Ava's POV
I felt myself tense up, as I watched Jared step out into the fighting pit with his father. The crowd of werewolves gathered in the arena also went quiet suddenly.
He had a very calm demeanor, as he stepped out in only a pair of loose pants, his bare feet on the snowy ground. I felt Freya rub my arm in a bid to provide me some comfort. She had literally forced me to wear her own fur coat earlier, due to to chilly, winter air. None of that helped to calm my wracking nerves though.
Alpha Damian grinned maliciously, as he regarded his son. His canines were on full display and so were his claws. He had a very sinister expression on his face, as he squared Jared up. The atmosphere of the whole arena was getting even more tense. Only one of them would be leaving the fighting pit alive and I could tell how ready Alpha Damian was. He was eager to prove his dominance, even if it means killing his own son.
Freya didn't look too worried and in that moment, I had to tell myself that it was just the mate bond. The fear, anxiety and tension was all the mate bond. Or was it because I now knew the main reason why Jared is facing off his father? Freya told me earlier and I haven't been able to get my mind off it.
All those years I thought Jared was being sent away by his dad, it wasn't all. Alpha Damian had asked my father to take him out of the pack and murder him, end his misery. However, my father took pity on young Jared and sent him to the Iron wolves. This got Alpha Damian pissed and he decided to kill my father for it, for "betraying" his trust. Now Jared is back and is ready to take out vengeance on his own father. Knowing this, made me even more scared.
"You have one last chance to submit." Alpha Damian said to Jared.
"Submit and I'll consider being lenient with you."
Jared said nothing, only standing across from his father, arms folded behind him. There was no aura of fear around him. He did say he wasn't afraid of dying.
"Very well then. Let's get this over with." Alpha Damian growled, as two warriors came to his side to take off his fur cloak. He took slow steps towards Jared's direction and I felt my heart literally skip beats.
I looked around to see the looks on people's faces. Some were terrified, some nervous as I was, some were just plain excited. The two Alpha males were squaring each other up in the fighting pit, waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
After what felt like hours of silence, Alpha Damian charged towards Jared in lightning speed, his claws out and ready to tear him open. Jared was equally quick enough to sidestep the attack, making everyone erupt into gasps of surprise.
Alpha Damian was clearly pissed by this and he didn't hesitate to launch more attacks. His attacks were swift and deadly, aiming for Jared's vital organs. However, Jared seemed to never lose composure. He was undoubtedly faster than his father and it left my jaw hanging in awe.
I looked beside me at Freya, who seemed to be having way too much fun. In challenges like this, fighters are only allowed to attack in human form and I think that's the advantage Jared has.
Alpha Damian let out a roar of frustration, as Jared evaded yet another of his attack. His mate, Luna Arielle was watching with an unimpressed look on her face, as her Alpha kept missing hit after hit. Jared meant to humiliate the old alpha and that, he was doing.
Jared was yet to land a single hit, even though he had ample opportunity to do so. His strategy was becoming clear to me now. He wanted to burn out Alpha Damian, make his attacks more anger fuelled and predictable. Just as the thought occured to me, Jared swiftly delivered an uppercut to Alpha Damian's jaw, sending the latter flying backwards. The whole pack of werewolves in the gathering could not hide their shock.
Alpha Damian fell flat with his back on the snowy ground, his eyes closing from a knock out. It was a scene no one thought they'd ever see. A knocked out Alpha Damian!
However, just as Jared had begun to walk towards the alpha, the latter abruptly sat up. His eyes were now pitch black, a sign of his control slipping from him. He let out a deep, guttural growl and even Jared's eyes widened. Alpha Damian was breaking the rule, he was letting his wolf have control.
"Shit!" Freya swore under her breath.
Jared watched as his father slowly stood up from the ground, snarling and baring his fangs. He took slow steps backwards, clearly not expecting this. I felt my heart beat even faster in my chest.
"We gotta get him out of there!" Freya said, dragging me along, as she squeezed herself through the crowd.
"What's going on?" I asked in a state of utter confusion and panic. Clearly, I wasn't the only one panicking. The other werewolves around also had the looks on their faces.
Just as we approached the front row, I screamed as I saw Alpha Damian's large wolf form charge towards Jared. The latter was too frozen in his place to move and Alpha Damian successfully knocked him to the ground.
Cheering sounds echoed from majority of the werewolves, as they watched their alpha slam Jared to the ground. Alpha Damian's wolf was enormous and menacing. I could literally smell the fear radiating off Jared. Freya froze in her tracks, a look at terror in her eyes.
"Nooo!" I cried out with tears in my eyes, as Alpha Damian's wolf bit into Jared's shoulder. The more he tried to fight the large wolf off, the harder he bit.
Alpha Damian started dragging Jared around like a bloody rag doll, biting and clawing at him. Jared's blood stained the snowy ground in the fighting pit, making the cheering sounds get louder. He cheated. Alpha Damian cheated and no one was bothered about it.
He kept on mauling Jared's weak body, while I watched on in horror. It was like a nightmare playing right before my eyes. I found it difficult to breathe and the world around me stopped spinning.
I heard a sickening, cracking sound from Jared's neck, as Alpha Damian bit down on it. My mate's body now lay cold and lifeless. Exhaustion and grief, took control of my body and I dropped down on my knees to the ground.
Alpha Damian let out a deafening howl, to signify his triumph and the cheering got even louder. I saw Luna Arielle smile proudly at her mate and I saw some of the warriors exchange pleased glances. My mate was lying lifeless and they were all happy.
"Things are about to get really bloody!" Freya said, a cold look in her eyes.