Claimed│✓

TWENTY-THREE: DELIRIUM

 [twenty-three]

"Tap out!" Daniel shouted from the edge of the ring.


Eric and Olivia had been meeting regularly with other Alphas outside of the gatherings, it wasn't abnormal just necessary as there seemed to be a similar manner in which the rogues would hover around pack territories. It was tense to say the least, just waiting. We were impulsive in nature should we feel threatened but being more sensible than the rogues was key.If not, there was no separation between us and them, just the deceit of civilization.

Currently two warriors were locked in each other's grip, the point of the exercise was to test speed and agility. Putting down your opponent swiftly was the highly desired effect of the exercise, anything else was overkill. Packs weren't meant to breed monsters, only warriors. A distinction that could only be determined by their style of fighting.

Daniel was urging at least one of them to concede.

They reached a breakthrough with one overpowering the other. He fell with a thud before she outstretched her arm for him to be propped up. He took without hesitation. I was glad with that display, there was no enmity.

My father hadn't been exactly keen on helping me up every time I fell. It was to toughen me up, enforce the need to learn that help was futile, there was never anyone to trust. I wondered how my mother felt about that. It wasn't my place to question them but I couldn't help it. I had a mate of my own, where would I be if I didn't trust him.

I trusted him with everything but himself.

My father would often tell me,

"Pain is necessary. It consumes you.It is eternal."

Would I ever feel that with Gideon? A pain so severe that we would never recover from it. I couldn't imagine anything like that befalling us now. It was as if the pain had already come. I understood mine, I just had yet to understand his.

I was brought out of my thoughts when a rough growl followed the cloud of dirt kicked up from the ring. Aiden was pinned to the ground by Gideon.

Watching him, I knew he didn't strike unless necessary. It was a safeguard from going over the edge. He needed to starve whatever perpetual need he had to attack without reason.

Gideon didn't offer any assistance to him not that I blamed him but he was meant to set an example.Gideon approached me clearly disinterested by the whole affair. He had returned to his normal rigid stance, there was nothing relaxed nor welcoming about him. His expression remained blank and tense.

"I would challenge you, Beta, but you would need stamina for that." Aiden murmured. His jabs were incessant but Gideon ignored him.

Aiden seemed to turn away but managed to instead head straight for Gideon with his back turned. Gideon stretched out his fist connecting with Aiden's body, effectively putting him down again.

Aiden seemed more rash and foolish these days.

I looked toward Daniel wondering what he would do next as the host of this training session. He didn't seem too pleased by the display. He couldn't end the fight unless one conceded, Gideon would never.

Aiden got up again, "That was a lucky shot, Beta." he rubbed his jaw before attempting another shot.

He was brought down again and I could feel Gideon's annoyance spark.He held onto Aiden a moment longer before shaking his head and stepping away.

They repeated this process several times and each time, Gideon's strikes increased in the degree of its severity. Aiden began bleeding and breathing heavily but his failure only seemed to spur him on, taunting Gideon.