Chapter 5 The Duel

Fight him?!!

"The troid is still happening, Moriah. But you won't be fighting my guard." Caden said moving in front of the pack, facing off against me.

"You'll fight me instead."

I stiffen at Caden's challenge, feeling the pack's countless eyes on me.

"Fine. I guess if there's no other way, I'll accept."

"You're smart to sound hesitant, omega. But don't worry. I'll go easy on you." Caden said with a smile

I narrow my eyes at Caden. He says "omega" like it's an insult. Omega is a wolf without powers, but still, why would he call me out that way.

"Speaking of powers, let's make this interesting."

"How so?"

"By making it fair. Me against you. No supernatural Wolfie tricks, Alpha."

A slow, delicious grin appears on Caden's face.

"A clean fight. That's fine by me."

The sun rises over the trees as I and the rest of the pack follow Caden outside to an elaborate training ring. I take in the view. It reminds me of the dojo back home.

Home. With a pang, I remember my old life. My countless hours of martial arts training, my friend Sarah...

"Ladies first." Caden gestures for me to enter the ring. I do. Shifting my feet in the dirt to get used to it.

"What do I get if I win?"

Juno laughed, as if I said something funny.

"If you win, you're forgiving for the offense you made against me."

"What about me? I was attacked by Erik. He practically killed me back at the dojo."

"And Erik answered for that, believe me. Now, you answer for yourself and –" Caden said but was cut off.

"But you said she was going to be part of our pack,Caden." Little Koda suddenly squeezes out of the crowd and runs towards the ring. "You said you were bringing back someone who was meant to be part of our pack."

Caden's lip twitches, and I can't tell if he's suppressing a smile or a frown.

"She isn't pack yet." Caden told Koda

"But she'll never be if we don't treat her like she could be."

"Koda, stop this. Hey back here." Beau said, taking Koda's hand, and tries to pull him back, but Koda shrugs him off.

"No, dad! I met Moriah and she's good. She's my friend."

My heart swells when Koda marches right up Caden, as though he is just as tall.

"Tell him, Moriah. Tell him you're my friend and that you are pack."

Koda turns to me, his childlike eyes filled with as much intensity as he can muster. I feel Caden's eyes, too. And the pack's.

I look at Koda. "Koda, we're friends. But I'm not part of your pack."

Koda lights up, turning back to Caden with determination. "See? She's my friend. And you didn't make her feel welcomed.

Over the boy, I catch Caden's eye. His look is softer than I've ever seen it.

"You're right. I didn't make your friend feel welcome, Koda. I'm sorry." Caden said.

I catch a wicked glint in his eye as he pat Koda on the head.

"If we want Moriah to feel welcomed in our pack, we'll treat her like one of us. And as one of us, she'll participate in the troid. After all, it can't be called off once it's declared. Pack law."

"Oh yeah, that's right" Koda said with tinge of disappointment in his voice.

Caden raises an eyebrow at me.

"Still up for a good clean fight, Moriah?"

"Sure. As long as I win something other than forgiveness".

Koda Snickers. Caden pushes his hair back and sighs. I grin.

"Fine. What are you fighting for, Moriah? What do you want if you win? And don't say your freedom. That's clearly not on the table."

"Alright. I'm fighting for my dignity. I will no longer be caged like an animal."

"I like your resolve. It's a deal."

Caden moves into the ring opposite me, pulling off his shirt to reveal slopes of toned sinew.

"Too bad you won't win."

Erik steps up between the both of us, lifting an arm and shooting a glare at me.

"I'll be watching. No cheap shots or little tricks. The first one out of the ring, or the first to surrender, loses."

"Don't count me on surrendering."

"Likewise." Caden said grinning.

Caden bends his knees, a wolf ready to pounce.

I'm a professional fighter. He's stronger than me, so I'll have to fight with strategy.

Caden launches at me, initiating the first attack. I stood still.

"Giving up already? Where's the fun in that?" Caden said, coming towards me.

I wait until the last possible second, duck, and grab his wrist.

"What are you –"

Without pausing, I twist his arm back and put my hands on two deep pressure points.

The rest of the wolves gasps as their leader drops to his knee.

"Giving up already? Where's the fun in that, Caden?

Then, with all his might, Caden me over his shoulder and to the ground.

"Not so fast –"

He lunges, grappling me. I just manage to throw up my own arms to lock him in a fighters hold.

Damn. We're so close to the edge of the ring.

"Out of ideas, Moriah? Just submit and this will all be over."

To my left, I hear a wolf snicker.

"She'll probably try to cheat. I'd expect no less from Raphael's daughter." One of the wolves said.

I'll have to do what I can to survive.

I lift my knee up, slamming hard into Caden's groin. He hisses in furious surprise.

"That's a low blow, even for the desperate."

Caden staggers back.... pulling me with him out of the ring.

"I won. You left the ring first."

"No, you played dirty. There's no dignity in that."

I growl in frustration, but Caden ignores me. He pulls his shirt back on and turns to the rest of the pack.

"The match is forfeit. But Moriah has paid her debt. I'm taking her up to her room. I don't want to hear about this in the future."

With that, he picks me up by the waist and throws me over his shoulder.

"Hey! Put me down! I won and –"

"Can't risk you using winning an excuse to run again."

Caden carries me back to the house, ignoring my kicking and furious protest. He drops me on the bed, and I'm instantly back on my feet, hands balled into fists, anger rising in me.

"After the day you've had, you still want to fight?"

"I still don't trust you."

"I guess I can understand that."

He closes his hands over my fists and gently lowers them. "Listen. I want to... apologize."

"For what exactly? Keeping me here with a bunch of wolves that hate my guts? Just let me go and all will be forgiven."

"You know I can't do that." Caden sinks down on the bed, rubbing the back of his head.

"This is for your safety but... I know all this change must be difficult for you."

"You think? I have a life out there! Difficult is a massive understatement. It's a life-altering, life-threatening fuck fest, and –"

"Okay, okay. You're right. It's a fuck fest. I'm sorry."

I hear the the strained sincerity in Caden's voice.

This is hard for him. I sigh.

"Look, If you want to apologize for something like difficult changes in my life, get in line. I'm used to adjusting to new situations. I've been doing it since I was a kid."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes I'd be in three different foster homes in one year."

Caden turns to look at me, shock and sadness in his once steel eyes.

"God. I had no idea Moriah."

The memories rush back in. Slammed doors. Screaming. Rooms that never felt like they were mine. Shoving those dark thoughts down, I sink unto the bed beside Caden.

"It's okay. I learned to make home something constant. Something that just lived inside me. And for the hardest night I had this little secret treasure. It was small enough that no one ever took it away from me."

"What was that?" Caden asked in a low tone.

"It was a bracelet. I've had it longer than I can remember. I actually have no idea where it came from."

I draw a circle over my bare wrist. Caden watches me closely.

"In the middle of the night, I would twist it on my wrist, imagine the person who gave it to me... it made me feel less alone."

Caden puts his hand over my wrist. I can feel my true mate bond simmer beneath his touch.

"Where is it now?"

"I keep it in my locker. It's back at the dojo."

"I see... so, it's my fault you don't have it."

Caden stares at my hand in his. Running a thumb over my wrist. Then, he turns my arm over. And finds a long, deep cut down my forearm.

"Fuck. How did this happen?"

"It must have happened during our fight. When I fell."

A low, wretched growl boils in Caden's throat. He traces the edge of the red slash with the lightest touch.

"It's fine, really. It doesn't hurt that bad and –"

Ignoring me, Caden lifts my injured hand to his mouth... and drags his tongue over the wound.

"Woah... what're you doing?!"

"Licking you"

I jerk my arm back.

"What's wrong this time?"

"You just said it – you licked me!"

"Wait for it to kick in."

"What?"

I clutch my arm. My skin starts to tingle where his tongue briefly connected. The sensation spreads, heating that part of my arm, making it feel energized and sensitive.

"Why do you think dogs licks their wounds? By licking you I can take pain away... and replace it with something better. Something that feels good."

He carefully lifts my injured arm again. My skin hums where he licked me, craving more.

"Just trust me."

I stare at his parted mouth... hot and promising, and just inches from my throbbing flesh.

"Actually, I'm good. I think I'll just slap a band-aid on this."

"A bandage won't help with the pain, but okay."

Caden fetches some bandaids and I place about ten of them up my injured arm.

"See? good as new."

"I have concerns... but I'll keep them to myself."

A small knock at the door makes us both turn.