Page 76 of One True Mate

“Yeah. I don't like it, but I'm ready. You don't need to worry about anything tonight.”

“Do I get to go home with you like I did after my challenge?”

“I don't think the Council will approve that, especially with the slaughter they've setup, but if I need you, I'll let you know and to hell with them.”

She nodded. “You're going to try and spare him?”

“I don't exactly want to kill him. Kels, he's little more than a pup and determined to see this through. Can't fault him the puppy love he has for you, but still.”

“What?” she demanded.

I chuckled. “Yeah, the other challengers, they're out for pack position, but this kid fancies himself in love with you.”

I laughed harder at the incredulous look on her face. I knew her touch and a few stolen kisses would see me through the day. Much too soon we said goodbye, I mean, see you later because Kelsey refused to say goodbye before a challenge for fear of jinxing it, and headed straight for the pack circle.

I decided to hide out in the room behind the arena. It was dark and quiet and I knew I had two hours to go before anyone would begin to show. Placing my earbuds in my ears I cranked up some old 80's metal and got lost in the beat. It was freeing as I gave myself over to the music and blocked everything else from my mind.

I don't know how long I had been sitting there, but when Metallica's 'For Whom the Bell Tolls' began to play, it was like a beacon calling to me and I could no longer sit still. Running in place, pushups, sit-ups, whatever I could physically do in the cramped space I began to do and when AC/DC's 'Back in Black' started up, I was ready to explode into my wolf form. Never had I been so pumped and ready.

I didn't hear the roar of the crowd's arrival, or the call for introductions over the loud music cranking in my ears. I was in a full on dance, head banging and sweat already dripping from my forehead when the door opened.

I didn't stop the song, but let it fuel and propel me forward and towards the center of the arena. My arms were pumping in the air and I had never been more ready for anything than this challenge. As the song began its closure, the deafening roar of the crowd grew louder than my music. I turned and waved to my pack and even blew my girl a kiss, much to the dismay of the Council, as my father desperately tried to reign in the noise.

As I removed my headphones, smiling, I was greeted by loud boos as young Matt Snyder entered the arena. He looked small and scared, but the pup was scrappy, raising his arms, begging them to continue and fueling himself off the negativity towards him. I knew immediately this was a kid who'd fight til his dying breath giving, 200% and refuse to back down. The thought immediately sobered my post musical high.

It took a few minutes longer before Dad was able to calm the crowd down and begin the formal ceremonial start to the challenge and giving the pup one last chance to pull out, which of course he refused.

When Dad called the challenge to order, I shook hands with Matt and we both moved to our designated side of the arena and stripped to prepare to shift. I heard a little growl in the back of my mind coming through the bond, and couldn't wipe the smile from my face. Not having been raised around shifters, Kelsey still didn't understand how nudity really wasn't a big deal, but a part of me liked her jealous streak at others seeing me that way.

The signal was given and I quickly shifted and stalked toward the pup as he took his sweet time shifting into his wolf. I tried not to roll my wolf eyes. In the time it took him to shift, I could have ended the entire fight, but I waited for him to at least change.

When he finally changed, I saw the ugliest, scrawniest pup I'd ever laid eyes on. Some sort of white colored wolf with black and brown and grey spots in weird shapes. I felt even more sorry for the kid. Not allowing my wolf to take full control, I held back to see what he'd do. He pounced around erratically. No rhythm or rhyme whatsoever. I waited until he finally approached. I wanted this to be quick and over already.

I tried to find a pattern to his movements where there were none. That was perhaps his best advantage and he was driving me, crazy circling me without any forward movement. What was he waiting for? I finally lunged toward him and he sprang in the air like a scared cat and landed on my back immediately clawing and biting at anything he could, which ended up being mostly air. When he finally landed a swipe across the back of my neck that made contact I roared back and shook hard throwing him off of me. He landed with a thud hard on the ground. I heard a bone break, but he was already trying to get back up.

Not wanting this to last any longer than necessary, I quickly attacked and put my teeth to his neck, but did not bare down. I let me alpha powers flow over him to submit, and I felt him still beneath me, but I made the mistake of thinking that was submission and was about to ask my Alpha to call the challenge to my victory when the kid started to fight back the moment I stopped my powers. My teeth were still close to his neck, but he thrashed and kicked out. I tried desperately not to bite down hard enough to seriously hurt him, but enough to let him know I wasn't kidding around. Still, he fought until he finally reared up with every ounce of strength he had, right into my mouth. I knew the second my sharp canines pierced him and I tasted his blood as my wolf growled in victory trying to take full control of us. The kid went deathly still this time. I released my grip and sat back to watch and see if he would get back up, but there was too much blood lost and I knew we were on borrowed time to save him.

My wolf sat back and howled in the air. My father stood and nodded, acknowledging my victory. I quickly changed and called for the medics. My eyes caught Morris' with a sad, but honest apology. He nodded to me and mouthed thank you. I didn't know why he was thanking me. I wasn't sure the kid would survive his injuries, but at least there was still enough life in him for the medics to whisk him away in attempt.

I was angry with myself for letting it happen. This was no victory as far as I was concerned. It was an all out slaughter, and I hated myself for it. I couldn't even look Kelsey's way, though my mate was screaming in my head to shake it off. We both knew I had bigger challenges coming and I couldn't afford to beat myself up over this one. The important thing was, I won, and Kelsey was another challenge down from safety because of it. That's all that mattered and I had to force myself to concentrate only on that.

I went back to the small room at the back of the arena and just sat down on the ground letting the emotions wash over me. They changed to something positive flowing over me and I wasn't sure why until the door opened and Kelsey walked in.

“You can't do that, you know that. Someone else could feel it.” I said, knowing she was sending positive alpha power to wash over me.

She shrugged. “I'm getting good at controlling it and you need it right now. Stop wallowing and get up.”

I did so and watched her eyes widen and sweep over me as she realized I hadn't bothered to dress yet. A grin spread across my face as I felt her heat up inside and out. My mate wanted me as badly as I needed her.

“Come home with me.”

“You know I can't. Your dad said it was okay to see you and allow our wolves to settle with the knowledge that you are ok, but that was it.”

I grinned and stalked closer to her. She blushed and backed up until her back hit the wall.

“Kyle, there are people still out there waiting for you. We can't.”

“I guess you better keep quiet for once then,” I challenged as my lips met hers with all the frustrations and fears of the week. The last night we had been together she had been injured and I had spent it caring for her. It had been far too long since we had last really been together. The Council had planned it that way, I knew, and I knew their reasons, but I didn't care.

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