Rejected And Reborn As The Alpha King's Luna

Chapter 62: Choosing Champions

POV: Xavier

The morning sun rose over the Silver Moon pack, but it felt like a death sentence counting down. I stood in the Council chamber, surrounded by arguing voices, everyone shouting over each other about who should fight the vampires. My head pounded from lack of sleep, but my decision was already made.

"I volunteer as champion," I said loudly, cutting through the chaos. The room fell silent. Everyone turned to stare at me.

"Absolutely not," Alpha Celeste said immediately. "You're our only True Alpha. Losing you would be catastrophic for all wolf packs, not just Silver Moon."

"Then the Council should have thought about that before scheduling Thelma's execution," I replied. "You were willing to kill her yesterday. Now others might die saving her. I'm volunteering to be one of them."

Thorne stood, his face red with anger. "This is exactly why True Alphas are dangerous. You put individual lives above the greater good."

"No, I put justice above politics. There's a difference."

Damien leaned back in his chair, watching me with an expression I couldn't read. "Xavier has the right to volunteer. We cannot stop him."

I looked at him suspiciously. Damien never supported me. What game was he playing?

"I also volunteer," Theo said, stepping forward. "It's my freedom at stake. I should fight for it."

"Absolutely not," the Oracle said, appearing from the shadows like she always did. "The rules of Trial by Champions are clear. The owned property cannot be their own champion. You and Thelma are considered property under the vampire blood contract until the trial proves otherwise."

"That's insane," Theo argued.

"It's ancient law," the Oracle replied. "If you fight and lose, the contract is automatically validated. If champions fight on your behalf and win, the contract is voided forever."

Theo looked like he wanted to punch something, but he stepped back.

"I volunteer as the second champion," Luna said clearly. Everyone turned to her. Sage, her Beta, grabbed her arm.

"Luna, no. You're needed here. Your pack needs you."

"My pack needs the twins to survive," Luna replied. "Thelma and Theo are some of the strongest Alphas alive. If vampires e*****e them, they'll use that power against all wolves eventually. This isn't just about saving two people. It's about preventing future wars."

Her logic was sound, but I could see something else in her eyes when she looked at Theo. Something deeper than political strategy.

"That's two," Celeste said. "We need a third champion."

Immediately, several wolves stepped forward. Neon, still guilt ridden over Elena's death. Several pack warriors looking for glory. And Kael, the witch hunter who'd testified against Thelma.

"I volunteer," Kael said. "I've hunted dark magic users my entire life. I know how to kill things that shouldn't exist. That includes vampires."

"I volunteer," Neon countered. "I owe Thelma my life. Elena died saving me. The least I can do is fight for Thelma's freedom."

"I volunteer," Damien said, shocking everyone.

I stared at him. "You want to fight? You've been arguing for surrender since the vampires arrived."

"I've been arguing for practicality," Damien replied coldly. "But if we're doing this trial, we need to win. I'm one of the strongest warriors here. That's simply a fact."

The room erupted in arguments again. Everyone had an opinion on who should be the third champion.

Celeste raised her hand, commanding silence. "We settle this the old way. Single combat among the volunteers. The last one standing becomes the third champion."

A fighting circle was cleared in the courtyard. Word spread quickly, and soon the entire pack gathered to watch. Thelma was brought from her cell under guard, forced to witness people fighting for the right to possibly die for her.

I caught her eye across the courtyard. She looked devastated, guilty, like this was all her fault. I wished I could go to her, tell her it wasn't, but the champions had to prepare.

The fights began. Neon faced off against a pack warrior first, winning quickly with brutal efficiency. Guilt had made him desperate and dangerous.

Kael fought next, his movements precise and deadly. He'd spent decades hunting supernatural creatures, and it showed. He dismantled his opponent in under a minute.

Then Damien stepped into the circle against Neon. They circled each other, two warriors with completely different fighting styles. Neon was aggressive, throwing powerful strikes. Damien was calculated, defensive, waiting for openings.

The fight lasted longer than expected. Neon landed several solid hits that would have dropped a normal wolf. But Damien absorbed the damage and struck back with surgical precision. Finally, he swept Neon's legs and pinned him, claiming victory.

The final fight was Damien versus Kael. I watched them circle each other, studying movements, looking for weaknesses. They were both experienced fighters, both deadly in different ways.

Kael struck first, fast and precise. Damien blocked, countered, pressed forward with overwhelming strength. They traded blows that echoed across the courtyard.

But Kael had one advantage. He'd fought things stronger and faster than wolves. He knew how to compensate for power differences. He ducked under Damien's strike, rolled behind him, and delivered a devastating blow to Damien's kidney. Damien dropped to one knee, gasping.

Kael pressed his advantage, not giving Damien time to recover. Within seconds, he had Damien pinned, a blade to his throat.

"Yield," Kael said.

Damien's face twisted with humiliation, but he nodded. "I yield."

Kael stood, helping Damien up despite having just defeated him. "You fought well."

Damien didn't respond, just walked away, his pride clearly wounded.

Celeste stepped forward. "The three champions are chosen. Xavier Blackwood, Luna Silvercrest, and Kael Storm. The Oracle will train you. You have until dusk to prepare."

The crowd dispersed slowly. I looked across the courtyard and saw Ravencrest standing at the boundary line, watching with his blood red eyes. Beside him stood three figures I hadn't seen before.

His champions.

The first was a massive vampire warrior, scarred and brutal looking. He radiated violence like heat from a fire.

The second was a woman, beautiful and terrible, with features that seemed to shift between human and something else. A dhampir, half vampire and half witch.

The third made my blood run cold. He was thin, almost skeletal, completely silent. But the power coming off him was immense, ancient, suffocating.

Ravencrest smiled, showing fangs. "Meet your opponents, wolves. Malakai, six hundred years of battlefield experience. Seraphine, dhampir witch who's killed more wolves than you've met in your lifetime. And The Silent One, who hasn't spoken in three centuries. The last time he fought wolves, forty-seven died. Good luck."