In Heat - Jenlisa

Chapter 93 - Retaliation

Logically, Lisa knows she should be feeling some degree of shock in the wake of Jennie's declaration. 

But her expression doesn't change, eyelids don't even so much as twitch, because some part of her had known—some measure of her, Lisa thinks, had been bracing for this all along. It would be impossible to love Jennie Kim and not know the violence etched into the set of her shoulders, not recognize the brutality in her bones. She has loved Jennie and all of her rancor since the moment they met.

In any case, Lisa should have known from the start that things would end this way. Jennie has never been interested in cutting down the weakest of the herd, the unhardened, the untested. She likes the struggle. She revels in the fight.

"She's got a death wish," Tzuyu whispers.

Cody's stare feels like a physical weight on the back of her neck. "What kind of witch did you bring us, Manobal?"

Lisa doesn't answer. Across the arena, Hugo's shaking his head, lips curling up like he thinks this all is funny, and the disrespect is so blatant it steals the breath from Lisa's lungs. Down in the pits, Jennie's head shoots up again, expression morphing into concerned.

She should be, Lisa internally admits. The wood thrums with the pulsing in her head, air thick enough to bite, and Lisa has to force herself to remain focused while Hugo continues to grin with the certainty of a man who knows he can weasel his way out of just about anything. How dare he disregard Jennie's challenge, she thinks. How dare he treat her conviction like a joke.

For the first time since she entered the pits, Lisa feels her fingernails lengthening into claws. The other wolves start edging away from her, the Montgomery wolves in particular giving her as wide a berth as possible in such tight quarters, and Lisa's teeth clack together as a painful shudder wracks through her shoulders.

"It's close to the moon," one wolf whispers.

The others start shooting her fearful looks.

"Give her space," Jason commands. "You guys should know better. Manobal's intended's in the pits."

But Lisa doesn't have to do anything, it turns out, because Aminder is poised to whisper in her husband's ear, lips moving fast and ire almost palpable as she weaves her retaliation against the wolf who'd targeted her son. Whatever she said must have struck a chord because Pack Leader Montgomery's expression hardens as he climbs to his feet.

"The challenge will stand," he announces, voice carrying into the trees. Then, to Pack Leader Flint, "If your son has honor, he will answer."

To his credit, Pack Leader Flint looks mostly unmoved by this turn of events. His mate remains similarly still and silent behind him. It's hard not to feel confident when your son hasn't lost in years, Lisa thinks, anger roiling thick in her gut.

"Let them fight, then. The boy has yet to blood a witch," Pack Leader Flint responds. Lisa thinks he wouldn't sound so cavalier if he could see the thunderous look dawning on Aminder's face. "He needs the experience."

Down in the pits, Leader Clifford gives a short nod. "Challenger Kim to fight Hugo Flint!"

Lisa should have known better than to bring Jennie within ten leagues of her childhood tormentor.

Anyway, something has been wrong with Jennie all day, Lisa knows it has, ever since the caning stripes and the shattered mirror and the haunted expression that devastated Jennie's face. Whatever's happening here is clearly a product of that, considering Jennie's looking at Hugo like she's taking a mental tally of his working ligaments.