Shadow Of The Cursed Alpha

Chapter 11: Not A Death Match

The drive to the duelling location took about half an hour. Soon, the group arrived at a clearing surrounded by mountains and trees.

As Alpha Elton got down from the car, he quickly noticed the Alpha of the Brown Fur Pack, Alpha Jones, standing at the forefront of his Pack members, looking smug with a smirk stretched across his face.

"Still as slow as ever, Elton," Jones called out, arms crossed and chest puffed.

Ignoring his comment, Alpha Elton shrugged off his suit and handed it to Collon before walking up to Alpha Jones and the rest of the Brown Fur Pack with an expressionless face.

"Well, the weaker one always has to do the waiting," he replied, his voice void of any emotion. "I hope you have gone through the return letter we sent?"

"Well, we have, and considering we will win this duel, I have nothing to worry about." Alpha Jones scoffed, "I'm just hoping you are not too stingy with the lands you'll give."

"Hmm..." Alpha Elton scanned the crowd gathered and nodded. "Having blind confidence is still confidence, I guess."

Collon stepped forward, glaring at the Brown Fur warriors with disdain, while Alpha Elton rolled his shoulders, already shedding the rest of his clothes.

"Let’s get this over with. We have better things to do than dance with a pup."

“That arrogance of yours will get you killed one day.”

Alpha Elton didn’t respond. He simply narrowed his eyes and shifted in his huge grey wolf with black markings.

The sound of bones cracking and muscle stretching filled the clearing as both Alphas morphed into their wolf forms. Alpha Elton let out a low growl as he watched Alpha Jones' dark brown wolf stand in front of him, barely reaching his chest.

As both Alphas stared off against each other, the rest of their Pack members moved back, forming a ring around the clearing, giving the Alphas space for the duel.

Collon and another member from the Brown Fur Pack stood out from the centre of the circle as they would be serving as the referee of the duel.

"The rules of the duel remain the same. This is a friendly duel, not a death match, so all you need to do is knock your opponent down until they are unable to stand," Hans, the warrior from the Brown Fur Pack, announced.

"No weapons of any form or kind, liquid or solid are allowed in the duel. Both parties are only allowed to use their claws and gangs in this fight. Injuries are allowed, but no deaths," Collon added. "If one party violates this rule, the other party is allowed to continue the duel however they please without interruption from the spectators."

"With that being said, let the duel begin!"

The two Alphas lunged at each other with no hesitation. Growling and snarling with teeth snapping and claws slashing. Dirt flew as their bodies collided with force.

Alpha Elton went for the throat, but Alpha Jones ducked and raked his claws across Elton’s side. Alpha Elton snarled and spun around, biting into Alpha Jones’ shoulder and throwing him against a boulder with a loud crunch.

Alpha Jones let out in pained yelp but quickly got up with blood dripping from his mouth as Alpha Elton charged at him again.

He leapt away from the boulder just in time for Alpha Elton to make contact with his claws. Alpha Elton's claws scraped the boulder, and he let out a growl before he could turn around. Alpha Jones attacked with both of his back claws, leaving a line of claw marks on Alpha Elton's stomach.

After the attack, Alpha Jones jumped back and snarled at Alpha Elton, who felt a jolt of pain run through his body, starting from where the claw marks stretched.

As Alpha Elton stepped forward, preparing to lunge forward, Alpha Jones stepped back, putting a distance between the two while using his back paws to dig in the ground.

As the pain grew, Alpha Elton immediately noticed the wound on his stomach festering instead of healing. Realising what was going on, his face contorted in rage as he let out a thunderous growl.

"You damn..." Before he could finish his words, Alpha Jones lunged at him once again. However, blinded by rage, Alpha Elton lunged and met him halfway, exerting all his might; he immediately manoeuvred and pinned Alpha Jones under his feet while letting out a howl.

"Alpha Elton wins the first round!" Hans announced as he noticed Alpha Jones unable to stand under Alpha Elton's hold. "You can let him go now, Alpha Elton."

Hearing his words, Alpha Elton growled threateningly as he bared his teeth at the members of the Brown Fur Pack. Collon, who noticed the wounds that refused to heal on his father's stomach, frowned and took a step forward.

"Your Pack broke the rule of the duel," he pointed out, his voice eerily calm as he stood between Hans and both Alphas. "Your Alpha's claws were laced with wolfsbane!"

"That's not possible!"

"Then explain to me why Alpha Elton's wounds aren't healing?!" Elder Ambrose, who had gone with the SilverLining Pack, joined him with a sneer. "At the start of the duel, both Alphas were healing well, and now he isn't. What else could that be?"

"You can't just decide it is wolfsbane without checking," Hans muttered as he turned back to Alpha Elton. "Why don't you let him go, and we will check his claws?"

Alpha Elton let out another threatening growl as he continued to press Alpha Jones.

"I'm sure we can check it while in that position. Besides, since his claws dug that dirt up, traces of wolfsbane can be left on it," Elder Ambrose suggested, making Hans hesitate as his eyes momentarily met Collon's.

He clenched his fist and stepped away as he noticed everyone expectantly glancing at him. Letting out a sigh, he stepped away while Elder Ambrose and an elder from the Brown Fur Pack checked the dirt that was dug up by Alpha Jones' claws.

The once bustling clearing immediately became silent while the elders checked.

Elder Ambrose, after checking the dirt, frowned and nodded towards Collon before showing it to the members from both Packs. The other elder also nodded as he finished checking Alpha Jones' claws.

One by one, the faces of the Brown Fur Pack members fell, their brows furrowing in anger and disappointment as they began to fall out of the circle, their necks showing submission as they glared at their Alpha, who had cheated on a friendly duel.

His act not only insulted all of them as a Pack, but it also insulted their ancestors who gave the rules of the duel. And no matter how loyal they were to their Alpha, the rules made by their ancestors could never be pardoned.

Pursing his lips, Hans turned to Collon, his eyes void of emotion as they stared into each other's eyes for a brief moment before he turned his back on Alpha Jones, who was struggling against Alpha Elton's iron grip.

"Your Pack can do whatever you please," he announced without looking back.

And in that moment, the whole clearing echoes with the sound of flesh tearing, bones breaking, and the painful howl of Alpha Jones before a complete silence.