Chained

Chapter 2 - Serious

Nico's POV

The dwindling remains of the autumn warmth caressed my pure white fur coat making the breeze even more welcoming as I trained. Despite the tranquillity of the weather outside the pack house my mind became more and more convoluted with worries. A weight had planted itself inside my gut ever since I had heard the news of the fight. 

My fight.

My father and I had known for some time that eventually Markus would want to claim our territory as his own. We hadn't known it would be so soon.

Under werewolf lore he was obligated to set the challenge and negotiate the terms which I deemed to be far too unbalanced. If we won, we had the choice to take any member from his pack and claim them as our own. I reminder to him of his subjugation to us. I have only seen it done once in my life, and it was not an easy thing for a pack to go through. The pack undergoes complete social dishonour for their weakness. But I knew Markus didn't care about what other packs thought of him.

If he did he wouldn't have proposed the challenge.

All he wanted was power and territory. Over the past ten years his territory and pack numbers had doubled to the point where they almost matched us evenly.

Almost.

I knew that if he outnumbered us he would not have bothered with the lore. He would have attacked without warning.

If his champion beat me in the fight, our territory and members would be his. He would have control over the biggest pack in the northern hemisphere and that would only be the start.

It was up to me to win.

"Never take your eye off the opponent," Grayson said swinging his fist so fast I barely had time to dodge. "It doesn't matter what people are screaming at you when the fight begins, you can't let yourself become distracted."

This time when he swung, I was ready. I ducked under his punch and leaped up, colliding my paws with his shoulders sending him straight to the ground under my weight.

He coughed as the air was pushed from his lungs. "good," he wheezed.

I removed my weight from his chest and allowed him to recover as I jogged towards the bushland where my clothes were stashed.

I groaned slightly and discomfort rippled through my body as my bones and joints popped in and out of place. The process into my human form only lasted a few moments but I had to pause after it was completed to catch my breath from the fight and the transition.

After I caught my breath I pulled on my clothes and came out from the bushland to see Grayson still laying on the grass earth I had pushed him onto. Though every muscle in my body was tense and I could feel my heart beat in my throat, I maintained a calm exterior as I approached.

"How are you feeling?" he asked sitting himself up.

I sighed loudly as I sat myself down next to him. "Couldn't be better."

He scoffed. "I'm serious Nico. Tell the truth."

My eyes fixated on the grass beneath me as I refused to look at him. "The entire pack is depending on me to win Gray, lives are at stake." I had known that since I'd agreed to fight, but as I spoke the words the pressure truly dawned on me and my chest tightened until I felt as though I couldn't breathe.

He shook his head. "When did it all get so serious?" he said resting his hand on my shoulder.

I gave him a small smile. "You tell me."