The Call to the Wild

The Battle of the Generation

"Willa Lykensen challenges Wren Lupin to a battle for leadership, or the battle for the Alpha. Willa has never challenged before, but Wren has taken many challenges. Thirteen to be specific. She has won all. In the challenge, the first to pin the other to the ground for a solid twenty seconds wins, or if one forfeits the other maintains or becomes Alpha. Verbal communication between the participants is allowed. When I say begin, you start," Wyatt read from an old book, his voice shaky as he was wracked in nerves. He wanted Wren to win, but he didn't want his sister to lose. Then again, a lot of him wanted Addison to be the Great Alpha.

Wren and Willa were circling each other, fangs bared and claws out. Willa's eyes glowed a bright yellow, Wren's being a gorgeous glowing violet, matching her grandmother's moonstone necklace that was gifted to her when she arrived. Wyatt took in a shaky breath, Wynter also nervously tapping her foot next to him.

"Begin." Willa launched herself at Wren, unknowingly putting herself at an immediate disadvantage. She was too ready, she would burn herself out fast. It's like why you jog first and not sprint when you have a long way to go, you don't want to exhaust yourself too early on. Wren learned this at her first challenge, almost losing because of it.

Willa tore at Wren's clothes, narrowly missing skin. Wren was quick to dodge, tuck and rolling out of the way. She moved skillfully around the animal-like girl, Willa's moves looking messy compared to her carefully calculated attacks. Wren threw a punch, swiping at her feet simultaneously. Willa jumped, but Wren stuck the punch, landing square in her jaw. Willa fumbled back, Wren able to land a kick to her stomach sending her to the ground. Quick to pin her down, Wren held her in a headlock as Willa struggled to break free.

"One! Two! Three! Four! Five! Six!" Wynter yelled as Wren held her down. Suddenly, Willa bit her in the arm hard, piercing skin immediately and drawing vast amounts of blood. Wren cried out, stumbling back. Willa snuck out of the headlock, pinning Wren down.

"You don't deserve to be Alpha!" She yelled, rolling Wren over so she was on top. Willa threw a punch that Wren narrowly dodged, settling to knee her stomach instead.

"You don't even know if you want to be human or a werewolf!" She cried.

"I'm a werewolf!" Wren spat, flipping her over and punching her in the face. Willa grabbed her hand, twisting it behind her. "I always have been and always will be!"

"But you haven't always been!" Willa yelled as the two hopped up from their positions. "You're a human girl!" Willa kicked her in the stomach, but Wren absorbed it with only a small stumble.

"I'm the more werewolf than you'll ever be!" Wren exclaimed, flipping backwards as Willa tried to kick again.

"Lies!" Willa grunted as she took a punch to the chest. When Wren tried to punch again, she caught it, twisting her arm painfully.

"Aagh!" Wren yelled, going with her arm and stumbling to the ground. Willa smirked as she jumped on top of her, punching her in the lip.

"You don't deserve this. Not even Wyatt likes you, he would prefer a human girl over you any day of the week. You are worthless, pathetic, and a terrible leader. You're the reason we're in this mess," she hissed. Wren furrowed her brows.

"Wait, wasn't it you who got caught by the humans?" She asked with a smirk. Willa groaned, punching her again. Wren threw a punch back before wrapping her arms around her shoulders, successfully flipping her off of her. Wren flipped up, Willa standing slowly.

"You will never be the Great Alpha! You are stupid! Backstabbing! Pitiful! You will never be like your father! Oh wait, you will. You'll die just like your true father did; like a coward," she spat, a smirk tugging her lips. Gasps echoed around the room, the pack shocked as to what Willa just said. Wynter and Wyatt (as well as the rest of the pack) waited to see how Wren would respond. She stared at the floor, all kinds of damaging emotions engulfing her chest and causing her hands to shake. For a moment, Willa's face dropped in fear, but the smirk came back when she noticed that she looked weak.

"My father wasn't a coward," Wren said, "but you are." Wren flew forward, letting her emotion get the best of her. There was a series of kicks and punches, but the pack could only see a blur of arms and legs. They were moving too fast. Somehow, Willa gained the high ground and pushed Wren down. Wren barely had time to register what happened, but it all happened slowly for her. She could see herself falling to the ground, her arms flailing and her feet trying to gain ground. She felt the pain as her head made contact with the hard rock below her, and she could almost feel the skin splitting as a break in the outer layer was inevitable. The commotion in the room was held back by Wyatt's loud yell for the challenge to be completed, but many loyal pack members wished to help their Alpha. She heard calling to get up and spotted Willa standing above her. Willa jumped on top of her, holding her arms down with a smirk. Wren tried to get up, she really did, but the blood pooling below her head was enough to will her body to stop moving. Wren wrestled against Willa, the latter swiping across her face aggressively. Wren felt the blood drip onto her eyelashes from the scratch across her left eye, splitting that eyebrow and slicing skin, inky just barely avoiding the eye. Wren socked her in the face, causing a break in her nose, but it was too late. Willa had fallen off her, but the twenty seconds had just barely passed fast enough. Wren had lost.

"Nineteen!" Wyatt hesitated. "...twenty." Willa stood victorious, but was brought down by there being no cheers. Everyone stood solemnly, their heads down in sadness. When Willa went to be congratulated by her brother and Wynter, they looked away. Willa looked around, hurt by the sudden break in the pack. Wren sat up, her hand over her eye. She stood slowly, looking at the disappointed faces of her pack, her people. Her eyes cast down as she made her way slowly to the door.

"I'm sorry," she choked out before running out. They watched her go, Wyatt and a few others collapsing to the ground. Most due to the moonstone sickness, but Wyatt due to the overwhelming shock of what just happened. A Lupin had lost. A few elders emerged from their bunkers, their faces holding a lost emotion. One went to the rule book, staggering in her ailments. She took hold of it, hugging it close to her chest.

"It has been done," she spoke, all eyes and head casting to the ground in apparent sadness. Willa shook her head, running off to her room.