Leighton

44. Fight of our lives

Leighton

There was something wrong about the picture on my bed. Rhiannon lay back with her legs parted, wetness glistening on her naked folds.

The room still smelled strongly, a mixture of her lilac scent and her arousal.

“Don’t keep me waiting.” She purred, sliding her hand provocatively down her body and parting her wet folds.

I hesitated, weird sensations washing over me.

“Why does this feel wrong, she smells like our mate ?” I asked my wolf.

“I don’t know. Something is wrong.”

Looking back at the bed the picture before me changed to a raven haired beauty, wide eyed and full lipped.

“Titan, what do you feel.”

“Raine..”

Just as quickly as the image appeared, ot was gone and the scent of lilac got stronger as Rhiannon moaned on my bed, arching her back as rubbed her cli*.

“You want this. Come and make me yours.” She panted at me.

How could I want this wolf and not want her at the same time, something pulled me to her but something else stopped me from touching her.

Clearly frustrated with me, Rhiannon had crawled across the bed and was now before me on all fours.

“Need some help.”

“Don’t let her touch us.” Titan growled in my head, causing me to recoil in fright.

“I em.. should prepare.. for the challenge”

I was here to fight for Estelle. I loved Estelle, why had I even let Rhiannon touch me. Why did she still smell like my mate and why did I feel sparks when I touched her. I shook my head trying to get my samba thoughts in order.

“Do you think it’s because her mate is dead? Will I still feel the bond with Estelle?” I frantically questioned Titan. I could feel his anguish so I didn’t think he knew the answer.

“This isn’t a choice.” He growled.

He was right, it wasn’t a choice. I looked at Rhiannon and I felt nothing for her like I did for Estelle. Estelle I admired before she was my mate, but this she wolf, I only wouldn’t have looked twice at if it hadn’t been for the bond drawing me in.

I had back myself up against the door.

“What did you do ?” The words came out of my mouth before I understood them myself. Instantly she reached for her clothes, unable to meet me in the eye. When she didn’t answer I knew something was up. Of course. It made sense.

She hasn’t even managed to get dressed when I had her pinned against the wall, the sparks still there beneath my fingers.

“What. Did. You. Do?” I asked again.

She couldn’t answer as I was cutting of her oxygen supply. The smell of lilac was overwhelming and I released her, these conflicting emotions frying my brain.

“I have a mate, it’s not you. What. Did. You. Do”

She coughed and clutched her throat, scrambling away from me.

“I’m your mate, you can feel the bond”

At her words my hands were both around we throat this time. The sparks barely registering in my anger. My thumbs pressing on her windpipe, leaving her no doubt that I could crush it.

“You are not my mate. How did he know?” I squeezed harder and this time when I let her go she was choking to her breath back.

The lack of protest from my wolf cemented that I was right and something was off about all of this.

“Matthew .. “ She wheezed. “Matthew told him. He was promised an alliance if he spied on you and your friends.”

“Is he really dead?” If he wasn’t I was going to kill him myself.

“He killed him when he had second thoughts.”

“What did he have second thoughts about.”

She looked like she didn’t want to tell me what she knew.

“Matthew hates, hated Alpha Oliver. He said he took something from him. I first thought it was his mate but I saw them together much and there is no way she belonged to someone else….its not the same you know, being a chosen mate. Not a day went by that I didn’t regret not choosing you.”

I didn’t want to hear her sob story.

“What does Oliver have to do with anything?”

“Matthew thought with the Kings help he could defeat Oliver and pay him back, but once we came here he changed. He seemed worried, he almost didn’t care about Oliver and his revenge. He tried to leave but …but the King needed me.”

“Needed you to distract me if I came.”

“Something like that.”

“How did you do it ?”

“According to the witch that the King is sleeping with if you force a rejection you leave behind traces of a bond. She made a scent that would cause those strands to grow, and if you had marked me it would have caused our bond to regrow. It was a second chance.”

“I have my second chance and it’s not you.” Frustratingly her scent wasn’t lessening, and I still felt a pull to her but at least knowing there as something magical about it was helping me step back.

“I’m your real mate, I was chosen for you first. It will never feel as good with her.” Rhiannon’s face turned nasty, jealously evident all over it.

“I wouldn’t say that again if you wish to stay alive. When will this s*** wear off.”

“It won’t, they bewitched my pheromones to attract you and repair the bond. You weren’t supposed to be able to resist. The longer you are with me the stronger the bond gets.”

“So it’s time for you to leave.” I didn’t need this bond any stronger.

“If I get the medallion, will you still take me out of here.”

The last thing I wanted to do was take her anywhere, but I needed the medallion and she was my best chance of getting it.

Even though I knew this was a terrible idea, I nodded.

Rhiannon was barely dressed when I heard Peter at the door. Smiling, but otherwise dishevelled looking he pushed the door open before I could stop him.

“Time to get ….” He momentarily paused, surprised to see her on my room. “‘Em … the show on the road.”

Rhiannon’s grabbed at my arm. “Must you ? It’s not too late?”

I chose to ignore her and let Peter lead down the corridor and out of the castle. Of course he would chose somewhere outside, when he planned to try and fry me.

Just as I arrived I felt a chill down my body. It started at my head and floated down to my toes. I looked at Peter but he appeared not to notice.

I made a silent prayer to the moon goddess in the hope that I would survive. I needed to win, I couldn’t let Estelle down, anymore than I just had. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if she found out about this.

I would worry about that if I was still alive at the end of this match.

The Prince was waiting for us, his father by his side but neither looking particularly worried.

“‘The challenge ends with the death, a participate can concede defeat but it does not need to be honoured.” King Adalfudis told me smugly. The sicko probably wanted me to retire, so he could have the satisfaction of watching his son kill me anyway.”

The area was set, which we were not permitted to leave.

“Good luck,” Peter shook my hand as I walked into the centre. I had never felt nervous before a fight before but never had so much been riding on me. This was my chance, if wanted Estelle I needed to fight for her life. I almost didn’t care about what happened to me. I needed to free her.

As I faced what might be my final moments, all I could think about was her and how much I wanted to see hr again, so I wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

The Prince met me in the centre.

“You sure you want to continue. If like your other offer and you have changed your mind I’m happy to have you forfeit.”

Like there was any chance he would let me walk away I would be dead before I left the arena.

I looked him squarely in the eye and didn’t respond.

“Very well.”

The sound of a gong startled my hearing, signalling we had began. As expected a felt a fireball whizz past my head, ducking just in time to stop it singing my hair. I wasn’t going to rely on the witches potion alone, I hoped my speed could keep me out of his range long enough to get him fighting me fairly, there I knew I had more than an edge.

It was clear he was worried about that too, as the fireballs were relentless. I found myself wished I asked Estelle if they ever ran out of power. Each ball packed the same punch as before. It was starting to get very hot in here and the Princes hadn’t been worked up a sweat yet.

I saw the King watching with almost bemused interest and Peter’s face didn’t try to conceal his worry.

“Pay a f****** attention.” Titan roared at me as a flame scorched past my face. Surprisingly a soothing balm washed over the area. In my confusion I got hit again but a similar thing happened. Instead of the searing heat I expected a cooling balm coated the area.

Hell the potion must be working, not wasting a moment I approached the Prince. Delivering a smashing blow to his face I tried not to enjoy the look of shock of his face. We exchanged blows in the centre for a moment but while the Prince had improved from the last time we sparred he didn’t come close to matching the power of my hits. Not that I was holding anything back. I had everything to th fight for and nothing to lose.

The Prince started shooting beams of flames at me now, in a bid to keep my away, while the potion appeared to be protecting me from being burnt to crisp it didn’t stop them pushing me back. Meaning that Prince could then attack while I was on the back foot.His heel caught my head, causing me to see stars for a moment before I returned with a resounding kick of my own, not quite hitting my intended mark but knocking the wind out of him momentarily.

Seizing my opportunity I launched myself at him, slipping him into the floor so I could try to get at his neck. Forgetting to secure his hands he blindly launched fireballs in my direction and unluckily for me one caught my shoulder knocking us both back as I held on but giving him the chance to get his feet underneath him and push back at me.

The potion was a still working as I wasn’t a ball of flames but I needed to restrain his hands. Reluctantly I let go as I could feel my grip loosing. The Prince used the opportunity to attack and he landed a blow on my torso before I could get my block up, his punches packed a lot more than I remembered as I felt some ribs crack under the pressure of his jab.

Ignoring the pain I set about attacking myself, Alonso smirking as he directed his attacks towards my damaged ribs. The smile was wiped from his face when I rained a few blows down on him, but I didn’t let myself get complacent when he buckled under the pressure of my attack. I kept it up despite the sharp pain and shortness of breath I felt everything I moved my right arm.

“Concentrate” Titan growled in my ear, I felt him try to lend me his power, he knew what was at stake. It wasn’t just our lives I was fighting for but Estelle’s too.

My resolve thickened and I needed to end this soon before the potion lost its effectiveness and I was burnt to a crisp.

Like he could see my thoughts the Prince sent numerous fireballs my way as I tried to advance on him.

Ducking out of the way most missed me, probably by chance but now I could feel the burn from their intense heat. Leaping high I landed a kick to his leg, knocking him to the floor. Pouncing on top of him I missed my mark slightly and his neck didn’t snap instantly like I wanted but I caught his shoulder and heard his scream of pain.

In adrenaline filled desperation he flew at me and I didn’t quite twist out of the way and his kick caught my hip with a resounded crack. I fell to the floor, landing heavily on my trying to heal ribs.

“I need to fix this, you will have to stay alive yourself for a while” Titan concentrates on healing my injuries and I forced myself to my feet, swinging instantly for the Prince, hearing his nose snap as I sent it across his face. I saw Estelle’s face swim before me as I fought not to succumb to the agony, but it was impossibly in my state not to use the leg.

Blood poured from his nose instantly and clearly his shoulder was still hurting as he aimed a kick at my bad leg but I hobbled out the way just in time.

Without his normal arm posture he lost his balance following through the kick and I threw myself at him, gritting my teeth with the effort of standing on a broken leg I got myself behind him and felt the welcome snap of his neck.

Collapsing onto the floor beside his bloodied body I heard the roar of rage leave the King.

Coughing up blood I pushed my way back onto my knees, as Peter appeared at my side.

“We need to leave.” He said as he threw something in front of us.

A silver barrier rose up from the ground as I go to my feet and hobbled after him as fast I as could. Titan was healing me as I ran but it was slower the more I moved.

Looking back over my shoulder I could see the King shouting frantic orders and more wolves appeared with him behind the barrier. It looked like he had a witch beside him chanting. I didn’t think it would hold for long.

“What about the medallion?” Peter asked as we left the castle and could see the plane, still we left it.

“If Rhiannon doesn’t have it we leave.” If she didn’t have it she was on her own.

I knew we needed it to defeat the King bur clearly he hadn’t expected us to win so I had maybe bought us some time.

As we nearer the plane I could see that someone was waiting for us.

Rhiannon stood at the steps. She threw herself at me as I arrived.

“Thank god you survived.” She gasped as she threw herself arms around me. Her touch made my skin crawl as I pushed her of.

“Did you get it?” I asked.

She pulled out a silk handkerchief. With the top of a silver medallion sticking out of it. I reached for it.

“We had a deal. Take me with you, I’m dead if he finds out.” She pleaded.

A deal was a deal, as much as I didn’t want her anywhere near me. I let her follow Peter up the steps before me. There was an almighty boom from the castle and I knew they had breached the barrier.

“Time to go.” Peter chanted as the plane took off into the dawn sky.

I felt my neck, having felt the intense pain of having my mate marked twice I expected to feel something now, but I felt nothing.

“What’s wrong ?” Peter asked. “You did it?”

I slumped back in my head, an exhausted bloody mess.

“I thought I might feel something ?”

“I do relief ! I thought we were both dead. No offence but the odds weren’t in your favour for a while there.”

Rhiannon sat quietly in the far away seat. I felt her eyes on me but the blood filling my nostrils blocked her scent.

“When we get back, our deal is done. I got you out of there and I can probably get you a lift can to your back but that’s it.” I didn’t bother opening my eyes to see how she reacted.

She sniffed but didn’t speak, so I took her silence as acceptance.