Wolves of the Black Rose

ELAINE

“It’s time,” my brother Blaze yelled from the side as I stepped out of the woods. “And you smell like Connor.”

I glowered his way, making him laugh. Did he have to mention that?

“Where is everyone else?” I asked.

“Hmm, some were still getting ready, but Jyn is already in the arena,” Blaze explained. I smiled at him, and we headed to our spot.

“Who is my fighter?” I asked as I stepped onto the platform, ready to kick some ass. Jyn glanced at me and then pointed to the front.

“Alpha Mirko?” Blaze muttered, surprised. “Are you serious?”

I stared at the alpha before me, a smile forming on my lips.

Alpha Mirko was one of the strongest alphas from his pack, the Full Moon Pack. He’d been aiming for the throne for a few years, which everyone thought he might have one day.

Sadly, they didn’t know that I would be the one in that last fight tonight.

“Alpha Mirko is dangerous, Elaine,” Blaze whispered from behind. The shifting of his body told me how uncomfortable he was.

“Mirko,” I hummed in delight.

I knew all the rumors about Mirko—alpha with a sign on his forehead that said Fuck Off.

Everyone feared him and kept their distance, thanks to that.

He was the type of alpha to look down on a woman, and nevertheless he was in his thirties. He was still mateless, which hurt his pride more because of the lack of a female by his side.

“He must be boiling in anger, just thinking he would fight Elaine,” Arye chuckled, moving closer to us.

“I can bet on that one,” I chuckled back.

“Will you shift?” Jyn asked as I put my gloves on.

“No.” I frowned. “Why the question?”

“Mirko will, so you should,” Jyn frowned. “I think this fight could go better if you shifted.”

I didn’t understand why they insisted on me shifting, since I didn’t want anyone to see my wolf.

Worrying about me was their duty as brothers, but I had choices, and this one was mine to make. I was the one who would stand on that ring, not them.

“Jyn,” I sighed, “I told you before, I’m not shifting. And this fight will end fast.”

“Why are you so confident?” Arye asked, intrigued. He was smiling at me.

“What?” I laughed. “Can’t a woman be confident of her skills?”

“That’s the problem; you trust yourself too much to put your guard down,” Jyn sighed and leaned on the seat. “Mirko might kill you.”

“Then let him try.” I shrugged.

Everyone exchanged worried glances.

Not again.

“Trust your baby sister here.” I waved, standing from my seat and making my way up the platform.

“That’s the problem,” another voice said from behind. We all turned to look at the intruder.

With a bow of our heads, we remained silent, standing still, waiting for him to say more.

“You are doing unnecessary things again. Can’t you behave and just stay at home?” my father, Alpha Atlas, growled. “Risking your life—”

“I don’t mind,” I answered sternly. “It’s my choice.”

My father walked over and gripped my chin, lifting my head forcibly. His piercing blue eyes, like mine, were sharp. He was furious. I was defying him.

“You will never win,” my father snarled in my face. “This is not yours.”

I pulled my face away and glared at him.

“And it’s yours to decide?” I asked. “I don’t care whom I fight with; I will win.”

My father was about to retort when the alarm rang around us. It was time for my fight.

“I have to go,” I said and walked past him. I didn’t need to hear him. He had never cared, so I didn’t understand why he was so opposed to this.

Walking up the set of stairs, I stood on the white platform. I started doing some stretch-outs when Mirko got on the platform again. His face contorted in annoyance as he looked my way.

“A woman?” Mirko spat.

“One that will beat your ass,” I smirked.

Mirko growled my way, making me laugh louder.

The announcer started doing the countdown as we got into our positions. Once they gave the signal to start, Mirko launched himself directly at me. I frowned at how fast he had moved.

He didn’t shift and instead attacked me head-on. That took me by surprise. I was expecting a wolf, not a human attacking me right spot-on.

He found my face. I tried to dodge his claws, but he could still scratch me.

I stumbled and touched my face; I was bleeding.

Clenching my jaw, I moved and attacked him. Unexpectedly, he was good and was dodging my every move. I tried to punch him with a turn, but he crouched just to hit me in my gut.

I fell to my knees, gasping for air. Eyes wide, I looked at him. He was serious about winning this.

What the heck was all this?

Mirko chuckled and kicked me in the face. I stumbled until I landed on the wall.

Again, I stood up and attacked him with a punch, but this time Mirko grabbed ahold of my arm and bent it. I grunted in pain.

“A woman should know her place,” Mirko growled from behind. I breathed a smile and got up. I flipped him over, slamming him against the white marble floor.

A crack appeared around him as I grabbed his arm and bent it until it cracked. A screeching yell left his lips.

“BITCH!” Mirko snarled fiercely.

“Queen,” I hissed, making his face half shift.

Mirko bared his teeth and shifted into his wolf. Yet he was injured. I could see it was healing with the help of his wolf.

I quickly ran and slid under him as he snapped his snout near my neck. Then, reaching for his tail, I yanked it and threw him against the nearby wall.

I quickly ran, then turned and punched him in the face, breaking his jaw. My fisted hand found his chest and then his gut.

I felt furious but not the least bit ready to end this. Grabbing his leg, I dragged him until we were in the middle of the platform.

Mirko tried to wiggle his way out of my grasp, but I placed pressure on his other arm and, with a swift movement, yanked it until it popped.

The sound echoed in the place, making several hush their mouths. He let out a howl as I picked him up by his fur. Holding his snout, I punched him, leaving him unconscious.

I watched his body shift back. All the purple bruises that appeared on his body made him look worse.

As they yelled out the winner, I turned to leave. Feeling someone glancing at me, I peeked to the side and saw my father with a scowl on his face.

I scoffed at him and got off the platform.

“That was weird,” Arye said with a frown.

“What’s weird?” I asked, panting. My brothers looked at each other before Jyn cleared his throat.

“We thought you would lose,” Jyn responded. I raised my eyebrows.

It was expected, but they didn’t know I had a way of understanding their movements.

“He was going to win. There’s no way you turn the tides that simply,” Arye muttered, lost in his thoughts. Shaking his head, he looked at me. “What did you do, Elaine?”

I stopped what I was doing and looked at everyone. With a glance around me, I found that a few other pack members were looking as well.

“Arye, I don’t know what you think, but all I did was use my training and skills,” I lied. “So any stupid idea you guys have, make it die out.”

I grabbed my things and headed to my tent. Everyone around me was whispering as I passed by.

I know they were all wondering how, but I was not about to answer. This was mine, and no one would know, for now.

***

My eyes drifted to my reflection in the mirror. Black was the color of the gear I was wearing tonight.

Fixing my suit and boots, I kept my mind clear of any thoughts. My wolf was silent, and I knew it was preparing for her battle.

I crouched and tied my boots. I didn’t know who the other fighter was, but deep down, I had a hunch whom I would be fighting tonight.

I was well prepared and had a couple of tricks up my sleeve. It was all I’d waited for, and no one would take it.

Even if my father was against it, I would show everyone that a woman could take the throne.

Once I’d finished, I grabbed my cloak and draped it over my body. Then, glancing at myself in the mirror one more time, I walked out of the tent.

My brothers were not around, meaning they were already in the arena waiting.

For the last fight, the battle would be in the main arena, where they announced the new alpha and king. It was the biggest arena in the pack and the only one you could stand every ten years.

So, with calm steps and confidence in myself, I made my way to the place.

Several pack members were standing around. Some chatted, while others laughed.

As I passed by, they all turned to look at me. There was no need to look. I knew they were wondering how I won the last battle.

As the loud cheering reached my ears, I stopped and looked at the tall walls surrounding the place. My heart started beating as my adrenaline rushed through my veins.

My wolf was pacing in my mind, but she remained silent.

No words, no comments, just her confidence.

“Ready?” Jyn called from the front. I lowered my gaze and found my five brothers standing with proud smiles.

“Always,” I whispered.

My brothers moved aside, forming a lane as I strolled into the place crowded with wolves from every pack. All eyes fell on me the moment they caught a glance at me.

If they thought that intimidating me with their glares would work, they were wrong. It excited me.

Finding my spot, I took my cloak off. The black leather tightly wrapped around my body. I could feel the lustful gazes of several wolves behind me.

Yes, look all you want, but you will never be able to touch it.

“Black, huh?” Regulus said as he took a seat, a shrewd smile plastered on his chiseled face.

“Isn’t that the gear you never used?” Blaze asked with a smirk.

“Yes, I was saving it for this occasion,” I explained with a sneaky smile.

My brother Jyn didn’t stop looking my way. I could see all his emotions written all over his face. With a sigh, I leaned over and looked down at him.

“What, Jyn?” I asked.

“Forfeit,” Jyn choked. I backed away from him.

Not again with the forfeit. Of all the brothers I trusted the most, he was the one I least expected to hear those words from, to see him fear for my life.

“Tonight, you have a sister who has become alpha,” I started saying. “At least you should show your excitement, don’t you think?”

Jyn sighed. I knew he was uncomfortable with all this, but it was not his problem. If I lost, then it was me who would learn from my mistake.

“If you feel like leaving, then go,” I argued and turned toward the platform. “But that won’t stop me.”

I adjusted my gloves and started going up the steep stairs. Six long stairs felt like mountains as I finally stood on the shining platform.

My eyes moved to the front, where the person who would be my opponent stood. With a glance over his shoulder, he scoffed.

“Elaine,” Connor whispered. There was no sort of excitement or anger. He seemed empty.

“Connor,” I returned.

Tonight was my last fight, and that would be my victory. After that, I was going to become the alpha of the Black Rose.