Fighting Fate

Curveballs and Competing

For the next half hour, we were too busy sorting through what's been happening, for Ben to yell at Dante and me for making contact. I knew it would come later though. Right now, both boys were furious at me for keeping the recent attacks on me a secret.

Ben called for a handmaiden, and under his orders she got off every scrap of makeup on my body, revealing dozens of nasty wounds, scrapes, and bruises.

Meanwhile, I thought back to my strange encounter with mother Willow all those months ago. I wanted to kill her.

Then, over all the yelling one of Ben's messengers flew into the room,

"Alpha, please, urgent news."

All attention turned to the poor snivelling man.

"The Tournament dates have moved up, you start competing for the crown in two days. "

My jaw dropped, and my eyes snapped to Ben.

"That's impossible." He growled.

But it wasn't. The Tournament began exactly two days from now, messages we sent to other packs revealed they had received the same notice. I ran my hand through my hair, too much was happening at once.

"Okay, let's deal with one thing at a time. The Tournament has been moved up, there's nothing we can do about that."

He turned to me, "Carrie, you're coming with me to Cawdor for the tournament. I want you protected at all times."

His eyes penetrated mine, hard and dark, "and if you ever keep something like this from me again, I will attack you myself."

I nodded my head, keeping up steady eye contact even though I wanted to drop my gaze.

Then Ben turned to Dante, "I thought I told you to stay away from her."

Dante growled back, but I cut in angrily, "I went to him, and how fucking dare you order him to stay away."

Ben's gaze shot me, "I am not having this conversation with you again Carrie."

Then he turned back to Dante. But before he could continue his rant, a light charming tune sounded from above us, and a big white feather floated softly downward. When it was in reaching distance, I plucked it from the air, and stared at it in my hands, marvelling at the strangeness of the situation.

"What the fuck?" Dante whispered, craning his neck to look at the feather while trying not to get too close to me.

Suddenly the feather straightened up, hopped out of my hand, and began moving about in front of us, as if it was a quill, writing in the air. Once it drew its last invisible letter, it stilled, then burst into flames. I watched open-mouthed, as the letters it wrote began appearing in the air in front of us in a strange shiny shimmer.

Carrie is to compete in the Tournament for Alpha King.
Let the games begin.
I wish you fair days.
By order of Queen Sylvia Lilly Bloodright The Third, May Long She Reign.

I stumble back, my stomach in my feet.

The fairy queen had called in her favour. I felt sick. I shook my head, "I can't do that, I don't know anything about the Tournament, I,"

Ben scrambled toward me.

"It's okay Carrie, we'll talk to the queen, we'll figure it out."

I shook my head, "I don't think we can get out of this."

"There's no way in hell you're competing," Dante growled, coming toward me, then immediately stepping back, clutching his stomach.

My eyes snapped to Ben, "you need to take back that order."

Ben's eyes flashed, "fuck no."

My head started to pound, there was just so much to process.

"Take back the fucking order," I growled.

"Why are you so anxious for him to come near you? You're mine, Carrie."

My fists clenched, my body shaking with anger, "I. AM. NOT. YOURS."

Ben was in my face now, his eyes blazing.

"Leave her alone Ben." Growled Dante.

"Stay out of this." Ben snapped back, his eyes never leaving mine.

"I am so sick of this argument, you're never going let yourself have me, are you?"

I glared back at him, searching his face. "Take back the order."

"Answer me!" He yelled.

"Ben!" Dante demanded.

"Take it back!" I screeched.

Ben lunged at me, pulling me hard against his chest.

"Be mine. That's order."

I fell against him, weakened, then used my last bit of strength to stumble away, falling to my knees.

"You can't be fucking serious Ben!"

I didn't look up at Dante, to thank him for defending me, everything hurt.

"Carrie," Ben said softly, his voice dropping.

I said nothing, I'd never been in so much pain. I felt my body shaking, sweat built up on my forehead and I knew I was as white as a ghost.

"You can't do this!" Dante yelled I heard his voice change, the snarl of an alpha.

Ben stepped up to Dante, and the growls that escaped them were completely animalistic. I guess we should have seen this coming, Dante was a born alpha, he wasn't supposed to follow orders. Now he was a full alpha, and no longer apart of the Gliddian Pack, he had snapped. He didn't need to follow Ben's lead anymore. But Dante could change all he liked, Ben was still my alpha, and I couldn't fight his orders anymore.

"I'm yours." I  choked out.

Both boys turned to look at me, and my hands shot out as I fell forward, coughing.
Dante rushed to me, pulling me to my feet. I fell against him, exhausted.

Dante looked up at Ben, "you're fucking insane."

Ben's face stayed stony. "Pack your bags, Carrie. We're going to Cawdor for the Tournament."

Dante growled, " I'm coming too."

"Like hell you are," Ben replied.

Dante shrugged, pulling me closer,

"You don't control me anymore Ben. I'm an alpha, and we're the same age. Which means,"

My head spun with yet another curveball. "Dante's a prince too, he can compete."

I looked around at all of us, the realisation set in.

"We're all competitors," I whispered.