The Alpha's Slut (#Wattys2016)

34~Fall To Your Knees

Valentino probed me to eat, "You can't win if you don't eat." he pleaded.

I turned away, "I said to call Vincenzo."

He ignored my request, "You need to eat, it's been a week since you were here and nothing. You haven't functioned correctly."

I snarled and grabbed his phone, scrolling through the contacts. I dodged his hand and dialed my mate. My wolf howled at the sound of his voice, "Valentino?" he questioned through the phone. "Hello? I'm quite busy, brother." he said gruffly.

Valentino grabbed the phone from my hand. "I need to talk to you, brother." he said roughly, walking into the other room. I could hear every word spoken.

"She wants you to come, just to be there." Valentino begged.

"Is she fucking with you? What, warming your bed too?" he snarled.

My breath hitched. "She will die, she cannot defeat the beta, and you know it. At least let her die with her mate." Valentino said.

"I'm not coming, never. I'll never get the image of her and that mutt Axel out of my mind. She's been with Titus, Axel, and some human named James. I can't forgive that."

"You can't hate the dead."

"I can do so just fine, thank you brother." he growled.

"Mates cannot go on without the other. I know your wolf is howling in your head, begging for his mate. I know you are denying him his needs. And if you are not there I know Araceli will die without knowing love."

"She loved that mutt Axel."

Valentino punched the wall, "You think that was love? He used her. She thought she loved him. The only man she has ever loved in that way is you. Always you. And you cannot even fathom that thought because your head's so far up Piper's sorca."

Vincenzo snarled through the phone. "She will be fine."

Valentino was frantic and snarling as he spoke. "Araceli does not eat and she does not sleep. She is half-alive, a shell of the words the elders whisper about her. She cannot win! When will you learn that! Araceli will have her throat ripped out by Easton and you will be out drinking! You were not there at your child's death and you won't be present at its mother's. Perhaps we should all be thanking the moon goddess you shall be at your own."

Vincenzo was speaking in italian now, a language I couldn't understand. "Ognuno è morto . Sei così ingenuo da pensare che la sua morte sarebbe un problema per me? Lei è nulla."

Valentino threw his phone against the wall and sped towards me. "He is not coming." he whispered.

I raised my head from my tucked knees, "I know."

~

I gritted my teeth as Valentino's pack roared in approval when Easton walked into the screaming arena. He smiled at me lopsidedly as if to say sorry. He winked at me and raised his sword to the rabid crowd. They were chanting for blood, and blood he would give them.

I tossed my light sword from side to side, shifting on my feet. Valentino commanded silence. "Araceli challenged Easton Carsons, does anyone object?" The crowd of wolves was silent. He growled, "Begin."

Eaton lunged for my stomach and sliced the tender skin open. The crowd screamed and pounded their fists in tune to each other. I snarled and backed away sluggishly, nothing like the graceful movement I possessed months earlier. Easton wasn't a human, he was a war hardened second. He had drawn first blood, but the pack was hungry for more. He didn't need a sword to kill me, he could slice open my throat and be done with it, but wolves liked playing with their food.

He parried and blocked each blow I delivered. He did so with lazy ease only he could possess. Time and time again, my skin was met with the cool blade controlled by his arm. I shook and feebly attempted to block each blow. My legs were barely keeping me upright, I was losing too much blood. Werewolves could only die from silver, mercury, or wolfsbane. Limbs grew back, heads did not. Hearts were a death blow if ripped out. Eaton darted in for another attack and grinned when I jammed my sword into his stomach. He pulled it out with only a mere grunt.

"Shift." he snarled. "I want to see you bend. Fall to your knees and submit."

I shifted gracefully and bit into his leg. He growled and shifted into a large brown wolf. The pack chanted for action and to deliver the kill. Easton ignored them and forced my small form to the rough sand of the arena. He dug his claws into my stomach and dragged them clean down my stomach. I howled in pain and thrashed as he bit into the exposed flesh and tore it from my stomach. I cried out and scratched at his muzzle. I let out whines of defeat, submitting.

Easton continued, his wolf had already taken over. His eyes shone with savage glee, an animal in his own right. I howled and sobbed out at the fire racing through my body. He bared his teeth and flipped me over so the sand dug into my wound. I shifted quickly and held my hand to my bleeding abdomen in an attempt to keep my spilling guts in. "Please, Easton." I begged frantically.

He ignored me and grinned at my screams when he clawed at my back and hit bone. He cocked his massive head to the side and shifted into his human form. But his wolf was clearly in control, his alabaster eyes gleaming. "You are so much less pretty when covered in blood." he purred.

I closed my eyes. The torture was continuing, he picked up the sword and sliced deeper into my already open wounds. My vision was blurring. "Vince." I murmured.

Easton laughed, "You are dying, Araceli. And yet you still ask for the man who will never love you. Did you know Piper left him? And I heard she gave up the baby too. He didn't even know." he laughed again. "It's quite ironic, actually. They were in a motel, making out. Her mate walks in, cause he was trying to steal from them, and he finds her. She left him, left him for a werewolf thief. The mate bond is such a special thing." he glanced at me. "How insensitive of me, I apologize, you're dying in front of a whole pack, whoops. Anyways, the last thing Vincenzo says to her is 'I never loved you.'. Men, all pigs."

Easton poked his tongue out and stared at the crowd, "Time to die." He shoved his hand into my chest and pulled. I gasped out as he pulled again and fell against his warm body. "Wow, it's really stuck in there." he gritted his teeth and pulled one more time. I was limp against him, his hand was gripping my heart, but my body was healing around his hand, trying to fix the skin. He grinned childishly, "There we g-"

Easton's hand fell away from my heart. He crumpled to the ground and clutched the hole where his heart used to be. I looked up to see his assailant.

A/N: Fuckedy Freaking Frick!!!!!!!!!!! We hit 10K! I literally woke up to eighty-two notification for TAS and was so amazed! We rocketed up to #157 in Werewolf. This book has gotten so much support lately! You guys are the best! Thank you to everyone who voted, I especially love the comments! You guys make me want to write! I can't believe this is happening!

I'm accepting all banners, or covers and displaying them at Author Notes if you guys make any! Just DM me them and I'll answer and give proper credit! You guys are the best! All the love!

QOTC: Who the frickidy frick killed Easton?

QOTC: Will Vincenzo ever get a puppy for Araceli?

QOTC: What did Valentino say in italian when talking about Piper XD