I've knocked through all of them. None of them survived the pain of my heart, the wrenching that guides me forward. I can only provide my mate rank, protection from the enemies through forced support of my people. I've given into the darkness singing so violently to me I should fall to my knees in forgiveness from the heavens. These mongrels challenged, and now I've taken their heads in revenge for their weakness. Weakness in their knowledge, pure ignorance that led them to believe they could've won against me.

My mate still lays asleep. Her heart is steady, breathing even. Tyson works to keep me updated as needed while I run through the competition. The pack screams in happiness at the blood soaking through the dirt. I would be just as happy, but I've grown fearful. The things I care about can be taken so easily from those I least expect. I promised to protect her, promised to provide the life she deserves, and here I am. Simply winning against pre-destined deaths. I'm doing nothing for her. Nothing that when she wakes up will console her other than guarantee of a home.

"Alpha. You have one more fight, and look..." He points over the people my eyes landing on my beautiful mate standing at the back of the group with a blanket wrapped around her arms. The medical blanket flows beautifully in the wind, her bun loose atop of her head. I'm enchanted by her strength when she walks through the pack. Every single person moves for her, no one denies her power. Even I'm held at her will when she struts through the body littered ring ignoring the death just to stand above me while I kneel on the ground. Tyson has left, the pack watches in anticipation as their Luna drops to her knees wrapping her cold arounds around my neck.

I wrap my arms around her, pulling her in for the warmth she desires. I can't give her much, but I can give her a hug. A simple hug. Something that when the world falls apart around us, I can keep her protected from the evil. Her head tucks against my neck, and for a moment I let myself relax. While she sits in the middle of hell itself, she uses me as her shield, "I'm sorry I wasn't here for you, my Alpha." She whispers along my jaw, "I wish you the best in your final fight. I love you. No matter what."

She's claimed me in front of the pack, and they know it. I've been marked by her, much differently when she took my neck, "I love you. I'm sorry that you feel the need to be here instead of healing." I whisper in return. She holds on tighter instead of pushing herself away. I'm confused, but thankful for the amazing woman I must call my own. However, I now worry. She's constantly putting others before herself, and one day she won't be able to handle all the world on her shoulders, "You should be resting."

"I need to support you, Ares. It's better than staring at a ceiling wondering what I'd done wrong." She whispers in return. She releases herself, and I fix her blanket for her. Veronica walks to the side of the ring, standing with her shoulders back. The only indication of her fear, or sadness, is the slight shake in her hands that grip the blanket. I can't detect any pain between the bond. The child's wolf must have done one last favor before leaving her, giving her health. The women of the pack move to stand behind her. All take a protective stance, Tusk and Gerald leading the pack, but I'm drug away from the heartwarming scene when Tyson grips my shoulder.

"Alpha, we need to continue."

"Yes. Let's get this over with."

Little did I expect my mother struts from the waiting area. Her body is clothed in traditional fighting garments for human women. As she's wolf, I'm confused, even more so that she's standing across from me and not a fighter, "I've come to challenge." She yells across the ring. My mother looks rejuvenated, her body flush with color. Weight sits on her bones now, and with her spin straight, jaw set, she's the fearless woman I grew up under. The leader I always dreamed to be, and now she stands before me.

"Mother?" I call in return. She nods once.

"It's time I make my own name, yes? A fitting end to the tragic story. The son that killed his father, and the woman too weak to kill herself over his grave. Always suffering but never strong enough to take her own life, a terrible example of till death do us part. I've been dead a while, Ares. It's time I take his hand again." Her eyes spill tears, body wracking with pain, "Thank you, Ares. For finding a good one that gave me a last chance."

"I won't do this." My own confusion melts to sadness. I didn't, don't understand what she's speaking of or trying to convey, "No. Recall your challenge. I'll bestow honor upon you, nothing will change."

"I'll never fit into your world Ares. Every time I look at you, I see the man that slaughtered the love of my life. You are no son to me, at least not anymore." I look to Tyson, the Tusk. A notable hole in the mass of women stands out. Her blanket litters the ground, and before I can call out for her, she's standing in front of me, "So you accepted my challenge young one?" She looks at Veronica. Her body is strong and still before me, protecting me. My mother gives her a nod of respect, I grab the shoulder of my mate turning her to look at me.

"What are you doing?" I seethe between my teeth. Veronica gives a sad smile reaching her hand up to my cheek.

"Taking the burden off your shoulders, submitting to this life, and protecting you from any more pain." Her mind is blocked, no thoughts in or out. I'm attempting to put things together, figure out what is unfolding before my very eyes, but there's no time before Tyson is dragging me across the cold ground while I reach for my mate.

"As Luna Gray of this pack, I call She-Wolf Law!" Her voice echoes over the mass of people, "As the previous Luna has challenged, I will end this once and for all. Kneel before me if you accept my challenge!" I can see the burning of fire behind her eyes, the pain cracking over her skin like a broken shield. Her hands stay gripped tightly at her side; hair braided down her back. The blanket wasn't to keep her warm, it was to cover the fighting attire wrapped so beautifully over her unscarred skin. Tyson must keep me back as the pack drops to their knees taking her challenge with stride. Their eyes glaze with respect, and heartache for their Luna. She radiates power. If I wasn't so fearful, I would be in absolute awe.

"This is the only way to guarantee her respect and safety within the pack walls. Killing the previous Luna will instate her in all wolf ways and protect you from having to kill your own mother. Mrs. Gray knows that she's ready to die, but that doesn't mean she'll back down from a fight, and they're fighting in human form." Tyson mumbles in amazement for the woman I've been gifted, "She'll earned respect from the whole damn country. A human has never..."

He doesn't say it. He doesn't have to. A marked human has never won against a true blood, and yet something sings to me in pride. My woman wouldn't have agreed unless she knew she could win. My mother's sick last gift to her. A win in this ring promises a secure future, one where she wouldn't have to worry about walking down the pack streets. I've never explained the dangers that luke in the night, one of them being myself, but she's learned well enough. She doesn't need me to save her from things that go bump in the night or protect her from backstabbing bitches. I've been so blind to the power my little vixen holds. Now I kneel in submission to her, her challenge. If only I'd noticed sooner. I've been looking through blinders seeing her only a human woman that needs a strong man.

How wrong was I?

"We fight in human form. No weapons. To the death." My mother calls out. The two women move to their positions, preparing for the call from Tyson.

"Can she fight?" I mumble to Tyson.

"Have you met Veronica? She survived on the streets, broke, and lived with abuse beyond what we'd ever understand. If anyone can take a hit it's her." He clicks his tongue, then calls the starting howl watching as the begin their rotation, "She's a strong one, Alpha. And I've never known one like her."

There was nothing controlling Veronica Gray.

I didn't want to watch, but I can't tear my eyes away.

A soul wrecking scream erupted from the ring, so intense that my bones shake. My mother stomps through the dirt and charged from my mate with unnerving speed, head angled down, ready to break a rib. Veronica recoiled from the hit, blood spraying from her mouth while she tumbles through the dirt. Her top takes a cut, red gushing from the shallow wound.

Her palms press flat on the ground, feet coming under her in a blur. She's melded with the wolf traits inside her, acting as though she is wolf. Her nostrils flare, ear pricking back, even the curl of her fingers as bone claws cut through the skin of her knuckles, "Alpha!" Tyson points to my mate. It's only the strongest humans that show such control, develop beyond basic abilities. My mother sees this, and with a smirk charge again.

Veronica crouches, then jumps whirling over with great movement, almost like one throwing the beginning of a cartwheel. Her hand shoots out grabbing the head of my mother pulling her head back. Using her momentum, she throws her down, a skull crushing sound rattling through the clenched teeth of the pack. My mate's eyes stay black, she's threatened, and this is her mission. Kill the offender.

Veronica keeps a hold of my mother hair while she kicks and screams. Her body's dragging through the ring in show, my mother digging her claws into her opponent's arms. Veronica doesn't notice, her focus on the arm bone sticking from one of my earlier kills. She breaks the bone taking the splintered end to my mother heart. She's close to the kill, but my mother rips her head from her hand, part of scalp dangling from Veronica's fingers, "You think I'd be that easy!" My mother's a banshee, her broken soul coming through the pain of her eminent loss. Veronica snickers, head tossing back.

"You've underestimated me since day fucking one." A bloody spit lands at the feet of the ex-Luna, my mate wiping the residual from her mouth the sleeve of her attire. The bone stays gripped between her fingers while she rushes my mother again. I watch my mother's body lock, a foot raising in spin landing right in the middle of my mate's chest launching her across the ring. Tyson's hand is the only thing holding me back, a reminder that this isn't my fight.

My mother struts across the ring, her head a bloody massacre for everyone to see. Her movements are slow, a tell that she's losing her will to fight. The first loss of a battle: The will. Veronica jumps to standing again. Mother throws another kick, stunned Veronica throws herself back relying only on the balance of her feet to pull her back up. And as my mother pulls herself back to balance from her weak attack, Veronica uses the last of strength to jump from above and drive the splintered bone through the collar of my mother breaking through the walls of her stone heart.

The blood gurgles from her lips. The second loss of a battle: Your life. Veronica drops her body, shoulders sagging, "In the moon goddess you rest." The whisper is barely loud enough for anyone to hear, but I do. A wishing of safe travels to her mate, and a forgiveness for any negative between them.

A true Luna stands before me, and I've never felt the weakness she sends stabbing through my body. A chant of success rings from the pack, their arms lifting in joy of bloodshed, "Luna Veronica! Luna Veronica! Luna..." I go deaf once more. I'm a shell for just a moment as I watch her take in the power, she's built with her shoulders back. The world sits on her shoulders, and she doesn't seem the least bit worried.

"Alpha. She's won." He says it fearfully, like he didn't expect the outcome to be so vicious. We've built a monster, and now we must treasure it. It's strength, beauty, and resilience, "She's perfect, Alpha."

"She's the Queen, Tyson. Honor her as such."

I stand walking to my woman. Her eyes, tear filled, meet mine. I fall to my kneels before her, a submissive stance before the pack that respects me as their Alpha, "My Queen. Queen of the American Wolves. I submit your brilliance." She killed my mother and I'm not the slightest angry. She's won her battle fair, and I must respect her till the end of time.

More tears fall over her dirty cheeks, these tears are happy, progress, "My King."

One day we will lose, but for now I'll bask in the win of our many years of future success.

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