EYES OF FIRE AND ICE

Chapter Sixty-Five

'There is no need to be nervous,' Valen gently says in her mind. 'Your opponent looks like he'll be blown over by a small breath of wind. Trust your training and you will have him on the floor before the round ends.'

Alia nods, nerves calming, but she can't find it in herself to look away. Her stomach begins to tingle, loving the way his eyes slowly trail down her body. It's as if he's stripping her in his mind, and it makes her hands tense with a need to touch his skin whilst he touches hers.

The corner of his mouth raises. 'If you continue to meet my gaze, wolves will notice.'

Whispering as quietly as she can, Alia responds to the male. "You say that yet you're rendering me bare as we speak."

His eyes grow heavy, jaw clenching. 'Can you blame me for desiring you? You're mine, after all.'

Alia's heart begins to race. She clenches her hands into fists, neck warming as she imagines herself running up to him just so he can do whatever he wants to her. "When the Trial's end, will you kiss me?"

'I'll do more than just kiss you.'

"Alright," Gamma announces from somewhere behind her. "Now that everyone's set, I will quickly relay the rules that will apply to every round except the final."

Valen lifts his chin towards their Gamma, and Alia finally tears her gaze away to turn towards the speaking male. She bites her lip, hating the idea of not being able to see him when the round begins. "Can you stay there whilst I compete?"

She feels stronger when she feels his eyes on her, and knowing that he's nearby has a sense of peace filling her. Nothing can harm her when he's in reach, and just that fact can allow her to push through any sense of fear and succeed like he knows she can.

'Why do you think I moved here? For a change of scenery?'

Alia fights back a smile.

"You will have one minute to overpower your opponent. When the bell rings, whoever is in the dominating position will proceed to their next round. Weaponry is not permissible, which includes claws and canines, and you will be removed if you fail to follow this. Do not kill your opponent, and do not remove limbs. Stay on the mat as best you can, and do not interfere with neighbouring matches. If you or your opponent submits at any point before the bell rings, the match is over and you must return to the positions you currently stand in. Do not touch your opponent in any inappropriate manner, and do not verbally abuse them." He looks at Valen. "Failure to follow any of these rules will lead to disqualification, the loss of limbs, or even your head. If you fail to follow rules at this early stage, then you will never be trusted to hold a rank or Title. I hope these instructions are clear, and I wish you all the best of luck." Christian moves back to the bench and sits down. He brings the tablet before him and touches the screen a few times, eyes focused.

Alia turns back to face her opponent when she notices other wolves doing the same. She looks at Valen but his attention is elsewhere, brows furrowed whilst he scans the amphitheatre.

Tension brews through the main floor, muscles tense and arms raised in fighting stances. Alia places one foot behind her and steadies herself. She analyses her opponent's subtle movements, noting how his fists are raised before his face whilst his legs move to mirror hers. His eyes are glued to her face, probing for any clues as to where she may strike first.

She focuses on his legs, adjusting her feet whilst she subtly mimics sliding down to kick his legs out from under him. Then she stops, eyes finding his pale green ones. He hasn't stopped shaking.

The bell rings.

The male jumps up into the air in an attempt to dodge her sweeping leg. But instead of doing as she'd practised, Alia jumps up and sends a powerful spinning kick to the male's jaw. His jump allows for her kick to land perfectly, the brutal sound of bone cracking reverberating through the hall. She lands on her feet just as he slams onto the mat, unconscious.