*Rachel's POV*-
Today is the day of the challenge.The day which would decide my and Steph's future. If we win,we can have a pack which can protect us from Lucian and if we loose then we are on our own. I can't turn back now,I have chosen this destiny.I have to fight for Steph. Closing my eyes, I take a deep breath to calm myself.
I make it out to the pack training ground where the match would be held.There was a pefectly drawn huge square for the area where the fight would take place and every pack member was already gathered around there except young children.The Williams family was at the side lines except sophie of course while Aaron and Daniel were standing next to each other.At first I noticed aaron who gave me sweet smile and a thumbs up for motivation while daniel nodded his head towards me with just a hint of a smile, well that was better than what I expected from him.
"The match will commence in 5 minutes." Max announced in front of the pack.I found myself holding my breath in anticipation for what's to come.
"Nervous?" Steph's voice came from behind me.Upon turning I noticed that he was complete opposite of me, calm and composed.
"That obvious?" I asked.
"Nope. But I tend to know what you are feeling. Just give your best over there,even if you fail I will always support you." he said calmly. Even when he knows the risk of us loosing, he still is not anxious.Infact he is the one calming me down which he is successfully doing so.
"Ok everyone settle down." Natalie spoke from the center of the match area.Everyone started to calm down while taking there places to get a good view of the fight along with staying away from it.
"As we know that Cathy has challenged Rachel for a place in the pack.So, If Rachel wins, she will join the half blood pack and also take a place as a warrior while Cathy will continue as a fighter in the pack.But if Rachel loses, she will loose the opportunity of being a member of this pack." Natalie announces loudly for all to hear.The whole place was deadly silent. I was the only one to either lose or gain something from this challenge,while cathy had nothing to loose.
"The match will start with Hand to Hand combat where you can use your Vampiric Abilities. And then on my command you will all shift and fight in Wolf form." Max added while looking at steph and me.
I noticed back to where Cathy was standing, next to Liam. She was whispering something to him in hushed tone to which he nodded in approval.She then slowly turned and when she saw me looking, a slow smirk spread across her face.I narrowed my eyes in confusion but before I could figure out anything Liam stepped in the centre of the ground.
"Rachel and Stephan Carter, you both will be fighting this challenge together today. Your opponents will be Cathy along with 5 fighters of our pack... selected by her." Liam's voice echoed in the silent ground while everyone was frozen in their place and the air around us thickened with tension.I felt Aurora go still inside me.I could hear sharp intakes of breath from were Aaron and Daniel were seating. We were told that Stephan and I would have separate matches with only 1 opponent for each of us.But now there are 6 against 2 ? Everything seemed to be against our favour in that moment and the fact that Liam was supporting Cathy made my blood run cold.
"This is going to be a friendly challenge,so I don't want any deaths on this ground." Liam said sternly will looking at me and then at Cathy. I better than anyone knew that if she could get the chance she would go straight for the kill.
Cathy confidently strutted to the stage while looking me dead in the eyes.She asked Aaron to join her because he was the pack warrior but he straight up denied her saying that he will not fight against me.I smiled at him,atleast I have people within the pack who will stand beside me.Nevertheless,She selected 5 fighters to fight alongside her, all of which were males.
Before we could join our opponents on the stage, Carol came rushing towards us and crushed me in a deadly hug after which she then gave the same treatment to Steph who excitedly returned her favour.If anyone didn't know about them,they would surely mistake them to be mates.Liam glared at her to calm down because everyone was staring at her,to which I couldn't help but chuckle as she nodded and stood silently at her place.
We both went ahead to the centre of the ground.I am very nervous, I still don't fully understand the capability of my powers but everyone expects more from me which does nothing but feels like additional pressure.The fact that we two newbie's are fighting six experts is a joke on it's own.
"What happened? Scared?" Cathy mocked me as she took her place in front of us.I slowly took a deep breath,maintaining my calm as I answer " I may fear of what's going to happen,but that's not going to stop me from giving my best."
"Fighters,Get Ready..." Max announced from the sidelines at which all of us took our fighting stance.Cathy's calculative eyes sweep over me.The corner of her lips twitching up into a smirk as she underestimates my skills.
"And FIGHT" Suddenly,four of the opponents charge at Steph throwing punches at him,few of which he was able to dodge.
I knew what they were doing,they are trying to outnumber one of us so that they could eliminate that person earlier in the round and they were targeting steph because he is a male thus thinking that he would be a tougher competition.I ran with my vampiric speed and hurled myself at one of the men circling steph,trying to neutralise the number between us.But before I could step away from the man,a strong punch landed straight at my abdomen.
I was considerably thrown back by the impact.The side of my body hitting the ground while I feel this surge of vibration throughout my body due to the impact.Upon focusing on my attacker, I found Cathy standing in front of me with glee on her face.She waited till the moment I was ready to stand,and once I did she started punching at me over and over again.
"Rachel! FIGHT BACK!" I heard Steph yell from far away but he too was soon outnumbered by three of the fighters who didn't give him any chance to fight back,they were landing punches constantly.
"So weak" Cathy mutters making me clench my jaw with enough force to snap my jaw. I tried to notice their weak spots but they were very good at hiding them.There was no way I could overpower 3 powerful vampires with strength,so I decided to change my tactics and use my speed against them.Even though they are vampires but I am faster than them.
I moved in a blink,one moment I was in front of cathy ,the other, I was in front of the third fighter who was circling me.I moved with so much speed that they didn't get the chance to register it due to which I punched with so much force that he fell to the ground unconscious,while making sure to not do any permanent damage to him. I mind-linked Steph to use the same strategy,which he did and soon another of our opponent laid unconscious.
"Fighters SHIFT!" Max yelled from the side-lines indicating the start of another round to fight in our wolf forms.Within seconds all four of them shifted.Cathy's wolf was big but she was small in comparison to my wolf.I could see her wolf snarl while looking me dead in the eye. Me and my brother shifted soon after them.
But before I was fully shifted and ready to fight,cathy's wolf jumped towards me in a swift motion and bit my arm which made me scream a blood curdling roar.I could see my blood dripping from her jaw and the sting in my arm only increased.I waited for my paw to heal but I wasn't healing on a normal rate,something was wrong.
I saw Daniel getting from his place and rushing towards Liam. They both got into a heated argument over something. I could see Aaron looking at me with concern as well.But I was not healing.Even though I was in my wolf form, then too I felt weak.
Aurora: Everything will be alright.I can feel him.He will give us strength.
My wolf said to me,but who was she talking about? I didn't have the time to ask her before I saw a male wolf racing towards me but before he could bite me, I pushed him which made him topple down on Cathy.The horrible pain in my arm made me fall to ground,I look down to find a deep gash on my arm,right where Cathy bit me before.My white fur was now crimson coloured.
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*Lucian's POV*-
My head was filled with the screams of my witches.Everything was in chaos right now, everything that I planned was in shreds.
"What is going on?" I screamed at my coven of witches.Had I known they were all so weak,I would have planned something else.
"I....I don't know master. They ...are getting stronger.They are breaking our spell." one of the witch replied with her head bent down.I slammed my hands on the wall next to me trying to control myself from killing her right now.
"How?" I roared with anger coming out of me in waves.
"They are more powerful witches as compared to us....and they have trained there wolves making them gain more control over them." the witch replied shaking in fear.
"If the breaking of the spell doesn't kill you then I'll make sure to kill you all on my own." I roared before leaving from there.
They cannot know about their mates.They cannot know about their powers.
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*Rachel's POV*-
I saw Steph in his wolf form trying to stop two opponent wolves who were trying to charge at me.I bite back a painful cry as I try to get up but the constant pain in my arms was only getting worse and the fear from earlier started crashing down on me.I was going to loose,there was no way Steph could handle all of them alone.
Just then,I could feel something. A strange feeling started erupting inside of me,making me nervous and at the same time happy as well. I felt a strong Aura try to reach towards me,trying to cover me in itself,trying to protect me but it couldn't succeed in touching me.It wasn't a dominance aura but was something else,as if someone's essence.
A whisper like voice reached me,tickling my ears while at the same time making me relax on hearing it's sweet melody.I followed the sound trying to figure out it's source and saw a pair of deep blue eyes staring back at me with pride.I was mesmerised by them before I saw his lips form words. "Rachel,I believe in you." Those were the words which I was longing to hear,they calmed me down instantly, replacing the fear within me with confidence.Never did I think that Daniel would be the one to say these words to me.
My eyes then shifted towards Liam,who was smiling at me and then nodded.He didn't have even a hint of worry on his face.Everyone was talking within themselves on seeing the fight.I got up from the ground while taking a fighting stance.
Aurora: It's time.
I turned sideways to see a male fighter knock steph down as he charged towards me.
But I stood completely still in my wolf form facing him as he came running towards me. I could feel something change in me as if I was breaking free from being held down for so long.The aura which was trying to reach me earlier had now covered me in itself,protecting me.My wolf stood strong as I let my scent and dominance aura hit every hybrid in the pack and so did Stephan's wolf.
The wolf which was charging towards me stood still in his tracks before slowly kneeling down in front of me. I saw Liam smile at me as we stood before the pack.
Our dominance aura was so powerful that it made the whole pack shift into their wolf and kneel down in front of us,well.... everyone except cathy. Me and my brother were just standing before everyone confused to the core,as we see the Williams family standing proudly while every member of the pack bares their neck in submission.
*Why are they kneeling to us?* I asked steph through our mind-link.
*Not us...they are kneeling to you.* he replied before a sweet smile spread across his face.
Just then a particular scent hit my nose,making my wolf lose control.She was pacing impatiently inside me to find out the source of this scent.It calmed her,it excited her,it was making her lose control.I tried to fill my lungs to the brim with it,it was so addicting.I wanted more of it.It was the same scent of Vanilla bourbon and Oakwood but only stronger. The only sound that I could hear was the sound of the only other heartbeat that matched the ryhtm of my heart.
I turned,scanning every face in the pack,until my eyes stopped at him.
The moment my eyes stopped at him,my heart stopped too.I looked at him as if it was the first time I could see myself complete. His deep blue eyes were staring back at me with equal intensity.My insides lit up with intense desire and passion.
'Mate'
Daniel Williams, the most perfect and the most irritating man I ever met was my mate.
My eyes grew wide when realization dawned on me as I stared back at daniel,who had the same look on his face.I heard him growl before his lips formed a word which excited both me and my wolf.
'Mate' his mouth formed these words in a soft whisper which only seemed to reach me.
He started walking towards me,my heart swelled and I wanted nothing more than to be close to him but suddenly a thundering growl resonated from within him making me shiver under it's effect.Is he angry that I was his mate?Will he not accept me?
Just then I saw flames light up on his arms as if summoned by his skin,but the flames didn't have any affect on him,they didn't harm him.That's when I noticed that his eyes weren't focused on me but were looking at something behind me.
I turned around to see a pissed off Cathy in her wolf form sprinting towards me.Her wolf was growling at me.The look on her face meant only one thing, she was going straight for the kill.But before she could reach me, Daniel stood before me covering my wolf with his body.
The flames which once covered his arms were now bursting in a power surge out of his both hands.Those menacing yet somehow spectacular flames danced around before forming a shield around us both,covering us from all directions.
The wave of heat that blasted of from him was enough to drop Cathy's wolf to the floor.Not enough to kill her,but serious enough to singe her flesh.The only thing was that the heat didn't harm me.I was covered in the shield from all directions,but somehow the heat wasn't burning me.
The only thing that my wolf repeated over and over again was "Mate protected us."