8. Bullseye

Libery pov

My throat constricts and my heart beats so hard that I’m convinced everyone notices.

“You got this, you’re more than good enough. Doesn’t matter who and what you draw,” Madeline whispers as she squeezes my hand. I get up and walk down the bleachers on to the field. 

This is our moment to prove everyone who doesn’t believe in us wrong. We’ve heard the whispers about our lack of skills. That even now I look fitter that people still don’t think I’m worth a dime.

/Focus. Focus. Focus…./ Naveah repeats the damned word like a mantra. I can sense she’s nervous too.

All eyes are on me, Beta Xander won’t draw the second name until I stand next to him. I straighten my back and lift my chin. I need to look confident. Naveah lends me some of her strength so we exude Alpha vibes. 

 “We ARE a worthy Alpha,”I mutter to her and myself.

Standing next to Beta Xander I smile at him. He nods in return and draws the piece of paper of the one who will be my opponent. Nerves race through me as I wait for Beta Xander to call out the name of my opponent. 

“Danny Carlise” he calls out. 

I stare at the bleachers, a pit forming in my stomach. Of all wolves I draw Danny. It’s become personal between him and me. That’s a blessing and a curse. It gives us both a reason to fight harder but it’s also dangerous.

 Arrogantly he jogs towards us smiling, waving and winking at his little posse. Viera and Verity whistle on their fingers clearly showing their favouritism. I suppress an eyeroll and sigh. 

The moment Danny stands at Beta Xanders other side Beta Xanders draw the final piece of paper. The piece that will determine what skill we will be competing for. 

“Bow and arrow” Beta Xander booms. 

Danny’s face splits into a wide grin and he fistpumps the air in exhilaration. I don’t share Danny’s enthusiasm, bow and arrow is my weakest subject. 

“The first round will be shooting a static target. After that moving targets will be introduced. The contender with the most points wins.” Beta Xander announces. 

“Do you even have enough strength to draw the string?” Danny sneers at me while looking at the 150 pound war bows that are being brought to us by an official.  

“Don’t worry about me, worry about yourself,” I quip back at him, “arrogance comes before the fall. I don’t have a reputation to uphold when it comes to archery.” 

His eyes narrow, “Just be careful not to impale someone in the audience when your arrow misses the target.”  

Beta Xander walks up to us holding two sets of 5 arrows, one with red feathers and one with blue. Without a word he hands the blue set to me and the red to Danny. He points at the line from which we will shoot. 

“The first three arrows you can shoot at your own pace, the final two you will pull and fire on my indication.” he adds an extra difficulty for the last two shots. 

Danny doesn’t wait a second. He takes his stance, draws the bow string back and fires his first arrow. Confident as he is in his skills he hasn’t taken time to feel the wind. His arrow hits the target but not the bullseye. I smirk when I hear him growl in frustration. 

Tuning out Danny I inhale deeply. I turn sideways and set my left foot in front. The bow is large and heavy and it takes a lot of my strength to pull the string back. I hold my breath, focus on the target and let go. The arrow goes in a straight line nicely into the target but not in the bulls eye.  

I adjust my aim for the second arrow. Knowing that I need to do better. I can feel my heart beat and I slow down my breathing. Holding my breath I let go of the second arrow. It lands in the target just outside the bullseye, but closer than my first arrow. 

The third arrow hits the bullseye, making a proud smile cross my face. I did well. I can be proud of these three arrows. Purposefully I don’t look at Danny’s target. I know his first arrow wasn’t a bullseye so theoretically I could be ahead of him. I need to focus on myself.

I put the back of the arrow on the string and wait for the Beta Xander. 

“Draw!” he shouts out

I draw the string and stand waiting. Naveah lends me her strength to prevent my arms from  trembling. I hold my breath when I hear Beta Xander inhale as if he is about to speak.

“Fire!”

I let go and my arrow goes into the board between the first and second, close to the bullseye but not in. I shake my right arm to get rid of some of the tension. 

“I hope you can hold the drawn position long enough for this final arrow,” Danny hisses.

/Ignore him! Focus!/ Naveah prevents me from retaliating. 

“Draw!” Beta Xander shouts.

I bite my lower lip as I draw the string and position the tip on the bullseye but before I’m properly positioned Beta Xander shouts out  “Fire”. 

To my disappointment, my final arrow is on the edge of the board. I wasn’t ready, I wasn't fast enough. 

One glance at Danny’s target shows me he’s won. He prances around smiling and waving at Viera, Verity and Candy. Blowing a kisshand at Verity.  

“Told you I would win. I can defeat you with my eyes closed.” he snarks at me showing how unsportive he is. 

“Moving target. A target will be drawn across the field twice. You have to shoot as it passes you. No second chances. Get ready!” Beta Xander doesn’t give us the time to rest or refocus. 

/You don’t get that opportunity in battle either,/ Naveah drily remarks.

 /Thanks for the thumbs up, Captain Obvious,/ I grind back at her.

Not knowing how long it will take before the target passes I get ready. Naveah focusses on me, lending her eyesight and ears. I see the target and follow it with my arrow before releasing. Bullseye! I made it! My cheeks hurt from the face splitting smile that appears.  

I place my final arrow on the string and draw back. 

/From the left this time!/ Naveah hears the target before I can see it.

Quickly I turn my arrow left so I can follow it. I see Danny releasing the string, his arrow flying over the target. There must have been a hole in the grass.

/Fire!/ Naveah instructs. I watch my arrow go into the bullseye for the second time. 

/Or a gust of wind? or divine intervention/ Naveah adds to the possibilities of Danny missing the target completely.

I leap in joy and laugh. This was definitely divine intervention, “Thank you Moon Goddess” I murmur. The crowd goes wild on my two bullseye shots.  

Even if Danny wins because he gathered more points in the first round I’m proud of myself and I can leave the tournament with my head held high. I’ll find another way to stop Candy, Hartley and the Beta family. 

Beta Xander walks forward but before he can announce a winner Danny interrupts him,

“We should shoot another round. But this time the target will be an apple placed on the head of the other. The archer will be blindfolded so that they have to fully trust on their wolf’s senses” 

The crowd is now silent anxiously anticipating what will be decided. 

/Over bluff him!/ Naveah orders, seemingly on a victory high.

“Only if we use a silver arrow,/ I calmly add. 

“If both contestants agree this is what shall proceed,” Beta Xanders walks to the side of the field for the silver tipped arrows as someone else rushes to get blindfolds and apples. 

 “Are you crazy?” Danny whisper yells at me.

 “No. But realise that everyone knows my two moving shots were bouts of luck. If you miss the apple and kill me everyone will know you are out to kill me. However if I miss killing you no one will bat an eye as I’m not a very skilled archer.”

Danny’s face goes sheet white and his mouth hangs open.

“Pick your jaw from the floor, ants might crawl in your mouth,”  I whisper as I give him my sweetest fake smile.

I feel the weight of too many eyes on me. Instinct makes me glance at the crowd and lock eyes with Hartley.

His stare burns.

He's seen through me.