Page 20 of He Claimed Her Heart

When the match began, she began to circle me. I remember she said that is how she sized up her opponent. So, I stood perfectly still. I watched her move and watched her confusion as she stepped back. She stopped and looked around totally confused. “What are you doing,” she demanded.

“I’m sizing you up. Like you’re doing with me,” I stated in a flatvoice.

“Hmph,” she replied as she got into her defensive stance.

I got into my defensive stance. I waited for her to make the first move.We both waited for the other one to make the first move. By this time, we had drawn a considerable crowd. “Why are you just standing there?” she asked me.

“Why are you just standing there?” I replied to her. “I heard you like to make the first move, so I was waiting on you,” I replied.

“Oh, yeah. Iwanted to try something different. So, I thought I would let you make the first move. What about this. On three we both move. Yeah?” she offered looking at me with hope in her eyes.

“Okay, I can do that. On three. 1, 2, 3” I said and rushed towards her. We both ran towards each other. She like to hit the other person with a right, left combination or with a swing foot combo to knock her opponent off their feet. I waited to see which she would do first. It looked like the right, left combo. So, I went with the swing foot combo which caught her totally by surprise. When I was standing over her with my hand on her throat and my knee to her chest, her eyes went wide.

“You’ve seen my videos,” she squeakedout.

“Yes, I have,” I admitted truthfully.

She tried to wrangle out of my hold. She couldn’t get out of mygrasp due to the way I was holding her down. My knee was strategically placed so it would incapacitate the other person. She had no other recourse but to surrender.

“I surrender,” she whispered.

I removed my hold on her throat and chest. I got up and helped her up. She looked at me and grinned.“You watched my videos. You actually used some of the things from my videos. I’m impressed,” she exclaimed as she held out her hand.

“You’re a good teacher,” I praised as I shook her hand.

Cheers and howls were heard as we shook hands. I made it to the final round. Now, will my opponent be Zoe or Bonnie? I saw dad standing off to the side with a massive grin on his face.

“That was, Wow!I have never seen a semi-final round finish that fast. Nor without bloodshed. Well done. Those were her techniques you used against her?” dad inquired.

“Yes, they were.The knee on the sternum incapacitates the person. The person cannot breath let alone move. They have to yield. She showed us that on the video,” I replied.

Alpha Bennett appeared out of nowhere. “Good job Bree. You made it to the Championship round. Congratulations! Now we just have to wait and see if you will be fighting Bonnie or Zoe. No matter what, you have done a great job here. I am so proud of you,” he announced.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I replied with blush staining my cheeks.

At that moment, cheers and howlsrose up as the other female semi-final bracket concluded. Bonnie lost to Zoe of the Rock Hollow Pack. So, it looks like I will be going up against Zoe this afternoon for the Championship. We decided to head back to the dorms so we can focus and relax.

Bonnie was taken to the medical area for treatment ofinjuries. Her group stayed with her. I ate a light lunch. I did some stretching exercises to remain lose. Then, I decided I needed to meditate to clear my mind. I wanted nothing more than to make Alpha Bennett and my dad proud of me. I tried to make mom proud of me too, but I don’t think winning a tournament would do it. Maybe if I won, then she would finally accept me for who I was, a warrior.

A knock at the door brought me out of my meditation. It was my dad announcing it was time to go. He was there to escort me to the arena for theChampionship fight. I got up from my position on the floor to see my dad standing in the doorway. He had a huge smile on his face. His smile showed how proud he was of me. I hugged him and told him how much I loved him.

We started walking toward the arena, the different packs lined the pathway to the arena. The center arena was huge. It looked like it was standing room only. I was led down to where me and my pack members would be. To say I was nervous was an understatement. I took a few deep breaths and moved my head in a circular motion to loosen up. I looked at my opponent, Zoe of the Rock Hollow Pack. To make it this far, she had to be a good fighter. I couldn’t, nor should I underestimate her.

We were called into the center of the arena for the rules of the championship.We were told to have a clean fight and to come out swinging. Okay. I had gotten information on her that she likes to start heavy—hitting combinations to the face and torso followed by kicking maneuvers. She was a classic MMA fighter. Me, I never started a fight the same way twice. I liked to keep my opponents guessing how I would start. Word spreads quick, especially at tournaments. So, I know she knows that I am unpredictable.

With that in mind, I decided to start the same way I did last time.I know, it blows the mind really. It still goes to unpredictability. You wouldn’t expect it. As she charged toward me, I went like I was about to engage her on the left, instead at the last minute I dropped down and did a swing kick. I knocked her off balance. I tried to come around her, but because of how her body went down, she came down on top of me. So, I did the next best thing, I flipped her off of me. As she got back up, I gave her a round house kick to the right side of her face. This sent her sprawling downward. Before I could get another hit in, she grabbed me and landed a few kicks of her own.

This went on for a while. The fight was getting brutal. We were equally matched. We shifted into our wolves. I was able to grab her hind leg and send her flying to give myself a reprieve. I needed to catch my breath. She came after me rather quickly. I dug my jaws into her shoulder as she broke my right leg. We were both getting pretty beaten up when she sent me scooting across the arena floor. I saw her coming for me. I had one chance if I was to win. When she came close, I reared up on my front paws and kicked up my hind paws and kicked her under her chin. I quickly jumped up and locked my jaws around her neck. She started to whimper, but I would not let loose until she surrendered. She finally did.

I was told to release my hold and I did. I tried to back up, but I couldn’t. I was helped back. I shifted and was covered by a robe. When she didn’t shift. I went over to her and stroked her fur. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you so badly. Please shift back so we can help you,” I begged her in a worried voice.

“She’ll be alright,” a voice said beside me. Hecame over and started taking care of her. I nodded and was helped up. I was lifted up and taken to the medical area for treatment. I had a broken leg, a broken arm, broken clavicle, bruised ribs, cuts, and bruises everywhere. This fight was one of the hardest I have ever fought.

“Congratulations!”Alpha Bennett shouted as he approached me in the medical area.

“Thank you, Alpha,” I replied in a whisper.“How is Zoe? Is she alright?”

“She’s getting medical treatment. She’s going to be alright. You did good, Bree. We are all so proud of you,” Alpha Bennett praised.

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