A New Challenger Approaches Novels & Stories

The crowd chants the winner´s name. “Drifter! Drifter! Drifter!” Zeke walks towards me. “You´re up girl.” Zeke makes his way through the crowd to the center of the floor. “Ladies and gentlemen, you´re in for a treat tonight. It seems that we have new blood, one who wishes to challenge our current champ, the Drifter. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the Black Rose.” Barry appears by my side. “That´s you! Go on.”

I reeled myself back in. “--and so,” Alpha Jason was finishing, his hands raised as his sides. “With the blessing of the Moon Goddess, I welcome all challengers, as you have welcomed us to your own domains, to challenge for the right to lead the Aperture Pack.” As if on queue, the large double doors at the far end of the hall opened wide. I could see Perrin leading in a procession of the pack challengers. They were heading straight for the platform, so I had a hard time picking out Ethan, but I know he’d be right behind him.

- I ask him but he takes me to the chairs at the end of the gym and tells me to sit. “Okay, you are officially scaring me, what happened?” - I ask again and he kneels in front of me. “I need you to be strong” - he tells me “What the hell Leon, what happened?” - I ask again “There was another attack” - He tells me “Shit, who was it? Anyone we know?” - I ask and his face falls. His eyes can’t even meet mine I stand up and he stands up in front of me. “Who?” - I ask again demanding an answer.

No! Just then another man came in. He grinned at me. “Let’s get started, but I’d go first.” He said rubbing his palm together and licking his lips. I began crying out loud. They came up to me. Just then a man came out of nowhere. Let’s just say he beat the crap out of them. I passed out.

As a result, the other arenas in the collapsible space were temporarily closed. The news about the battle had spread like wildfire. “An impressive challenger has appeared in the Yefteros’ arena.” “He is only at the Sovereign Sixth Rank’s early stage, but he had forced the Yefteros to send out Bareilly, a powerhouse at the Petit Celestial Rank.” “Is the challenger really that strong?” “Let’s go watch!” After learning of the news, many powerhouses rushed to the Yefteros’ arena.

Malachi swaggered out from the woods and across the graveyard, pausing twenty feet away from Griff. I held my breath and waited for him to make his first move. Gerrison and Dad had taught me all about challenges, guessing that there would be a stream of dickheads thinking a female alpha would be an easy target. In a situation where a potential challenger had crossed into one’s territory, a sensible alpha would show enough of a display of strength to make them think twice about risking their lives.

Heads nod in my periphery, giving me hope that my words are landing with the people if not the council. “I want what is best for the Novas; I always have and always will. So if there is anyone out there who believes they can do a better job defending us, then I welcome your challenge.” I extend my arms, circling on the spot as I survey the assembled audience. “If any among you think you have what it takes to lead, speak now. Make me earn my place, or prove yourself more worthy.” Behind me, the council murmurs amongst themselves, too quietly for me to decipher their words. Finally, the head councilor raises his voice above the din. “Well, are there any challengers?”

The girl speaking to Carp was as much a stranger to me as she was to the man before me. But sometimes, when you have nothing left to lose, you have to take the bull by the horns. I refused to live by anyone else's rules anymore. Life didn't hand you what you wanted—you had to take it without regret. And just like that, I stripped off the tank top that covered my thin frame and glanced at my flat stomach when I shimmied out of my shorts. I dropped each piece onto the sand in a pile that I stepped over to close the gap between us. Hunger marked his face and lust traced his eyes. The second the moon reflected off the foil between my fingers he sprang into action.

In that fleeting moment before the storm, the world seemed to hold its breath, teetering on the brink of the unknown. In the charged atmosphere of the arena, Satana's taunting challenge echoed, a thunderous invitation reverberating off the walls. "What's wrong? Come at me!" he bellowed, his voice cutting through the tension like a battle cry. The air seemed to vibrate with the challenge, each word a gauntlet thrown down, daring Levi and Sebastian to step into the fray.

I asked, trying to change the subject. “At the border. I heard there was some kind of disturbance. Do you need anything? I can get it for you—or Tobias can.” I shook my head. “There’s nothing…” The door suddenly burst open and Clara barged in like she owned the place. “Shit, brother.” She gave me a quick nod of acknowledgment, but she didn’t dwell on it. Her excited eyes locked onto Aaron. “Brother, you will not believe this. There’s been a declaration of challenge for the first time in years.”