Chapter 3

EMBER

There are at least three mates hunting me and yet all I can think about is food.

Dear moon Goddess.

What I would give to have a meal right now.

I know how I sound, but I haven’t really eaten in five days.

When I left my small cottage in the middle of the night, it was by car, under my special and heavy glamour.

I had cash, my phone, and my battered duffle bag carrying my little possessions.

But they found me in the first motel I stopped at.

Not the three psychos, someone actually worse.

And I didn’t realise it was possible for someone to be worse.

It was the chief Administrator for the abnormals or abbies as we would prefer being called, who the authorities no doubt sent to hunt the rabid wolves down.

They usually send a retrieval team of the best wolves to hunt rabid or feral mongrels to protect the other wolves, but I guess they thought I was a special case and that they needed to send the best hunter in the state.

A bounty hunter, the worst of them all.

Lucan Tenebris

But when I escaped him I made the mistake of looking back,he was smirking.

And a lethal hunter like that?

The only way I could get away from him was to shift and run away, but it meant I had to leave all my stuff behind.

Now I found an underground wrestling ring to make some money and get new supplies.

I don’t own that much, so the loss of all my savings was a massive blow.

It also means that I have no clothes and no cash.

“You are like fire, Ember. People will try to put you out, but you always come back with a roar,”

My father’s voice whispered in my head, the image of him leaning against my room door, watching me put on my boots, heading back to training after a brutal session with my trainer which had put me in the clinic for a night.

Good times.

Don’t give up on me, dad. I’m out here. Can you feel I’m still alive?

The memories of him drove me forward.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

RAGE AND DEATH RING (RDR)

The harsh grating of the gate opening sounded through the arena.

I could hear the mob’s excited shrill in my ears as they clamored for someone’s blood to make them feel more alive in this death hole.

“Are you ready?”

The guard spoke softly.

“They just picked the lotto number of the boxer fighting you.”

I was the warmup act.

I didn’t even qualify to fight other winners.

My teeth dug into my bottom lip, a wisp of a whimper clotting my throat as I stepped forward.

“Give them glory in your death or in your killing.”

The guard’s sentiment halted me for a moment, my gaze snapping to the Beta wolf.

For the first time, I really noticed him.

Another shifter Alex, stood there, his brown eyes staring into mine.

“Let their energy and your fear feed you, not starve you.”

His gaze remained intensely on me.

Meaningful.

“Use your head, find weapons in anything. Be the one who survives.”

The breath of kindness was a shot of adrenaline, filling me with strength and focus.

I nodded, silently thanking him for his words.

Inhaling, I rolled my shoulders back and walked out of the tunnel into the area, light and noise crashing down on me.

Use it.

Take it.

Don’t let it take from you.

The figures in the stands blurred into a mass of waving arms and muted colors due to the dress code.

For a moment, it was only me standing like a drop of water in a desert full of people thirsty for blood.

The slamming of metal jerked my head to the tunnel across from me where a person stepped out.

Today’s lottery pick.

My gaze snapped to the figure, recognition registering in my brain.

Blinking, I took in her short, stocky figure and pinched face.

Velcria ( the Luna of my temporary clan, to fight you need to be registered)

A sneer lifted her lips, showing off yellowish teeth and two gold incisors in her open mouth.

“Come on, little one.”

she taunted as she moved closer, as if she forgotten I had recently kicked her ass.

That's why she is mad, and booked a fight with me.

It was better to overinflate your opponent’s skills than underestimate them.

That was another trick of mine, while many of the female recruits tended to do the opposite.

I was good.

Top in my weight class, because I always went in at 100%, believing they could outmaneuver me this time.

Plus, I was really good at being sneaky and fast.

The only certain thing today was just one of us would be walking out of here.

It's a death ring.

She swiped out for me, her claws brushing my chin as I twirled away, the crowd of people crooning at our first contact.

Velcria was a lot faster than she looked, her movements precise and controlled.

She was much better than my other sparing partners, and by her actions, I could tell martial arts was something she was very familiar with.

The two of us circled each other, adrenaline from the crowd dancing over my skin, pumping into my veins, making me and my wolf want to howl out.

Velcria shuffled forward, her jaw set, her leg kicking out at me, which I easily dodged.

The crowd disliked our feeble attempts.

“Kill her. Kill her. Kill her!”

“Blood. Blood. Blood!”

I twisted, using the angle to make my first strike, my knuckles cracking into her ribs.

She stumbled back, and the crowd cheered with excitement, happy the fight was finally in motion.

Velcria’s short frame ran at me, her hand striking across my cheek, pain exploding through my face.

My eye felt like it wanted to pop out of my head.

She took advantage of my moment of hesitation and slammed her fist into my upper lip and nose, cracking bone in my nostrils, bursting my blood vessels.

Blood poured out, sliding down my mouth.

Before I could right myself, she kicked me in the stomach, tossing me back onto the floor with a groan.

“Luna Velcria! Luna Velcria ”

the crowd chanted, bets passing between hands.

My next meal was coming from, that bet I had so send some home too.

Leaping for me on the ground, she staggered when I rolled to the side, missing me.

Jumping up, I turned around, dropping my elbow into her spine.

She howled, her back arching at the impact, but she kept on her feet, her arm whacking my already bleeding cheek.

I stumbled back, feeling rage climb up my throat and wrap around my muscles.

I was better than this.

I could drop trained soldiers to the floor.

Velcria came for me as my leg swept in a roundhouse kick, kicking into her stomach.

She hit the floor with a thud.

Circling up my prey, my feelings shut off.

I kicked her in the ribs with an audible crack, forcing a cry to leave her lips.

The part of me that didn’t want to kill anyone was smothered in pure adrenaline and survival instinct.

it was kill or be killed and Velcria was out for blood.

I did not want to die, not tonight.

A painful cry tore from her as she shoved against my grip, crawling away from me, her hand wrapping around a post stuck in the ground like a sword.

Oh. They are weapons thrown in with us.

With all the strength she could muster, she heaved it out of its hold, twirling it in her hands while walking back to me, blood trailing down her face.

She was a lot stronger and more powerful than she appeared.

She dug her boot into the floor, kicking my in the face.

“Ahh…”

My hands went to my cover eyes, giving her time and free rein.

With a war cry, she plunged the sword toward me. Jumping back, I had no time to dodge the sword entirely.

Pain exploded in my thigh as the rusted sword sank into my leg, ripping through skin and nerves.

I heard a howl echo off the walls, sure it was mine, but I no longer felt attached to my body.

Everything went in slow motion, as though I could watch each drop of my blood slowly hit the ring, wetting it with my essence.

A buzzing sensation rolled over me like I was being given more energy while numbing me of the agony freezing my limbs.

Oh she's here.