Chapter 36 Alpha Duel

~Liam~

It was almost nighttime. The pack kept pouring in into the open field in the woods, which we used for pack gatherings, often for families to hang out at night. Rigel was helping set up the bonfire, keeping his distance from me for now.

There was no laughter in their eyes. Instead, a worrying tension that they failed to hide from me. Surprisingly, the children were present, a lot of them. They could’ve chosen to stay at their homes, attending tonight’s event was optional. Pride swelled in my chest – they’re a good pack.

They could’ve berated me for accepting the challenge but here they were, supporting me. How could I possibly let them down?

A link tried to connect. It was Gale. “Alpha, everyone is in position.”

“Don’t let your guards down.”

They replied with a unified answer, in a reassuring tone.

“Yes, Alpha.”

Opening a private link with Gale, I asked, “How’d Anna take it?”

“The Delta Unit is guarding her room for now. She’ll be there soon. They’ll be right behind her.”

“And Lexy?”

“She’s with Luna, Alpha.”

“I see. I’m cutting the link for now. Keep me updated on the Delta Unit’s channel.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Angry flames ate the wood prepared, casting pale yellow flickers on everyone’s eyes, the shadows hiding their tight closed lips. I smiled as a familiar scent came from behind me. Pretending not to notice, I kept seated on the log.

Then a pair of warm hands covered my eyes.

I heard a giggling, and my smile widened.

“Hmm… who could this be?” I asked playfully, picturing a pout on her face.

I molded my hands into hers, reveling at the sensations she woke in me.

“Let me guess. Should I start guessing from A or Z?”

I heard the click of a tongue.

That annoyed her?

“I’ll start with A. Hmm… Alia?”

Those hands harshly pulled themselves off. Then a loud hit landed on the back of my head, shaking my brain cells.

“Who is this Alia?” she snapped, standing in front of me with a hand on her hip.

I’d tell her but it was way too soon.

Rubbing the back of my head, I replied with a smile.

“No one, babe. I was just messing with you.”

She pouted.

There it is.

“Come here,” I said, motioning for her to sit beside me.

With a little assistance, she was seated, watching our people fill the grounds. Two more bonfires were set up, far smaller than the first. We sat in silence, with her leaning on me and my arm around her waist. This was almost everyone. The Red Claw Pack, my pack, and now hers as well.

Her hand found mine and our fingers intertwined. I brought it up for a kiss. I could never get enough of her.

If she looked closely, she’d see that the mark had reached up the sleeves of my shirt now. And if I took it off, the mark was already on my chest. This would be the last –her silence was killing a part of me.

A new scent wafted into the air. They were here. Alpha Myron and Salina in front with their men behind them, joined my pack. They kept their distance, occupying one side.

“Anna –“ I began, but she cut me off.

This time, she brought my hand closer to her lips. Soft, gentle, unrushed. Her eyes looked up at me with clarity instead of fury.

“For the pack,” she said, and forget that everyone was there, I captured her lips, feeling the softness of them as I pressed harder.

Then I got up, and without looking back, headed straight to where Myron stood – in front of the biggest bonfire. Salina and Rigel were on both sides of him.

“You showed up,” I said in a bored tone.

“I challenged you. As Alpha, I remain true to my word.”

“Remember that,” I said.

They will always make you.

“Who will officiate the duel?” he asked. “This pack has no elder insight.”

All elders were at the Red Circle.

And Sister Katrina was nowhere to be found as well. None of the members had seen her, and neither did I since this morning.

“I’d like to nominate Rigel. As you are already known, he’s my Head Gamma. With your consent…”

He gave Rigel a quick look. “So be it.”

“Salina, why don’t you find yourself a seat?” he said, an arm around her waist as he directed her out of the way. “I think their Luna needs company.”

She gave me a side glance, the usual spite in her expression gone, replaced by sadness. That… couldn’t have been right. Salina knew no such thing.

“Such a beautiful thing,” he said, sighing. “Pity how you can’t see it.”

“I’ve seen enough,” I said coldly.

Steel gray eyes stared back at me, determined to “put me in my place”. Ten years ago, I would’ve looked away. I wasn’t the same person now. I had grown and changed. I wasn’t a young boy; I was now an Alpha.

As we stared down at each other, Rigel interrupted.

“Let’s get this over with,” he said, yawning.

Did he just fucking yawn?

I was risking my life here and he was bored from this? Maybe Gale was right – I might’ve been too lenient on him.

My pack behind me, and his pack behind him, they gathered in an imperfect circle around us. They were about twenty-eight meters away to give us the space we needed. Rigel’s voice was loud and clear as he addressed everyone present.

“Tonight, the two packs have come together to witness the traditional duel between Alphas, challenged by Alpha Myron Knox of the Blue Moon Pack and accepted by Alpha Liam of the Red Claw Pack. Let the death marks bear testimony that the Moon Goddess has given them her blessing.”

That was what it was - a blessing. Myron began to unbutton his shirt as Rigel continued. A little girl came up to him, holding a golden goblet in each of her hands.

“Let the ceremonial wine warm their spirits, that it may give them the courage to see the duel to its end.”

Rigel took the goblets from her and handed them to us. I emptied the content, the fiery taste of wolfsbane burning all the way down to my stomach.

It felt warm at first then it began to spread to my limbs, getting hotter and hotter by the second. I shrugged my shoulders and stretched my neck, ignoring the burning heat. I could feel everyone’s eyes on me, the weight of their anxiety boring on my back. They supported me with a silent trust. None opposed my decision. It was all riding on me now.

“The Alpha Duel has two rules: One, the winner, or in his absence, his second-in-command, gets to enforce his terms, and the defeated must give his Alpha Word, or in his absence, his second-in-command must give his Beta word, to accept those terms; and two, the defeated is the Alpha who perishes first or surrenders.”

Myron kept a calm demeanor throughout, his arms to his sides with a thoughtful expression on his face. His eyes were set on me, shifting from time to time to the background.

“Alphas, name your Betas,” said Rigel.

“Beta Gale Gavyn,” I said aloud.

A snarl came from behind me, followed by howls.

“I have none,” said Myron. “My daughter, the future Luna shall take the Beta’s place.”

Howls came from his own pack.

“I accept.”

Rigel nodded, then stepped back from us.

Myron took off his shirt, showing the death marks that were almost upon his heart. We were running out of time.

He lowered himself on a solid stance. His breathing was controlled, and his eyes were on me. His pack howled for him, and he raised both arms in a defensive position.

I raised my shirt over my head and threw it to the side. My pack howled, a plethora of emotions pulsing through the open channel. It felt hotter still. I hadn’t drunk wine with wolfsbane in a while.

Almost close to where the pack had gathered, Rigel stopped and got on all fours. It took him a few moments to shift into his wolf. Once that once done, he looked us over.

“Come,” said Myron.

Rigel raised his head to the moon and howled.

I was on him immediately, my first punch blocked by his arm. I didn’t give him a split second to adjust as I continued to rain combinations on his head and body, finding a weak spot. He blocked them all. Not a single hit landed.

When I was still training under him, I couldn’t defeat him. But it was different now. This wasn’t a practice session; this wasn’t a game. There were too many at stake, too much to lose.

I didn’t let him breathe as I joined in kicks along with the punches, alternating between low kicks and high kicks. He was faster still.

He dodged all my attacks, without having taken a single step back. As expected of my father’s disgraced Beta.

I retreated in five steps, keeping my distance from him. My body was heating up, my breathing ragged, and beads of sweat rolled off my forehead.

That must’ve been a really strong mix, I don’t remember it having this effect on me.

I filled my air with lungs, keeping my face straight and my stance solid.

“You let your guard now,” a voice whispered in my ear, followed by a punch aimed at my abdomen. I dodged to the side at the last second, still keeping my distance. My limbs felt heavier, and my heart hammered in my chest as I struggled to breathe. Everything felt hot like I was burning in flames but on the inside.

“You don’t look so good, boy,” said Myron who was suddenly beside me.

A powerful roundhouse kick landed on the side of my head, and I was lifted off the ground only to land back down. A ringing in my ears made me dizzy, and my vision a little blurry. I got back up with constrained effort, the cold wind making me shiver as it blew on my sweaty back.

I swayed on my feet, confused as to what just happened or what was happening. I planted my feet firmly on the ground and raised my arms for defense, but before my eyes could see clearly, a punch landed on my right cheek, then on my left. My head spun and my vision went hazy, pain registering on my brain from the beating.

“You should know by now, boy,” he said in a harsh tone. “You always lose to me.”

A mind-numbing pain shot from my jaw and I lost balance, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. I tasted metal in my mouth, and I could hardly see anything from my left eye. And yet, the fire from earlier continued to spread and burn, my body weighing like a ton as sweat poured out of my pores.

He placed his foot on my chest, pressing down on my heaving chest and I coughed up blood. Too hot. I was burning inside like an oven and my mind was foggy. I didn’t understand how I was on my back, looking up at the man I hated most. From the flickers of the campfire’s light illuminating his face, I could see him smirk triumphantly as if he had already won.

Won? Won what?

I couldn’t think straight with the searing pain coursing throughout my body, the pain from the bruises and cuts and kicks he gave me. Something weighed my body down, something far stronger than gravity held me on the ground and pinned my entire body to it. I couldn’t even lift a finger.

“Yield!” he shouted, stomping on my chest.

My body lurched forward on its own as bloodshot up from my throat to my mouth, leaving more pain in its sudden reaction.

“Yield!” he shouted again and kicked me on the side of my stomach.

I spat the blood in my mouth and forced the word out of me.

“No!” I shouted.

Why am I saying no?

Another kick to my side. “Yield!”

“No!” I shouted with Herculean effort it felt like my lungs would burst open.

Pain.

All I could register was the agonizing protest of every part of me and the taste of my own blood. All I could feel was the relentless fire that consumed me.

Another stomp on my chest. I couldn’t tell if my body was reacting anymore.

“Yield!”

But despite all the confusion and the tortuous screaming of my body, the voice in my head shouted “no.” I stuck to that voice as I felt myself drowning, the pain inflicted on my flesh, and the scream of “yield” fading…

The small voice repeated itself over and over, saying only that one word. I clung to it like it was my saving grace. I clung to it like it was the light in the darkness that surrounded me. I couldn’t breathe but somehow, I was alive. I couldn’t feel my limbs, the pain subduing as I focused on that faint voice. It said no other word but “no.”

Then I heard another. “If you yield, the pain will stop,” it said. It was louder, it drowned out the small voice. “If you yield, you’ll be free.”

I told it no.

“Yield and you will free yourself of the pain.”

“No.”

Why do I keep saying no?

“Yield!” it demanded, shouting at me. “Yield, now!”

The booming voice hurt my head, but I was determined to keep saying no. With every reply, the pain returned… increasing in intensity. It felt unbearable. The fire returned. I could picture the flames raging and burning everything inside me. I could feel the blows on my stomach, on my legs, on my head, and my chest.

And louder than the shouting voice in my head was something familiar. It said no words, it was but a sound. A sound that lit something in my mind. Something in me pulsed, slow at first then faster and faster…

A scream tore through my throat. A scream so low and guttural in my ears, it didn’t sound human. I felt my bones crack, and my insides twist and move. Another scream forced its way out my mouth, and I slammed my head back down to stop the splitting headache.

The pain grew tenfold than before. I was being split. I gasped for air as my lungs began to feel smaller, and soon I was struggling to breathe. My body spasmed, the flames jumping around.

I was losing my senses, losing a sense of who I was. All I could feel and think of were the waves of furious torture that racked throughout my body, intent on destroying me.

Someone screamed, her voice almost a cry.

“Liam!!!”

Then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I was face to face with a wolf. The murderous gaze of gray eyes focused on me. The wolf in front of me snarled and snapped its jaw – Alpha Myron.

“Stay with me,” said Luca.

Luca?

Realization dawned on me at the mention of his name. I was in his body, and he was in full control. The pain from earlier was gone, and I felt a lump gather in my throat. I still felt hot, although compared to the raging wildfire earlier, this one felt like dying embers.

“What happened?” I asked him.

The wolf attacked, jumping forward and aiming for our neck. Luca growled and tilted his head, successfully biting at the wolf’s left hind leg. It whimpered, then dragged itself a short distance from us.

“I don’t know,” he replied, warily eyeing him. “I can’t hold on much longer, Liam.”

Myron limped but he wasn’t backing down. He aimed for our neck once more that Luca and I had to fight him off again. He continued attacking, looking for the split-second opening that would guarantee his win.

This had become what it truly was – a fight to the death.

“You have to finish him,” said Luca, heavily panting.

Luca staggered, body leaning to one side that we almost tipped over.

Myron jumped to our side.

Luca whimpered. He got bit on his side. Taking advantage of our bigger size, Luca snapped his jaws at the wolf’s head. Then, he paced back for some distance.

“I’m… fading,” he said.

He didn’t give me time to process what was happening or to reply.

Growling, he lurched forward at an incredible speed and I understood this was his last strength.

“I’ll give you an opening.”

Luca found his neck and bit down, hard. He moved his head from side to side, trying to tear the flesh apart as the last show of strength and defiance. Myron howled in pain before dropping to the ground, blood dripping down his neck.

Luca howled at the moon, then he retreated. His body was returning, mine showing itself in place of it. The fire returned to consume me; my insides had probably burnt to coal by now. A growl escaped me.

Myron was shifting back to his human form as well. Lifting one heavy foot, then another, and another…

I dropped to my knees when I neared him. He was sputtering red, and he’d choke on his own blood if this continued. Positioning myself right beside him, I dangled one arm from his shoulder, then slowly brought it up to capture his neck tightly.

I was losing consciousness. Everything was beginning to fade again.

I tightened my hold, strangling him harder. His legs kicked at the ground while his nails clawed at my arms and reached up desperately for my face.

I was going….

“Yield!!!” I shouted, using up all the air in my lungs as I poured the last of my strength into choking him. It lasted for what seemed like a long time…

Until I heard him whisper something, and my body was beyond exhausted that my hold loosened, and I instantly fell on my back. The fire had fully consumed me. I felt nothing anymore. The beating of my heart, the unbearable heat, the pain in my chest – everything, gone. There was only tranquility. My breathing was heavy with every intake, the moon high up in the sky watching my struggle.

Am I dying?

“Alpha Liam has won the Alpha Duel!” someone shouted, and cheers and howls erupted, cutting through the peaceful feeling washing over me. I smiled, letting it take over. My body felt lighter and lighter until I couldn’t feel it anymore.

This feels… peaceful.

There was no pain, no pain of any kind. Just a comforting quiet, a soft warm embrace. Every memory I treasured flashed by in a blur.

They’re waiting for me.

Something pulsed in my head. Curiosity took over and I opened it.

“Alpha,” a voice said. It was Gale, my best friend, and Beta. My little brother.

I smiled, that snotty boy was all grown up now. His voice was urgent as he spoke again.

“Vampires were spotted near the territory. Rogues incoming.”

Vampires? Rogues?

I think he was saying something else, but I was floating away somewhere. So light and so free, I was leaving for somewhere.

Where?

I felt a pleasant tingling on my skin. I felt warmth.

That feels nice. Where do I go now?

If I floated away, I got the feeling these lovely sensations wouldn’t last long. I didn’t like that. I wanted it to last for as long as it could.

I felt the warmth spread. Then something… wet.

Why would I feel wet?

Sighing in my head, I went back down. There was something wrong. The warmth I felt was getting cold… colder as I felt myself get heavier. I wasn’t floating anymore, I was descending. It didn’t feel right to float. The cold troubled me.

All of a sudden, I heard a sniffle. My lids felt like lead, but I forced them open anyway.

Anna.

My heart sank. She had tears in her eyes, and her lips quivered.

I’m sorry.

I could never do anything right by her. All I did to her since she got here was make her cry and worry. I couldn’t even protect her when she needed me the most. Nothing had changed – I was still the same asshole of a mate.

Goddess, she was crying so hard. I didn’t understand why she could still smile like that. I tried to lift my arms but nothing – no response. My body was limp and heavy. Somehow, I was inclined. Was she supporting me? What a strong girl.

I could only look at her as tears dripped down her chin. Her mouth was moving, but I couldn’t hear her.

Why can’t I hear her?

She had the most beautiful voice; I could listen to her speaking my name all day. I should’ve recorded it. Her moans were sexy too.

Goddess, why can’t I hear her? Why can’t I feel anything? My mate’s bawling her eyes out with that forced smile on her face and I can only watch her. I really am a jerk.

“Alpha, we need orders!” Gale interrupted. “Rogues coming in from the northeast. Scouts counted thirty. Breach in three minutes! Alpha, can you hear me?”

I could, but I was too tired to reply. Luca was retreating further into my mind and soon the link would cut. I had to warn her.

I opened my mouth to speak, but only my lips parted. She had to get to safety.

Run. Run. Run!

I was screaming in my mind, but she brought her face to mine instead and kissed me. So soft, so sweet, so right. But she had to leave.

Please… run.

If something ever happened to her, I’d never forgiven myself. She didn’t deserve this. None of them deserved this. They had to run, all of them. For now.

I can’t protect them, again.

How much time had gone by? They had to get away from here.

I tried to speak again. The darkness pulled me into itself. A breath left my lips as my eyes closed. I could only hope I said the word.