LILA’S P. O. V.
I woke up this morning completely rested and ready to kick some ass. I am not looking forward to the match, but I do plan on winning. I stretch and look over at Mateo. He isn’t smiling like usual. “I don’t want to let you go. I don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Who says I’m going to get hurt? My mom took down a shifted wolf in her skin and left without a scratch. I have been trained by her and more. I am prepared for this.” I try to reassure him. I’m not worried about the fight. I’m worried about the actual taking of a life. Can I do it? Do I have it in me to take another life?
“Keep my clothes on until you shift for the challenge. It will throw her off.”
I give him a pointed look. “I am not running around the pack in your underwear.”
“It will give you an edge. Do it.” He isn’t giving me an option here.
“Seriously Mateo, that is ridiculous.”
“Well, then what are you going to wear, pet? You don’t have anything that is easy to strip out of, so if you would have to rip some of your new clothes. Is that what you want to do? This is easy to take off.” He’s fingering at his shirt that is on my body. “I want you to wear my clothes.”
“Fine if it will make you feel better, but I will feel ridiculous and underdressed. Just so you know.” I get out of bed, with Mateo still trying to pull me back in. But I can’t let that happen.
Mateo gives me a sad look. “I don’t want you to do this.”
“I don’t have a choice, Mateo. If I don’t I still die. At least I will die fighting.”
“Don’t say that you are going to die.”
I sigh and roll my eyes, looking around the room for some sort of shoes. “I know I am not going to die. That is why I am fighting. Now, we are done talking about this. We are going to eat breakfast with Callum and enjoy the morning.” I leave the room without looking back and head down to the kitchen.
Callum is sitting at the counter, he is drawing another picture. I look over to see what it is. It looks like Eli, he has a determined look on his face. It looks like he is talking to my mom and dad. “When is this happening buddy?” He just smiles up at me. Yeah, was I really expecting an answer to that? “Well, hopefully it is not today. I have enough on my plate without Eli getting into trouble.”
Mateo comes into the kitchen. “Who’s Eli?”
“My best friend. Callum drew him.” Mateo looks over the picture. He shrugs and heads to make breakfast. “Hey, I’ll cook this morning. You relax with Callum.” I try to give him a sweet smile. He takes me in his arms, without me even blinking he kisses me.
“I am making you breakfast, it calms me. Knowing at least I can do something for you.” He pecks a kiss on my cheek and turns to the stove.
I roll my eyes, I hate arguing with Mateo. It seems like I always lose. I think I need to win sometimes. I take a seat next to Callum. He smiles over at me. He is a really happy boy. I know that is in part to Mateo, giving him a good home. He must be so plagued by what he sees though. And who even knows what he saw before he came here, alone at three years old. Poor boy. He really needs people to love him and take care of him. Thankfully he has Mateo and Ash. He deserves it.
I look at Callum’s drawing again. Something catches my eye. I look again and notice that Callum has a pile of pictures in front of him, not just one. I point to the pictures. “May I?” He gets a little sad but nods. I take the pictures out from under the one that he is working on. There are three, one is Jace, he looks sad. Understandable really. He probably really misses me. The second one is my wolf. It is bloody, I am standing in the middle of a field, but my body is covered in scratches and blood. Not very comforting at the moment. The last picture is the one that seems to upset Callum the most. He doesn’t even look at it. It just looks like a landscape picture but it’s of a barren burned out area. Why would this upset him so much? I want to ask, but I know that I won’t get an answer.
“I wish I knew what was going on in your mind buddy. I hope that someday I can make it better for you. The last thing you need in your mind is things that upset you.” I put my arm around him and hugged him. He takes it, hugging me back. It’s just like those times I would hug my brothers when they were upset. It seems to make him feel better and he goes back to his picture of Eli.
Mateo passes over a bowl of fruit for me to start on. I split it with Callum in silence. He just picks pieces out as he works. He seems really intent on this one. Maybe it will happen soon, or maybe he just needs to get it out. Hopefully Eli is keeping calm in all this. I remember my mom saying that they were to arrive yesterday. I am sure he is there with his new mate. I hope she is nice. Eli deserves a nice mate. I wonder if I will ever actually get to meet her.
Mateo taps the counter in front of me. “Hey, where did you go?”
I show him the picture of Jace, upset. “It just reminds me of my family. How upset they must all still be. They have no idea where I am or what happened to me. They are probably really worried.”
“I am calling them on Monday. It’s not that much longer.”
“Still two days. Today hasn’t even started.”
“I know. I am sorry I had to do things this way. I didn’t have another choice.”
“I still don’t think you are my mate. I don’t get why you need to do this at all.”
He gives me a get serious look. “I know you know you are my mate. Cut the act.”
“What makes you so sure?” I protest.
“I wouldn’t feel the way I do if you weren’t.” He’s saying it like the sky is blue.
“Whatever, I just have to not die today.”
Ash comes in right as I say that. “Oh, like you are going to die. That bitch is going to roll on her back as soon as you shift. I am sure your wolf is huge. From what I hear your mom is. Your dad wasn’t far behind her. Plus if you were trained by your step dad. Shit you are probably unstoppable.”
“Ash, I don’t think it is polite to bring that up.” Mateo grimaces to Ash.
“Bring up what? I mean I know my daddy is pretty badass, but what’s so bad about that?”
Mateo shakes his head. “Nothing. Ash is just referring to his nickname.”
“Oh, you mean the iron fist Alpha. Yeah, he is really strict. He gets the wolves in line though.”
Ash claps his hands together, “Alright, let’s get you out there. No sense waiting around here.”
“Isn’t the fight like two hours away?” I ask.
“Yeah, but Alpha has to make a little speech and it is best to be there before the opponent, make sure they aren’t hiding anything funny.” Ash almost sounds like he is joking but I can tell that he isn’t.
“Well, you would know better than me.” I clean up and get ready to go, which isn’t much to do since Mateo won’t let me change.
Ash looks over my outfit. “Let me guess, Mateo wants you to wear that.”
“You guessed it.” I murmur.
Ash looks over at Mateo. “That is a great idea. Get in her head. Make sure she knows you want her to lose.” Great what kind of wolves are these. “Plus your scent all over her is going to make her go even more nuts. She won’t be able to focus. It would have been better if you marked her.”
I groan. “Don’t give him any ideas.”
“Who says I didn’t already have the idea, but I knew you would shoot it down.” He smirks at me.
“Oh, so there are still miracles out there.” I gasp in mock shock.
“You are such a smart ass.” I laugh but lead the way out the door.
Callum starts following us. I stop. “Should Callum be here for this?”
“Unfortunately the pack has rules. All pack members must be present to witness. I don’t really want him there, but this is the last time this law will ever be used in this pack.” Mateo just about growls it out. He is not happy about this at all. I am glad that this isn’t just some weird fun game for him.
He wraps his arms around me. “I need you to smell like me as much as possible.”
“Last night wasn’t enough?” I counter.
“No, not at all. You will have my scent longer this way.”
“Whatever Mateo.” I grumble. But a little satisfied at the same time.
MATEO’S P. O. V.
I wish I would have thought ahead and abolished this law before now. The risk is too great. She is my mate. My Luna. I can’t stand the thought of her getting hurt in this fight. It is a possibility. I know she can win, but that doesn’t mean that Alyssa isn’t going to play dirty. Lila can get really hurt. I can’t even think of anything to make this better. I am lost in my own thoughts of the wounds that she might get.
When we pull up to the challenge grounds I want to scream. I don’t want this to happen. Most of my pack is already here. Waiting to begin. I said noon, but they aren’t waiting. I see Alyssa already off to the side. She must have been here early too, she looks too comfortable. She spots us as soon as we start exiting the car. She isn’t pleased when I help Lila out of the car and she sees her wearing my clothes. I keep my arms around Lila to make the point further. I have no intention of making Alyssa my Luna even if she wins. I’ll just have to commit another death under my belt. I can’t be without Lila. I know that now.
I pull her over to the opposite side of Alyssa. I find a spot for her to sit down so I can address the pack. Ash stands behind her to block her from any unwanted attacks. Don’t think that will happen, but you never know. Callum stands close by. He just smiles at me. I think it is supposed to be reassuring, but it isn’t.
I stand in the middle of the field and get ready to address my pack. I look around at all the faces watching me and I want to call the whole thing off. But I know that isn’t an option. “Moonridge. We are here today because a challenge has been issued for the position of Luna. Since my Luna has not been marked, the law states that this challenge is to commence. I want to point out a few things. This being the last time that this law will ever be sighted again in this pack, I am going to speak my mind. I do not plan on taking any other Luna but Lila. She is my one true Luna. My mate. Lila Greenfield of the Black Forest Pack, Daughter of Hunter Greenfield and Luna Jasmine Smith, she is my one true mate. No matter the outcome here today, I want it recorded that she will always be my Luna, my mate. So with that being said I am giving you one last time to back out Alyssa. You can back out now and there will not be consequences.”
Alyssa howlers over to me. “Not a chance. I will be Luna, the pack will see to it.”
“Then I will not be your Alpha. I will step down. I will be of no use without my mate.” I am really trying to convince her here. If she calls this off now, then no one will be hurt. I wait for a minute to see if she changes her mind. I sigh in defeat as she doesn’t even show that she is regretting this choice a little. “Alright then this challenge will begin in a moment.” I walk out of the field.
I don’t hesitate to pull Lila into my arms. “I don’t want this to happen.” I honestly feel like crying right now. I don’t want her hurt.
She cups the back of my head. “I’m going to be fine Mateo.”
Ash scoffs, “She more than has this fight in the bag. Don’t worry about our Luna so much.”
Callum takes my hand. He squeezes it like he is trying to reassure me. It works a little but I still don’t want my girl hurt in any way.
“We have to start Mateo.” She whispers in my ear.
I nod and pull away, I don’t want to but I know I have to.
She steps out onto the field. She still looks hot as fuck in my clothes, but the danger she is in right now over shadows it. Before I can blink she rips my clothes off as she shifts. Callum drew pictures of her wolf, but nothing comes close to the real thing. I hear murmurs around the pack. “White wolf.” Being prominent. It doesn’t hurt that her wolf is huge. As big as mine at least.
She growls towards Alyssa who for once looks like she is regretting this choice of hers. Stupid bitch. She does the same as Lila when she shifts. Nothing compared to how Lila looks. She has this dusty brown wolf. I’m not going to say she is the smallest wolf I have ever seen but it is pretty fucking small. Next to Lila she looks like a fucking joke. I don’t see how she plans on winning this. I see her dig her paws into the ground then she charges Lila.