Fighting For Him

Chapter 7

The dining room feels overly warm as I am sit at the table, the hum of different conversations surround me, but I can’t join in with any, instead I am content to just push the steak sat in front of me around on the plate. A sharp intake of breath whistles through my teeth as contact is made against my shin and pain shoots up my leg, glaring daggers I look up at the person sat across from me but Mandy just smiles sweetly.

“Are you okay Scar?” She says as she spoons more roast potatoes onto her plate.

“As good as I’m going to be, except now my ankle hurts.” I say sarcastically. "What about you?”

“I’m alright, I’ve been working hard for weeks, I won’t get myself killed but I won’t win either and that is exactly the spot I want to be in.” She oozes confidence that I could only dream of possessing. “And you’ll be fine too; you’re so much tougher than I am.” My brother squeezes my hand from the seat next to me and I smile up at him.

It was only a week ago that the three of us were in the Pack House at the Alpha’s ball yet it seems like a lifetime, and it was only a few weeks before that that life was normal, now I can barely remember what normal is.

The clanging of a piece of cutlery against a glass ceases all conversation and my dad stands up to be seen from the spot at the head of the table, his gaze sweeps over the two families, mine and Mandy’s, before he starts to speak.

“It’s nice to have everyone together the day before such a grand occasion.” He pauses and I scoff quietly only drawing the attention of Mandy and Gray. “Change is scary, and as the girls both turned eighteen they went through the scariest change someone of our kind could make, but at the same time they have grown up immensely and now they are facing yet another challenge like few others have ever faced or will ever face. These two girls sat here this evening are the bravest of us all and for that we should raise our glasses to them. When the sun begins to set tomorrow evening they will start a journey and win or lose they will make us all very proud. Good luck girls.” There is a chorus of good luck and the clanging of glasses as we are toasted and then easy conversation picks up once again.

I pick up my own glass and take a swig, revelling in the smooth fruity texture of the chilled white wine, even though I am eighteen I am only allowed one glass of wine tonight so I am fresh and ready for tomorrow yet all I really want to do is spend the night getting completely drunk and pass out in my bed so I sleep past dusk and through the competition.

“That was a nice speech dad.” I say whilst I pile the plates into the dishwasher after surgically removing Kayden from my side, seeing the Jones’ out and promising not to go to the meet up place tomorrow without Mandy.

“Thanks honey.” My dad says absentmindedly as he tidies up the kitchen.

“You have a talent for making the most dreadful of things sound like something to look forward too.” His brown eyes crinkle in the corner as he grins mischievously whilst my mum just laughs from her seat at the table. “Well I had to put some sort of spin on it otherwise dinner would have been an extremely dull affair.” I nod in agreement.

“Also you missed out a bit ‘win, lose or die’.” Silence settles and it is an awkward one, my mother looks at me disapprovingly but that is just the surface emotion, her eyes show terror.

“Well that went off without a hitch, there wasn’t even any mention of the Miller family.” Gray states happily as he strolls through the door, conveniently missing out on any of the tidying but dispelling the tension. I just grumble as a reply and close the dishwasher with more force than necessary causing the plates to rattle against each other inside.

“I guess I should go to bed then, big day and all tomorrow.” I look at the faces that are all looking straight back at me “Goodnight then.” I say breaking the silence.