A bite from an Alpha King

Chapter 4: A fair fight

-Octavia-

I was confused at first as I was thrown into the cool night air and the strong lights were shining down on the sand. Around the big circle of sand was only darkness. I could feel the many presences out there. I knew no one was going to miss this fight. They would all be cheering for their alpha. Their king. My eyes suddenly went to the only figure that I was able to see. A strong, tall, half-exposed body was standing in the middle of the circle. His yellow eyes were only on me as he waited for me to walk closer. Slowly, I did, not really sure about what was going to happen next. Would some words be announced or were we just going to fight the second I stood in front of him. I knew I couldn’t show weakness, so I didn’t. With my shoulders down and my back straight, I walked a bit faster over to the king. I placed myself in front of him, holding his eyes with mine. My brother was right. The yellow couldn’t be mistaken. He was a royal but it didn’t change the fact he still killed my father. The rightful king. I felt myself growl lowly as I watched the king. His eyes widened a bit because of my sudden growl, but then narrowed again as he watched me. I couldn’t believe he didn’t die from the silver. I didn’t know how he had survived, but it was making me itch to get this fight started so I could finally end his life. I ignored the weird pain I suddenly felt shooting from my heart. It had happened a few times in the cell as I imagined stabbing the king over and over, but I always ignored it as if it was nothing. My eyes then started traveling down the king’s body. It was no surprise he was practically all muscles. He was a male, after all, and an alpha and a royal one at that. I was not going to be any match if we came to close combat. I could only rely on my speed then. My eyes then landed on a wound on his golden chest. It still looked fresh. I smiled as I saw it. That meant the knife did have some effect on him and he was still weak from the time I stabbed him.

“So?” I asked as we had been standing eyeing each other for a while. “Now what?”

The king averted his eyes, looking around himself as if to tell me silently, what the hell do you think? My smile faded as I saw the confidence that suddenly emerged from him. He was readying himself and he knew he had a big advantage with his strength and the fact I had been locked in a cell for a few days without food.

“Octavia Hawkins, daughter of the late king and alpha Xavier Hawkins. You have committed high treason when you tried to kill the alpha and rightful king Valerio Hall,” the king announced, so everyone around us could hear him clearly.

I could hear the dark growls coming from the darkness around us. I rolled my eyes. He was no king, I thought. Just a coward and a traitor himself.

“Clearly, you have a very strong hatred towards me since you would try and kill me. To show I am a fair and just king, I give you a chance to get your revenge on me,” he said, making me roll my eyes again. He was really just making him look better in front of everyone, wasn’t he? “That is why we will fight one on one till death or until one submits to the other. The last one standing will get everything the other person owns.”

My eyes widened at his words. Everything the other person owns. That meant if I killed him I had a claim to all his titles and lands. I was going to be the next king or rather queen and it meant I was getting my father’s pack back. My heart rate increased as all these thoughts came into my mind. This was even better than trying to assassinate the king. I could now truly get justice for my father. My father. That was what he was. He was my father. I wasn’t going to believe my brother’s words, even though this meant I was actually related to my own mate. I shuddered at the thought. Disgusting, but it soon wouldn’t matter since I was going to kill him. I was going to avenge my father… my father…. my father? I kept repeating the words in my head, suddenly feeling myself doubting. What if my brother’s words really were true? What did that exactly mean for me?

-Valerio-

It was only shortly but I saw the doubt flicker in her eyes. I smiled devilishly as I saw it. It seemed my plan had worked. Making her own brother tell her that she was nothing but a rogue’s child and that her whole life she had been trying to avenge something that wasn’t even hers to avenge. I hoped that meant she was going to be hesitant as she tried taking me down. It meant her speed wasn’t going to be the same and I would have an even greater advantage. I announced the fight to begin and we started circling each other. She was sweating a bit. I figured from the exhaustion, since she had not been able to sleep or eat. She wasn’t at the top of her game, but neither was I. With every step I took, I could feel the pain from my wound. I was healing so slowly despite the antidote. It was hurting me badly, but all I could do was ignore the pain and focus on getting her to submit.

She was the first one to lose patience as she tried striking first. She was fast, I had to admit that. Her leg was going for my side in a fast side kick but right before her leg hit me, I caught it in my hand and pushed it away, making her stumble slightly before finding her balance again. She went for me again as she pushed off the ground and tried hitting me in the face, but despite the fast speed she came at, I easily avoided her. She knew how to fight but not with the proper technic that could make her deadly. Probably because I killed her father before he could teach her. She came for me again and again and I could see the hatred shooting from her eyes. She didn’t care, she was exhausting herself. She wanted me dead so badly that she was giving it all she had. Foolish, I thought, before she went for me again. In a fast movement, I grabbed her wrist and pressed her hand back so it broke, sending her to her knees. She screamed and grabbed my fingers with her right hand, trying to bend them the other way so I would let go, but she was no match for my strength. I grabbed her right hand and pulled it away. She was sweating from the pain as I refused to let go of her broken wrist and I only put more pressure on it.

“Submit!” I growled.

She looked at her wrist and then at me, meeting my eyes as if my alpha eyes had no effect on her. “Never!” she yelled before biting my hand, making me release her as soon as I felt the pain. I hissed as she had bitten deeply, making me bleed, but as I looked at it, the wound was already closing. Yet her wrist was still broken and it would stay that way until she placed it back in its place, which was difficult when you weren’t a doctor yourself. She looked down at her wrist as she ripped a long piece from her top that was wrapped around her breasts perfectly. I couldn’t help but stand and watch her as she slowly wrapped her broken wrist. She tightened the piece of her clothes tightly, making her groan from the pain, but it was a smart thing and I figured she must have had some experience since she knew how to hold her wrist back in place so it would heal. She shot me eyes full of hatred. Even though she was doubting her origin, she was still so focused on killing me. She came for me again even though she was dripping with sweat and her eyes looked glassy. She had no strength left and I quickly avoided her attack but she wasn’t stopping. She swung her leg at me and I caught it pushing her back so she fell to the ground. Her breathing was heavy and I could see her legs shake a little as she got up again and tried punching me. I grabbed her hand right before it hit my face. Our eyes met shortly, making a weird energy go through me, then I tightened my grip around her fist. Her face twisted a little in pain and I tried ignoring the obvious pain in my chest, as I knew I was the reason for her pain. I grabbed her around her throat with my other hand, forcing her chin up to look me in the eyes. Hers were still flaming with hatred even though she knew she was losing this battle. I knew she was never going to give in to me. I would have to kill her, which meant risking my own life. Everyone knew as soon as an alpha found her luna their connection would be stronger than most and killing the luna meant death for the alpha as well, but Octavia refused to submit to me. She dared to say with her eyes she wished me dead. I pressed my eyes together in pain as I thought of ripping her heart out. It was clear that if I killed her I might end up dying myself or I might go insane. I bit my lip as I was in a battle with myself. Octavia would never give up. She would fight until one of us were lying dead on the ground. Could I really rip her heart out? Could I really just kill my mate? I never wanted a queen in the first place and I only accepted having Selene because of an old promise and the fact she so easily would submit to me and serve me well but Octavia was different. She was like fire. It could be put out, but if you let it run freely it might take you down with it. I couldn’t just let her live. She would never stop coming for me, even in exile she was never going to stop. Maybe she really didn’t care the former king wasn’t her father or maybe she believed so deeply in her heart he was. She was devoted to him and I found myself once again feeling some sort of respect for the late king. He was smart. He knew how to manipulate Octavia exactly the way he wanted. Even though he couldn’t whisper in her ear her whole life, it was still enough for her to spend her life as a rogue planning to kill me. I let out a deep breath knowing what I had to do. I had a hard time believing I actually had to do it, but there was no other way. Octavia would never stop, not even if I spared her life. With her fist in my hand, I pulled her arm down, removing the obstacle in my way and then I grabbed her neck, pulling her close to me before sinking my canines deep into her marking spot.