Alaska ✓

6 | Ruptured

"Fight one, Round four of the Alpha Trials. The match will last until one of you is unable to continue," The guard states in a bored tone before bringing down his arm, marking the beginning of the fight.

I gulp as Titus grins at me, clearly confident that he was going to win the fight. Could anyone get any cockier? The answer was yes: Chase.

The beginning of the fight was fast paced as Titus took the first move, sprinting towards me at full pelt, the meters disappearing to centimetres until he was right in front of me. His giant shadow consumed my body as he brought down his sword in an almighty swing.

I meet his weapon with my own, the metallic clang the only sound rebounding off the walls of the arena. I block out the crowd and the ground beneath my feet, only concentrating on my opponent in front of me. All that exists in this world is the swords in our grasps and our bodies as we float through infinity.

No one can touch us. We exist on the tipping point. If I let my sword slip even a millimetre, then we will crash and fall out of the tranquil empty space we have created, and I will lose.

"I will tear you limb from limb and make your death slow and painful, you disgusting rogue," Titus growls as I feel my arms begin to ache as I continue to hold down his sword.

I raise my nose as I hear a hiss form on my lips. "I'm no true rogue. You know that more than anyone."

Titus finally releases the grip on his sword and staggers back a few yards, the arena falling back into position, the gritty sand still below my footwear.

I glance around as we take a breather, my muscles aching from the few seconds of battle. God, how had I ever allowed myself to become so weak?

"You thought that shifting she-wolves were bad," I point out as I desperately think of something to say. "But here I am, in line to possibly become the next ruler of this kingdom. She-wolves were never bad. You just wanted to pack for yourself."

Titus points his finger at me, his face scrunched with fury. "Don't you dare test me, rogue. I will just make it more painful for you."

"I'm not testing you," I mutter impatiently, my muscles finally feeling ready to battle once more. "I'm speaking the truth." Titus raises an eyebrow in fake confusion. "You knew you could never win against my father, so what better way to become Alpha than spread my secret and pretend that it was a curse? You knew that it was a gift. But you knew it would earn you the pack.

"You are a coward, Titus, who deserves no name. And you will die one too," I finish, my palms beginning to become sweaty around the handle of my blade.

Titus laughs at my comments. "Are you done now?" He asks, clearly unimpressed, but I know that it's just a cover up: he knows I'm telling the truth.

I shrug my shoulders. "I could go on all day, but I've got a fight to win," I spit through gritted teeth, and tear at the tall male, plunging my sword straight into his stomach. The sword manages to slice through flesh for a mere second before Titus punches me in the skull, causing me to back away from my advance.

Titus glares at the incision in his stomach. He places his left hand over the wound which comes away stained a deep scarlet. Yet his balance never falters, and his face never once shows any sign of pain. Sadly, the wound will be healed in a matter of minutes.

"You really thought that that would kill me?" I can hear a laugh behind his sullen tone.

"No," I say blandly, my teeth still clenched. I knew he was the strongest opponent I would face, but it was going to be harder killing this beast than I had originally thought, but werewolves were always hard to kill anyway. With their much faster rate of healing, Titus's wound would have vanished during the battle.