Pack Ties, Blood Lies

Chapter 6 - Qualifying

I entered the arena, facing my allocated defender of a neighbouring pack.

He was tall. Taller than I was by at least a foot. His bright red hair reminded me so much of Holly that I almost smiled at him.

He grinned at me confidently. Clearly unworried about our fight.

Over his shoulder I could see the podium. At its base, the gaggle of trainees already done were sitting.

They looked ragged and beaten. All had fresh clothes after shifting. Holly and Kyle gave me small waves. Holly looking sick with fear.

She was the only one of them that knew I couldn't shift.

Above them, on the judges stand, Alpha and Jack were standing side by side. Equally worried frowns on their face.

Jack's midnight eyes met mine, before I pulled my gaze back to where it belonged.

My opponent.

As we began circling, I felt surprised that the guy hadn't shifted yet.

Surprise gave away to anger as he smirked at me. We were close enough for me to hear his mutter, "they give me a tiny girl? I won't even need my wolf."

Blowing out a breath I cooled my anger. I needed to stay level-headed. To remember my training.

We began to spar. I moved far quicker than he did, which seemed to frustrate him immensely.

With a roar he leapt forward, shifting mid-air into a huge, rust coloured wolf.

I dodged him at the last second, taken by surprise slightly. I was a moment too slow and he caught my shoulder with his paw.

The crowd hissed and I heard some of my fellow trainee's groan in sympathy.

Spinning, I managed to catch myself in a crouch. I panted as I did my best to ignore the sticky wet feel of my shoulder leaking blood.

We began to circle again, eyes locked, watching for sudden movements.

The wolf rolled, moving quickly to my right, before snapping at my injured shoulder.

His teeth kissed my skin and I yelped, jerking away from his powerful jaws.

The crowd erupted again, and I heard Kyle's desperate voice from the base of the podium. "What are you doing?! Shift Charlie!"

My arm now hung, next to useless for the pain.

I gritted my teeth, keeping him in my sights.

He was slower than Jack. But had different moves. I needed to stop fighting him expecting the movements I knew.