I was only able to miss the first swing. She was fast, faster than I’d ever think anyone could be in a fight and easily, her knees connected to my side, her other hand swung, a blow slamming into my stomach.
I was hauled across from her, and I landed on the ground, the momentum of my fall tossing dirt all around me. I felt sand in my mouth, nose, and eyes, pain shot through me like fire consuming all of my insides. Ignoring the strain it caused me, I attempted to stand up, but like a whirlwind, Amelia was by my side, immediately throwing another blow, this time hitting me directly in the face.
At that moment, I could have sworn I’d temporarily gone blind from the pain, it burned through every single nerve in my body. Tears stung my eyes, and I staggered backward, grabbing the branch of a tree to keep from falling once more.
“Come on,” Amelia urged, self-satisfaction in her ragged tone, “don't make this boring already.”
She hadn't been lying about her training.
I had no idea how to punch properly like she did or to dodge her hits. She was too fast, too swift, and too confident in her skills, whereas I had none.
With a heave, I got into position, my reflex had me lifting my arms in defense as I took a fighting stance.
“That’s right, Luna,” she teased right before she threw another punch at me directed toward my ribs, this one I dodged, ducking just before her fist connected to my side and managing to land a blow to her shoulder too. It was easily as though I hadn't touched her, though, because she didn't falter, and instead, I felt pain burn in my knuckles from the contact.
She swung her long leg and let it slam on the crook of my neck yet again, sending me to the ground. I fell to my knees with a cry, my fingers reaching to touch my neck when she attacked me again, her foot connecting to my side, which was already throbbing with pain.
Planting my palm solidly on the floor saved me from completely going down, and when she came closer, I swung my hand, sending debris, sand, and grass I’d managed to pull out from the ground to hit her face.
A sharp shriek rang out for miles, and briefly, my eyes caught Grace watching me with amazement. I turned my attention to Amelia, who was wobbling blindly, and like I had noticed she had been doing, I made a tightly clenched fist and swung it too, mine connecting with her mouth, and I felt something solid to my fist, I could almost swear it had been her teeth.
Blood splattered from her mouth, my blow forcing her body to hit the ground just like I had. Pride swelled in my chest but not for long because without seconds of hesitation, Amelia jumped to her feet, her face an ugly mask of rage.
“You fucking bitch!” she snarled before lunging at me again, and this time, I was ready for her. As soon as she reached me, I ducked, my ankle connecting with hers and causing her to trip, taking me with her. I landed on top of her and began to hurl blows at her, hitting her everywhere I could while aware of the fact that I wasn't doing it right because my fist hurt with every punch I landed.
She yanked me by the hair, and while my pain distracted me, she was able to throw a blow to my shoulder and another once more to my side and another and another, she was aiming to incapacitate me by continuing to direct her hits to one particular side, and it was working. I manage to get away from her, stumbling backward and clutching my damaged side, pressing both my palm to it while breathing heavily.
“Amelia, stop this madness!” Isla yelled out. During our fight, we managed to drift further away from them.
“That is up to the Luna, I fear,” Amelia responded, taking slow, predatory steps toward me.
I felt cornered, just as prey would, fear settling in my stomach, my heart hammering. I could almost touch the thickness of the rising panic that clawed up my throat, and I hated it so much because it was evident from my wide eyes and how I was trying to get away from her.
She grinned at me. “I guess you aren't fit to be Luna after all.”
“You won't get to be either, don't you realize how pathetic this is?” I asked.
Hate consumed her expression. “What matters is that you won't get to be either, Sophia, not when you are dead,” she roared.
All at once, the realization hit me. She had challenged me to a fight, and I had accepted the challenge. Amelia could kill me and would suffer no consequence for it; there was only one person who had the authority to intervene in these sorts of fights, and that was Callan.
“Exactly,” she said, her eyes expressing her conviction. “You slid directly into my trap, I would like to see you continue to try to salvage yourself.”
This time, when she charged at me, it was with more rage than I had ever seen her. She was obviously fueled by it, and I could feel how weak I had gone, this would be catastrophic. I was certain of it.
At once, I felt my body begin to shift, and elation filled me. My body became covered by golden-colored furs, claws shot out of my fingers, and just as Amelia reached me with such force, she hadn't been able to stop herself before I shifted, she crashed against my wolf in its larger form than her usual human form, and she was sent flying backward where she knocked into a tree before sliding down to the ground.
Gasps resounded from a distance, but I could barely hear them. Fury strummed in my veins as I made my way to where she lay unmoving. My wolf began to slowly circle her, waiting for her to get up.
She was shaking, and I saw the blood that trickled down from the back of her head. I snarled, baring my teeth at her aggressively, urging her to get up and fight.
She managed to, hands and knees on the floor, she struggled to get up, and when she did, she swayed on her feet. Her eyes widened when she took a look at my wolf.
I knew my wolf was huge and evidently lethal because I could perceive her strong eagerness to tear Amelia’s head from her neck and rip out every limb from their joints.
'I could kill her,' my wolf said. 'Let me kill her.'
But I didn't want Amelia dead. I couldn't find the hatred for her in me so intensifying as to kill her.
“Give it up now, Amelia!” Isla barked, closer to us now. “Your wolf cannot fight hers.”
Amelia glanced at Isla, the hate still burning in her eyes. “Give up?” she asked in an incredulous tone. “I would rather die!”
She shifted into her wolf form.