Fuck You, Mate

XXXV

Alice's POV

Work had been slow last night so I didn't get the distraction I was hoping for. But talking and laughing with Jake is always good; makes me miss the guys less.

Jake and I headed to The Tracks afterwards and the crowd was loud, I could hear them clearly outside.

Inside there were two guys both looking mangled, blood coming from each of their noses and hands, limping and spitting blood. They were both looking worse for wear.

"Long one?" Jake asked a guy inside.

He grunted a yes before turning back to the fight. The crowd got louder as punches were landed and eventually one guy pinned the other, knocking him unconscious.

"Back again?" A man asked me and Jake and I looked him up and down, but I didn't know him.

"Who's asking?" Jake said.

"You her boyfriend?"

"Who's asking?" Jake asked again.

"I think you have a fight tonight." The guy said and I glanced around. One guy was staring straight at me.

"Who is he?" I asked, but the man shrugged.

"Don't know. He was asking for Bellatrix."

He was still looking at me when I glanced back to him. I looked over the crowd and The Puppeteer nodded his head toward the guy who had been staring.

"Do you know him?" I asked Jake.

He shook his head, "Never seen him. He sure knows you."

"Or he locked eyes on the only girl in here. I don't exactly blend in."

"Fair. He isn't taking his eyes off you though."

"I see that." He didn't smell like a wolf of any kind, so I wasn't too worried, but it seemed weird he was asking for me. Hopefully it didn't have to do with Boss. I thought Peyton and I had taken care of everyone there.

"He's betting big money."

"He's confident then." I could work with that.

"Says you won't be undefeated after tonight."

I'd heard that before. "I guess we'll find out soon," I said as The Puppeteer held up a winners arm. He spit out blood and the man across the circle met my eye again.

He mouthed something toward me but I didn't catch it. I looked at Jake as he spoke, "I think he's talking to you."

"Hopefully he's not talking to himself."

Jake chuckled, "Yeah, I guess that'd be a bad sign."

The Puppeteer spoke, making the crowd quiet down, "We have a challenger for Bellatrix tonight. Is she here?"

The Puppeteer knew I was here so I assume he was building up tension.

The crowd looked around and slowly made room around me. I handed my hoodie to Jake, "You mind?"

He grabbed it, hooking it over his arm, folding them back across his chest, "Careful."

I nodded, "That's the name of the game." Especially when you hadn't seen someone fight before, which was part of the adrenaline at The Tracks. So many new faces and turnover you never know what you were getting from your opponent.

"Looks like we have Bellatrix here, will she remain undefeated?"

People were waiting, hands in pockets on their money, wanting to know who the challenger was.