Page 68 of One True Mate

I sighed relaxing just a bit at my mate's words. Kyle always knew exactly what I needed to hear and I was so thankful that he was not blocked from me as I knew he would be during the actual fight. A fight to the death seemed ridiculous and barbaric to me, especially in this day and age, but that's what I'd have to do if I wanted to live and wanted to protect my mate. And I would do absolutely anything necessary to keep Kyle.

I heard the chuckle through the bond before he spoke to me again.“You keep that thought with you, babe, and you're going to do just fine.”

I was laughing when the door in front of me opened at last. I stood still allowing my eyes to adjust to the bright light outside the dark waiting room. Then I stepped forward feeling lighter and not as scared as I should be. I ignored the presence of another wolf to my right as I stepped forward to the middle of the arena as Mary had taught me. I remembered to hold my head high and as my eyes scanned the stands for Kyle, I couldn't stop the beaming smile on my face when I finally saw him. He winked at me and I momentarily forgot where I was.

When Jason's voice boomed out across the circle, reality set back in. I was Kelsey Adams. I was a born alpha she-wolf. My mate was Kyle Westin. I would do whatever it took to protect myself and my mate. Nothing else mattered. I took a deep breath and I smelled her. Christine Canine. My challenger. A threat to my bond. A threat to me and a threat to my mate. I smelled a slight fear mixed with her scent. It was enough to energize my wolf. I didn't hold back the guttural growl that escaped me and rejoiced in her heightened scent of fear.

“Christine, do you on this day challenge Kelsey in the mating challenge rights for the mating of Kyle Westin?”

I saw Kyle shake his head no, then from my peripheral vision saw and even felt the determination and hurt as her chin raised a little higher solidifying her resolve.

“I do.” She said loudly.

I felt an excitement grow in the air.

“So it shall be. Kelsey. Christine. Please face each other.” We did as he asked. “Shake hands in acknowledgment and acceptance of the challenge.” We did, then turned back to face Jason as I refused to meet her eyes, not yet at least. “You will not shift until I tell you to, do you understand?” We both nodded as he addressed the crowd. “Mating is a sacred event amongst our kind. And strong mates make strong packs. Kyle and Kelsey have chosen to mate and as it is written, any single she-wolf may challenge her for her mate and her place in the pack. Christine has done just that. This is a fight to the death. There are no rules and there is to be absolutely no assistance or disruptions to the challenge fight. Is that understood?”

“Yes, Pack Alpha,” a booming, unified voice responded from the pack.

“Kelsey and Christine please move to the designated circles.” I followed his order and moved to a circle on my far left and she moved to the far right. It put some distance between us to allow time for the change. “Prepare to shift.” Christine stripped leaving her clothes in a pile at her feet and standing naked before the crowd. I chose to remain in my clothes daring them to make me remove them. I saw Jason Westin raise an eye at me and I nodded slightly. “Okay, well, face each other please.” We did so and this time I looked right at her with just enough authority to make her shake as she fought to maintain eye contact. “Let the battle begin.” There was a chorus of howls surrounding us.

I didn't hesitate and shifted in midair like an explosion of fur as I lunged towards her. I caught the panic in her eye as she shifted much slower, but managed to fully shift before I was upon her. She crouched low and we began circling each other. I lunged forward and tried to gauge her reaction and speed. I knew I was faster than her, but distance speed was not the same as combat speed in close proximity.

I felt the shift in her as she gave herself over to her wolf and I suddenly understood what Mary had meant when she told me she had trained me differently from the others. I felt no human presence before me, only animal, and my wolf wanted nothing more than to follow her lead and take full control, but I was stronger and knew we'd be better off together.

I watched Christine's black wolf circle me as easy prey. She was quite large next to my small blonde wolf. I knew my size made me look like easy prey. Let her believe that for now. She lunged at me and I easily side stepped away from her. We did this for quite awhile, just circling and testing each other. She'd lunge, I'd move. I'd lunge, she'd move.

I watched and waited for the time to make my move. She lunged to the left and so did I slamming right into her. I heard the gasp from the crowd and tried to push it out of my mind. Her wolf was pinned and snarling and snapping at me. I growled and she settled slightly, but my mistake came as I took that as a sign of submission. It wasn't. She pushed up and forward, knocking me off my guard. I stumbled backwards and she continued with her momentum and in seconds had me pinned on my back. I flailed my paws, kicking out at her, to no avail. She clamped down on my shoulder, missing my neck by mere inches. I howled out in pain.

She continued, relentlessly attacking and I was on the defense just trying to protect my neck and block her bites. I had been so certain of this battle. So, confident in my ability to fight and here I was letting her get the upper hand. I considered giving fully into my wolf, but I knew I couldn't. I was as good as dead if that happened, even if I did win. I had to think. I had to remember what Mary and the girls had taught me. Focus on my training and most importantly I had to get away from Christine and clear my head for an attack.

I let my body go slack. I felt Kyle's fear and stress rise at the same time Christine's dwindled. Cocky little thing she was. But I used that to my benefit as she began an early celebration instead of using the advantage to go in for the kill. It didn't take much to knock her off guard and get back to my feet then. She growled at me, but I was already off and sprinting at full speed. There really wasn't anywhere to run, but I had some energy I needed to burn off or my alpha powers were going to explode, so I ran along the side of the arena as fast as I could, just running in circles. At first, she made attempts to snap at me as I passed her, but eventually she retreated to the middle of the arena and just watched and waited.

When I felt a little more in control of myself I turned and ran right at her, full force. She didn't know what was coming. I leapt on her back and she managed to throw me off. Teeth were bared, jaws snapping, as we equally attacked each other. I was getting good at reading her moves, but she switched it up and went low when I thought she'd go high. She bit down on my right upper leg. The same spot that was thin and balding in wolf form and covered in skin grafts in human form. She locked her jaws and I felt the blood gushing from me.

My wolf howled in fury and turned even while she was still locked onto my leg and bit down on her exposed neck. I clamped down hard and when she didn't ease up on my leg I bit even harder. I felt the skin beneath her fur break and tasted her blood as it trickled into my mouth. I snarled and snorted but I never let go. I felt her grip ease up on my leg and eventually release. I continued to hold on, shaking my head back and forth and growling. Blood was coating the back of my throat and suddenly, without the personal threat to me, I couldn't do it. I eased my teeth back slowly and tried to look into her eyes. I could feel her life slipping away and I sobbed.

I let go and sat back on my hind legs and howled. It wasn't a howl of victory, it was a howl of sorrow and not a single other sound could be heard. I knew I didn't have much time. I quickly shifted back to human form, no longer caring that I was naked before the pack.

“Medic!” I yelled, spitting out fur and blood that did not belong to me. “Medic!” I called again and saw the doors open and a team rush in. They ran right to me, immediately assessing the injury to my leg. “Not me! Her! You have to help her.”

They stared at me for only a moment before rushing to her side. I knew everyone thought she was dead, but I knew there was still life in her. A life worth saving.

I stood trying to ignore the pain searing through me. “Alpha,” I called out to the pavilion above as the surrounding murmurs came to a screeching halt. “I understand this was to be a fight to the death, but Christine is not my enemy. She is pack. She is family. And she deserves to live. I have seen too much evil and violence in the world to end her life unnecessarily. Do not mistake this for weakness as it was fully within my grasp to kill her. But every pack member is precious and necessary and a life should not so easily be extinguished, but cherished.” I bowed my head and bared my throat to him.

“I do not believe anyone will contest the victor of this challenge. The restraint you have shown is unheard of and the grace and mercy you've bestowed on her is a sign of true leadership. We will do all we can to save her life.”

“Thank you.”

The roar of the crowd and applause that followed was startling, and I was suddenly very aware of my nakedness as I turned and limped quickly to the little room off the arena that I had started the evening in. Once behind closed doors, I collapsed against the wall and slid to the floor sobbing. I had almost taken a life and I would have to live with that knowledge.

KYLE

Chapter 26

Lily was rushing to the door of the waiting room where I knew Kelsey was crying. I cut her off before she could make it there.

“Hey! Give me that back,” she complained, as I grabbed Kelsey's duffle from her.

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