Chapter 63

Ava

“Let the first trial begin.”

The village square had been converted overnight into a makeshift arena, with barriers all around the center area and crowds gathered in all corners. The large metal braziers had been lit at all four corners, and lines had been painted in the dirt in preparation for today’s trials.

I sank back in my seat beside Chris, unable to tear my eyes away as the two teams lined up on opposite ends.

At a nod from Chris, a shrill whistle pierced the air, signaling the start of the first trial. The cluster of muscled, shirtless contestants surged forward, two teams fighting for one thing: a round leather ball.

The game, which we called Moonball here, was very similar to the human game of rugby; it was a chaotic game in which the goal was to touch the ball down on the opposing team’s side of the field. Physical contact was allowed, such as tackling.

Only here, in the werewolf world, things were a bit different. The contestants were allowed to use their werewolf abilities, such as fangs, claws, and superhuman speed.

That made for quite the interesting game.

Within minutes, the crowd was roaring with excitement. The leather ball became a blur, and all eight of us judges were even on the edges of our seats, watching with silent fervor.

My gaze flicked involuntarily toward Dedrick, the dark-haired stranger whose presence still nagged at me. Unlike the other brutish contenders, he moved with an almost feline grace, easily evading strikes and shouldering his way through the fray.

More than once, I caught a flash of wicked fangs and razor-sharp claws as he overpowered his opponents in speed, wits, and strength.

I furrowed my brow as I watched the ease with which Dedrick dropped his fangs and extended his claws. For someone who had supposedly spent a considerable amount of time on the human continent, he didn’t seem to have any difficulties channeling his werewolf abilities.

But the tournament had only just begun. Perhaps time would tell.

The match raged on for what felt like ages, both sides trading blows and scrapping viciously for control of the ball. At one point, the leather ball went soaring through the air, only to be plucked from the sky with one hand by a diving Dedrick. He twisted mid-leap and flung it with unnerving force straight through the opposing team’s goal posts, splitting the wood in a shower of splinters.

The whistle blew, and the crowd roared. The game was over—Dedrick’s team had won, and would be moving on to the next round.

I exhaled a shaky breath and sat back in my chair, unsure whether to be awestruck or unnerved by his sheer strength. Beside me, Chris shot me a subtle wink, and I felt my cheeks flush.

As the contestants shuffled off to make way for the next event, I glanced sideways to find Olivia watching the proceedings with carefully schooled features. There was no sign of whether she supported or opposed any of the remaining candidates—her expression was about as readable as a slab of granite.

Which was strange, for her.

The second round proved no less intense than the previous event; this round was one-on-one combat with no weapons. Six champions would advance once the tournament concluded, and I gripped the arms of my seat with white knuckles as the round commenced.

True to his previous form, Dedrick stood out amongst the others. His fighting style was unlike any of the others, brimming with a wiry, almost feline grace that allowed him to deftly defeat his opponents with ruthless efficiency.

Within the span of a few fleeting heartbeats, he had another challenger flat on his back, yielding with Dedrick’s claws poised at his throat.

One by one, the survivors dwindled until only six remained, their chests heaving. The crowd roared once again, and the winners of the second round pumped their fists triumphantly. I glanced over to see the Elders murmuring amongst themselves while the third round was prepared, but Olivia was still as stoic as ever.

“Exciting, isn’t it?”

The sound of Chris’s voice pulled me out of my reverie, and I met his gaze with a thin smile. Here, in the light of the warm sun, the gold and sky blue on his sash—matching my dress, Moonstone pack’s colors meant to signify our pack tattoos—brought out the green of his eyes and the golden blond of his hair.

“Yes. Very,” I managed, swallowing. I quickly looked away in an attempt to hide my true feelings. This was all exciting, yes, but Chris was our Alpha. He belonged here.

But I was standing by what I had said. I wouldn’t stand in the way of his wishes, even if it went against the prophecy or infuriated the Elders—and his sister.

The last event was a bit different than the others: a large-scale chess match between two teams of three, meant to test the contestants’ logical abilities and teamwork. A large chess board had been set up in the arena, with large wooden pieces that Chris had commissioned our local artisans to carve over the past weeks. They were beautiful.

Dedrick, a young man named Sam from our own pack, and another contestant named Allen from another pack formed one unit while the remaining trio made up the opposition. The final round commenced, and this time, the arena was quiet and controlled.

For what felt like hours, the six men played the enormous game of chess. The crowd was utterly silent, watching with rapt attention as pieces were knocked over, pawns were taken, and kings and queens were cornered.

Once again, Dedrick seemed to take the lead. He commanded his team with an ease that took me by surprise, belying my earlier assumption that he was nothing more than a big wall of muscle and fangs and claws.

“Knight to E7!” he would call out, and the staff would scurry to move the large pieces. “Pawn to A5! Bishop to C4!”

All the while, Chris, the Elders, and I leaned forward on our seats, watching with held breath as Dedrick and his team slowly cornered the other team. Only Olivia continued to sit back in her chair, hands calmly folded on her lap, her eyes fixed on the game. No emotion flickered across her face; not even once.

Finally, the match came to its conclusion. Dedrick’s team took out all of the other team’s pieces, eventually leaving only the king. They cornered the other team’s king, forcing them to call a checkmate.

Dedrick’s team had won.

As the losing team filtered out of the arena with their heads hung, Dedrick, Sam, and Allen lined up in the center. The crowd cheered and applauded, and the Elders murmured amongst themselves.

Slowly, Chris stood, holding up one hand to silence the crowd.

“This marks the end of the Alpha Tournament,” he called out, his voice ringing clearly through the square. “The judges and I will make our decisions tonight…”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the square and ultimately landing on Dedrick, and only then did I see the look of satisfaction in Olivia’s eyes as she watched him.

“...And tomorrow, we will announce the winner—and the new Alpha of Moonstone pack.”