CHAPTER 206
CHAPTER 206
\[Axle\]
The next round featured the stronger, higher-ranked warriors among both the wolves and the panthers. The crowd pressing against the wooden arena railings grew louder, roaring with excitement as the true heavy hitters stepped into the sand.
The wolves won the majority of those intense rounds, though the panthers claimed a few impressive, lightning-fast victories of their own. Soon enough, the atmosphere shifted, and it was time for the ultimate matches of the afternoon.
Elric was set to go up against Pierce, while I was paired against Paige. Brandon opted out of fighting altogether, choosing instead to stand near the ring barriers with a cold drink, cheering on the contestants with genuine enthusiasm.
Elric and Pierce's match was incredible to watch. They seemed to match each other's energy move for a brutal move. The first round ended in a complete dead tie, with both of them panting and circling each other like wild beasts. Elric managed to claim a slick victory in the second round by dodging a heavy swipe, but Pierce came back in the third with terrifying, raw force to level the playing field.
Pierce's black panther form was the largest feline I had ever laid eyes on, sporting massive, heavy paws that looked capable of crushing stone. With one brutal, sweeping strike to the head of Elric's wolf, blood began to pour down his snout, nearly knocking Elric out cold on the spot. Elric fought back bravely, landing a few solid strikes of his own and injuring the panther's flank, but in the end, Pierce's beast completely subdued him against the dirt floor.
Fortunately, Lexi had already prepared a potent healing potion on the sidelines. As soon as they limped out of the arena, she tended to their bloody wounds right away, restoring their strength within minutes.
I couldn't help but laugh as I stepped into the center of the ring and heard the crowd erupt, chanting "Alpha" at the top of their lungs until the stone walls vibrated. I had originally assumed I would be going head to head against Pierce, but he had assured me beforehand that Paige was actually their absolute strongest fighter. Since I was the strongest wolf, it only made sense for the two of us to face off.
I did not intend to unleash my true Alpha wolf form today. They had never seen me in that terrifying state before, and I had no desire to frighten our new allies unnecessarily. When it came time to shift, I planned to remain on all fours as a very large, powerful wolf.
"I would hate to hit a girl," I teased Paige as she stepped into the dusty ring, rolling her shoulders.
She simply laughed at me, her eyes glowing a fierce, menacing yellow. "I would love to see you try, Alpha," she smirked.
Before I could even react, she lunged forward with unbelievable velocity and delivered the heaviest blow I had ever felt in my life straight to my jaw.
I stumbled backward hard from the sheer impact, barely regaining my balance before my back hit the ground. I realized in an instant that she was far stronger than I had bargained for, and I had absolutely no right to underestimate her. Closing the distance between us, I caught her flush around the waist and slammed her hard to the dirt.
She bounced back up instantly as if she had not even felt the impact. She came at me again, faster and hitting even heavier this time.
The first round drew to a close when, with a swift sweep of her leg, she knocked my feet right out from under me. I crashed hard onto my back just as the brass bell chimed, and she was officially declared the winner of round one.
Hans, my inner wolf, began to feel a certain type of way about having his ass handed to him by a woman. My eyes began to flicker rapidly until they settled into a bright, blazing amber color.
By the time the second round ended, she was already bleeding from her head and shoulders, while I was bleeding heavily from my legs and face. I managed to win the second round, but it was only by a hair's breadth. If she had not gotten briefly distracted by a crowd chant for a split second, I would never have found the opening to knock her down.
She shifted quickly and effortlessly right before my eyes. I watched as a magnificent, golden jaguar pranced around the arena floor, her brilliant green eyes blazing as she waited for me to make my transformation.
No wonder she was the strongest among her people. She was a completely different kind of big cat. While the rest of them shifted into sleek black panthers, her coat was a brilliant gold, which meant she was a jaguar.
I was not intimidated by her, however. Impressed, absolutely, but not intimidated. I shifted smoothly into my wolf form, hearing a collective gasp ripple through the crowd as they took in my size. I was noticeably larger than her golden jaguar, and my heavy paws made a loud, thumping sound against the packed earth as I padded directly toward her.
The third round proved to be the longest, most brutal sparring match played all day. It ended with both of us severely beaten and dripping sweat. She nearly tore my limb completely off when she locked her powerful jaws onto my hind leg, refusing to let go no matter how much I thrashed. I barely managed to twist free, but the blinding pain gave me just enough adrenaline to knock some sense into her.
After delivering three solid, heavy blows straight to her head with my paws, she was disoriented enough for me to sweep her legs and pin her firmly to the floor, officially claiming the final match.
Overall, I came out as the individual winner of the bout, and the wolves claimed the total victory for the entire afternoon.