The Mating Tournament

Chapter 22

Chapter 22. CHLOE

"Well?" Summer prodded. "Why aren't you going?"

I stood and started at her, knowing that with each passing second my chances of running dwindled.

"Because, I promised I wouldent." Summer stared at me shocked.

"I'm so confused, Chloe. Isnt this what you wanted? To be free of him? This is your last chance, you LAST chance."

I started walking towards the Arena again, and she slowly followed suit.

"I know that, but if I'm going to get away I'm doing it fair and square. A true Alpha doesn't run away from her problems....at least not twice."

My sister patted me on the back as we walked. And I felt my pride swelling in my chest.

"I know I'm the younger sister, and you're supposed to tell me this instead of the other way around. But I'm very proud of you. And I hope one day I can be as brave as you are."

I let out a shaky chuckle as we neared the gates. The audience could see is now, there was no turning back.

"That's the thing, Summer. I'm not brave. I'm nervous as all hell."

The guard near the arenas entertain a opened up the gate to let me in, no formal check ins for this round. They all knew who the remaining contestants were.

I stepped into the arena without hearing Summers next words, the only thing I could focus on was the completely still Alpha in the middle of the arena.

His gaze was directed towards the floor, his muscles rigid and tense. But when he heard my approach his ears perked and he flashes his head in my direction. Almost not believing I was here.

He stood there shirtless with black gym shorts, and I was surprised to see him in anything besides his leather jacket and jeans. Although I guess no normal wolf would fight a battle in such clothes.

Once again he directed his attention towards the floor and I took my place opposite of him in the arena as the loudspeakers blared through the camp.

"ATTENTION! THIS WILL BE THE LAST TOURNAMENT OF THE SEASON. THE ALPHA, COOPER AGAINST THE BETA, CHLOE. THIS LAST BATTLE WILL DECIDE OF THEY ARE TO BE MATED OR IF THEY ARE NOT. GOOD LUCK CONTESTANTS."

Coopers eyes turned to appraise me, and I felt uncomfortable under his gaze. It looked like he was evaluating an animal, and deciding which tactic to use to kill it.

He was truly a fighter, but at the moment I wasn't. I didn't want to fight, I wasn't in the mood to tackle and tear and rip and charge. For once I just wanted to relax, and I wanted him to be him and I wanted us to be us, and for everything to be normal again.

The buzzer went off alerting the battle to begin but I didn't move. I stood and watched as Cooper kept assessing me. I sighed and relaxed my stance, letting him know I wasn't happy with this. He soon realized the change and his expression became confused.

"What are you doing? What kind of mental game is this?" He asked.

I walked over to him and leaned into his side, he supported my weight but didn't pull me in to his chest like usual.

"I'm tired." I stated, and I leaned on him further.

He groaned and took me into his arms, kissing tho top of my head.

"You stubborn girl, you fight me all this time and now you're tired." I nodded and nuzzled into his neck.

"Yeah, I guess so." I sighed.

"Well what's the sudden change? We have to fight you know. Or you have to give up." I started shaking my head slightly.

"No. I just have to choose you."

He began to chuckle and his chest shook with the laughter.

"I'm not sure that's really how it works, Kitten."

I smirked into his neck and put my hand in his hair.

"It is now."

I leaned in and bit into the side of his neck, right near his collarbone and he let out a small, surprised, guttural moan.

The whole crowd gasped, and his sound was lost with the crowds.

Licking his wound it began to mend itself, leaving behind a white scar with the shape of my teeth. The white stood out, gleaming against his tan skin. And his smell already began to change.

All of the sudden the was mine, totally and completely. No female would ever touch this man again, and I was exceedingly happy about that discovery.

Cooper stared down at me and complete shock, yet with something else there also. Adoration, it looked like and it made me happy to know I made him happy.

The crowd, while stunned did not reject my action, rather they seemed bewildered by it, not sure what to call this ending. A win or a lose? In favor of Cooper or Chloe?

"CONTESTANTS. A PHENOMENON LIKE THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED IN OUR HISTORY. THE COUNCIL MUST TAKE TIME TO DELIBERATE THE OUTCOME OF THIS BATTLE."

Cooper swooped me up in his arms and twirled me around and around, until I couldn't tell where I was.

But, in the end, I was with him. And that's all that really mattered.

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The council had named me winner. I won the match. I bit the opponent which they had decided was the act of dominance, making me the winner. However, because I marked him I obviously wouldent leave him. Which was fine with me, that was the whole point anyways.

The only thing about it was that I had chose it, whatever date I had decided I had been the one to make the decision. No mate bond, no family pressure, no overbearing male. Just me, and my wolf had come back with a vigor.

Of course, while her chanting "I told you so," on and on wasn't my idea of a happily ever after it made it better that Cooper had the power to shut her up.

I honestly, couldent be more happy with my choice. And I look forward to my children competing in the mating tournament in the future.

Although I believe they might be changing the whole concept of it since my little stunt had sparked rebellious females everywhere. No current news about the new mating games, but that would be a challenge for my children, and I know they will make the right choice.

And whatever choice they make, it will be theirs.

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Guys....this is it. My god. I've been writing this forever, and this is it.

I'm not sure what to say now. I guess thank you's are in order.

Thank you all for your support. You get to see another side of me through my stories, and I'm grateful to have you all there for me through this all.

I will make an epilogue of sorts, I want to go back and write about how Chloe was marked ;) and I also want to tell about their future.

But in case you didn't already guess, I'm trying to tie in another one of my stories with this one. Can you tell which one ;)

You'll be seeing Cooper and Chloe again, I promise.