Chapter 34

~Grace~

I was speechless. Alex would give up everything he’s ever worked for just for me?

The sun shone on Alex, and he looked like a dark angel, his golden eyes glittering like amber, and the light bringing out the brown undertones in his hair.

His rich, warm, brown complexion shimmered, giving his face almost an ethereal look.

My heart pounded with butterflies and I looked away quickly, realizing how long I was staring.

I couldn’t believe everything he’d done for me. It was like I was looking at Alex in a new light. Originally, I had thought that Alex had been helping me because he got something out of me, but with how selfless he’d been…

Removing me from Liam’s home, helping me find evidence to take Liam down, standing up for me in the Council, and now this? Fighting for my freedom?

My heart swelled with affection for him, and I felt myself blush. I didn’t know if I was ready to admit it yet, but I… I was quite fond of Alex. I really, really appreciated everything he had done for me.

There was just no way I could repay him for everything he’d done.

“Well? What do you say?” Alex prodded Liam, who had been silently staring at him. He must have been thinking hard about this deal. It was an incredible offer to win, but a terrible offer to lose.

Was his reputation worth the risk of letting me go? I pleaded in my heart that he was selfish enough to accept.

“It’s on,” Liam finally said, his lips curling into a wild grin. There was a fire behind his eyes that frightened me, as if he was sure he’d win.

Since this was a challenge, and not an unprompted fight like last time, we had moved into the courtyard and the entire pack gathered to watch, forming a circle around the perimeter.

Beta Enzo and Beta Samuel stood on opposite ends with their Alphas to act as judges.

I stood in the front of the crowd near the middle of the field, that way I could get the best view of the fight.

The crowd buzzed with excitement, and I felt the electric energy run through me, too, and I whispered under my breath my hope that Alex would come out victorious.

Of course, my freedom rode on his success, but I didn’t want to see him humiliated, either.

I watched the field nervously, my eyes darting back and forth between Liam and Alex, who stood on opposite ends of the fields. They talked to their Betas for a moment, before turning around to face each other.

The Betas stepped back, and they both raised their hands at the same time, providing the signal to begin the fight.

My heart stopped as the fight officially began, and I began to feel lightheaded from the nervousness that gripped my chest like cold fingers.

I trained my eyes on Alex, whose features began to rapidly change, darken and elongate as he shifted.

Oh, my god.

I clasped my hands over my mouth and staggered back at the sight of a shifted Lycan form.

Alex’s face was long like a wolf’s, but he stood on his muscular, canine-like hind legs, giving him a height and presence that hushed the crowd. Drool dripped from his exposed razor-sharp teeth as he growled ferociously at Liam.

Black fur covered his entire body, and a long, shaggy tail whipped out behind him, his pointed ears pressed back against his skull as he hunched forward, long, sharp claws protruding from his fingertips.

It was terrifying.

I glanced over at Liam, and felt my heart drop. He hadn’t shifted! Was he too scared of the sight of Alex and forfeit already?!

But… why did he look so calm?

An eerie feeling washed over me, and I watched Liam carefully. Something about this felt wrong. He had to be planning something, he hadn’t lost his mind that much, had he?

Maybe he thought he could take on a shifted Alex like Alex had defeated Liam without shifting? Maybe he was trying to prove his worth? But that was lunacy!

I didn’t want Liam to win by any means, but I also didn’t want to see him shredded to ribbons across my old home’s front lawn.

Alex hunched forward, tensing his muscles for a moment before bursting forward at incredible speed. I even felt my hair blow from the wind he created from his dash!

It was incredible! I thought Alex was fast and strong without shifting, but now-

Wait.

Something was moving on the ground in front of Liam. A dark, bubbling black… it looked like a puddle? Of oil?

I squinted at the grass, trying to make out what it was. It shifted and morphed, growing and rising from the ground, and a wicked smile crossed Liam’s face.

What on earth?

Suddenly, two shadowy figures emerged from the ground, their limbs long and sharp, their bodies featureless.

The crowd murmured, and Liam laughed loudly even as Alex swiftly approached him.

Suddenly, the two figures disappeared and in a flash, Alex seemed to trip and he tumbled forward, rolling hard against the ground, chunks of dirt and grass flying as he went.

I flinched as he fell, a pit forming in my stomach. What was that?! Had he just tripped?

Suddenly, I realized that blood was oozing out from both of his ankles, and he struggled for a moment to get to his feet.

I gasped. The shadowy figures appeared by Liam, as if his personal guards.

Suddenly, rage filled the pit in my stomach, and my hands trembled as I realized what Liam had done.

The use of dark magic was largely frowned upon, and access to spells were highly restricted, but with his connections and status, he must have found someone to give him access to some spells!

It would destroy what little was left of his reputation, but I guessed that he sought this magic out once he lost from Alex the first time, without so much a scratch on Alex at Liam’s strongest.

He must have figured that he couldn’t win without extra help, and his reputation was tarnished enough already, what was a little more?

Oh, my god! So he really had lost his mind!

Alex! I cried in my heart, fear striking me. I hadn’t been worried about his victory before, but now… now I didn’t know what to expect, and Liam already had the upper hand!

A dark shimmer appeared around Liam, and I knew he was up to no good, that scheming rat!

Alex finally got to his feet, growling menacingly at Liam. It was obvious he took a hard blow, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him.

I wondered if he could feel the pain in his severed ankles, or if he merely pushed past it as he dashed again at Alex.

Dodging the shadowy figures at an incredible speed, he raised a clawed arm at Liam, ready to strike, when Liam suddenly disappeared, appearing at the other end of the field.

I gasped again. What else could he do?!

Alex growled. It seemed like he realized that he couldn’t win this fight with raw power. Liam was going to make this one the battle of a lifetime.