AllFreeNovel
Share Us
"I am, and it'll stay that way," I stated clearly. “Where’s Mordred?”
“Not here I’m afraid. He’s letting me have my fun, and if I win, he’ll come find me. I’ll just need that power of yours first.”
I shook my head. "Sorry to disappoint you, but this power will never go to you, Pierce. You know that. And even if it did, it won't undo the pain you endured. It won't erase how poorly your father treated you." I pulled back some of my power. "I'm not asking as the Queen of Wolves, Pierce. I'm asking as someone Fate deemed as your perfect match. Will you please surrender? And if you do, I promise we'll find a way to help you start over in life. There's enough blood spilled tonight to last a lifetime. Let's not lose another life tonight. Pierce, please find it in yourself to move past the hurt and come with us."
Pierce was uncharacteristically silent. His expression was unreadable, but I hoped it meant that I was getting through to him. I couldn't forget all the pain and suffering that Pierce caused the people I loved, but I wanted to believe that he could redeem himself. Fate paired me with him for a reason. Maybe it was so he could get the Wolf Moon's gift, or maybe because Fate believed I could save him from drowning in his own pool of darkness. Whatever the reason, I wanted to believe something good could come out of this.
"After everything I've done, you would still try and help me?" Pierce asked softly.
"I would," I said, no hesitation in my voice. When he asked that, I thought it meant that I got through to him. That maybe he was redeemable, and possibly, Pierce and Joaquin could be the brothers they were meant to be, but when Pierce burst out laughing, the hope died in my heart. It was as I expected. Not everybody could be saved, and it was disappointing.
"Wow, Rosie," Pierce said after he finally stopped laughing. "You're such a generous and kind alpha. Everything that I am not. You know as well as I that this world takes things like kindness, love, and compassion, and crushes them until there's nothing but power left. That big heart of yours will prove to be your downfall. Maybe someday in the future, or it could end you here and now." Pierce pointed a finger at me and announced, "Rosalinda Mendoza, the Queen of Wolves, I challenge you to a fight to the death. No powers, no tricks. The winner will take the Wolf Moon's gift and become the true alpha of all shifters. Do you accept my challenge?"
The crowd of shifters muttered in hushed tones, wondering what my answer would be, and what the outcome would be. Looking back to my friends and family, they all gave me questioning glances, not trusting Pierce, but leaving the decision up to me. When my eyes landed on Joaquin, I saw an unspoken question in them. An unfinished business that needed to be resolved. I already knew what it was, what this would mean to him. But if anyone deserved to fight Pierce, it was him.
"So?" Pierce asked. "What's it going to be, Rosie?"
"I'll accept your challenge," I said, turning back to face him. "But on the condition that Joaquin fights you in my place."
28
JOAQUIN
My back stiffened when Rosie decided that I would fight in her place. She sensed what was in the back of my mind, the need to do something I should've done in the first place. To challenge Pierce, and to be the one to end his long, suffering life. I secretly hoped that Pierce would one day change his ways. To see that his path as alpha was all wrong. To let go of the past and move forward with his life. To start over and be brothers like my mother wanted. Now I knew for certain that it would never happen. As much as it broke my heart, I had to accept it. This was the only thing left standing in my way, the closure I needed to move forward with Rosie at my mated brothers. My real brothers.
Pierce looked taken aback by the condition, his eyes lifting in my direction. He sneered. "Seriously? The Queen of Wolves is too scared to fight me, so she sends one of her pathetic mates to fight me instead. Some alpha you are."
Rosie looked unphased by the insults. She hands went behind her back as she held her head high, acting every bit the queen she was. "There's only one shifter in the whole world who deserves to put you out of your misery, Pierce, and that's your own stepbrother. If you're as tough as you claim to be, then beating Joaquin should be easy for you, no?"
Pierce scoffed. "All right, Your Majesty, we'll do it your way. I've been wanting to put Joaquin in his place for a long time. I guess is as good a time as any. I accept your challenge, and if I win, I get to kill him, and then you surrender your life and power to me."
That was a tall order, and one that added tons of pressure on my shoulders. If I lost this fight, Rosie would also die, and her powers will be transferred to Pierce. No, I wouldn't doubt myself now. I wasn't going to back down and cower like I used to. For my future, for all our futures, I was going to win this.
"I accept your terms," Rosie said, then shouted, "Joaquin, front and center."
I marched forward as my mate commanded. "You can do this," she said as I walked past her. If she had faith in me, that was all the motivation I needed. Pierce and I met at the middle as all official challenges started off. We shook hands, our grips tighter than what some would deem as respectful.
"I'm going to enjoy bringing you to your knees again," Pierce sneered through gritted teeth.
"Not a chance," I retorted then released his hand. We walked back roughly five feet then turned to face one another, fighting stances ready. I breathed in, exhaled, and cleared my head, ready for this to end.
"Begin," Rosie announced, and the crowd of shifters erupted in cheers. Half were rooting for Pierce, and the other half cheering for me.
Both of us wanting to start strong, we ran to each other and collided in the center. I played it smart, however. I ducked low grabbing him by the waist and lifted him up so I could slam him down on the ground. The air was knocked out of him when his back hit the street. I raised a fist and brought it down to deck him in the face, but Pierce rolled out the way before I could hit him. My fist broke through the hard concrete, but otherwise it didn't hurt as much as it should've. I turned to where he rolled and was about to get back on my feet, but the second I faced him, his knee struck my nose. I flailed back as blood poured out of my nose. Before I could get my bearings, Pierce landed a punch to my left temple, which had me falling on my side.
"What's wrong, little brother?" Pierce taunted, stepping closer then reached down and grabbed me by the hair. I yelped as he forced my head up. "Is that the best you got? I expected more from you."
He attempted to knee me in the face again, but I brought my hand out to block him, then landed a punch to his gut. Pierce released my hair, stepping back hunched over with his arms across his stomach. Not wanting this moment to go to waste, I forced myself up lunged for him. My fists were like a pendulum, swinging from one side to clock his skull, then the other, then finished it with an uppercut that had him off his feet and hitting the ground hard. The crowd cheering for me went crazy, but I drowned them out, keeping my eyes only on Pierce.
Pierce struggled a bit, but he managed to pull himself back to his feet, his face beaten and bloodied, but he wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet. He spit out a mouthful of blood, then used his hand to wipe more off his face. "Not bad," he growled, his teeth painted red. "So, you do have some fight in you. It's about time you acted like a man."
"I've been a better man than you," I said, bringing my fist up, ready to go again.
"Oh really? Is that what tell yourself? Did standing around doing nothing while my father beat the shit out of me make you feel like a man, Joaquin?"
Pierce swung out with a fist, but I caught it, then delivered a knee jerk to his mid-section. "No. That made me a scared kid who didn't know what to do."
I moved in for another hit, but Pierce wrapped an arm around my neck, forcing me to hunch forward as he swiftly delivered punches to my face. Once, twice, three times. By the third hit, he let me go, and I was unsteady on my feet as stars danced in my vision.
