The Love Triangle

The Pit

     I wake up. I look down and realize that someone stole my shirt. I look around and I am in a circular rock/dirt pit. There is a giant pillar in the middle and boulders are placed around the pit. I can’t tell what it is. I look up and see random people lining the entire rim of the pit. I think they are pack members.

     I see Jace walk up in some type of garment. He’s the only one wearing it, so I think it’s because he’s the Alpha. “Wolves!” He commands.” His voice booms across the pit so powerfully. It turns me on a little. We are here to welcome our newest Pup into our pack. Tonight, he will face the initiation challenge and prove if he is worthy. This is the Brwydro. The fight isn’t finished until a wolf gives up or is left unconscious. Pup,” He looks at me with his cold stare. “to be admitted, you must prove yourself. If not, you will be turned away.” The wolves cheer. I was not expecting this. No one told me I was going to have to fight today. The fight is happening in human form. That’s at least a little reassuring. I have been a human forever. I don’t have to fight in something I am not used to yet like my wolf form.

     A pack member slides down into the pit. He looks strong. He has a wolf claw tattoo over his heart. His muscles are gigantic, and he probably stands 5 inches taller than me. He howls out. The pack responds with howls. I realize that I need to howl even louder, so I inhale the biggest breath I can muster and let out a gigantic howl. The pack howls, hoots, and hollers at the sound I made. I guess I passed the first test… “Let the Brwydro commence,” Jace commands.

     The pack member charges at me. I lift my arms to block his punches. I block the first punch with my right wrist, but on impact, I think he almost broke my wrist in half. Damn! That hurts a lot. The second hit is an uppercut, which pushes me back, but I hold my ground. The final punch he sends is a punch right to the abdomen. He knocks the wind right out of me. I think he hit my kidney. I can’t remember where I learned the kidney is in Anatomy class at this current moment. I stumble into the middle pillar and fall down, but I get myself back up to continue the fight. I hear Alpha call out, “You always need to be ready to fight. Sometimes, it will be for the protection of the pack, and other times it is for the protection of your own person. Don’t worry. You’ll heal fast afterwards.” He says sinisterly. I get that and all, but I still wish I got at least a tiny warning. Also, just because I HEAL, doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt like a b***h!

     By the time I find the wolf again, he has jumped onto the stone, and he superman punches me in the nose. “Ahh!” I scream falling backward. My nose screams with pain.

     “A wolf needs to know about his surroundings at the beginning of the fight, so he can know how the enemy will plan to use them and how he can use the surroundings against his enemy.” I would really love for this advice to not be given to me during the damn fight. I would’ve been just as receptive during a simple class lecture. Blood is gushing from my most likely broken nose. I don’t have time to listen to swami Alpha. The blood is covering my face and reaching into my eyes, so I can’t see. I try wiping it away, but it only made it worse. What was I gonna do?

     I hear his voice once again. “You are a werewolf. Your other senses are better than they have ever been. You need to use them.” I can’t see out of my eyes, so it looks like I need to take his advice. I need to level the playing field before it’s too late. I sense around me and think, shifting my feet. He is charging up to me again and I get an idea.

     I stomp into the ground and the dust rises. I close my eyes and listen for his movements. I hear the air move as he punches forward. I push his arm to redirect his punch and punch him in the liver. I hear him groan and feel the vibrations in the earth as he drops to his knees. I lift up my leg and surge it as hard as I can into the side of his knee. I hear the crack of his knee breaking and the scream he lets out afterwards. Oh, my God. That sound is disgusting. He snarls at me. I am so hoping we heal fast, or I will live to regret that very soon. I back away from him.

     The dust has finally settled. I see him on his other knee in pain. He is still conscious, and he hasn’t given up yet, so I need to keep going. I look up at the Alpha. He moves his gaze. I get angry at him for ignoring me. I pull back my right leg and kick the wolf under the chin as hard as I can; he launches into the rock pit wall. He collapses onto the ground. I did it. I won! I throw my arms in the air and let out a gigantic howl! The crowd around me chants, but they are not cheering my victory. I’m confused.

     Another wolf grabs my neck from behind me. He has me in a chokehold. I can’t breathe. “Never underestimate your opponent or cheer before you know the battle is finished.” I really can’t believe he is still trying to give me DAMN advice. I back up and feel the rock pit wall behind us. His arm is still wrapped around my neck like a python and his legs are wrapped around mine. I pull my arms on his, but he is too strong, and his grip is unbreakable. If I wasn’t in a fight for my life, I would enjoy feeling such strong, chiseled abs so close to me, but I have no time. I fight for any amount of oxygen I have, but it isn’t much. I feel my vision fading from the lack of oxygen.

     The first wolf gets back up and glares at me. Oh no! I pissed him off. He walks up to me, snickers, and punches me right across the face. Damnit! Why did his knee heal so fast? I feel my jaw crack and my mouth fills with blood. I try spitting some of the blood out from my mouth, but the little remaining oxygen in my lunges feels very precious to me. I feel my blood drip and ooze across my body as it falls from my mouth and my nose. The audience is cheering at my demise. He punches me again in my right eye, and I feel it swell up after the punch. All my senses are being overwhelmed. I wanna give up, but I know I can’t. I know if I do that then there is no way I will ever be able to join this pack. I know that I will have failed my dad, the former Alpha.

      I look up and see the Alpha rise. He says, “As the Alpha, I officially call the-“

     “NO!” I interrupt. Blood spills from my mouth. The crowd gasps. I use my final oxygen to yell through a choked, gravelly voice, “I’m not finished.” Jace looks surprised. I can’t believe the shock in his face. He underestimated me. I am determined to finish this fight. I will not give up yet.

     The first wolf gets his head in my face. He chuckles at me, and I see his satisfaction from beating me to a pulp. I headbutt him, hearing his nose crunch and feeling special for giving him back a taste of his own medicine. The second wolf tightens his hold of my neck. I choke on the blood piling up in my throat.  I lift my right arm and I elbow him in the side. He groans and releases his hold on my legs. I tilt forward and then slam him into the rock wall behind me. He falls down, but I know I’m not finished. I use the next few seconds and wheeze, trying to restore the oxygen levels in my body.

      I turn around to the second wolf collapsed behind him and pick him up. I lift him over my shoulders. The crowd is finally cheering for me. I guess I proved myself when I contradicted the Alpha. I see the first wolf standing in front of me, looking at me with shock and confusion from my newfound stamina. I feel like I’ve connected to the power within me. A new power which I like. I throw the second wolf into the first one, and they both crash into the center pillar, falling limp. I look at Jace, feeling my determination and my killer instinct coming through. I let out a big growl at him and finish with a gigantic howl knowing that the battle is over this time.

     He rises. I bow to him, remembering a custom that Carson told me about. I’m surprised. He actually looks impressed. He is still keeping a straight face since Alphas don’t show emotion, but I think I can detect the tiniest displays of pride for my conquering. “This will be all today. Pup, you have earned your spot within this pack. Lux, please escort the Deltas to the infirmary for their healing. Pup, wash up and meet me in the Alpha tent in 5 minutes.” I nod. I almost don’t want to wash up. I want to wear my blood with pride from my first Brwydro. Every drop of red against my slightly-toned, rugged body. I felt powerful, but I didn’t want to ignore my Alpha’s orders… again.

     I walk into his tent. Someone gave me back my shirt before I walked inside. I don’t know who it was though. Jace looks at me. I bow to my Alpha. He signals me to sit down. He rises up. “I underestimated you, Pup. You showed me a lot of skills in there. You showed me the same fire and determination that we saw out of your dad. You made him proud tonight. You will train under the pack’s new Beta, Lux.” What did he say? He demanded I come tonight, forced me to fight, and now told me that he isn’t gonna train me.

     “Respectfully, Alpha.” I saw him raise his eyebrows. I can’t tell if he’s proud, pissed, or surprised. It could be all three. “I want to train under you. You are the strongest and I want you to be my trainer.

     “I don’t think you are prepared for me to train you.”

     “I think I showed how prepared I am today. Besides, I'm far behind. Most people train their lives to be wolves. I am two years behind.” He gave me the same look. I gulped. I was either impressing him or asking to be dismissed forever before I fully joined the Pack. He stares me down. ON the outside, I try to look brave and formidable. On the inside, I am completely terrified and trying not to piss myself. I hope he doesn’t see through me.

     “I will break you down to scraps of meat. I will destroy every ounce of willpower within you. Are you sure you want me to be your trainer?”

     “I am sure, Alpha.” He smiled. I have never seen a reaction on Jace's face. He never shows anything in the hallways at school except despair, and now, he's smiling at me.

     I prepare to turn around but a question forms in my head. I don’t know if I should ask it, but my mind won’t stop thinking about this question from sunrise to sunset. I ask him, “Who was your old Beta?” Jace clears his throat.

     “He was my ex-boyfriend. He was one of the strongest wolves I have ever known.” My stomach sank so far into the Earth’s core that I think it’s sitting in magma. It couldn’t be, right? “You know him.” He wasn’t talking about my best friend. Was he? “Carson” s**t!!! “was my old Beta. Something happened and I had no choice but to cast him out from our pack for his actions.”

     “What happened? What did he do?”

     “That’s not my business to share. You need to ask him yourself.”