Chapter 243 FIRST BLOOD
Edeline
"Let’s go!" he shouted.
This time, I wasn’t going down without a fight. Not even once.
I hung back, waiting for Alexa to make the first move, watching her every twitch. We circled each other like predators, each waiting for the other to slip up.
I saw it—a small tell. Her left arm tensed, and I knew she was about to swing. I dodged just in time, her fist slicing through the air where my head had been. Her right leg shifted, and I caught her foot as it flew towards me. Using my strength, I twisted her leg, sending her spinning onto her stomach with a solid thud.
I jumped on top of her as the crowd erupted into cheers, urging Alexa to get back up and take me down.
Alexa threw a punch, her fist slamming right into my jaw. Pain shot through my face, but before I could react, her other fist was already coming down. I caught it just in time, and our eyes locked in a heated glare. My knuckles tingled as I clenched my fist tight, then I swung hard, aiming for her nose. The impact was solid—blood sprayed out as she stumbled back, giving me a brief second to catch my breath.
Without hesitation, I took my chance. Flipping her over, I quickly got back on top, landing a few punches to her gut. Each hit was satisfying, but Alexa wasn't going down that easy. She kicked me off hard, and I fell flat on my butt.
She jumped to her feet, wiping her bloody nose with the back of her hand, her brows furrowed in concentration. She was getting ready for round two. My body ached, but I wasn’t done yet. I kicked my legs up and flipped back onto my feet, the movement smooth despite the throbbing in my jaw. Before she could react, I threw another punch, this time aiming right where her jaw met her temple. She barely had time to register the hit before my knee drove into her stomach. She staggered back, struggling to keep her balance.
There was a flicker in her eyes—something wild, something she was trying to control. The spark told me this fight was far from over.
This was going to be a long battle.
…
After what felt like forever—probably about thirty minutes—I sat on top of Alexa, who lay sprawled on the dirt, completely spent. My body was screaming at me, every muscle aching, and I honestly felt like I might die right there in the pit. Blood trickled from my mouth and nose, and I could taste it with every breath. Cuts and scrapes covered my face and arms, and I was sure we'd both have black eyes by morning.
But I won.
The crowd around us was buzzing, wolves cheering, clapping, even singing. Some of them were howling like they'd just seen the best fight of their lives.
In my head, I could feel my wolf stirring, like she was peeking out from somewhere deep inside. She moved with a kind of arrogance, almost like she was bowing to an invisible audience, her tail swaying back and forth.
Yeah, my wolf is definitely a diva.
Grunting, I grabbed Alexa’s hand and helped her up. We both stumbled away from the circle, bodies sore and bruised. The next pair of fighters didn’t waste any time stepping in—they were eager to show off, eager to win the crowd's attention.
Someone clapped me on the back—hard—and I turned, wincing at the sudden pain. It was Damon, smiling like this was just another day for him. “Good job, newbie. Maybe Alpha will let you get the warrior symbol now,” he said, still grinning as he handed Alexa over to the pack doctor.
Warrior symbol? What was he talking about?
I shrugged it off as I watched Damon and Alexa walk off over the hill. She’d be fine; I knew she'd heal up fast, probably better by tomorrow. Around here, that’s just how it went. Fights like this? They were part of life. No hard feelings.
“So...” I heard Conor’s deep voice behind me. Turning around, I blinked as blood trickled down my chin and onto my shirt. My head was pounding, and I could barely keep my eyes focused, but Conor’s broad grin was impossible to miss. His teeth were bright white—something you didn’t see often on him. His smile reached his eyes this time.
“Looks like you won your first official fight.”
Despite the pain, I smiled back. My lips cracked from dryness, and I could taste the metallic sting of blood, but I couldn’t help it. I was proud. My body was wrecked—my face swollen and bruised—but I didn’t care. I hadn't broken any bones this time, and it felt like I’d climbed a mountain and made it to the top, dancing all the way.
“Yeah, I guess I did!” I laughed, though it came out more like a wheeze. The adrenaline was wearing off, and the pain was creeping in, settling deep into my bones.
Conor threw an arm around my shoulder, gently pulling me away from the pit. Together, we started walking back up the hill toward the pack house. Every step sent a sharp jolt of pain through me, but I was too tired to complain. It didn’t matter, though. I’d made it. I’d come a long way.
As we walked, Conor tried to hide a smirk, but he failed miserably. “Tomorrow night, I’m taking you out to celebrate,” he said, his tone light, but there was a warmth to it.
I tilted my head to look up at him, but my left eye was so swollen I could barely see. All I could make out was the strong line of his jaw. My foot caught on a rock, and I stumbled, missing a step, but Conor’s large hands were there in an instant, steadying me by the waist. He sighed and picked me up, effortlessly carrying me up the hill.
“I can walk!” I protested, my voice high-pitched and sharp, but I knew I sounded ridiculous.
Conor just laughed, shaking his head. “You can be a badass next time. Right now, you look like hell. Seriously, Edeline, you look like total sh!t. But you didn’t break anything. That’s a win in my book.” He chuckled again, glancing down at me. “I’m proud of you, though. You did great.”