Chapter Nineteen
1086 Words
Without thinking, I raced straight to Aria. My mind panicking.
I collapsed onto the floor beside her, she let out a loud groan, her bloodied mouth looked up at me. A bloody smile lingering on her lips like anything about this was funny.
My chest was heaving and I felt it begin to burn. The smile on her face vanished with one look on my mine.
“Hey, what is it?” Her soft voice didn't calm me.
I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth, my eyes burning harshly. “I thought–I thought–” I had no idea what was wrong with. I just hated violence.
My eyes quickly moved to the tear on her knee, she must have gotten that from the hard landing.
I was thinking to run to get a med kit, find herbs to treat her injury but right in front of my eyes, in seconds, slowly her injury just healed until it completely disappeared.
I almost collapsed in relief. “Hey, I'm okay you know.” Aria turned until she sat crossed legged on the floor in front of me.
A warm smile still on her face like she knew my insides were squeezing with worry and panic.
I nodded mutely at her words, just staring at her.
I almost forgot about the crowd around us. My back stiffened at the recollection.
Aria stood from the floor, giving me a hand to pull me up.
As I moved to my feet, I began to see her in a new light, behind that tenderness was a fierce woman who could sqash me in a second.
I could hear the whispering around me. Oh goodness I must have looked extremely weird, flying into a full blown sparring like that.
“You've never seen two wolves spar or what?” My head turn to find Beta female Neila and Mira beside her.
I stood awkwardly, shaking my head.
She raised her brows at me and I cleared my throat sheepishly. “Not really. This isn't a really popular sight back at my pack.” I let out a nervous chuckle and a scowl appeared on Neila’s face.
“No wonder.” She scoffed, I didn't need further explanation to know what her no wonder meant.
“Stop it, Neila.” Aria's voice drifted into the air.
“Do you want to spar with me?” Mira's suddenly spoke, a weird glint in her eyes.
My breathe hitched and I shook my head repeatedly, a nervous, awkward chuckle puffing out of me. “No, no, I know nothing about sparring.”
“There's always a first time.” She added and my grip on my dress tightened.
“I-I-I don't think that's a good idea.” I squeaked out.
“Come on, I'll go easy on you.” She smiled but that smile on her face did not sit right with me.
“Mira she said she doesn't want to.” Aria repeated, her voice tight and worried.
Mira's eyes moved to the side. “I'm the future Luna Queen, in extension in charge of the females of this pack. All wolves must learn how to defend themselves anyway so it's no big deal. She'd start training one way or the other.”
I tightly held my hands from trembling. Her eyes glanced back at me, that smile still displayed widely on her lips. “We don't tolerate cowards here Valerie. So what do you say?” She asked nodding towards the sparring pole.
I hid my shaking hands behind my back, my muscles tight as I watched the ground like it was the most interesting thing, biting my lips to stop their wobbling.
They all already see me as a pest, they don't say it but I can feel it. If I insist on refusing they'd mock me, pick on me just like it was done in my old pack.
I pulled my shaky lips open to speak but it shut back down.
If I get on the spar, it would be even more embarrassing and painful. I couldn't fight to save my life.
I didn't want to. I really didn't want to.
“Come on Valerie, we don't have all day.” I could hear the smile on her face even when I wasn't looking.
“I-I- Okay.” My heart was racing so hard I thought I would suffocate.
I didn't have time to think this properly but it couldn't be so bad.
I'd taken a good amount of beating before, especially from heightened and strong wolves. All I had to do was hold out as much as my body could and act like I tried my best and couldn't win against the future Luna.
With the new found determination in mind, I blew out a scary breathe.
“You don't have to if you don't want to Valerie, it's okay.” Aria's warmth seeped into my flesh as her eyes searched through mine like she badly wanted to stop this madness but couldn't.
She didn't have enough power to, they all looked like good friends. I don't want to be the strain in between.
I nodded with a false smile. “It's okay. It can't be that bad.” I assured, mostly to myself.
I followed Mira to the pole clumsily, feeling the piercing stares of the on watchers observing us quietly. Just a slow humming in the air.
My heart was pounding loudly in my ears as I climbed onto the pole stage. My legs slightly trembling. I tried my best not to look so much like an actual amateur but one look at me and I knew they could already tell how weak I really was.
Mira danced across the pole, taking off her shirt, leaving her in only her pants and a short bralette.
I like my shirt on the way it was.
She raised her arms up, getting into the sparring stance.
My breathes came out harsh and labored, copying her movements. I braced myself, putting my arms up just like she just did, taking in a huge breathe.
“You know this isn't so hard, all you have to do is relax, you look quite tense.” I shook my head at her.
“I'm fine.” I breathed.
In a flying second, Mira came running at me with a speed I'd never seen in my entire life.
My body freezing and my eyes wide as I just stared on in shock.
- Writer
