Chapter 36 beat her
The chaos of the gathering crowd swallowed Lyra's pleas of surrender.
Word of their new Luna being challenged to a fight spread like wildfire through the pack. I was certain they were dying for the chance to see an omega killed at the hands of an upper class wolf. Yes I fought Jackie and fellows last time and won but Renee was unlike the others. Jackie and other wolves' eyes beamed with red light, while hers burned with flames of too much hatred and disgust.
Renee knew she was attractive, too. Her cocky attitude and the attention she commanded from the men made that abundantly clear. She made me feel self-conscious. She probably wants to beat me and ruin my face.
The crowd backed up, widening the circle for the impending challenge. A man stepped forward, older and more mature than the rest, wearing armor of steel and iron.
"Silence!" he shouted, holding his hand in the air. Renee's gaze could have burned holes through stone. As the crowd quieted to hushed whispers, he nodded.
"Thank you."
"Luna Amara Martinez has been challenged to a fair and legal fight by Renee Black," he announced, and the crowd erupted when he called me luna. He was the first to address me as luna and it kinda made me feel happy but my body erupted in shivers when I looked around. They all jumped and threw their weapons-swords, bows, knives-into the air. It was a scene so familiar to my previous pack, reminiscent of my pack members who had been killed at the hands of these wolves.
I looked back at Renee across from me, re-wrapping tape around her hands, her knuckles flexing with each rotation of the white binding. This was totally a different battle.
"Since both parties agree, the fight will commence," the man declared.
I spotted Lyra's hair in the distance, her brows furrowed in worry. Her face was pale as a ghost, her hands clasped close to her chest. She looked as nervous as I felt.
Why would she care? She was a fellow pack member, just like them.
This was their favorite activity.
"Ladies-" The man stepped between us. "I will remind you both of our pack's fighting rules...." Before the man could finish, Renee jumped in place, flailing her arms, rolling her shoulders back as she loosened her muscles. She never once took her eyes off her prey.... me.
"No biting or hair pulling," The man started, looking between us. "No weapons are allowed. No knives, swords, razors, or anything else that could provide an advantage."
"Yeah, yeah," Renee grumbled. "Hurry up."
The man shook his head in annoyance. "There will be no killing allowed unless the Alpha approves it. For now, this will be a no-kill fight."
Renee and I nodded in understanding.
"Okay." The man turned to the crowd. "The first to tap out loses."
Another roar.
My head spun, my veins lighting up with fresh adrenaline. I breathed deeply, focusing on grounding myself. I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, testing my balance on the uneven ground.
You have to control your mind, kiddo. My previous trainer's voice echoed in my memory. You have to focus.
I blinked, something telling me to look for Lyra again. But this time, she was gone, replaced by a group of rowdy wolves.
"Oh, this is going to be good!"
"She looks scared!"
"Ha! She thinks she can be our Luna?"
"Renee is going to kick her ass!"
"How humiliating!"
The murmurs from the crowd were so much but I collected myself together.
"Set, go!" As soon as the man spoke, Renee exploded forward like a viper striking. Her fist connected with my cheekbone immediately with a sickening crack, the impact reverberating through my skull. Pain blossomed across my face as I stumbled back several steps, my snickers sliding in the dirt. The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth instantly.
The crowd erupted at her landing the first punch, their bloodthirsty cheers washing over me.
"Oh, this is going to be so easy!" Renee flashed her fangs, stalking toward me with predatory grace. She pounded her fists together, the sound of her taped knuckles meeting echoing in the circle. Each step she took was deliberate, calculated, a hunter closing in on wounded prey.
Before I could fully recover, Renee lunged again. Her right fist jabbed upward, catching me square in the jaw. My head snapped back, stars exploding across my vision. She didn't give me a second to breathe. Her left fist immediately followed through, a brutal hook that connected with my temple.
I staggered sideways, my legs threatening to give out beneath me.
"Fucking weak!" Renee spat, a smirk lighting up her face as she circled me. "Are you sure you're the daughter of a beta?", She hissed out. My feet felt glued to the floor. My vision blurred, my mind hazy. I could barely track her movements as she prowled around me.
Renee lunged at me again, her fist cutting through the air toward my ribs. But this time, something in me shifted. I twisted my body at the last second, her knuckles grazing past my side harmlessly. The crowd reacted in a wave of surprised "ohs."
"Finally waking up?" Renee chuckled, her eyes sparkling with dark amusement. "Oh, this is fun."
Renee's eyes lit up with darkness. Her wolf was present, ready to shift and kill me on the spot. The red glow intensified, and I could see her canines elongating.
Her gaze captivated me. I knew Renee hated me more than the others did.
The force inside me built. My head pounded, drowning out the sounds around me. Focus.
Renee moved faster than I expected. Her hand shot out and wrapped around my neck with iron strength, her nails digging into my skin. With a savage growl, she used her momentum to drive me backward. My feet left the ground for a moment before my back slammed into the dirt with brutal force. Air exploded from my lungs.
"Oh!"
"Not even going to try and fight back, bitch?" Renee towered over me, her knees pinning my hips to the ground. Her fangs hung over her lips, saliva dripping as her wolf fought for control. Her grip on my throat tightened. "Or is taking my man enough?"
"What?" I breathed, struggling to pull air through my constricted windpipe. "He is my mate not your man",.
Renee scoffed, leaning closer. Her face was inches from mine, her breath hot against my skin. "Your mate?, What shows?"