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Chapter 10
Chapter 10
Elara’s POV
“You want to challenge me?” I asked, cocking my head. “Is this because I slapped your pet project in public? You need to flex your ego now?”
Thorne didn’t flinch. “It’s not about Miela.”
His eyes scanned my face, quieter now. “I just want to see what you’ve been hiding all this time.”
Before I could respond, Cael’s voice cut through the tension like a blade,
“No.”
He was on his feet, eyes stormy, voice low but commanding. “Absolutely not. You’re an Alpha, Thorne. Your aura alone is enough to knock someone unconscious. This isn’t a fight. It’s a power imbalance.”
Thorne kept his tone neutral. “I won’t use my aura.”
“That doesn’t make it fair-”
“To make it more reasonable,” Thorne interrupted, slipping his right hand into his pocket, “I’ll fight with only my left.”
The room gasped.
Even I blinked at that.
Fighting one–handed? Was he underestimating me, or overcompensating?
Cael was still visibly against it, but I stepped forward anyway. “I accept.”
“Elara-” Cael reached for me.
I smiled, keeping my eyes on Thorne. “It’s fine. It’s not every day I get to spar the infamous Alpha who once took down fifty rogues solo. Seems like an honor to me.”
I wasn’t bluffing. Back when I was Luna, I’d heard all the stories–how he walked into rogue camps alone and left them burning. I wasn’t foolish enough to think I could outmatch that power easily.
But I didn’t need to outmatch him. I just had to hold my ground.
“What’s the prize?” I asked, lifting my chin.
Thorne gave a dry snort. “You want a prize now?”
“If I win,” I said, stepping close, close enough to trace my finger down the edge of his jaw, “you’ll kneel, kiss my hand, and say, ‘Gamma Elara, I was wrong to challenge your majesty.”
Thorne’s jaw tensed, his breath hitching at my touch. Behind us, Direstone Keep’s warriors were already protesting.
“Our Alpha bows to no one!”
“This is ridiculous!”
He raised a hand, silencing them all without a word.
“Deal,” he said quietly. “And if you lose?”
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་ལ་་་
Chapter 10
I grinned. “Then I’ll do whatever you ask,”
With that, we stepped into the ring.
The crowd pressed close as we squared off. I rolled my shoulders, already calculating my angles. He was taller, broader, with strength that radiated like
heat. But I was faster.
I had to be.
Launched the first move, targeting his right side–forcing him to evade with the hand he’d sworn not to use. He dodged effortlessly, pivoted, and landed a hit on my shoulder. My teeth clenched. It stung.
“You good?” he asked with a half–smile.
“You’ll know when I’m not,” I snapped, retaliating with a series of swift jabs. He blocked them all–but I saw the flicker of surprise in his eyes.
The fight escalated–every dodge, every strike, every clash of muscle and intent weaving into something that didn’t feel like a battle anymore. It felt like… tension. A pull between us neither of us named but couldn’t ignore.
We moved in sync, almost too naturally. His breath on my skin, the way his eyes lingered longer than necessary. It wasn’t just about strength now.
From the sideline, Eden whispered to Cael, “Are they… flirting?”
Cael growled low. “Say that again and I’ll bury you.”
Five minutes passed. Still no winner.
My legs burned, breath coming fast. I needed to end this soon. I focused on offense–mistake. I dropped my guard for half a second, and he saw it.
Thorne struck.
His left fist crashed into my shoulder. I hit the mat hard.
“Elara!” Cael shouted, already climbing into the ring.
He rushed to me, gathering me in his arms like I might shatter.
“You okay?” he asked, brushing hair from my face.
I winced but nodded. “It hurts, but I’ve had worse.”
Thorne was at my other side now, hesitant. “Let me help-”
Cael shoved his hand away. “She doesn’t need you.”
“You went too far,” Cael barked. “Friendly match, huh? You nearly broke her shoulder!”
“She challenged me,” Thorne growled back, clearly battling with his own emotions.
“I’m fine,” I cut in, gently pushing Cael away. “Really. Just sore.”
Cael didn’t look convinced, but he stepped aside enough to let me stand. I tested my weight. It held.
Thorne stood a few feet away, eyes shadowed./
“You win,” I told him. “Name your prize.”
He hesitated. “‘ll let you know.”
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15:09 Mon, 28 Jul G
Chapter 10
I stepped down from the ring, Cael wrapping an arm around my waist for support. Thorne followed, trailing behind.
Miela was waiting, bouncing on her heels. “Alpha! You did it! You beat her! Tell her to kneel. Or better–make her apologize to me, in front of everyone-”
Thorne didn’t respond.
His eyes stayed locked on me.
He watched as Eden wrapped me in his jacket. Watched as Cael murmured something close to my ear. Watched as the Blood Moon warriors gathered around me like I was royalty.
His jaw clenched.
I used to belong to him.
Now I didn’t.
Now, I had a whole pack behind me–and he had no claim.
Miela tugged on his arm again. “Alpha? What are you going to make her do?”
He didn’t answer.
Instead, he stormed across the space between us and grabbed my wrist. “You’re going to his room to shower?”
Cael’s head snapped up. “What the hell did you just say?”
“She’s going to shower in your suite?” Thorne repeated, voice thick with accusation. “Is that how you got your Gamma title?”
Cael’s fist collided with Thorne’s jaw before anyone could stop him.
Thorne stumbled, lip bleeding, eyes burning.
“Say one more word like that,” Cael hissed, “and I’ll forget you’re an Alpha.”
“You going to kill me now?” Thorne laughed coldly.
“Try me.”
“Enough.” I stepped between them, palms raised.
I placed a calming hand on Cael’s chest, then turned to Thorne.
“You’ve already seen what I can do,” I said. “I earned my title. And as for whose room I shower in?”
I leaned in, voice low, smile sharp.
“That’s none of your f**king business.”
And with that, I turned my back on him and walked away–with Cael beside me and my pack at my back.
Thorne didn’t follow. He just stood there, bleeding, watching me disappear.
Because he finally understood-
I wasn’t his anymore.
