Chapter 25: ; The Trial

As Matthew De Silva rubbed his lower body against Cheska's, she felt her claws sink into the rough bark of the tree. “Let me mark you right now...” he whispered between kisses, his eagerness to claim her evident in his voice.

Her body responded to his touch, but her mind remained resolute. “Matthew, we can't do this. All the Alphas who wanted me to be their Luna have pledged to support the Thunder Pack and ensure its success,” Cheska tried to reason, panting heavily.

Matthew kissed her passionately before pulling away. “I don't agree, but I'll respect your promise to the council. However, you should know that anyone can join this crazy idea, so be prepared,” he warned before walking away.

Cheska quickly followed him. “What do you mean? Are you joining the tournament?” she asked, her eyes widening as she quickened her pace to keep up with him.

We had already entered the house, but Matthew kept his mouth closed, a solemn expression on his face.

Cheska couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for not giving in to his desires. As much as she wanted to be with him, her loyalty to the Thunder Pack and her promise to the council couldn't be compromised.

Lost in thought, Cheska barely noticed Edison's presence in the kitchen until he spoke.

“Good morning, my Cheska ... It looks like Matthew gave you a hard time again,” he said sympathetically. His T-shirt was already drenched in sweat, and Cheska couldn't help but wonder what he had been up to.

“Hey, looks like you did your morning routine,” Cheska commented, trying to change the subject as she went to the kitchen to brew some coffee.

“Well, I do my exercises every morning, but I need to work harder and increase my training if I want to get you,” Edison responded with a broad smile, wiping the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand.

Cheska stopped stirring her coffee and looked up at him, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. “Are you serious?” she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, unsure if he was joking or not.

“Why? You don’t want me to join since I’m just a lowly Beta?” Edison replied jokingly, but she detected a hint of seriousness in his tone.

Cheska felt the numbness spread across her face in extreme embarrassment. “That's not what I meant. I was just curious why you're joining,” she tried to explain, giving him an apologetic smile.

“It's you we're talking about here, so why not?” Edison teased, “But seriously... I received a call from my Alpha. I'm being ordered to join, so I have no choice,” he replied with a grin.

Cheska flushed as she realized that the higher-ups in the Shadow Pack were meddling in her love life. She muttered to herself in disbelief, feeling helpless and frustrated.

“I'm sorry, I didn't know that the council would also extend an invitation to the Shadow Pack,” she said, lowering her head in embarrassment.

“Well, you need to get used to seeing me every day. The Beta of the Shadow Pack is not a weakling, so you're going to be my bride,” Edison declared confidently, standing up from his seat.

Watching Edison's every move, Cheska couldn't tell if he was joking or telling the truth. She realized with a sinking feeling that he was serious and confident. Her desire to help the Thunder pack made her accept the suggestion, as long as the Shadow pack provided what they needed.

"The Shadow and Thunder pack will join forces soon, so you can count on that," Edison reassured them before leaving the kitchen.

Cheska couldn't help but think about how Eunice and Matthew might benefit from this alliance. She felt a pang of jealousy but didn't dwell on it. Downing her coffee, she hurried to her room, eager to prepare for the upcoming challenges.

As a prospective member of the Thunder pack, Cheska could sense the excitement and tension in the air. She knew she had to pass the test to earn her place in the pack.

——*——

[The Trial Day.]

Cheska's heart raced as she entered the forest clearing where the first trial was being held. She felt self-conscious among the younger members of her group, who had only recently ascended to their current status.

"We're all here for the same reason," she reminded herself quietly, trying to overcome her envy.

The Thunder pack's leader, Matthew, and Cheska's mother were waiting for them, along with other pack members.

Matthew addressed the group, emphasizing the importance of the upcoming trial for his own pack's future.

Despite the excitement around her, Cheska remained silent and serious, observing how Matthew's demeanor changed when he faced the pack.

"He's a different person up there," she commented to herself, noting the coldness in his tone as he announced the first round of the trial.

"The first round will test your strength and speed as a human. I trust you've all prepared for this," Matthew sneered, before handing over to his subordinate to explain the details.

Cheska was relieved to see that only her mother and Matthew were there to witness the first trial. She noticed they were perched on a high rock, watching the proceedings from a distance.

The first part of the trial involved running, jumping, crawling, and grappling with the other participants. Despite her best efforts, Cheska found herself falling behind and finishing last. She knew what that meant - she had failed the first trial.

"Why did she even bother trying? She's just embarrassing herself," she overheard someone whisper.

"Shh! That's Cheska Macbride, daughter of our Luna. Don't speak ill of her if you want to join the Thunder pack," another voice replied.

Cheska felt a surge of sadness as she heard their comments and laughter. She knew they were right - she had performed poorly in the first trial. Although she had expected the challenges, she was still unprepared for the level of physical exertion required.

Here's my paraphrased version of the passage, with the requested changes:

As Cheska walked towards the next location for the trial, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed by her poor performance in the first round.

"Why do we have to climb a mountain? This is exhausting," one participant complained, still panting from the previous tests.

"I don't know. My brother says even he doesn't have all the details. The Alpha just announced the challenges for this year," another replied.

"I've heard our Alpha is a monster. The pack suffered as soon as he took over," a third participant added.

Cheska couldn't believe what she was hearing. When did Matthew become so cruel to his own pack? She thought she was the only one he enjoyed torturing.

"I don't want to be like him," she muttered, pouting at the thought.