Born To Burn

Ch.4: FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!

I was suddenly aware that others had gathered around. They all chanted Fight! Fight! Fight! Egging this all on. Why would they egg this on? Didn't they know how serious this was?

I scanned their faces...resting on a pair of brown eyes boring into me. Lacey. She smiled at my acknowledgement, waving slightly, marveling at my panic. She mouthed something that took me a moment to register. HE'S GONNA DIE BITCH.

I had to stop this. What if she was right? I wasn't worth dying over. I couldn't let this continue.
I looked at Eidon and saw his hands clenching and unclenching into fists. His breathing had quickened too.

He was indeed going to challenge Aiden and there was nothing I could do to stop it. If he lost....his death would be on my shoulders...

That thought hit me like a ton of bricks. I jumped up, I had to do SOMETHING. ANYTHING!

"Please don't fight!" I begged, "Please don't do this!"

Aiden didn't even look at me when he raised his hand and backhanded me so hard I flew back 3 feet to the wall and connected with it. Hard. The crunch was audible. Silence prevails for about 10 seconds. The air was thick and everything was spinning in slow motion. I willed my head to clear and I look up just in time to see Aiden smiling, his eyes pure black and Eidon cock back and swing.

They each threw a few good punches before Aiden jumped back and his face started to morph. His teeth grew long and sharp, his nails as well.

Thick patches of golden fur broke out across his body and the sound of bones popping and bending was horrific. He was even more terrifying in his wolf form. His eyes far more menacing, his muscles corded and built high. He bent low and snarled.

"EVERYBODY BACK. NO ONE IS TO INTERFERE!"

I saw several sets of eyes glaze for a split second. Shit, that was a command given in Alpha speak. An unbreakable command.

Before I could process more, Eiden began to growl. It was low and from his belly as I watched his transformation. Beautiful black fur erupted across his body followed by the same sickening melody of bones popping and rearranging.

I looked around briefly and noticed the cafeteria had fallen sickly silent, all onlookers simply watching, no more chanting.

They had also stepped back and created a semi circle around the two beasts. Anticipation hung heavy in the air, making breathing even more of a struggle.

Why would Eidon do this for me? A nobody? A freak? Without warning, one of Mom's lessons echoed through my head. Wolves are loyal. Utterly, to the very end loyal. If you truly befriend one, they'll defend you with their life. It's an unspoken bond.

How had Eidon and I become bonded this quickly? He has many friends, he's quite popular. He comes from a good bloodline, has a good family as far as I knew. What could we have possibly bonded over.

My mind raced as I evaluated the situation. He didn't really spend time with any of those "friends".
He wasn't really popular, but more respected as the Alpha's second born.

His "good" blood also raced through Aiden's veins and he has shared some of the shit Aiden and his buddies do to him in the name of fun. Their idea of fun was plain out cruel.

Then it clicked. He was just like me. An outcast. Alone. We had bonded over our pain. We both knew pain all too well.

The revelation made my chest tight and tears rimmed my eyes. He hurt just as badly as I did! He was deprived of kindness and loyalty and I had inadvertently given it to him. He was now bonded to me as I was one who had never hurt him....yet.