Welcome back everyone! This chapter I will try my hardest to make it LONGER than the other chapters.
I still hope that you all enjoy and PLEASE leave a comment on your thoughts.
1Blossom
P.S. this chapter is probably more PG-13 than ANY of the other chapters in the novel!
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Chapter 24
~Lucas~
Even after everyone separated from the center of the field I could still see the cocky smile on Lucian's face, and the way his group of wolves seemed to bow as he walked away from us. It was like they were trying to say he was some sort of king and that he was higher up than everyone else—as if we were no better than the dirt he walked on. And to that, someone really needed to rip the man’s head off his shoulders and show everyone that he’s no king. That he was no better than anyone else or the wolves he walked all over. I wanted to be that someone. That person who would show everyone that Lucian was just an overly ego-sized wolf with more fears than an average pup. I wanted to show everyone that there was no reason to fear Lucian, and instead he should be the one afraid, but no, instead I had Josiph tightly holding my arm and almost dragging me across the field in the opposite direction, whispering orders as if I could understand a word he was saying.
“Damn it Lucas,” Josiph said when we finally stopped in front of a group of werewolves from our pack. “Do I need to have someone drag you back to the house while this battle takes place?”
“No,” I sternly said.
“Then get your head straight,” Josiph told me, slapping me on the head. “If I hear an ounce of your thoughts during this fight I’m having someone drag your ass out of here. I won’t have it Lucas, not with everyone's lives at stake here.”
“I get it,” I said through gritted teeth.
“Do you now?” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Because, I will have them drag you out of here if you’re not able to keep your thoughts to yourself. I swear—” He stopped pitching the bridge to his nose, pulling me through the crowd behind everyone. “—You can’t get involved in this battle Lucas, don't you understand that?” I nodded, understanding. “Then stop it. I don't give a damn about how this battle turns out, all I care about is if you’re still here after the battle.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Then stop thinking about how you’ll rip his head off if you have to. That only tells me that you can't be here for the battle because you’ll get involved, and if that’s the case, I will get someone to force you back home.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. “I won’t get involved.”
“You better not. I will have them—” he was saying just as his voice started to disappear into nothingness, while Kiana's voice grew louder and louder until it was her I was speaking too. Even Josiph himself disappeared in front of me and in his place stood Kiana.
“He’s going to die,” Kiana said softly. Sadly. Her face was turned down as she said the words almost afraid to look up at me.
“Then be ready Kiana,” I said back. "If we have to, we’ll get involved. Even if Josiph says otherwise.”
“Do you think it is safe?” she then asked.
I sighed, not even sure. “If this battle goes south as you believe it to be, then it will be the safest moment we’ll have. Josiph will be against it, and we’ll probably end up hearing it after the battle, but it’s the only way to protect him if things goes badly.”
“And the only,” she agreed looking up to me just as she disappeared into thin air and Josiph came back into view again talking as if nothing had happened in the first place.
“—can't have anything happen to you,” Josiph finished saying.
“Nothing will happen.”
Before Josiph could say anything Derek's voice came from the crowd. “Josiph?” he called, “it's almost time.”
“Thank you,” Josiph said facing Derek. “Guess we better get going then.”
“I guess so,” I whispered softly. “Everything will be okay,” I then added before giving Josiph a hug.
“So long as you’re okay then I’ll know everything will okay.” He hugged me back, before placing his gentle lips on my own. We kissed for five seconds before Josiph pulled away, giving me his soft smile. “Don't do anything stupid,” he warned me.
Smiling, I replied. “Never do.”
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I was standing in the front row with only minutes before the fight would start. Kiana stood to my left and down about seven wolves. She stood with her arms crossed over her chest, looking down, probably avoiding watching the fight take place, or catching someone’s attention. To my right stood Derek, he stared blankly at Lucian and Josiph in the center of the field with his arms crossed behind his back, and next to him stood Zach.
Zach wasn't even looking toward Josiph and instead watched Lucian's pack members pace back and forth on the other side of the field. They all seemed really nervous about the events that would take place in the battle, and the outcome after the battle. None even bothered to look at Lucian when he headed to the center of the field and no one watched him now, as he towered over Josiph.
“You ready to die, alpha boy?” I could hear Lucian's booming voice over the sounds of chirping birds in the trees, and the gush of wind that just blew by.
“I don't plan on dying,” Josiph barked looking up at Lucian.
Lucian laughed. “Well you better think again.”
“Tonight's battle takes place between Alpha Josiph of the Belmont Bay pack, and Alpha Lucian of the Moonlight pack.” Derek stepped forward and spoke loudly stopping all conversation echoing from the field. His arms were still layed behind his back as he eyed everyone around him. “The battle is for the claim of the other alpha's pack and all he holds close, and will continue until one alpha falls in battle or retreats. There will only be one winner and just in the case the losing alpha still survives, he must immediately leave his pack and become a rogue. If he’s caught on or around the territory of either pack he will be killed on site.” He looked directly to Josiph and Lucian when he went on speaking, “Do you understand the rules of the alpha fight?”
Lucian and Josiph both nodded so Derek continued on. “Good luck to the both of you,” he said before stepping back into his place beside me. “He’ll be fine,” he whispered with a smile.
I smiled back but said nothing before turning back to the center of the field.
Only seconds after Derek spoke did Josiph and Lucian turn into their wolves. Josiph was the first to finish his transformation before he stood on all four of his paws in his dark brown wolf coat. His wolf stood at about five foot with large paws and muscled legs, but he was nothing compared to Lucian.
When Lucian finished his transformation which took a lot longer he stood at over six foot tall. He was a black wolf with a orange stripe throughout his fur, and at first glance he could have passed as an overly sized bear, but with a longer look it seemed like he worked his wolf to its breaking point. Pushed to become the size he stood now and possibly even took illegal medication to enhance his wolf’s size, and if that were the case, he would have more difficulty keeping up with an agile wolf like Josiph.
Everyone stood on the sidelines silently waiting for someone to make the first move, but the two seemed to study one another carefully and analyze everything about their opponent like a true alpha would. It seemed to drag on for hours before the two of them finally attacked at the same time in a ball of speed and anger.
I could see nothing but bits of dust and grass being pulled up from behind the two wolves running at one another with opened jaws ready to bite down on anything in reach. When they both made it directly into the center and the first bite was made by Josiph, the battle began. Lucian howled in pain as he clawed at Josiph's back ripping up skin before being able to pull him away and threw him across the field. Josiph landed with a thud and got up immediately with seconds to spare before Lucian was on top of him. He was able to slip passed a small gap before biting down on Lucian's hind leg again and started to pull at the flesh.
Lucian howled before turning around and breaking free from Josiph's grip, losing fur and skin in the process. He growled his frustration and pain before lunging at Josiph and biting down on his leg ripping muscle and fur. Josiph howled in his own agony before extending his claws at Lucian's face. From this distance I could see his claw digging into Lucian's left eye, blinding him. I could also see Lucian's anger and pain as he pulled away from Josiph throwing him a few feet away from him. His paw went by up to his left eye, almost like he was protecting it.
Panting in pain and fury, Lucian removed his paw from his face revealing a swollen and bleeding left eye. That injury would probably take months to heal and even then he’ll be half blind in the eye. Lucian grunted before lunging back at Josiph's hind leg. The first attack Josiph was able to dodge but when Lucian threw out his claws to grab at Josiph, he wasn't quick enough. Pain erupted then from my left leg as Lucian's claws dug into Josiph's muscle. Josiph howled in pain while I worked on putting up a wall between the two of us and severing the link of pain in my leg.
When Josiph was able to break free from Lucian's bear like paw, he lunged to the left making sure to keep his injured leg partially in the air before charging in to bite down on Lucian's front leg. Lucian was quick though and was able to dodge the attack before taking his own attempt at Josiph's abdomen. Thankfully, Josiph was able to dodge the attack with mere inches from a certain death.
I turned to Kiana just in time to see the vision of certain death in her eyes, before she quickly turned away. Too late, I thought running my hand through my hair as bits of the vision came into view. Josiph's death was near.
“Don't try anything stupid,” Derek said from beside me, probably seeing the look in my eyes. “You heard him.”
I turned to face him just as Josiph was able to take a chunk of fur from Lucian's back. “I wasn't thinking of doing anything.”
“Even I can sense the bullshit in that sentence.” He chuckled. “Seriously, don't do anything stupid because anyone of these men can and will drag you back to the house under my orders.”
I said nothing before turning back to the fight crossing my shaking hands behind my back. Both wolves seemed badly injured now. Josiph's back leg was bleeding badly and if he wasn't checked soon he would bleed to death. Lucian's fur was also caught in the corner of his mouth and blood covered his canines.
On the other side was Lucian. He too was injured in his back leg and limping badly as blood dripped down in a puddle beneath him. His left eye was completely useless due to the recent claw injury. Lucian hadn't moved from his spot in the last few minutes; his leg up in the air from his injuries. Lucian was also bleeding from his ear which Josiph had recently been able to rip at and at his front leg. He was losing blood but not at as fast as Josiph was and he knew it.
Josiph went left limping around Lucian and took advantage of his injured eye as he watched every movement for an opening, but found none as Lucian was waiting for him with an open jaw and extended claws ready to rip at skin and fur.
Lucian eventually grew tired of the circling and took the first lunge at Josiph who dodged quickly before jumping and biting down on Lucian's injured hind leg. I could hear bone cracking from across the field and the howl of agony from Lucian's mouth before he clawed at Josiph's face and ripped his leg free from his grasp. Josiph let go bouncing back and landing lightly on his remaining three paws while Lucian whimpered in pain and got up on his paws. His broken leg dangled in a bloody mess with blood pouring below in a small puddle. If Lucian survived tonight his back leg would never work properly or heal for that matter. It would be worthless, and in turn he would be worthless as an alpha.
As if knowing this Lucian growled in anger before slapping at Josiph. Josiph was able to dodge the first attempted attack, but not the second one. He went sailing across the field landing hard against the dirt ground. Bone cracked and he whimpered in pain before gripping tightly onto his side. Even in pain Josiph attempted to get up but was unable to and instead dragged himself over to a close by rock. There he lay with his eyes closed panting heavily.
Behind him Lucian hobbled closer and closer with his broken leg swaying as he walked. Blood splattered everywhere but Lucian didn’t seem to notice as he advanced on Josiph.
“Get up Josiph,” I whispered more for myself than anyone else watching as Lucian gained ground on Josiph. His eyes showed no life and I knew he would be going for the kill. “Please get up Josiph,” I begged, praying silently.
I could feel a hand land gently on my shoulder and I looked up to see Derek's sad face. He had big fat tears in his eyes that never fell as he kept blinking them away. I attempted to smile, failing miserably before turning to everyone in the pack.
Many had tears in their eyes and were trying their best to hold them back while others just let the tears roll freely down their cheeks or fur not even bothering to hide them. Everyone seemed to know what was to come even before it happened, and no one seemed to know what to do other than cry. Even Lucian's own pack was crying on their side of the field. This was their last chance to be free from someone like Lucian, and if Josiph lost, then not only would they have to live with him, everyone from our pack will have to as well. It was like the end of the world for them and everyone else.
Turning back to the center of the field I could still see Lucian advancing on Josiph. I could tell that he was becoming weaker, but not as much as Josiph, whose eyes were closed, his breathing ragged against the rock. It's almost as if he has just given up, and instead welcomed death and defeat.
“Josiph get up!” I screamed, trying to catch his attention. If he’s going to stay motionless against that rock any longer, Lucian will kill him. “Get up. Damn it.” Still nothing, but a small twitch in his eye. “Move!” I bellowed.
“Geez Lucas,” Derek said, from beside me.
My hands rolled up into fists. “He needs to move.”
“We know this, but he doesn’t. His rib is broken and has punctured his lung. He’s lucky to be alive as it is,” Derek replied sadly, his voice breaking.
“And if he doesn't move he won't be alive longer.”
“And if you don't calm down, we’ll have to restrain you,” he said blandly.
Ignoring him, I turned back to the fight only to stop breathing when I saw Lucian in front of a motionless Josiph with his huge claws extended and aimed right at Josiph's throat for the killing blow.
“Kiana!” I yelled turning to her. She looks up facing me with puffy red eyes and tear stained cheeks. “Do something!”
Tears spilled from her eyes as she turned to Josiph and Lucian knowing that in a matter of seconds Josiph will be no more, but she still doesn’t do anything, expect cry. “Don't just sit there!” I shouted at her, taking a step forward only to be stopped by a hand grabbing my arm.
“I’m serious, Lucas,” Derek's voice rang through my left ear. “They’ll take you out of here if needed.”
“Kiana, will you do something!” I yelled louder, shaking Derek's hand off and turning quickly to Lucian to find him flexing his claws with that cocky grin on his face. “Kiana!”
“I can't.” Her voice was almost a whisper, but I still heard her.
“You can!” I replied back tears falling freely down my face. “Don't just let him die when you can do something!”
“I can't!” Kiana repeated, screaming back at me, tears streaming down her own face.
“Kiana!” I sobbed brokenly, about to lunge forward. Groups of wolves from every direction came at that moment, grabbing onto my arms and started pulling me further and further back, even when I pulled them back in the opposite direction. “Please Kiana, don't let him die,” I begged looking at my younger sister, as more tears dripped down my cheeks.
“Damn,” Kiana said giving in. Whipping her eyes, she nodded. “I guess it really is time to show everyone then.” She stepped away from the group of wolves standing protectively around her before moving to take the wig off, revealing the one secret she’d hidden for so long.
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Hey everyone, I hope you all have enjoyed the chapter.
First, I would like to say that this is only the second time I have ever written a fight in a book and I really hope that you all enjoy this. Please leave a comment on what you all thought.
FInally, I really just hope that you all enjoy the chapter and please don't be afraid to tell me what you think!
1Blossom