Blood Rose

17

I woke up to a jolt, hands shaking me awake with alarm. I sat up, sheets crumbled at my feet and hair a mane you would only see on a lion. Several eyes were on me, and panic grew in my chest. Waking up with lots of pairs of eyes on you was scary.

"What the Hell?" I spoke, looking back and forth between everyone.

"It's today." Alessandra was the first to speak.

"What? What's today?" I looked for Fox, but he wasn't there.

"Fox isn't allowed to see you today until it's over, you won't find him."

"What's today?"

"The Luna Trials."

•

We were on the plains in front of a forest, and I assumed the point was to go in there. There were people everywhere as well as cameras, a lot pointed at me. One of them had a newscaster speaking into one with a microphone, back facing the set up. It was like an arena almost, we were barred off from the crowd gathered around. It was intimidating, being watched by so many people.

I looked around at the other girls in the plains with me, also wearing a sports bra and leggings with their hair up, makeup free. They were at the sides of the small walls talking to their families, so I decided to do the same.

"So I guess I'm supposed to be talking to you guys about how great I am and that I have it in me." My heart was so rapid, I could feel every beat in my chest. My stomach twisted with nerves, and my chest felt as if it were squeezed in the palm of someone's hand.

"Relax," My mom reached over the small wall and grabbed my hand, my dad doing the same with my other hand. "I can feel your nerves from a mile away."

"I can hear your heartbeat." My dad added, my mom giving him a 'you're not helping' look.

"You know you're stronger than all these girls that probably only waited for this day for years to steal Fox away from you, but you were born into this bond and you know that it's rightfully yours." I nodded to my mom's words, staring at the ground.

"Hey," A hand grabbed my chin and made me look straight at their face. Nicholai's green eyes were staring fiercely at me. "Remember how you used to always beat me to the ground when we would fight and I'd complain about getting grass in my mouth?" I nodded. "Show them what dirt tastes like."

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the traditional Luna Trials for the Bloodrose Dusk pack!" A voice boomed over the loud chatter, causing a stir of cheers and hoots.

"That's my cue." I left my family at the wall and mimicked every other girl, standing clear in the middle of the field in a line. There were ten of us, and I knew my only real competition was Sammy. We both had powers but both had to draw the matters from a source to use them. I had the disadvantage of the poison effect, but I wasn't going to let that bring me down.

I looked to my right to see Fox on a stage, sitting in a chair above everybody else. Striker was sitting next to him, whispering something. Fox was staring straight at me, but I couldn't place his emotions. I moved my gaze to the sky, a smile gracing my lips as clouds dotted the sky.

"In this trial, these ten woman will compete to find this exact yellow flag," We all looked at the yellow flag attached to a small pole. Great, even harder to keep a hold on. "Once one finds it, they must bring it back to the field without someone stealing it away from them. It's free game here, any source to get you out with that flag is up for you to use." I looked to my left to see a large screen showing what the cameras were getting. They went by each of us, showing each competitor. "Get in positions!" The announcer boomed, all of us getting in a running stance. I took in a breath slowly, followed by another. My hands were shaking, but my slow breaths were calming them down. I wouldn't be able to fight or run if I continued trembling.