Chapter 9 Risk

About thirty minutes ago, I woke up and joined the others in eating breakfast. But nowhere could Theo and the higher-ranking wolves be found. I secretly hoped that Talia had decided against going to the duel. I was long past my last night's rage and motivation. All I wanted to do was do nothing. But mayhem would break out if she decided to move forward.

When I arrived there, all the wolves had scrambled to their feet and dumped their remaining breakfast. They purposefully spoke loud enough for me to hear them as they told their buddies about their newfound enthusiasm for training.

I could see quite clearly that it was just an act. I knew that training started a quarter of an hour later, even though I had only spent two nights in this group.

I was aware that they were agitated and that some were even repulsed by my appearance. To be honest, I wouldn't have expected someone to genuinely applaud my win.

If it comes to it, I'll cheer for myself.

I try to ignore them by concentrating on how hungry I am becoming.

Upon surveying the room, I find that there are no additional meals. I didn't want to bother the staff in the kitchen by having them prepare food for me.

Because I was too lazy to cook a sandwich, I grabbed the only thing I could find-an apple.

Just as I turned to leave the kitchen, I suddenly had a craving. I attempt to repress my yearning as I stare down at the apple for the longest period of time.

Overly robust.

I return to the pantry and pick up a Pepsi can.

Footsteps could then be heard. Loud, clamorous footsteps.

A chunk of flesh walks into the room with long, curly hair. This pick must be driving everyone insane. Every morning, it seems like everyone wakes up on the wrong side of the bed.

It was Felix Beta. He stared at me for a moment before stomping a few feet away from the cupboard.

I gape at him, soda in one hand and apple in the other. It seemed too awkward to move when he slammed the cabinets and grabbed a container of peanut butter and some bread.

My feet don't come off the ground. I made the bold decision to bite into the apple, giving it a tiny "crunch."

For a brief moment, Beta Felix's gaze briefly meets mine before he goes back to work.

I watched with growing suspicion as he reached for a table knife, dipped it violently into the peanut butter jar, and smeared it across the bread. His brows were furrowed while he carried out this action again.

He doesn't bother to wash the knife before hurling it into the basin with a huff. His head suddenly snaps to mine.

Now, what have I done?

He had the same angry look on his face as yesterday's meal, right down to the moment he walked into the kitchen.

This guy was amazing, really.

He approaches Miss, grabs the apple, and throws it into the trash can, just as I was ready to bite into it.

I look at him, my mouth dropping open at this horrific deed.

The Beta takes hold of my hand, turns my palms up, and puts a peanut butter sandwich on it.

He stomps out of the room, chomping on yet another sandwich without saying a word.

This pack has to be completely crazy.

I take a bite out of the sandwich, grateful that its inside design does not match its appalling outside.

As I ate, I made a mental note to thank him later.

___

I stretch and warm up for the impending face-off for the last fifteen minutes.

After I was done, I picked a lock and took off with an enormous black shirt and black trousers that I planned to wear beneath my cloak.

I was battling without it-no way, no how.

I grinned as I took one more glance in the mirror, pleased with how grim reaper-like I appeared.

I head toward the training grounds, where I've been informed the battle is happening.

On my arrival, hundreds of werewolves had descended on the area, waiting for me to be defeated, if not killed.

The moment I announced my presence, they turned their attention to me. Talking stopped as I showcased my amazing and astounding presence. I marched to the spot where Talia was furious.

A small child tugs at her mother's dress and says, "Mommy, I'm scared; she looks like those bad guys from Harry Potter." Her mom calmed her down.

As I approached Talia, who appeared increasingly agitated with each passing second, the audience burst into murmurs once more.

"You're dressed like a grim reaper, I notice," she says angrily. "You should not have been late. What was the Halloween party like?

I refused to refute it. Talia was a gorgeous woman, but that beauty was negated by the hideous sneer she maintained all the time.

"It was fantastic," I whisper. "I have to say, though, that your outfit was far better than mine. Who were you when you arrived? The Hulk?"

With a growl, Talia ended the conservation, and I couldn't help but smirk smugly. We were so eager to get this over with that we dared not say a word to each other for the next few minutes.

I watched as the wolves evaluated my worth by staring at me. I took care to meet their gaze with a frightening snarl of my own. They instantly turned their focus away and feigned to be enamored with one another.

Fortunately, the conservations don't last long because I smell my mate's seductive aroma. He hopped up the slab and sat on a stone chair, refusing to give anyone a sidelong glance.

The wolf made no comment and merely bowed slightly to Theo, who had a blank look on his face. His emotionless, frigid gray eyes were devoid of all warmth.

His Gamma, Gamma Female, and Beta came right after him. There was nowhere to find any of his Deltas.

Cuties.

Theo wasted no time in giving a firm "You may begin." by just opening his mouth.

No more words were exchanged, and there were no lengthy speeches-as though these kinds of battles had happened too frequently to count.

Perhaps they were simply excited to know how this war would turn out and wanted to get right to the point.

I cast a fleeting peek into his hard-charm gray eyes. He notices my existence for the first time, as if he's noticed me blasting lasers with my eyes.

The delighted gleam in his eyes was the last thing I saw before returning my attention to the fight.

Talia immediately throws herself at me, a normally dangerous move. She obviously believed I was weak and could be easily defeated. Reflexively, I step to my right and draw the dagger I was permitted to use.

Talia only had her claws and her werewolf form on hand; she carried no weapons. Why do these werewolves feel the need to unite with their wolves?

She was taking the attack, knowing from our previous encounter that I would give way at the slightest touch. If I made one mistake, I would be useless. I can't dispute the truth about it.

As anticipated, I was compelled to adopt a defensive stance. I would then exhaust her enough that I could use my last tactic, a weapon I've been holding out for her to unleash.

Even though my idea was straightforward, it lacked decorum. The Wolves were proud of their aggressive tactics. Throughout most of the game, running, dodging, and playing defense were undoubtedly not displays of pride.

However, you must exert all effort in order to succeed if you wish to win. I was not the type to throw away my sword to fight beside my opponent on an equal footing.

Why movie actors speak for an entire speech before killing off someone has always baffled me.

Talia comes flying at me, slamming her fist at my nose, perhaps thinking that if she hit me, I would lose my vision for a while.

To her dismay, I retreated with ease, her strike missing my nose by the narrowest of margins.

We went through the same routine, with me ducking and her aiming for my face in an attempt to hit my nose and jaw.

She shifts her weight fast and tries to kick me in the roundhouse. I quickly dove and dove, severing her leg with my dagger.

She lets out a frustrated snarl.

She bounces back from injuries faster than I thought, and she managed to give me a solid blow to the shoulder.

I cringed a little, a little startled by the impact.

I also sprang back fast and managed to dodge another blow to the face.

Talia pretends to move this time. It was impossible for me to miss her right fist giving way and her left fist hitting her stomach with such unbelievable speed.

I take her arm and push past her.

Her frustration was evident on her face. By the second, her final remnants of patience were evaporating.

Her attacks started to become too predictable.

"What's this all about? An infected game? A game of tag?"

I was too scared to say anything more than chuckle.

Talia makes the all-too-evident action of swinging her arm to strike my kidneys. I duck and sidestep it too readily. Her movements became more visible and risky. Her goal was to finish the contest as soon as possible.

But my plans were different.

She comes charging at me, trying to get closer. Using the tight range to her advantage, she tries to deliver an uppercut and a left punch. It was too predictable, once more.

I quickly slid away.

She keeps wasting her energy for a long time by making meaningless punches and kicks. I could tell she was becoming more and more irritated.

This exercise, however, was quickly abandoned as Talia suddenly leaped toward me and changed into a wolf form that was too fast for me to evade in human form and too hefty for my frail body to support.

The stillness of the air around me registers. Onlookers inadvertently held their breath and leaned forward, waiting for me to move. They were waiting anxiously for every second that went by so that I did not transform into a wolf.

The fact is, I was unable to.

At least not of my own volition.

When Talia discovers this, her gray, almost white wolf's bright yellow eyes glitter in satisfaction and glare at me.

She continuously used her claws to paw at and scratch me.

Well, this was going to make an impression.

She was able to break my jaw, causing blood to run down my neck from my jaw. I sigh. The crowd all took a deep breath at the same time.

Trying to push her wolf away from me, I struggled to hold onto her paw with the last of my power. I kept her at a distance from me, but it would only take a second for her to escape my grasp.

Please, please, please. You goddamn fool, get in my face.

Talia bites my neck, releasing herself from my restraint. I managed to avert her full-blown injury by slamming my knee into her wolf.

I needed to be enraged to the point where my wolf would come out.

I cast a fleeting glance at Giovanni, knowing that his arrogant look would only make me angry.

Indeed, it did.

I was furious at the contented, ugly sneer on what should have been a handsome face. When he sees that I'm staring, his smile gets bigger.

Better still.

If only he realized that it was thanks to him that I won.

My stomach turns over with excitement, and my heart beats vigorously.

I was furious, losing control of my temper. I was about to lose it any moment now. I had the comforting sensation of my bones breaking without hurting and my skin changing. I also get the sensation of relinquishing control, which I am all too familiar with.

I transform into my wolf form quickly and painlessly. With the exception of a persistent, horrifying scar across her side, my light brown wolf appeared rather normal. She sprang toward Talia.

Talia was helpless against the weight and strength of my wolf, who snarled menacingly at her. My wolf tore at her body with his claws and teeth, leaving ugly scars that healed too slowly for a typical wolf. She continued doing this until Talia's whimpers stopped and there was only a sharp intake of breath and gasps, leaving the surrounding silence unsettling.

Talia was annoying us both and would stop at nothing to get rid of this threat.

"STOP!" I overhear Celestina's order.

I didn't miss the malicious glint in Theo's eyes, despite his frigid exterior, when my wolf's blood-red eyes looked up to him.

For the last time, my wolf attacks Talia's wolf, leaving an unsightly scar that will serve as a constant reminder of us to her for the rest of her life.

It posed a risk.

She was alerting everyone.