Prove Yourself Worthy

[Chance's POV]

"You can't be serious!" Gale hisses, turning an incredulous gaze on me. "You want me to defeat that?"

I didn't particularly want her facing off with Bruno, but if I wanted to keep her beside me, this had to be done. There was no way Talia would budge, so it was best that Gale prove herself now.

"You will be fine." I assured, ignoring Fray's insistent curses for me, allowing our mate to be in danger.

"Right, fine." Gale huffs, turning away from me and taking in the creature once more.

"If you don't think you can take it, you can quit the military entirely now and become a breeder."

'Bullshit!' Fray snarls, attempting to overpower me. 'I'll kill any bastard that touches her.'

'Don't worry.' 

I already knew that there was no way that Gale would dare choose to be a breeder. I just simply needed her to feel like she had a choice.

"Breeder," she repeated with a disgusted snarl. "Who the hell wants to be that?"

Letting a slow smile form on my face, I crossed my arms and took a step back. I was sure the show would be good and was glad I would be the only one allowed to witness it. At least, that was what I thought, but soon Talia and her brother Ramone made their way into the arena and took their places beside me.

"Why are you here?" I asked as Talia curled her arms around mine. "You know, it isn't safe when a stranger is around Bruno."

"He won't hurt me." Talia purred. "Plus, I would have missed a good show had I not come."

"And what about Ramone?"

Though I was pretty sure of Talia's reason for bringing him, I still wanted confirmation. Everyone in the kingdom was aware of Ramone's playboy tendencies, and with her unique looks, Gale wouldn't be ignored once he set eyes on her.

"He insisted on coming." Talia responds innocently.

Though I want to challenge her response, I know that i have no place to do so. As nothing more than a future alpha of the Fire Rose pack, I could not overstep the princess of all wolves.

"Oh, it has begun!" Talia exclaims in excitement, pushing all my attention to the woman in front of me who is beginning to shift into a rather large Silver Wolf.

"Oh, that's interesting." Talia murmurs, narrowing her gaze on Gale. "Isn't she an omega?"

"Yes."

As far as I knew, she was an omega that was orphaned at a very young age. Due to that, she was raised in the orphanage until she turned thirteen and got to choose what path to take.

"Quite big." Ramone mutters, showing his clear interest in Gale.

‘Ours.’ Fray growls, beginning to chomp at the bit to attack Ramone.

‘Quiet.’

Before he gets the chance to argue, a loud snarl rings through the air as Gale surges forward and lands on Bruno’s head. Her mouth opens and she bites down, immediately tearing a layer of skin off and receding before the creature’s tentacle can snag her.

I have to admit, I am amazed at just how quick she is in her actions. Though I knew that she was top of her class, I didn’t expect her to be on par with me in her agility.

"Lucky strike." Talia growls, tensing slightly from frustration.

"Mmmm."

I keep my gaze ahead as Gale dances around Bruno’s tentacles that are now trying to catch her. It is easy to tell that she is looking for an opening, but the beast isn’t allowing her one. It is angry that she managed to hurt it, and now she will really have to pull out all the stops.

‘What will you do.’ the thought races through my mind as she tries again and again to get through. This can only go on for so long before one or the other loses, but who would be the one that did?

A low rumble escapes Bruno as he suddenly spews water at Gale, sending her flying back into the wall. Beside me, Talia gives an excited laugh, and the need to see blood begins to trickle from her.

I find myself wanting to move forward and help Gale, but don’t move.

Gale lies motionless as Bruno’s tentacle slithers towards her. My heart begins to hammer in my chest, and despite telling myself again and again that I couldn’t help her, I feel the urge to move.

It is just when the tentacle is about to wrap around her paw that she leaps up and bites down, catching the beast completely by surprise.

"No!" Talia hisses, her anger flaring. "How?"

I hold back the smirk that wants to escape as Gale begins to attack much quicker than before. Now she is easily getting through Bruno’s defenses and soon gains the advantage until finally she tackles the creature into the water and disappears from sight.

"Magnificent." Ramone applauds, his lust showing clearly as day on his face.

"She may still lose." Talia snaps, shooting her brother a look of disgust. "She hasn’t come back up yet."

She is correct; it has been a few minutes and Gale has yet to emerge from the water. Panic begins to claw its way through me. Did she end up getting trapped? Did something serious happen? Fuck, I wish I could find out.

I find myself ready to move forward when she finally pulls herself up onto solid ground and collapses. There is blood dripping from a wound on her shoulder, but aside from that, she seems to be fine, just exhausted.

"Bravo!" Ramone roars, moving forward and kneeling down beside her. "Wonderful!"

A low rumble esscapes Gale, but she remains unmoving.

"Here, let me help you." Ramone murmurs, placing his hands on Gale’s body.

Bright light explodes from where he touches, and I realize that he is healing her. Despite knowing that, I feel anger boiling within me at another man touching her. It seemed that she drew the attention of many, and I would have to teach her who she belonged to.

"Let’s go." I huff, wrapping an arm around Talia’s shoulders. "The show is over."

"Mmmm." Talia purrs, cuddling close to me. "Shall we have a little fun before your shadow wakes up?"

"No, I’ve told you I won’t touch you until we are married."

"Why not?" Talia pouts, pushing her chest against my arm. "I won’t tell Father."

"No, and that’s final."

Even though Talia and I are meant to wed, I couldn’t feel any sexual desire towards her. I knew that I would have to sleep with her eventually in order to create an heir, but until then I wouldn’t touch her. This was a relationship of duty, and it would never be more than that.