by Steve McHugh
Matthew didn't say anything, but one second he was standing by the window, the next he had Elijah by the throat and had slammed him onto the coffee table. "You come into my home and tell me of the law. I'm within my rights to tear out your throat."
"And start a civil war," Elijah managed to croak.
Matthew released the taller man and moved away, giving the barest nod to Ellie, and allowing Elijah to stand and readjust his suit. His face betrayed none of the anger or shame. I was certain he felt at being put in his place in front of those he considered beneath him.
Ellie stood and stared at Elijah. "I claim Neil in the name of retribution."
Elijah blinked in what I assumed was surprise. "You're the other woman that Neil… My, that is a surprise. Matthew kept that little piece of information quiet."
"You cannot keep him from me," Ellie said. "You've already admitted you have him. And by the rights of werewolf law, I can claim his life as forfeit."
Elijah's smirk wasn't the response I'd expected. "Oh, Matthew, is this your plan? Have the girl claim him?" Elijah tutted, as if scolding a child. "You're right, I have to hand Neil over to her, but there's nothing that says when I have to do it."
"What do you want, Elijah?"
"I want to bring you down a peg or two, and I want Tommy to finally decide where he stands. Did he even bring a gift?"
"I'm here on Avalon business," Tommy said.
"No matter," Elijah snapped. "Tommy has disrespected you, and you allow this to stand."
"What gift should he have brought?" Gordon asked.
"It's too late now, but there is a way to save the situation."
"Make your point," Matthew demanded.
"If you want Neil so badly, you will fight for him. Champion against champion and I will consider this matter settled. No matter the outcome, Neil is yours afterward." He walked over to Randal and tapped him on the arm. "My boy here will be a match for Tommy."
"I won't fight for you, just to get one over on Matthew," Tommy said. "That's not going to happen."
"Then Tommy will be banished from entering this pack for any reason," Elijah said with a smirk.
"Avalon's rules state that I can nominate someone to fight in my place," Tommy told him.
Elijah followed Tommy's gaze. "The human?" He asked, laughing hard. "Oh, this will be a quick fight."
It took me a moment to realise that he meant me.
"And, since you're so keen on playing by Avalon's rules, Matthew," Elijah said. "I invoke the Accords." And with that he stormed from the room with Randal in tow.
Chapter 15
"Would anyone like to tell me what the hell is going on?" Ellie asked.
Elijah's challenge had created an avalanche of activity as people came and went, all giving Matthew advice on the best course of action to take. Several of the council elders had just left when Ellie had asked her question.
"Elijah has challenged me to a fight," Tommy said. "If I'd accepted and won, I would have risen in the ranks of the pack and been too close to threatening Matthew for alpha. If I lost, I'd be banished. My only option was to pick Nate to fight in my steed," Tommy said.
"Yeah, he's going to fight Randal. Which is insane, by the way," Ellie said with a sigh. "But I meant the Accords. I've been a werewolf for a while now, but this is the first I've heard of them."
"About three thousand years ago there was a war," I said. "It was fought between a variety of different species, but the end result was the same – tens, probably hundreds of thousands died. Merlin and those who held the most influence said never again and created the Accords.
"The Accords allow anyone who lives under Avalon rule to challenge any other to a one-on-one fight. The person challenged picks the type of fight and the rules. Entire wars from that moment on were settled with one fight. Something even humans decided to take up on occasion. It didn't always work, but it stopped various species from trying to wipe each other out on a regular basis."
"Why hasn't anyone ever mentioned it to me?" Ellie asked Matthew.
"Because it's unprecedented that the Accords be invoked at a pack meet. I've certainly never heard of it happening, and since your involvement with Avalon is limited, it wasn't something that came up. It's usually only used when war is about to be declared. I certainly didn't expect it tonight."
"I'm still foggy on, A – why I was picked and, B – how I'm meant to fight a werewolf without my magic."
"Sorry, Nate," Tommy said. "I was sort of put in a corner. I couldn't pick another pack member, and we can't really wait for someone outside of the pack to turn up. If Randal beats you, his stock won’t rise by much as you’re not a werewolf, by extension that means that Elijah doesn’t gain much either. But when you win the same is true of you and me."
“If Elijah gains so little from my defeat, why bother?”
“He expected me to fight. He certainly didn’t expect that I’d chose you, Nate. Elijah probably thought he could be rid of either me or Matthew depending on how the fight ended.”
"Fighting werewolves without magic isn't exactly my idea of a good time, though."
"You're a sorcerer?" Ellie asked, shocked. "Why can't I smell any magic on you?"
"I haven't used any for a while so you can't smell it. I'm hoping I can use that to an advantage, somehow."
"So, you get to pick the rules?" Ellie asked me.
I nodded. "No weapons, powers or abilities of any kind are the only constant rule among all fights. That includes Randal's wolf or beast forms. But it doesn't really matter as he can still use his natural strength and speed. And I'm not in the same league as a werewolf on those terms."
"Randal is especially brutal, too," Gordon said offering me no help whatsoever.
"There is another problem," Matthew said. "You will have to lose the fight."
"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.
"If you win it will increase Tommy's standing. A loss will not hurt Tommy, and while it will give Elijah a small elevation in stature, it will not harm the pack long term."
"Losing shouldn't be too hard," I said. "He only has to hit me once with his full strength and I'm not going to want to get back up."
Matthew shook his head. "You will have to make it look good or there will be cries of a fix."
"You are trying to fix it," I pointed out, but no one wanted to listen to logic.
"So what are your stipulations?" Gordon asked me.
I hadn't even thought about it. Fighting a werewolf without magic was not something I wished to do, even if he was only allowed to stay in human form. "First one who quits or is unable to answer a five count."
"That will require a referee," Matthew said.
"Good, I choose Gordon. He has no love of Elijah, and when he raises Randal's hand no one will think it was rigged. Besides, I want someone in there to make sure Randal doesn't accidentally kill me."
"I'll take care of that," Matthew said. "But your request is accepted. Gordon will referee the contest."
As more details of where the fight would be, and what time, were hashed out, I decided to use the time to leave the room and find my way to the kitchen. Gordon had given me directions and told me to have a drink, so it didn't take too long to locate the spacious and bright kitchen at the rear of the property.
I found a bottle of juice in the fridge, grabbed a glass from a stack nearby and sat down to have a drink.
"You worried?" Ellie asked from the doorway.
"Concerned. Part of me just wants to use magic and get it done, but the storm of shit Tommy and Matthew would have to go through afterward would tear your pack apart."
"Randal's a mean son-of-a-bitch; he's going to go out there to hurt you any way he can."
"I know," I and finished my apple juice. "I'll be fine. It's not exactly my first fight in the Accords. First against a werewolf, though."
"Yeah, well, Elijah wants to use you as an example. I don't know you, but Tommy and Matthew both seem to like you, so be careful."
&nb
sp; "I will, I promise."
"And if you get the chance to hurt Randal, please feel free to take it. Just because you have to throw the fight, doesn't mean you have to make it easy for him."
I chuckled. I was beginning to like this woman.
Within the hour, I was taken from the comfort of the bungalow, back into the woods surrounding the property and into the clearing we'd passed through when first entering the camp. A few more minutes' walk and we reached a third clearing, this one with a pit dug deep into the ground.
Most of the pack stood around talking as Randal, still wearing his jeans and a t-shirt, kicked and shadow punched at the wooden posts which lined one side of the massive pit. Occasionally, he looked back at his supporters and raised his hand in mock victory. He didn't appear to be taking me seriously.
"Remember," Tommy said, as I removed my coat and hooded top and passed them to him, "make it look real."
"I don't think that's going to be a fucking problem," I said, and dropped down into the arena.
From above, the pit was imposing. From inside, staring up at the dozens of wolf-beast forms all baying for action as they stood fifteen feet above me, was nerve-wracking.
I took a moment to scan my surroundings. The pit was about the same size as two boxing rings put next to one another, with a rope ladder at one end so that people could climb out. The sides were all concreted to stop the pit from collapsing under the weight of the people atop it, and the floor was covered in wooden planks.
"I'm going to fucking crush you," Randal said, and punched the concrete wall to emphasise his point.
"Wolves," Matthew bellowed. "Tonight Elijah has invoked the Accords to challenge Tommy, naming Randal as his champion. Tommy has chosen his friend, Nate, to fight for him."
There were a few sniggers at that. The idea of a human fighting a werewolf was laughable, but Matthew continued as if they were silent. "This fight will be until either competitor taps out or cannot answer a five count. My own aide, Gordon, will officiate."
"Fix," someone shouted from the back.
"The next person who questions my aide's integrity will answer my challenge."
Silence dropped like a rock.
"There will be no deaths in this fight," he stared at Randal as he spoke. "Anyone breaking that rule will find his own life forfeit. However, if either combatant cheats, his opponent may deal whatever retribution he sees fit."
I saw Randal's face pale; he wasn't happy about that.
"And now the spoils," Elijah shouted. "If you win, I will give you Neil, alive and well, within the hour."
"And what do you want?" Matthew asked.
Elijah pointed at Ellie. "Her."
"Fuck that," Ellie snapped, and Elijah laughed.
"That's the plan, little one," he sneered. "Repeatedly."
A lot of the murmurs above me, from both the men and women, and they did not sound happy with Elijah's demands.
I glanced behind me and saw Ellie and Tommy drop down into the pit. Ellie waved me over. "We can't say no," she whispered. "He'll tell us there's no chance of him helping anytime soon. He's only asked for me as his price to humiliate Matthew further. I'm is a member of his council, and after what Neil did, Matthew is sworn to protect me."
"Can you beat that piece of shit over there?" Tommy asked.
"He's a big bag of rage, if I can get him angry, he'll fuck up. Then he's mine."
"I agree," Ellie shouted, to the surprise of everyone, especially Matthew who seethed with anger from the moment Elijah had demanded Ellie as his prize.
"Nate, slight change of plan," Tommy said quietly. "Kick the shit out of him."
I looked over at Randal who was arguing with Gordon about something, and then turned back to Tommy. "Good, because after what Elijah just said, that was pretty much the plan anyway."
Chapter 16
While Ellie and Tommy left the pit, there was some more posturing from a few of the wolves above who were unimpressed with one rule or another. I used the time to prepare for what, I was sure, would be a hard fought fight. With magic it would have been over in less than ten seconds, without... well that was a harder proposition. Eventually, Matthew silenced them with a raised hand.
Randal took that as a cue to walk toward me, cracking his knuckles in anticipation. "I'm going to break you, little man."
"Good luck with that," I told him with a smile.
"When you're ready," Matthew said, and Randal struck immediately, kicking out at me with all of his substantial weight.
It was sloppy and easily dodged by stepping back and to the side, ensuring that all Randal stuck was fresh air.
He didn't give up easily and threw a punch, but once again I was already gone by the time the punch reached me. I moved around him and kept my distance as Randal got angry at his lack of immediate success.
Out the corner of my eye, I saw Gordon maintaining his distance. He didn't want to get in the middle of a fight, and I doubted Randal would willingly tell the difference between combatant and referee if he got the chance.
"You can't run forever," Randal said as he stalked toward me.
I winked at him.
He roared and charged me, his arms open, ready to engulf and crush. I quickly rolled aside, but Randal was faster than I'd anticipated and grabbed my leg just below the knee, twisting it and pulling me off the ground with ease. He launched me across the pit, and I slammed into the concrete wall on the far side.
All the air left my body in one rush, as my ribs and back screamed in pain. I fell to the ground, causing my ribs to yell once more. For the briefest of moments a voice inside my head said, you can't win this. I shook my head again and got back to my feet, but an instant later Randal was beside me, raining down kicks and punches as I dropped to my knees and tried to avoid or block what I could.
When one punch sailed past my nose, I grabbed his wrist, using his momentum against him and slammed his face into the concrete wall.
I smashed my elbow into his knee, and he cried out in muffled anguish. Another shot to his stomach, caused the air to rush from his lungs and he dropped to the ground in pain as I got back to my feet.
Randal wasn't finished. He shoved me away with enough force to lift me from the ground and dump me a few feet back. I rolled with the impact and came back on my feet in time to watch Randal get back to his. Blood trickled from his nose and he wiped it with one hand, leaving a bloody smear across his face.
And he charged me again.
I didn't roll. I barely moved until the very last second, when I stepped aside and caught Randal by the elbow, bending the arm up and back until it was past his head. Gravity did the rest when it took him off his feet and slammed him head first into the wooden floorboards, which cracked from the impact.
"Give up," I said, locking Randal's elbow behind him. When he didn't reply, I placed one foot on his shoulder, and wrenched until it popped. Only then did I let go.
Randal screamed in pain, his left arm totally useless. But still, he wouldn't give up. Instead, he rolled to his good side and forced himself back to a standing position.
"I was worried this would be hard," I said with a smile, which faded as Randal grabbed his arm and forced it back into the socket with a grin.
He sprinted toward me, and caught me with a punch.
It wasn't that I didn't defend. I'd put myself in the position to block the punch, but the power behind it lifted me from my feet and almost spun me in the air before dropping me back onto the ground with a thud that look my breath away.
As I tried to get back to my feet, Randal kicked out at my elbow, and it buckled from the blow. A kick to my head put spots in my vision and I moved as fast as possible to get away, but it wasn't fast enough to avoid a second kick which glanced against my shoulder.
Randal grabbed the back of my shirt and hoisted me to my feet, pushing me up against the concrete wall and punching me in the jaw. My vision was too fucked up to defend myself properly.
Randal's punch to m
y solar plexus dropped me to my knees as I fought for breath. I desperately wanted to tear him in half with my magic.
"You're going to die in here," he whispered into my ear, as the crowd directly above us roared its approval. "You won't be the first. I've taken people in here before to teach them lessons. Sometimes they don't make it out, but if they do, they always remember. You're going to be one of the unfortunate ones."
The pain in my stomach had subsided enough for me to speak. "You're a fucking idiot." I head butted him on the bridge of the nose with everything I had.
Randal staggered back, holding his face which streamed with blood, and allowing me to get back to my feet.
"Don't ever taunt someone you have at your mercy," I said, and slammed my fingers into his exposed throat.
He immediately dropped to his knees and struggled to breath.
The thought of those Randal had murdered in the very place where I stood sent a cold anger flowing through me.
Randal spat on the floor and pulled himself upright, his breathing still laboured. And I caught him on the jaw as he stood to his full height.
I'm pretty strong, certainly stronger than any human, but there was no way I should have been able to knock down a werewolf with one punch to the jaw without the help of magic. Randal crashed to the ground like a sack of bricks, and the shouts from above died immediately.
I stalked over to my opponent as he shook his head free of the cobwebs, and I pulled him back to his feet by his collar, slamming him into the concrete behind us, much like he'd done to me only moments ago. Unlike him, I wouldn't give him time.
I kicked his knee out, dislocating it, and immediately smashed my own knee into his stomach, and then into his face as he dropped. His jaw broke, but he refused to go down. Another punch to his eye ended his fight, and probably his ability to see anything.
He tried to shove me away once more, but I kicked his arm aside, rolling him onto his back. And then I started punching him, over and over again, starting on his stomach and working my way up his torso. The punches came with inhuman speed; each one breaking bones and tearing ligaments until I reached his face, where I destroyed what remained. And when I was finally finished, I stepped back and looked up at Elijah.
