to my pack tonight." His eyes meet mine and an unspoken emotion hides behind their dark blue. Endless and vast like space itself. "I just wanted to say goodbye."
He turned on his heels and left. Prudens eyebrows raised but I shook my head no. I didn't want to talk about it.
Praesul retreated from me, clearly still upset.
Why was Rex's touch so strong? Well we'd only touched once but still. Ignis has a pretty electric touch too. Something tells me it was still less intense than Rex's touch.
*Praesul I need your help.*
*Go away I'm sulking.*
*You're going to like what I have to say.*
*Leave me alone, you always ruin everything.*
*Excuse me? I'm protecting us and our clan.*
*Whatever helps you sleep at night.*
*I was going to say we need to see Rex again and touch him. That way we can see if our bond is stronger with him than with Ignis or Indicum.*
Praesul's ears perked up, she was listening.
*Help me come up with a plan?*
She squealed in delight. *Okay so here's what I'm thinking...*