I linked my Uncle Darrin, “Hey, did you sign me up for cage fighting?” He replied, “I got signed up for boxing the first year the games were held after we met your mom and she didn’t ask. I figured that was the rule.”
I snorted, “I can’t do it.” He disagreed, “You can, and you will. I’m going to win boxing again this year, and you’ll win cage fighting.” I reasoned, “It’s not fair if I fight.” He argued, “No, it’s not fair that you haven’t so far because of your last name. I wentthrough this kid, and I’m not letting my nephew shirk away like I did.”
I asked, “Huh?” He said, “I felt the weight of my last name and felt I was hindrance to it. I know you don’t feel that way, but you’re not competing because of your name. I noticed last games that you wanted to compete because you watched all the games. Your mom has always hoped you’d join in. Besides, Angela is excited.”
I groaned, “Oh come on.” He snorted, “Yeah, I went for the Achilles heel. I know. Which is why I told her and your mom that you were competing.” I asked, “And you filled it out with my signature how?” He snorted, “Figure it out, kid.” I chuckled, “Thanks, Uncle Darrin.” He replied, “Any time.”
I opened a portal and saw the games being prepped because of where I’d portaled to. I cleared my throat. Grammy Veronica turned around and smiled. She hugged me, “Hello, grandson of mine.” I hummed, “I have been bamboozled by someone who can fake my signature.” She winked, “I’m sure I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
I teased, “Sure you don’t.” She laughed, “I’ll be having a minor heart attack, but I will be front row cheering you on. I hear there’s a section reserved for our family at all your fights.” I laughed, “Mom always coordinates everything so we can watch everyone compete.” We always had sections there too. She winked, “I know you’ll win.”
Oden agreed, “We definitely will.” I hugged her and whispered, “I won’t let you down.” She replied, “You could never let me down, even if you go down in five seconds.” I snorted, “I’m not going down.” She laughed, “No, I don’t think you will.” I hugged her again and waved then went back to my room.
Phil linked, “I didn’t do it. I should have but I didn’t.” I snorted, “Yeah, I know.” He said, “You’re going to decimatethem.” I was getting pumped up just thinking about it. I faded off into sleep thinking about Melanie’s haunting dance moves.
I woke up ready to go. Oden gently asked, “Can we watch mate dance first? One of the old ones?” Jason had dances from her competitions when she was here. God, I was such a sap. I quickly fired up my laptop and pulled the video from her competition in California when she was eleven.
Just like always, I was captivated by her dancing. These movements were full of love and light. It shone through her eyes. It nagged at me how haunted and sad her eyes looked now. What was I doing? I had to get her home.
A knock came on my door. I opened it and found a plate of cookies. Oden urged, “Eat the cookie. They always make us feel calmer.” I quickly gobbled them down and snorted. What the hell had I just been thinking?
Melanie wasn’t haunted or sad. It was probably just a mode she got into for the dances she put together now. She was living her dream, and I was being selfish. Oden whined, “We could pop her back and forth. She could still dance.” I agreed, “The second we meet her, that’s what’s going to happen.”
I popped downstairs and found my dad waiting with my siblings. I didn’t need to ask where my mom was. She’d be in the Hackura realm already. Dad hugged me then linked, “We can’t wait to watch you fight.” I snorted, “You see me fight every damn day.” He winked, “Not like this.”
My dad’s former Gamma, Marshall, his mate Riley, and their kids joined us. Gage jumped around me. I snorted, “Calm down.” He growled, “Nope! My Alpha is finally going to dominate in the cage.” I linked him, “Do you think when Melanie joins us, she’ll sign up for the fighting competitions?”
Oden growled, “I both like that and don’t.” Gage snorted, “I think you two will take home the gold if she kept her fighting training like she did when she was here.” True. She might notlike fighting as much anymore. I didn’t hear about it, but I didn’t hear much.
EJ linked, “What’s up?” I replied, “I was just wondering if Melanie still fights.” He answered, “She does. Apparently, she’s as fierce as ever, but she doesn’t train as much as she did here. They had to argue to get her to agree to keep going in for training. She’s hard to argue with because she’s better than everyone else there at fighting.” She’d been good here too so that couldn’t be the reason she argued.
I nodded and we portaled to the games. Uncle Benjamin was up first throwing rocks. He won, like he always did. Watching Aunt Ariel greet him was everything I wanted with my mate when I was their age. We went to the spear throwing to watch Uncle Lief. Oden linked, “We are up.” We were. It was our first fight today.
I popped to the arena for the fights. I got ready and found Phil and Gage waiting in the locker room. I snorted, “Are you guys my pit team?” Gage snorted, “Who else would be on your pit team?” I asked, “Which of you is the coach?” Oden said, “Thor is here.”
Dad answered, “I am.” I laughed, “Of course you are.” He had taught me to fight. He warned, “They are going to be gunning for you.” I replied, “I can beat Thadius in a fight.” Phil snarled, “If you need more motivation that asshole made my mom cry when she was younger.”
I growled, “What?” Oden growled, “We could rip him apart.” Phil growled, “Yeah, he made her cry. I hate that guy.” Gage fist pumped into the air, “Team we hate Thadius.” My dad supplied, “Your mom made him oink like a pig if he tried to kiss someone.”
I snarled, “Did he cheat on Cousin Miley?” Dad shrugged, “Your mom seemed to feel he did. I didn’t actually ask if they were dating. I know he kissed Miley and then kissed someone else.” I questioned, “Why the hell is he still walking around?”
He answered, “It’s my understanding your uncles and cousins don’t know it happened. Ase comes to mind as someone who would kill him for that.” Cousin Ase would absolutely kill someone for making Cousin Miley cry.
I snorted, “I’m taking him down in under a minute. Book it, Phil.” Phil started to clap then punched me in the chest. Gage shouted, “LET’S FUCKING GO!” I linked Cousin Miley, “This is for you.” She asked, “Huh?” I walked out into the area and heard her go, “Oh no.” When she saw who I was fighting.
I linked mom, “How badly did he hurt Cousin Miley?” She answered, “She really liked him, and I’ve been charming the shit out of him since that day.” I nearly laughed.
Thadius and I tapped hands. He said, “Hey kid, no hard feelings.” I disagreed, “There are definitely hard feelings.” He gulped and the look on his face was priceless. He knew exactly what I was pissed about and he was stunned I knew what he’d done.
Uncle Bjourn linked, “When did you meet him?” Hastein threw confusion at me. Kade linked, “The fuck? Since when do you know him?” I shot back, “Since when did you join the pack?” He answered, “Six months ago. What’s going on?” I replied, “This fucker hurt Cousin Miley.” I felt his shock in the bond.
Thadius lowered his voice, but he knew I could hear him. “It was long ago and your mom has never let me forget it.” My dad and siblings all snarled. That set my whole family off. I replied, “No one hurts my family.” The ref groaned, “Fuck my life.” He shouted, “FIGHT!”
Oden said, “I could bite him.” I snorted, “That’s not allowed.” He argued, “It’s not not allowed.” I replied, “Maybe he’d piss his pants if we shifted after we take him down.” He came at me swinging hard. I normally would’ve just dodged the hit and observed him. Instead, I tackled him full on and took him down.
He grunted trying to kick out so I dislocated his hip. It was a legal move and everything. Everyone gasped. Thadius groaned but stayed down. The ref yelled, “PINNED!” I got off him. Dad linked, “Forty-five seconds. I’m proud son.” I backed up and shifted into Oden.
The ref stared at me. Oden snapped his jaws at Thadius. He shouted, “Jesus Christ, I’m fucking sorry, ok?!” I shifted back and snapped my pants back on. I winked at him and popped outside to my crew. My mom was standing on her chair cheering waving the sign she’d made for me.
