The Heartless Alpha's Beloved Luna Novel

---- Chapter 136 "I thought you were going to present a challenge," I scoffed, hoping to goad her into doing something stupid. Jessica growled, wiping stray hairs away from where they were stuck to her sweaty forehead. "Water break," she complained, and one of her friends ran over with a water bottle. Ian brought me a drink while I waited for Jessica to be ready again. "J think you really rattled her," he murmured. Behind us I could hear snatches of Jessica's whining to her lackey's, "...don't know what she's been up to... so fast...

she's changed." "You've got speed on her," Ian coached, "but she still has more muscle than you, and more experience. You'll have to be innovative if she gets you into a more extended position." I nodded and stepped back into the ring as Jessica wiped her face with a towel and tied her hair into a bun. She looked much more furious and determined as she once again faced me. ---- More pack members had joined the onlookers, and I saw them pointing at us with excitement.

I wasn't sure if it was interest in seeing what the Luna could do, or because Jessica was generally disliked, but I sensed I had to do something to make the most of this public momentum. "J challenge you, Jessica!" I called out, at a volume that caused the training ground crowd to hush expectantly. "What are the terms, Luna?" one of the warriors watching on the sidelines stepped forward, nudging his friends who were passing money back and forth, obvious placing bets on the match. "First to cause the other to submit," Ian replied with aconfident smile at me.

His confidence gave me strength and I nodded. "T accept," Jessica snarled, wiping her hands on her pants and crouching. "May the best wolf win." the Alpha intoned impassively, blessing the match. Gideon's unexpected decree lent a sudden gravitas to our face-off. I couldn't afford to lose! ---- I lowered my body towards the earth, pinning my focus onto Jessica's swift-moving form as she darted towards me. I felt a surge of confidence and strength, not unlike the surge of love and support I had felt from my wolf the previous day. Could it be that my wolf was lending me strength?

Although I knew Jessica was throwing herself at me at full speed, somehow it felt like time had slowed. I could see how she was placing her feet, and was able to move myself out of her way easily. I leaned down and grabbed her ankle and threw myself upwards, reversing her course and causing her to spin wildly off course. She caught herself before she hit the ground, and spun back towards me with a scream. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she heaved, trying to lift my feet off the ground. We grappled messily, each of us trying to unbalance the other.

"You will not humiliate me," she hissed in my ear. "You do well enough at that on your own," I jeered back. ---- Jessica grabbed for my wrist and twisted, trying to bend the joint painfully. It was a sharp angle and I gasped at the pressure, throwing myself sideways to try and break the hold. I kicked a foot out and wrapped it around her knee, dropping to the ground as I did so, and forcing her to collapse with me. The fall broke her grip, and we clambered towards each other, rolling over and over, trying to get the upper hand.

Finally I wriggled my way towards her back and wrenched her arm backwards, my knee between her shoulder-blades. Jessica screamed as her shoulder was on the verge of dislocating. "Yield!" I shouted. With a whimpering cry, she tapped the dirt, and I released her. A great cheer went up around the arena. Dazed, I rose as Ian rushed over and wrapped me in a huge hug and lifted me in the air. "You did it!" he gushed as he spun me around, then ---- abruptly put me down as Gideon glared at him. "You've changed," Jessica whined as she dusted herself off.

Her cheeks were bright pink with embarrassment and exertion. Her friends had retreated to the back of the stands, as though they no longer wanted to associate with her. "T have," I stared at her, head held high. She looked away from my gaze and slunk towards the exit. I turned to look for Gideon. Would he be proud of my win? But he was already leaving.