Caged

Chapter 24.

Within a second, I'd let a loud growl erupt from me and Ivy jumped up to stand next to me. "Careful there Soleil. You're dangerously close to a challenge here."

Her nose wrinkled and she rose her eyebrows sarcastically as she narrowed her eyes. "And? She won't do it. Not in front of everyone. Not in front of him. Watch."

I took a slow breath and my fists clenched at my side as I pulled my chin higher to match her. "Accepted." I said loud enough for everyone to hear.

Soleil's eyes widened but she quickly masked it, brushing her hair away from her shoulders and turning away to walk to an empty space.

Ivy gripped me arm, leaning in and whispering in my ear. "I told you she's a snake in a true fight. Watch her. Don't forget what you've learned."

I nodded and followed behind her, taking my stance as Ivy moved to stand between us. "You two know the rules, first to submit loses. Fight continues until one of you does. Ready?"

I nodded as Soleil let out a huff and raised her fists. I lowered into a defensive stance, knowing she'd strike first as Ivy stepped away.

"When you're ready." Ivy said evenly.

I heard the crowd gather loosely around us, being sure to give us plenty of space to move. I could feel Rhett's eyes on us, on me, as he came to stand next to Ivy, crossing his thick arms across his chest.

Soleil smirked over at him and I saw my opening, lunging at her as I swung my fist into the side of her face. She was stunned as her head snapped around from the contact.

She staggered but steadied, snapping her gaze back to lock on me. "I hope you enjoyed that. It's the only one you'll get." She sneered.

She lunged forward, aiming for my nose but I jumped out of the way, dancing around her as she tried twice more to connect but missed.

"Looks like you won't even get that." I snickered, but I spoke too soon.

She stepped to the side, anticipating my dodge and countered, connecting her other fist to the side of my face. My vision spotted and I staggered back as she jumped at me, shoving me hard to the ground. Her arms wrapped around my neck and pulled me into a choke hold as her legs locked around my waist.

"He hasn't even tried with you has he? Because he prefers something more refined." Her voice snarled into my ear and my vision turned red.

My elbow came down hard into her stomach and then again into her side. Her breath whooshed out of her and her grip loosened just enough for me to shift my weight, kicking off of my back and flipping to straddle her. I began to rain fists down, hitting her square in the face several times before she kicked me off of her, screaming as she jumped to her feet.

"You bitch. You broke my nose." She said as blood streamed down her face.

"Good. Looks better that way I think." I said with a chuckle, taking advantage of her vanity and launching toward her.

I landed a hard punch in her gut and as she doubled over, I gripped my hands in her hair and pulled my knee up to drive into her now broken nose. I heard a satisfying crunch as she screamed and launched an uppercut into her jaw, sending her flying upward.

She snarled at me and shoved me away as she staggered back, trying to gain her bearings. Her eyes narrowed and she steadied her stance, charging forward and faking a punch to the left. I fell for it and she connected with her right, landing a hard punch into my jaw.

I growled and lowered my stance, dropping to sweep my legs beneath hers and dropping her to the ground. She fell hard and tried to roll away but I fell into her, locking my arms around her neck and arm as I pulled my legs tightly around her to secure her. She wasn't going to get out of this one.

We both were breathing hard, but she forced out a few more words, sending me into a rage. "I know the face he makes at his highest pleasure, just as he comes. Can you say the same?" I gripped tighter, nearly choking her out as she spoke. "Do you know what it's like to have him buried so deep inside of you that your eyes roll back in your head...Thalia?"

I growled loudly, feeling my skin bristle as the anger crashed through me. I fought back my wolf, but she was simmering just below the surface, itching to take out this snake of a she wolf.

"I know the sounds he makes as he drives into you, every inch of his skin covered in my claw marks. Picture that next time you..."

I snarled and an animalistic sound erupted from my throat, rumbling through my chest as I shoved her off of me just in time. My white wolf lurched forward, shredding my clothes and throwing me to the back as she snapped her jowls at Soleil. Her eyes widened and then she smirked, letting her own gray wolf push through completely.

Before she could steady I leapt for her, butting my head hard into her rib cage and knocking her sideways to the ground. My head whipped around, strong jaws locking down hard around her throat as she squirmed beneath me. My wolf let out a satisfied growl as she thrashed and snarled, trying to pull out of my grasp, but my jaws only tightened harder.

I felt my teeth puncture her skin and the taste of thick metallic blood coated my tongue. I let out another low warning growl, shaking my head slightly and she suddenly went limp. Her body lowered and she exposed her neck further as she cowered on the ground, her wolf whining in submission.

I'd won.