Pocket Stories: The Last Challenger
Prompt: She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fist. "Do not challenge me."
Erick had been working up to this moment for two years, and I'd endured every miserable moment of it. The endless teasing, the nips, the subtle disobedience, and every put down he could throw out of his useless mouth.
He just wasn't okay with having a female Alpha, and since he was definitely not a candidate to be my equal and lead the pack, he apparently felt like he could win the title by undermining my authority. I was done.
I finished my sparring session and wiped my face with the towel from my gym bag. Thanking Julianne for her time, I strode out the doors and into the chilly air. Our compound was deep in the Alaskan wilderness and it was at least a twelve hour drive to the next town, thank goodness. Any closer and no one's livestock would be safe, not with Erick running his night raids thinking I didn't noticed. Oh I noticed. I just couldn't win that fight without seriously maiming him and I at least had some limits.
I hadn't even made it across the open ground to the living quarters before Erick stopped me with a group of his fans. My eyes narrowed as I took in each of their faces. Insubordination will not be tolerated, and there will be repercussions if I survived this ordeal.
"What do you want Erick?" I asked as I slowly put my gym bag on the ground, close enough to grab but far enough that my feet had space to go whichever direction I needed.
I could see the hesitation as he stopped mid-shrug. For a dominance display, he was already failing. He may be a foot taller than me, but Alpha ran in my blood and I had no doubts about who I was and where I belonged in the pack, namely, at the head of it. Erick had to make an effort to drop his shoulders and widen his stance to match mine.
"I want you to step down. You're time as the Alpha is over and you need to make way for the new Alpha." His voice grew louder and more confident as he spoke.
"There are no other Alphas in this pack." I glowered at him. If this was what he wanted then he darn well better earn it.
"I am the new Alpha." He took one step forward, just one step, but that challenge was all I needed to shift.
In a blur of fur and fangs I shifted into my wolf. Human sizes did not translate to the wolf. Mine was something to be feared.
Erick was two beats behind me in shifting, just as he was in everything else. His dark wolf was a stark contrast to my golden one. The wolf was our true self and I was an Alpha. I had at least forty pounds on Erick and was at least two hands taller at the shoulder. There was a reason I lead this pack.
We paced, each waiting for the other to make the first move. An Alpha battle was the only time I was willing to go for the kill, and those were few and far between. The first move was always the most dangerous, besides the last of course.
Erick moved first. He launched himself directly at my neck, a rookie move, and one I expected. I dropped to my belly and pushed out my legs, catching him in his gut and throwing him past me. He landed in a heap and flailed to a standing position. I was on him before he knew what hit him. I bowled him over and latched my jaws onto his jugular, stomping on his chest and holding him there.
He had a choice, twitch and die, or keep as still as possible and pray I was in a forgiving mood.
His luck was in, as soon as he stilled I closed my mouth just slightly, enough to draw blood but not do any additional damage. I let him loose and kicked him to the side with my back leg. I sat fifteen yards away and waited for him to shift back into his human form. This battle was not completely over until he gave up and shifted.
Finally Erick lowered his head in submission and shifted back to his miserable human form, staying seated on the ground. I waited a few heartbeats before shifting back myself.
At least he knew better than to move after he shifted. I stormed over to him and grabbed him by his bloody throat. His eyes widened in panic but he kept his hands firmly at this side, I would tolerate no more from him.
I narrowed my eyes and glared directly into his, a healthy dose of fear crept onto his face. I growled, "I am the Alpha in this pack, there are no others. Do not challenge me."
Erick had been working up to this moment for two years, and I'd endured every miserable moment of it. The endless teasing, the nips, the subtle disobedience, and every put down he could throw out of his useless mouth.
He just wasn't okay with having a female Alpha, and since he was definitely not a candidate to be my equal and lead the pack, he apparently felt like he could win the title by undermining my authority. I was done.
I finished my sparring session and wiped my face with the towel from my gym bag. Thanking Julianne for her time, I strode out the doors and into the chilly air. Our compound was deep in the Alaskan wilderness and it was at least a twelve hour drive to the next town, thank goodness. Any closer and no one's livestock would be safe, not with Erick running his night raids thinking I didn't noticed. Oh I noticed. I just couldn't win that fight without seriously maiming him and I at least had some limits.
I hadn't even made it across the open ground to the living quarters before Erick stopped me with a group of his fans. My eyes narrowed as I took in each of their faces. Insubordination will not be tolerated, and there will be repercussions if I survived this ordeal.
"What do you want Erick?" I asked as I slowly put my gym bag on the ground, close enough to grab but far enough that my feet had space to go whichever direction I needed.
I could see the hesitation as he stopped mid-shrug. For a dominance display, he was already failing. He may be a foot taller than me, but Alpha ran in my blood and I had no doubts about who I was and where I belonged in the pack, namely, at the head of it. Erick had to make an effort to drop his shoulders and widen his stance to match mine.
"I want you to step down. You're time as the Alpha is over and you need to make way for the new Alpha." His voice grew louder and more confident as he spoke.
"There are no other Alphas in this pack." I glowered at him. If this was what he wanted then he darn well better earn it.
"I am the new Alpha." He took one step forward, just one step, but that challenge was all I needed to shift.
In a blur of fur and fangs I shifted into my wolf. Human sizes did not translate to the wolf. Mine was something to be feared.
Erick was two beats behind me in shifting, just as he was in everything else. His dark wolf was a stark contrast to my golden one. The wolf was our true self and I was an Alpha. I had at least forty pounds on Erick and was at least two hands taller at the shoulder. There was a reason I lead this pack.
We paced, each waiting for the other to make the first move. An Alpha battle was the only time I was willing to go for the kill, and those were few and far between. The first move was always the most dangerous, besides the last of course.
Erick moved first. He launched himself directly at my neck, a rookie move, and one I expected. I dropped to my belly and pushed out my legs, catching him in his gut and throwing him past me. He landed in a heap and flailed to a standing position. I was on him before he knew what hit him. I bowled him over and latched my jaws onto his jugular, stomping on his chest and holding him there.
He had a choice, twitch and die, or keep as still as possible and pray I was in a forgiving mood.
His luck was in, as soon as he stilled I closed my mouth just slightly, enough to draw blood but not do any additional damage. I let him loose and kicked him to the side with my back leg. I sat fifteen yards away and waited for him to shift back into his human form. This battle was not completely over until he gave up and shifted.
Finally Erick lowered his head in submission and shifted back to his miserable human form, staying seated on the ground. I waited a few heartbeats before shifting back myself.
At least he knew better than to move after he shifted. I stormed over to him and grabbed him by his bloody throat. His eyes widened in panic but he kept his hands firmly at this side, I would tolerate no more from him.
I narrowed my eyes and glared directly into his, a healthy dose of fear crept onto his face. I growled, "I am the Alpha in this pack, there are no others. Do not challenge me."
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