Inferno (Mate Series #3)

Chapter 1

It was that day again, where the Alpha games were held at the Alpha King's arena. Every year, it was held to rank the Alphas and establish stability within the werewolf nation but overall, it was also there to really get rid of some Alpha tensions amongst all the Alphas. If they fought once a year, it was less likely they will fight amongst each other and end up killing each other.

This year was different though.

Natalya sat in the stands along with the other Alphas as they watched their chosen representative fight in their stead. She chosen Yulian, her Beta to fight in her place. She was confident in his ability to fight and knew that he will try his damn hardest to earn first.

Yulian just finished his first fight, taking down Alpha Seth's warrior with quick precision. She could tell he was excited to win with the puff in his chest. She was proud of him too.

The day past by with many rounds finishing with fighters who either won or loss badly.  Natalya was getting bored.

He disappeared behind a door and another door opened. Two more male werewolves appeared. They were shirtless and dressed in loose sweat pants. They were about the same built.

"Alpha Ethan's stead, Jeremiah." The announcer gestured with his hand to a strawberry color hair man who looked to be in his late thirties and then turned to the other competitor.

Her grip on her chair tightened when her eyes landed on the man before her. The strong definition of his muscular back down to curve of his buttocks that were almost peeking out of the black cotton sweats he had on. She gnawed at her bottom lip in silent anticipation--silently pleading for the man to turn around.

"Alpha Viktor's stead, Constantin." Her gut clenched and she closed her eyes to contain her emotions. She was sure her eyes were glowing dark as the night. She wanted that man. Her wolf was clawing at her skin and she knew she needed to see his face.

When she opened her eyes again, the man had turned around. Slowly, his gaze lift up from the ground and he blinked as he stared at the Alphas before him. His gaze trail the line slowly until it stopped on her. She stopped breathing. She was sure her heart wasn't beating. She couldn't hear anything else because the only person who was had her full attention was the man in front of her.

"Mine." She whispered and his eyes darkened as he also took in every detail of her face and what he can see of her body. She forced herself to breathe again as the bell sounded. Her mate turned back to his opponent.

She couldn't believe her eyes. She felt it. She felt the bond severed. She felt the loss of him. All those years, her heart felt like someone took it and locked it away and now all she felt was this protective instinct to protect him with all her might. There was no denying it, he is her mate and he is alive.

"He is alive." She whispered to herself.

She watched him fight his opponent and was awed by how beautiful he fought. Every hit he landed weakened his opponent more. She held her breath each time he got hurt by his opponent and it took everything in him not to run to him and fight off who was hurting him.

She noticed a very old scar that ran across her mate's throat. She wondered what it was and who had caused it. Turning slightly, she saw Alpha Viktor sitting a few chairs to her left. She stood up and walked over to him. She glanced down at her mate who took a moment to look at her before he caught the fist his opponent was throwing at him and twisting his hand enough to crack his radius bone.

"Alpha Natalya, to whom do I owe the pleasure of thanking for your presence?" He asked his eyes were roaming her body. She clenched her jaw and moved to sit in the chair next to him.