Magnus

The silver chains are taken down from the wall by my guards but still kept around my limbs. I guess they don't trust me enough. Good! Without talking they push me up the stairs and I brace myself.

My senses are coming back to me and I faintly hear the voices of my pack in my head. Still as a whisper in the back of my mind but it's a relief. And when we are outside the packhouse, I see all of them are gathered there, with a serious look on their face.

I know what is going to happen. We are heading to the Circle. That asshole thinks he will ridicule me in front of my pack and mate.

When we reach the place, Antiope is there with that asshole by her side. She has carefully thrown a coat over her shoulders to hide her injury. I see sweat beads on her forehead and the struggle to keep a straight face while tortured by pain. I need to end this swiftly so that I can take care of her.

When I approach, I turn all my attention to my opponent. He has bared his chest and feet as is custom and bounces on the spot, thinking he is in some movie with boxers where he will triumph over those who wronged him.

"Where are the rest of my men?" I hear him whisper to Antiope.

She replies nothing, just beckons at the packhouse. I turn over my shoulder and I see one of the females slipping to the direction of the lake balancing beers and snacks in her hands. What the hell?

Antiope gives the man a sly smile and he booms in laughter.

"Maybe we can join them after," he dares to imply.

"Like I said," Antiope narrows her eyes, "I want you all to myself."

"A good luck kiss?"

"Kill him!" Henrar is repeating the same thing over and over again.

"Win this," Antiope leans and I get the faint winch of pain in her beautiful face, " and I will give you more than a kiss."

Again, that fucking laughter that makes me want to grab his jaw and rip it open so that he will be permanently gaping.

"You have placed your faith in the wrong Alpha and swore to obey the wrong Alpha King." The man turns to my pack that have taken their place around the Circle. "But I am here to right these wrongs. Here to be the Alpha you deserve and the Alpha King to lead us to glory."

He then beckons at his guards and leaps into the circle. Antiope turns to me while the guards are busy freeing me from my chains and nods. I nod back. I end this and we get back what is ours.

"Only one will emerge from this Circle victorious. And the fight," he pins his look to me, "is to the death."

Good to know, I rub my wrists and head for the Circle.

Absolute silence falls around us as we measure each other. I see it in his eyes that he still thinks that I am hurt, vulnerable, his to conquer. So, I act accordingly.

My steps are slow, my breath caught. I pretend to struggle to get to the Circle. But not too much. He is still standing too close to Antiope for my liking. And my mate is hurt. If he decides to hurt her because I am ruining his perfect plan to take over my pack, she won't be able to fight back.

When I am in the Circle, we measure each other. By all means, his look is more relaxed. He thinks he has me wounded and fading and I am glad that everyone is watching us and not Antiope that has sat down and bites down her jaw. I not only need to win this fight. I need to win this fight quickly so that Antiope can have the care she needs.

"Anyone trying to escape the Circle before the fight is over," the man narrows his eyes, "must be killed. Such is the custom, is it not?"

My pack growl and look at me. To crawl out of the Circle like a coward is a capital sin. Even if they wouldn't actually kill me, they would never allow me to be their Alpha again. But as they look at me, they know I'd rather die than shame them.

When the man turns to me and assumes his fighting position, I do not waste any time. I attack. I attack with speed and ferocity. And I see his face melt into a surprised expression. He looks at my torn t-shirt. As I moved, the blood Antiope has smeared me with is wiped and underneath, he can see, I am not hurt.

The idiot wastes one, precious second to glance at Antiope that is pale and sweating but has a satisfied smile on her face. He turns to his guards but I am faster. I grab him in a chokehold and bring him to his knees. With a swift move, he frees himself from the hold and comes at me with his fists.

I see his arm pass me by and I catch it with my left arm. I jump up and fall on the extended arm with my elbow. The Circle is filled with the man's agonized yell and the crashing of bones. He twists to hit me with his other arm but I am still quicker. No swallow breaths, no labored gasps, no trembling limbs.

I raise my arm and hit him in the face with the broad of my arm. I feel and hear his nose smash but I don't stop to gloat. I punch him in the chest and on his side with such force that his breath comes out with drops of blood. Still, I don't stop. I punch him in the face again and again till my knuckles are bloody. When he falls on his knees, I fall behind him. But he twirls and escapes. He crawls to the edge of the Circle and grabs the ledge.

I don't know how long was he planning this. I don't know how tough he thought he was. He was cocky and arrogant. And stupid enough to mess with my Luna. And now he is going to pay.

He picks himself up on the ledge and extends his hand to his guards. But he forgot the rules. And he is the helpless one. Before they have the chance, Egil falls on the guards. I don't see much but I hear the necks breaking. And when the bodies drop, Egil turns to me and nods.

I fall behind the imposter and grab his jaw. And I put pressure with the other hand.

"You touched my mate," I hiss in his ear.

"Death," Henrar demands.

Death. With one swift move, I snap his neck.

I stop only once to catch my breath. He didn't even get the chance to touch me. And when I feel the sweet relief of the danger passing and the adrenaline wearing out. I run to Antiope.

Egil has already fallen on her and with her the medic that had the needed supplies ready.

"Antiope?" I fall on my knees before her.

"Well that was disappointing," she smirks.

I smile back.

"Were you expecting something more?"

"The man had the balls to come here and think he was going to have our pack and the whole kingdom. I would think he would have some fight in him."

"She is right," Egil says and pats my back. "That was utterly anti-climactic."

"Sorry," I say shaking my head. "I'll make sure the next time I am kidnapped and drugged and forced to fight in the deathmatch while the love of my life is in danger to offer a great show for you all."

Antiope leans and caresses my cheek.

"Love of your life, huh?"

I pull close between her legs, still on my knees. I wrap my arms around her waist and I dive into her eyes.

"Always."

"Always."

She leans in and I reach up and I finally get the kiss I was craving for the moment I left for this stupid mission. I am never leaving her side ever again, not for a moment. I pull even closer and hug her tighter. I delve into the sweetness of her mouth and I give into Henrar's urges that wants to have her right now.

"Hm-hm," Egil interrupts. "If you don't mind doing that after the good doctor here has patched her up and made sure that she is OK?"

Both me and my mate laugh. She rests her forehead on mine and she sighs.

"We did it."

"Basically," I whisper, "you did. All I did is break this guy's neck. I am sure you could have done it too."

Before we get the chance to say anything more, the rest of the pack comes up to us and they all want to say a word, give a pat, a hug, something to assure them that their Alpha and their Luna are OK and that the pack is safe. They are safe. They have the most cunning, most amazing Luna in the world and she makes their Alpha even more powerful. We are going to be fine.