Page 106 of Midnight Moon
The crowd cheered. Stephanie clapped politely. I did neither.
“The rules of this match are the same as before. Shifters will fight in wolf form. If anyone shifts into skins, their team forfeits. The match will last an hour. At that time, points will be tallied, and the winner will be determined.
“However,” he added, then paused to build anticipation, “should a fighter submit to their opponent prior to the end of the hour, the match will end, and the victor declared. Fighters are allowed to injure their opponent, but no fatal blows will be tolerated.”
Fear clogged my throat, and the uneasy knots in my stomach tightened.
As Alpha Kurt continued on, boasting about the success of the games thus far, I looked for Asher and Chase. I didn’t see them or the Coastal shifters.
Just as I was about to lean over and ask Stephanie if she saw them, the back of the crowd began to roar with excitement.
All heads turned, mine included. We watched as the four competing shifters trotted through the crowd, to the combat ring.
They’d already shifted. I identified the sandy-blonde fur of the Coastal shifters, but my gaze zeroed in on the massive black wolf beside his grey packmate.
Asher’s wolf stood at least a foot higher than the rest. His broad body showcased his strength, and I heard more than one fellow shifter comment on his size. Many remarks came from females, and I had to fight the urge to gnash my teeth at them. Asher wasn’t mine.
At least, he wouldn’t be after we broke the bond—a bond neither of us wanted in the first place.
Soon, I would care about females admiring Asher the same amount I cared about them admiring Hunter… aka, not at all.
You’re in denial.
I silenced the doubting voice in my head and watched the competing shifters position themselves on opposite ends of the ring.
Seconds later, the horn sounded, and every muscle in my body tensed.
Please, Mother Moon, let this go well.
Clouds covered the moon and stars, but that didn’t hinder anyone’s view. Shifters had excellent night vision. Colors were muted but, otherwise, everything looked as clear as during the day.
The two packs circled one another. Chase and Asher stayed together. Tyler and Jasper did the same. The four shifters sized each other up, building the anticipation among the crowd.
Without warning, Tyler and Jasper separated. The wolves sprinted in opposite directions. It was the same move they’d pulling in their fight against us.
For a moment, neither Wilds shifter gave chase. Then, after silent communication, Asher and Chase distanced themselves. Chase followed Jasper. Asher pursued Tyler.
The Coastal shifters were content to lead their opponents on a merry chase. It went on for several minutes, boring the crowd.
Then, Jasper made a move.
Jasper dug his paws into the ground and stopped sprinting. He spun around and charged at Chase.
The grey wolf didn’t balk; he met his attacker head on, and the two crashed into each other with a loud smack.
The blow winded Jasper, but not Chase. Momentum caused them to roll, putting distance between the two shifters. Chase was quick to stand. Jasper was not. The blow had winded him.
The Wilds shifter barreled into the huffing Coastal beta and sent him flying. Jasper landed painfully on his back, but he managed to get up before Chase could pin him.
I found myself wanting to cheer for Chase, but then I remembered I needed him to lose.
I bit my lip, wondering if the thrill of the fight made Chase forget he was meant to simply last the hour, not score winning points against his opponent. He was dominating his fight against Jasper.
A relieved sigh escaped me when Chase finally pulled back. Jasper landed some decent swipes. I knew Chase let him do it, but based on the oohs and aahs of the crowd, they weren’t aware of his act.
A fierce growl drew my attention to the other side of the field where Asher and Tyler were fighting.
It was almost laughable how much larger Asher was. If the danger from a sorcerer’s interference didn’t hang overhead, I’d have no doubt Asher would leave this match unharmed.
