Vacation Nightmare (For Them)

Mabel.

“I, Lydia Thorne, challenge you, Mabel Everly, to a duel.” Her words cut through the low mutters that filled the hall.

The moon goddess had always despised me, but I never realized the depth of her hatred until now. Why else would she allow Lydia , the most powerful female wolf in the Red Fang clan, to challenge a weakling like me to a duel of honor?

A shiver slithered down my spine, as my widened eyes flew to elders and then Trevor, my mate, who sat beside me, hoping they would intervene and stop this madness. But none of them did, not even my mate.

Three kinds of wolves were hated and looked down upon: first, a wolf with a weak form; second, a wolf that cannot transform into its beast form; and the last—the most despised of all, even by the former—were abominations—descendants of uhumans turned into wolves and that I was.

“You know you can't refuse the challenge,” Alpha Trevor said to me through the mind link. “It would only prove you are a weak Luna,” he added.

But I was a weak Luna. My wolf was frail, as expected from an abomination—He knew that.

“Are you going to continue to shame me?” Alpha Trevor asked through the mind link.

Hearing those words, I knew I had no choice., “I, Mabel Everly, accept your challenge.” A painful gulp ran down my throat before I declared, knowing I was accepting death but hoping to convince Alpha Trevor to stop it.

“The duel will be held tomorrow at 6 p.m. in the forbidden land,” Alpha Trevor finally said, dismissing the meeting.

My eyes widened. Tomorrow? Forbidden land? I had less than twenty-four hours to prepare, not that training could help me much.

I brisked behind him through the mansion, holding my black gown up in my balled fist to avoid tripping. “Tell me you will stop this madness.” My voice came out sharp. Too sharp for a desperate plea.

Without replying, he opened the door to his room and settled into his king-size chair.

“Trevor,” I snarled.

“Alpha Trevor,” he growled, his brown eyes suddenly flaring a vivid yellow. “I can’t change that.” His words hit the air—heavy and final

That was absurd. As the alpha of the pack, he could stop this duel, but he didn’t want to.

“Lydia will kill me tomorrow.” My throat tightened as I reminded him— the duel was a fight to the death. “You know what happens to a wolf when his mate dies.” I narrowed my gaze at him, hoping to speak sense into him.

I had heard the pain was excruciating like your heart being pierced by a thousand swords, and finding another mate would become a challenge.

“Then you better not lose.” Trevor arched his brows, his lip thinning into a line.

Lydia was known for her formidable strength and wore her viciousness like a prized jewel. Even if I trained for a thousand years, my wolf would never be a match for hers.

I inched closer, desperation now clawing at every inch of me. My pale eyes rounded. “Trevor, you’re the only I have. I am your wife. Your mate….”

Trevor heaved out a sigh, cutting me off. “Please help yourself out. I have a lot on my mind.”

I gazed hard on the man I had loved, the man I had spent years pleasing and sacrificing. There was nothing I didn’t do. I stood still wondering when it all went wrong. When did his feelings for me change? How his warm gaze suddenly became cold and my husband became a stranger.

Realizing he wasn’t going to save me and the only ally I had was myself, I swung around. I shut the door behind me and headed towards my room.

In my room, I crashed onto the bed, and rummaged through my mind to save my life that had now seemed fleeting. My only hope was my mate, Alpha Trevor, who was not attempting to save me. He was fed up with my weakness; even the beta and omegas had better mates than him. But then he did love me, so what changed now?

I knew once Alpha John, Trevor’s father, died, the elders would find a way to get rid of me, but I never expected Trevor to be on their side.

“What do I do now?” I pondered aloud, knowing I had no friends to turn to.

I had to run away, but where could I go? The Red Fangs territory was between Pink Fangs territory, ruled by the Mad Luna—a maniac who killed the alpha, took over, and renamed it from Blue Fangs to Pink Fangs—lay on one side.

On the other was Black Fang's territory, ruled by the Demon Alpha, a heartless tyrant and the most feared alpha in existence. It was like being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

The seven territories weren’t at war, but we weren't at peace either. So it’s not like I could just stroll into any of the territories without invitation, and I’d have to cross the forbidden lands teeming with nightgales. No one knew what they looked like because anyone who encountered them never lived to tell the tale. Embarking on that mission is as good as taking Lydia head-on. It felt like the moon goddess had decided to place my blood on the menu.

Clutching the pillow, I curled into a fetal position and my heart writhed in pain as my chest tightened. Hopelessness hung over me like a dark cloud.

The thought of this being my last day sent a series of terrorizing chills through my core. My eyes couldn’t shut as sleep departed from me and all I could do was to sit and await my death.

*****

The sun had begun its descent, casting its golden hue over the sky. I couldn’t find the beauty in it like I did every other day. Instead, a faint breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the dry, earthy scent of decayed vegetation, reminding me I would soon be like them—dead. The six elders and a few members of the pack encircled me, giving enough space for the impending battle.

Alpha Trevor entered, positioning himself across the elders. I stared intensely at him, hoping the Moon goddess would use him to save me.

“Dhinatos!” their chants echoed through the forest, honoring Lydia as she walked to the center of the circle.

She stood before me, her face a few inches away from mine. “Do you want to know why Alpha Trevor chose the forbidden land?” She smiled. “So the blood of an abomination doesn’t stain our land.” She whispered into my ears.

“Alpha Trevor?” I asked, and my stomach twisted as I turned to face his expressionless face. I couldn’t fathom the thought of my mate betraying me.

I shook the thought off my mind. He wouldn’t do that; he promised his father on his dying bed to protect me. If there was one thing the Red Fangs were known for, it was upholding their promises. Although his actions had said otherwise, he wouldn’t let me die. The words offered no solace.

The chants ceased as Trevor rose. “May the duel begin.”

Lydia’s smile was unsettling. I could see my end reflected in her eyes. “May your claws be dull and your fangs break.” She wished, her blue eyes morphing to bright yellow.

“May your claws be dull and your fangs break,” I responded, my eyes matching hers but in a dull hue, symbolizing the great differences in our abilities.

“All for honor,” we declared in unison.