Curse of the Moon Goddess
Blood Bath

I felt my heart skip a beat hearing those words. I’m about to fight four wolves when I just barely learned how to shift myself. And this time, I won’t be able to simply walk away. No, either I die or all four of them die. This was going to be a literal blood bath.

Refusing to allow them to see my fear, I straightened my back and announced, “Well, let us begin then.”

We had just made it to the edge of the fighting ring, an open patch of dirt with no signs of rocks, branches, or really anything that could be used as a weapon when someone spoke up.

“Hold on a second.”

The rogues and I turned our full attention on Jace. He had a strange glint in his eye I didn’t understand.

“What now?” the lead rogue growled, obviously done with waiting.

Jace walked forward a few steps before saying, “If my memory serves me correctly, and I know it does, the rules of a revenge match entail everyone involved. Am I not correct?”

The lead rogue let out a menacing growl, clearly annoyed, “Yes. Why do you think all four of us are fighting? Now stop wasting time!”

“That means I have to fight too.”

This got his attention.

“What do you mean? You weren’t there for the fight. You showed up at the end,” the rogue’s voice quavered as if trying to hide the fact he was remembering something else, but desperately hoping no one else would realize it.

Jace took a few more steps forward before responding threateningly, “I believe, now correct me if I’m wrong, you are involved if you were injured, are family to the deceased, or…” his eyes glittered madly, “brought injury to someone in the party. Am I not correct?”

The lead rogue’s face paled as full realization dawned on him.

“You see your pal over there with the messed-up ear? That was my handiwork. Which means I am just as much a part of this as the girl is. What do you have to say to that?”

The rogue was trembling now. Obviously, he didn’t want to fight Jace. I mean, I couldn’t blame him. Jace can be terrifying if the look he was giving the rogue was directed at you.

“I also believe,” Jace continued venomously, “Once you’ve given a challenge, there’s no turning back. Isn’t that right?”

The rogue’s eyes flew open to their fullest. I guess that was one rule he hadn’t thought would come back to haunt him. Apparently, Jace knew his stuff.

“So, what do you say? Shall we get this fight going?”

I shivered at the danger in his voice. He radiated hunger for blood.

The rogue barely nodded his head, before turning to a corner to shift. Thankfully, they’d provided screens for us to undress and shift, though a few of the rogues decided it wasn’t worth it. They simply shifted as they were, causing their clothes to fly in small pieces of fabric in the wind.

I emerged from behind the screen and it was quickly removed from the arena. I turned to face my four opponents, grateful to have Jace by my side. I couldn’t help but appreciate his dark red coat that now made me think of blood instead of chocolate. My wolf shook with an energy I loved.

But there was a problem. When does the fight start?

I observed the other wolves and Jace carefully, waiting for a cue of some sort. Without a whistle or bell, we were attacked by the rogues. Without a second thought, I lunged, straight for the kill.

Lukas’ POV

My blood boiled out as I watched in horror as the rogues attacked Sage. Every single one of them were aiming for her. Only one had the foresight to watch Jace and block him from helping her.

While my blood boiled, my wolf was in la la land. Her wolf was gorgeous. It was a beautiful, pure white. At least, I thought it was white. But I kept catching glimpses of silver and blue. It must be a trick of the eyes though. A wolf with those colors are cursed to be mateless. And she was very much my mate.

I’d heard stories my mom told me of two wolves that the Moon Goddess had cursed. They were the first to reject their mates. I hated them. My friend’s mate rejected him, and it literally crushed him. The reason she rejected him? He wasn’t hot enough.

I hoped all the greatest despair on those two. Who in their right minds rejects their mate? Before them the idea never existed. Now, wolves everywhere suffered the cruel fate of being rejected. I don’t care if they were in love. It was wrong.

Then there was Jace. Once again, he was by her side while I was sidelined. Venessa’s frustrated seemed to couple with mine and we were a raging storm in the background of this bloody fight.

And I don’t mean the swearing way of saying bloody. It was extremely bloody. There were limbs flying everywhere. My mate was covered in blood that I couldn’t tell if it was hers or someone else’s. No one could tell if Jace even had blood on him due to his coat color. I was jealous of his coat. Mine was plain black that almost looked gray. Rather boring. Most love the color. However, having his coat brought with it a reputation. Every wolf with that coat is given the nickname Blood Alpha. There are only, from all the packs in the world, every few generations that are born with that coat. Rumors claim it’s the same wolf reincarnating to quenchl his bloodlust.

As a kid, I believed those stories. Until Jace shifted for the first time. He is neither bloodthirsty nor a savage like they say the Blood Alpha is. Instead he is kind, loyal, wise, and only fights when provoked.

Like now.

His body was flying around the arena in a desperate attempt to end this fight as soon as possible. I sensed from him a need to protect Sage. I hated that. She was my mate and I should be protecting her!

Alas, there was absolutely nothing I could do. He’d been there. Just like every other time in the last twenty-four hours, he’s been there.

That’s when it happened.

Jace leaped into the air to attack the wolf on Sage’s back. Sage was unaware of his presence and stood on her hind legs to get the wolf off. She was now at the mercy of a Jace who was suspended in air and no way to stop.

I wanted to shift. I wanted to save her from my idiotic friend. But just like yesterday, I was too far away to do a single thing about it.

So, instead, I closed my eyes.