Rejection Denied

Time to focus

The crowd regathered in the bleachers that overlooked the competition area. All eight champions are standing in designated areas.

The knife-throwing skills test was about to begin. We each were given a set of five silver daggers, each one polished and sharpened. Now we’re just waiting for our target dummies and the signal to start.

“Hello and welcome back, everyone,” Nix spoke from the platform above us. “We will begin momentarily, but first, the event leader has something to say.” He passed the mic over to Derrick.

“I will keep this brief. The knife-throwing event has a few rules.” Derrick looked towards us. “As you know, this event will be done in human form. Your wolf is not allowed to take over to assist you. You have five targets to hit; each target is worth twenty points. You will only have five daggers to throw. Once those are gone, your time ends.”

Derrick paused and looked back at the alphas behind him. “One more thing.”

He looked back, “Your targets are your alphas.”

The crowd gasped and murmured.

The other females shuffled on their feet. And looked around, confused.

“I’m not going to harm my alpha for some silly test.” The country champion spoke up. “If you haven’t noticed, these daggers are silver. That’s going to add to the pain if they are stabbed.”

Wait, what about silver? I thought that was a werewolf myth.

“Well, I guess you better aim true.” Derrick, the asshole, shrugged. “Or drop out. After all, this is a non-elimination event.”

“Izzy, you can drop out if you want. This event is pointless.” Alpha Sam spoke up. “But don’t base it on me; a little silver isn’t deadly.”

“It’s actually quite deadly, especially when those daggers are coated in wolfsbane,” Derrick added. He smirked and looked around the stage.

“What? The details of this event needed to be kept secret. Maybe if we all had time to practice.” Derrick stopped and looked at me. “Our champions wouldn’t be so worried.”

The crowd gasped again, a few shouts were thrown out about treason.

“Listen, any champion who isn’t comfortable is free to leave. Otherwise, alphas take your mark.”

A feeling clouded my mind, and my chest felt heavy. This event could kill Nix, and in doing so, it will kill Cay. Can I go through with this knowing their secret? If I back out, I’ll look weak to the others.

Then again, I can just beat their ass to fix that image.

The alphas stepped off the stage, each taking a spot in front of their champions. I looked at Nix. His face was stoic as he nodded toward me. If he wasn’t going to protest, neither would I.

Sam went to stand in front of Izzy. And each respective alpha to their champion. Everyone except for Derrick. He was still standing on the stage.

“JESSIE!” He barked. “Step away from your place. We will forfeit this event.” The crowd booed as she bowed her head, and took steps back obediently.

“Coward!” Sam shouted. “This event is for the champions to decide, not you.”

“My champion isn’t prepared for this event. I will not put my life in her hands. As her alpha, I can make the decision to pull my champion from a non-elimination event.”

“I think that translates to, ‘I left my diapers at home!’ It’s OK, Sam, let’s get this over with.” Alpha Jared shouted out. The other alphas laughed as we all waited for the go-ahead from Derrick.

“I’m worried, Aviry,” Mia whispered. “Drop out please, what if you strike Nix.”

“I’ll just have to be careful, Mia,” I replied. “It would help if you’d let me focus.”

“Champions, please step forward,” Derrick stated. A large cork board wall rose behind the alphas. They were about fifteen feet away from us. This won’t be too bad. “You have five targets, one target on both arms and legs. The final target above the head. Last chance to back out.”

There was silence for a moment.

“Sam, I can’t do this,” Izzy shouted out. Tears ran down her face as she stepped away from her place and walked away. Sam followed behind her.

“OK, two champions out, only six remain. The event will start in 3…2…1…”

Each champion took a stance to begin.

“Where are you aiming for first?” Mia asked worriedly.

“I want to go from the bottom up. If I can nail the first four targets. The head won’t matter.”

Mia huffed and agreed. The head was a kill shot if I missed.

I looked up at Nix, his face was calm, and his eyes were trained on me. He smiled softly as I reached for the first dagger.

SIZZLE!

I snatched my hand away from the metal.

“What the hell?” I said as I examined the dagger. I looked at my hand; a red burn mark was etched into my skin.

“It’s silver, Aviry. It’s going to burn, so release it quickly!” Nix shouted to me.

“Oh yes, a luna must be able to endure pain and make accurate decisions. Just as an alpha should. This is what this test is for.” Derrick said with his smug face as he stood from his chair.

“So, what does it mean when an alpha runs away from this challenge.” Another champion asked, rubbing her hand.

“It means he’s a cowardly son of a bitch.” Her alpha answered. Alpha Victor, A unique looking man. His snow-white hair was tied in a bun. His hazel eyes had a natural glow that hypnotized anyone who gazed into them.

Derrick growled and sat back in his chair.

This was going to be a little trickier than I thought. I looked at the daggers again, pondering on how this was even possible. My throw would already be put off by the wind, now adding in the searing pain, this is nearly impossible.

I watched as the champion on my right threw her first knife.

“AHHH!” she screamed out. The knife flew in the air and plunged into her alpha’s left thigh. He roared in pain, plucking it out.

On my left, another champion shouted out and quickly released the dagger. It landed in front of her alpha, nowhere near her target.

I reached for the silver dagger again. The heat radiated off as I hovered over it. Maybe if I’m quick about it. You know, like ripping off a band-aid.

I whipped my hand out. The dagger sizzled and popped as I released it in the air. It plunged into the tip of Nix’s shoe. My toes curled in at the thought of hitting one.

He jumped back. “AVIRY JUST BACK AWAY!! IT’S Ok!” He shouted at me.

Two more champions backed out of the event. Their hands pressed into their stomach as tears fell down their faces.

This event was designed with failure in mind. I wasn’t going to give in to the pressure of failing and embarrassing myself.

Now there are just four of us left. Everyone was down to their last daggers. Only a few blades hit their target.

Fuck, now I have to nail the rest of the targets just to win.

Think Aviry, Think!

We must be able to think quickly, endure pain, and win. How…

BAM!!

An idea came into my head. I looked up at Nixon and smirked. His eyebrow twitched up, and I’m sure he thought I was going to fire off daggers randomly.

I pulled my shirt over my head, a few whistles from the crowd went off. My toned stomach was in full view. A black laced bra that featured slight under cleavage was all I had on.

“Aviry, what the fuck!” Nix shouted. He looked angry and fixated on my new look. But there is a purpose to my madness. I don’t go around stripping for everyone without reason.

I wrapped my shirt around a dagger. No pain registered as I held it in my hand. I tossed it at my first target by Nix’s leg.

PLUNK!

It stuck the mark. The crowd cheered as I picked up another one and threw it at the next target.

PLUNK!

“YOU CAN’T DO THAT!” Derrick shouted from the stage. “THAT’S CHEATING!”

“You didn’t state that as a rule, Alpha Derrick.” Alpha Kane was looking at me amused, a small smile on his lips. “Aviry clearly thought on her feet and overcame this painful challenge. This is what a luna should do.” Kane gestured for me to continue as Derrick approached him, screaming about how unfair this was to the other champions.

The remaining girls followed my lead, wrapping their shirts around the handle of the dagger. Even though they only had one left. I had two left, so I aimed for the remaining two targets on the side of Nixon’s arms.

PLUNK!

“STOP!!” Derrick screamed. “As the alpha over the event, I am allowed to change the rules if I see a need to.” The crowd murmured, and everyone looked to see what was happening.

“I will change the point system; the legs are worth five points each. The arms are worth ten each. The head is worth eighty points! Now begin!”

Are you fucking kidding me! So as of now, I only have twenty points.

“BOOOOO!!!” The crowd roared.

I looked over at the other champions. Two of them had ten points, the others had five points.

If they decide to go for the head, they’ll win.

“Aviry, it’s not worth it.” Mia pleaded.

“We are so close, Mia. I’m not going to back out now.”

I looked at Nix, “Hold very still, Nix Bitch!” I slugged the dagger forward; for the added help, I closed one eye.

PLUNK!

“GAHHH!” I closed my eyes tight at Nix’s shout. There was a deafening silence. I slowly looked up.

The crowd boomed with applause and shouts. The dagger was above Nix’s head; I had nailed the mark. Nix’s face was paled as he stepped forward, gripping his chest.

“YEAH!!!” I shouted, jumping up and down. My cleavage was bouncing along with my movements. A jacket draped around my shoulder; Cay was behind me, glaring into my soul. His scent filled my nose, and I did the impossible.

I smiled genuinely.

He smiled back and pulled me into a hug. I didn’t push back; I let it happen.

I turned to face Nixon, and my smile dropped.

Kasey, his Luna for hire, was there at his side, caressing his face. He allowed it to happen for a moment but swiftly pulled back as he looked back at me with wide eyes.

“Don’t stop on my account," I said as I walked to the stage.

I picked up my shirt and slid it over my head. I was pissed off at Nix. His focus should be on his champion. I just won our first event, and here he is, embracing that fake luna.

“Oooo, someone seems jealous.” Mia purred. “Maybe we should go ahead and accept him as our mate. Then we wouldn’t have to worry about other girls.”

“This isn’t a jealousy problem. Never that. This is a… I don’t know, focus on me problem. I won for us!”

“Please give our champions a round of applause. Congratulations, everyone! I know that this event was painful, but you all did your best.” Nixon was on stage. The champions and alphas were sitting behind him.

“Derrick will now give us the score for this event.” I rolled my eyes as he took a seat next to me.

No one clapped as the cowardly boy approached the mic. “That was an interesting event. We have tallied up the scores. The lowest score belongs to…”

“Aviry,” Nix whispered beside me as derrick continued speaking. “You did an amazing job. You thought like a luna.”

“But not luna enough for you, right?” Shit, did I just say that?

“Aviry, listen, this situation between Kasey and me has nothing to do with you being a fair luna.” He sighed deeply. “You’re just not my type of luna. You are way to—”

“Nixon do me the greatest honor of fucking off.” I snapped. What the fuck does he mean, not his type of luna. “I don’t want to be your, luna, or you mate!” I whispered loudly.

“And the winner of this event, Aviry Mills!” The crowd rallied as I rose from my chair. Nixon rose with me, but I held my hand up. I don’t need him or any other alpha. I did this by myself.

I don’t need an Alpha by my side. My strength is my own.