The Wolf Queen (The Queen's Slave, Book 2)

Twenty Three: The Challenge

"Do you have any idea how rare love is? In a thousand years, I have found it but twice, and when I have, I have honored it."

-Elijah Mikaelson

I'll Wait by: Kygo (feat. Sasha Sloan)

My father's shoulder muscles bunched and rolled beneath his tight fitting shirt as he slowly met my gaze. For a flash of a second, pride shot through his eyes, but then the emotion was gone and hardening into the iciness only a king was capable of displaying. My fists clenched hard at my sides, my nails nearly breaking the skin as I waited for him to issue the challenge. It was a practice that due to the lack of shifting and fading of the mate bond, had not been seen for a very long time. The Challenge was typically issued when the male party claimed a female from another pack. If a mate-bond was present but not completed, he would only have to fight the males that had previously expressed interest in his intended mate. But since Elizabeth was female, a vampire, not present and I was claiming her, then I would be fighting those that foolishly came forward in hopes of claiming me. My canines elongated as I worked to tamp down the animalistic excitement spreading through my limbs and heating my blood. It has been entirely too long since I'd fought and drawn blood, and I found my wolf was ravenous for it.

In addition to fighting for the rights to claim your mate, this tradition was also used to gain respect from the pack. Something that was going to be needed since my mate was currently at the top of their shit list. A smirk pulled at the sides of my mouth as I caught Elijah's thunderous expression. If dragging a woman around by her hair was still a thing, he'd definitely have his fist wrapped in mine.

I kept my gaze solely trained on my father as he rose to his full height, slicking his hair back with one hand. His eyes were yellow and pulsed with the power of the Alpha as he regarded me, his expression impassive as he lingered on the bite mark at my throat. "You are willingly issuing a challenge for this......woman?" I clenched my jaw tightly as he hesitated on the last bit, reaffirming myself of why this challenge was needed. If I won, Elizabeth would have their respect as my mate as much as I had their respect as their future alpha and queen. This did not guarantee that there won't be those who disagree, but it is a pivotal start towards a strong alliance.

"I am."

"Then as your King and Alpha, I invoke The Challenge. You will fight in the Pit three days from now, in human form." A rush of power fled outward from his body and blasted through me at the decree, blowing my hair back. A low ringing filled my ears as the solemn beat of a drum echoed in my mind. The pack would feel the summons to the pit. There has not been a true challenge since my father fought for my mother, and obviously I was not present for that.

Although I wish I had.

I rose a brow, unable to hold back my sarcasm. "Is there even anyone for me to fight against?"

The king chucked darkly. "Do not grow cocky, daughter. There are quite a few who have asked me for your hand. I have managed to keep the dogs from pouncing, and I know you have been through much these last few months. However by claiming the Queen of Vampires you have surely caused a strife and only this challenge will put the pack at ease. I have heard much from Elijah about his older sister. I have heard the stories of her brutality and with the scars of a whip crossing your back, I am not entirely convinced that your connection is a true mate bond," he held up a hand as I started to protest, a warning flaming in his glacier eyes. "However, there has never in all our time been a wolf who has mated with a vampire. As your king I will continue to try and push you away from this steep and dangerous path, because I truly believe that they are selfish and malevolent creatures. Yet even so, I have acknowledged only the most powerful of bonds will prevail in this regard. But as your father, I will continue to be open minded. If she is truly your mate, then our time is shifting and this will either be a pivotal moment in our history, or the end of our race entirely."