Alpha

Chapter 12

Because I was the prize of this fight, I was given front-row seats. My pack had been included, and they were sitting beside me.

The area had been set up in a square shape with four sides filled with chairs surrounding the ring. I noticed the chairs were bolted down, which was a worrying thought. Clearly, they'd learned a lesson at some point.

Opposite us were the seats assigned to general audience members. To the left was reserved for the Blood Moon pack, and the right was for Black Ridge. I looked behind us and noticed that no one was sitting in the seats, whereas the side opposite was almost full. I guess this was reserved for my pack only.

Turning Joey's watch, I looked at the time and then sighed heavily.

"This is just awful," I muttered. "I feel sick."

"I think we all do. Believe it or not, I think that our packs were getting along quite well. Our beginning wasn't great, but the future might be wonderful. Are we getting a new Beta?"

"Konrad thinks that I don't want him like that."

"Well, that is a fair statement considering you've spent a lot of time trying to rebuke his advances and his attempt at taking over your pack. Now that the dust has settled on that, maybe you two could start over."

I nodded but firmly believed that Konrad wasn't interested in that. Also, the whole Alpha and their inability to keep it in their pants.

"Hey, how much do you know about locking?"

Joey's face was plain, almost like every part of him had disconnected and shut down.

"Jojo,"

With a blink, he shook his head and frowned.

"Why are you asking about that? Didn't your parents tell you about it?"

"Not really. They just said it happens when the wolf is ready to create pups with her mate."

"Well, I guess that's the gist of it. So, why are you asking me that?"

I shrugged, glancing at the other side where there were a lot of empty seats. I was grateful Konrad's pack hadn't turned up yet.

"Konrad says that I'm doing it to him."

"Technically, your shifted form shouldn't be able to lock anyone, mate or not. Usually, in our shifted state, the wolf has no control. Unless you willingly shift to the wolf, she can't do anything. At least, by appearances, she can't. See, that whole area, it's the wolf's domain. You use it for fun, and she uses it for making pups. When you use it, she thinks that you're signaling to her that you're giving her a bit of control. It's what all of our wolves think. They don't see sex as a thing to do for fun. To them, it's about creating the next litter. My father told me that whenever we have sex, our wolves are gearing up to be parents, only to be disappointed when nothing happens. You've got that happening inside of you, and then you add your confusion about what you really want from Konrad. Your wolf would be going crazy because I can guarantee that she thinks that you've already bonded with Konrad. She's dictating from within because the wolf thinks that this is what you want."

Buzz began to fill the auditorium, and I turned to watch Colin showboat his way down the aisle between the chairs in his section. He was rousing up the crowd with fist pumps and demands for cheers. When he turned to me and smiled, I wanted to be sick.

"I hope you're ready for war because I am not going to mate with him."

"No one on this side of the auditorium wants you to either."

"Imagine what the Betas are going to say when I return and tell them that we're going to war with the Blood Moon pack."

Joey chuckled.

"They send you away to find a mate, and you return with enemies. Only a Nolan could do something like that."

I guess I was more like my father than my mother.

The buzzing stopped when Colin moved to his side of the mat in the center. A referee walked out onto the large white mat, stopping when he was in line with the aisles. He faced Konrad's side and waited.

Silence hit the room. The referee looked at his watch. He was about to turn to Colin when a figure appeared. More followed and took their seats. Konrad emerged and walked onto the mat.

The referee urged them closer to the center.

"The rules of a ritual fight are simple. It is a fight until one yields, becomes unconscious, or dies. To yield, the fighter must call yield. There is no end to the fight unless I say so. Keep it clean and respectful towards your clans."

Turning to Colin, the referee nodded.

"As the wolf that demanded the ritual fight, you are the one that chooses the state to fight in. Shifted or wolf?"

Colin smiled supremely, and as I looked in the crowd, I saw James, one of Brian's sons.

"Oh my god," I whispered. "James is here."

Alec and Joey were searching for him, and I wondered if Brian had a hand in this.

"Shifted," Colin announced proudly.

"Yeah, tell me that he doesn't know how powerful Konrad is in his wolf state."

"You think that Brian told him about their fight?"

"I know that whispers spread fast, but Colin knew about our territory war. What are the odds that Brian bought his way into the Blood Moon pack with information to take down two territories?"

Joey sighed, nodding in agreement.

I turned back to the ring with anxiety growing quickly. This was going to be a bloodbath.

"Shifted it is," the referee announced. "You are not permitted to free the wolf at any point during the fight. If you do so, it is instant disqualification. Please return to your side of the ring, disrobe down to your shorts, and come out when I call it."

Konrad and Colin walked away. Both pulled away their clothes until they were down to the ceremonial shorts always used in fights. They were like lycra. Tight to the skin and easy to move around in.

I was stunned when I watched Konrad lower to his kneesand then sat back on his legs. With his hands on his thighs, he lowered hishead and closed his eyes. On the other side of the ring, Colin made an ass outof himself by trying to mock Konrad. When I looked at Konrad, I didn't seesomeone that was giving up as Colin claimed. I saw someone that was reservinghis energy for a massive smackdown.