Remember

Chapter 13: A Lycan Challenge

My beast rose to the surface at his unspoken challenge. "I am no, little girl," I told him as I took a step closer, showing him that I wasn't afraid.

"Challenging a Lycan is not the wisest choice, little girl." He continued to mock me, enjoying every second immensely.

"The same could be said about me," I responded. My voice was low and deadly ad I matched his stare inch for inch.

Right before he was about to strike a yell broke the stare.

"Alpha Lewis!" The voice of Janus rang out. "You have to excuse my mate. She is new to this and doesn't understand pack dynamics." He pleaded to this so-called Alpha Lewis as he threw me under the bus and acted like he owned me. As if I couldn't make my own decisions.

"I would wager a guess that she knows exactly what she is doing." He told Janus before he turned to me. "Don't you?" He was giving me an out, as arrogant as he was he wasn't completely heartless. The mocking in his tone still made me hold my ground.

"I'm challenging your authority. Your right to lead a pack, to be called an Alpha." I told Lewis as I met his glare. I turned my authority to Janus, he hadn't believed in me, he thought he could make decisions for me.

"You need to leave Janus." My voice was as cold as ice. I heard his sharp intake of breath and knew the pain that I had caused him but in that moment my entire focus was on Lewis.

I allowed myself to study my competitor. I saw the strength that coursed through his body and the glint in his eyes told me of immeasurable skill and experience. Some may have deemed the situation helpless at this point but I looked closer. I saw how he favored his right leg ever so slightly. I saw how he hid his left side slightly. He was right side dominant and not ambidextrous like I was. I saw the slight delay in his movements as his larger size inhibited his speed.

A feral smile crossed my lips. I was dying for this fight, to prove myself. My beast was almost purring inside of me at the prospect of this fight.

A similar expression was mirrored on Lewis's face. I saw the love of the fight in his eyes and the accompanying wildness. The same expression of pride was also evident on his face. The number of similarities between the two of us was astounding. A sense of Deja Vu filled me. I had done this before.

Before I became too engrossed in analyzing Lewis he made the first move and fight began. In that instant, I knew that I was facing an equal. Our styles of fighting were so startlingly similar. No routine developed between us as we circled each other and kept the other on their toes. Each blow was more vicious than the last as the stakes kept rising. The fight soon turned into a battle. A battle for dominance and pride and respect as two alpha personalities clashed. Neither one of us was backing down as we blocked, parried, and struck. We were out for blood and nothing was going to stop us. Insults flew between the two of us as we looked for an opening to finish this.

"It's been a long time since someone beat me," Lewis said, the cockiness in his voice evident.

"But if it's been done before it can be done again," I told him as I landed a kick to his side.

He let out a grunt before he answered me. "Only one person has ever beat me. Asteria Black, a Lycan, but she's dead now." The finality in his voice told me the respect he had for her. The fact that she was also called Asteria made me freeze for a second.

Finally, Lewis landed a heavy blow to my abdomen, his partially shifted hand ripping into the soft skin on my stomach. A switch was flipped inside of me as my beast and human sides fused together perfectly. There was no longer two beings inhabiting one body, but one being, both beast, and human. My already heightened senses sharpened and my fast reflexes became faster.

I felt time slow as I saw the opening I had been waiting for. I took it and before Lewis could react I had him pinned with his back on the ground. Any move he made would cause my claws to imbued themselves into his throat.

His eyes widened as they met mine and he whispered one word, a question. "Asteria?" He quickly lowered his eyes, submitting to me.

My thoughts were racing. How did he know my name? Why did he submit? Why didn't he fight to the death?

I heard the murmurs of the people around me as they asked themselves similar questions.

Lewis's eyes were wide, his face filled with wonderment as he slowly made his way towards me. "It's you isn't it?" He asked but I didn't answer, he seemed so sure of himself. He was sure that he knew me, or used to at least.

Out of nowhere a blinding pain hit my neck. I screamed out in agony as I fell on my knees to the ground. The pain was almost indescribable, it rivaled the pain I felt as I shifted for the first time.

My grasp on the world was fluid as a catacony of voices filled my head, along with their overwhelming fear. I heard voices around me but I couldn't tell who they were from.

"Her eyes shattered..."

"She had one silver eye..."

"She's a Lycan..."

"...Alpha's mark..."

"...killed an alpha..."

"...her real pack..."

As their comments and questions swirled around me I felt the link in my mind solidify. The flood of voices in my mind became manageable and understandable. As I began to shift through them there was one word that remained in them all.

Help.

Whether shouted in fear and terror or whispered in search of hope, all asked for help.

I felt myself rise to my feet, aware of the world around me, yet not a part of it. I turned towards where I knew the voices were and I took off running. It was my duty.

A/N Hello everyone and for those in the U.S. happy Labor Day! I hope you enjoyed this update and please don't forget to vote or comment if you did so. Until next time...