Chapter 89 WHO DO I GET TO FIGHT FIRST?
CHAOS.
I leaned forward against the cool railing, my hands gripping it as I watched the madness unfold below.
The auditorium had turned into a war zone, students hustling around, yelling over each other, scrambling to get everything set up for the auction.
Merrielynn wasn’t here; she was probably wasting away her break in a classroom somewhere.
Valtor stood beside me, casual as always, his back against the railing, his eyes scanning the chaos with indifference and mild amusement. He tipped his head toward the crowd. “You sure this is going to come together in time?”
I shrugged. “It’ll work out.”
I had rallied a few of the guys to help with the heavy lifting for the auction setup.
After that fluke on the last game day, I had to do something to burn off the frustration. Being suspended from the field still stung, and if the auction turned out well, at least I’d have something to feel decent about.
Also, i was still suspended so there was that.
“Right.” He nodded.
We spoke about other things and I took the opportunity to recount the convoy’s arrival at my apartment. “Then, when I called my father about it, he said he didn’t send anyone.” I felt frustrated just replaying the conversation in my head. “What the hell gives a beta the right to act on his own like that?”
Valtor gave a noncommittal grunt, something vaguely resembling agreement or acknowledgment, but I didn’t catch the full meaning. My focus had shifted.
I spotted that...Tobias guy down below, moving through the crowd with a box of fixtures balanced in his arms. My eyes narrowed as I watched him. He wasn’t one of the guys I asked to help, so he must’ve volunteered.
I kept watching him as I thought about the first time I’d heard about him.
He was the one who i’d heard pulled Merrielynn out of the pool during her panic attack. Also the same guy I’d caught her talking to at a party once, laughing like they had some kind of inside joke.
“Hey,” I cut into whatever Valtor was saying. “What do you know about that kid?” I nodded toward Tobias, trying to keep my tone casual.
Valtor gave me a funny look as he looked from me to who I was referring to. “Tobias? He’s our age.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I said, my gaze fixed on Tobias.
Valtor sighed, clearly debating whether to humor me. “His dad’s sick,” he said after a moment. “When he graduates, he’ll probably head back to the Bruins wolves to train for stepping into the role of Beta.”
I processed that quietly, my eyes still tracking Tobias as he set the box down and started organizing it with someone else.
Beta-in-training, huh?
Valtor shrugged as if the whole conversation about Tobias didn’t matter much to him. “Never had a problem with him,” he said, eyes shifting to Tobias briefly. “But I think he hates me for some reason.”
“Hmm,” I murmured, not tearing my gaze away from him.
Before I could get too lost in my thoughts, Valtor nudged me with his elbow. “Hey, ditch school for a bit. I wanna show you something.”
I raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “What are you talking about?”
He grinned, looking all sly. “Trust me,” he punched me in the arm.
I hesitated for a moment, but then shrugged. If anything, ditching school would get me out of sitting through another boring class.
“Fine, let’s go,” I told him.
I followedValtor to my car, wondering what the hell he had in mind.
The drive was quiet, but the further we went, the more unfamiliar the streets became. I didn’t recognize a damn thing, and I wasn’t sure if that made me more nervous or just annoyed.
Finally, we stopped at a place that looked like it hadn’t seen the light of day in years—a rundown building tucked between two others, with the windows covered in grime.
I shot Valtor a questioning look as we got out, but he just waved me forward. “Come on, don’t be such a stickler.”
We went inside, and as soon as the door closed behind us, the air felt heavier, like we were somewhere we shouldn’t be.
Valtor led me down a narrow flight of stairs, and my gut tightened as we descended. At the bottom, I heard the unmistakable sound of gloves hitting flesh.
My eyes widened in surprise when we stepped into a dimly lit room—an underground boxing ring.
The place was alive with raw energy—guys sparring in one corner, others hammering at punching bags in the next. The men were all sweaty and the punching sounds filled the background.
I stood there for a moment, taking it all in, the noise and the intensity of it hitting me from every direction.
Valtor didn’t stop, walking through the chaos like he owned the place.
He made his way to a big guy standing near the ring.
The man was covered in tattoos, he looked confident and imposing.
“This is Arrick,”Valtor said, clapping the guy on the back like they were old friends.
I extended my hand to shake, but before I could say anything, Arrick cut me off with a sharp look. “I know who you are,” he said in a rough voice. “But what’s the prince doing in a place like this?”
I looked at Alastor, waiting for an explanation.
Valtor grinned. “My friend here is gonna enroll as an independent fighter.”
I froze for a split second, caught off guard by his boldness.
I hadn’t agreed to anything, but something about the idea... something in the way the place felt—it intrigued me.
I glanced around again, taking in the intensity, the grit. I liked sports. Lately, I liked... violence.
I didn’t know where this was headed, but for once, I wasn’t opposed to following Valtor’s lead.
Valtor gave the man another brief nod and the man’s eyes lingered on me for a moment before he gave me a slight nod of approval. I stood there, trying to keep my cool under his scrutinizing gaze, but something about this place made me feel alive in a way I hadn’t expected.
Once the handshake was over, Valtor pulled me aside and said, “This is the perfect place for all that pent-up aggression you’ve got running through your veins.”
I didn’t say anything, just smirked, but as he ruffled my hair like I was some annoying younger brother, I couldn’t help my own grin.
That grin didn’t fade even as he shoved me lightly and walked off, leaving me standing there with the buzzing energy of the ring all around me.
I stood there, letting the sounds of punches and grunts sink in.
Then, without wasting any more time, I called out to the room, my voice sharper, more confident than it had been all day.
“Who do I get to fight first?”