The air reeked of blood and smoke, becoming more suffocating as the night drew deeper. Wolves howled from the stands, claws dragging against stone with excitement and anticipation in their fierce eyes.
The Tournament was nearing its end, and the winner of the two wolves battling it out fiercely in the arena would determine who would move on to the final.
Her brother, Harrison, was one of them.
Theodora leaned back on the tree behind her, her eyes fixated on the ongoing match. Her brother has always been a powerhouse of strength and dealt with his opponent as if he were nothing.
Their movements had dirt exploding under their feet, and Theodore simply watched.
This match would decide who would face her in the finals, who would stand between her and the only thing she's ever wanted.
Their heirship. To be the next Alpha of the Bloodmoon Vanguard Pack.
The Games had been brutal this year, even worse than the last cycle. Theo had watched wolves get dragged off the arena, either they were unconscious, carrying broken limbs, or bleeding heavily. She'd already fought for a week straight and had participated in the previous deadly games in the tournament.
Her body was now covered in bruises and claw marks, but she'd made it this far. She always did.
Now, it was finally coming to an end.
Theodore wasn't fighting for glory or anything. She was fighting for the desperate recognition of her father, Alpha Darius Blackthorn.
He ruled the Bloodmoon Vanguard with an iron fist, and there was absolutely no room for weakness or mistakes when it came to him. In his eyes, her mother's first mistake was giving birth to a daughter.
Harrison and Caspian, her two younger brothers have been the favoured ones ever since they were born. They had been born and trained to be heirs, while Darius only saw her as something he wanted to throw away.
She had proven herself many times in the past, defeated anyone who challenged her, excelled in anything thrown her way and yet, her father's eyes never looked into hers the same way they did Harrison and Caspian.
Ever.
But tonight, all that would change. He would finally see her as a worthy heir.
The Tournament was one of the pinnacles of the werewolf world, held once every five years. The strongest wolves from the Allied territory of the west gathered to compete in dangerous games, to prove who was worthy of a great title or respect.
To win here was to be recognised across the werewolf world, and most especially, every Alpha across the continent. And by the end of it tonight, Alpha Darius would finally announce his successor.
Harrison...or Theodora.
Ever since Harry was born, everyone whispered it would be him. He was her immediately younger sibling, and the Golden boy of the family. Plus, father had carved him into his image.
But if Theodora defeated him in front of everyone here, all that would instantly change.
Her father would stop denying her anymore.
The floor of the arena rumbled as Harrison crashed his opponent into the floor, and it reverberated all the way to the stands. His pitiful opponent couldn't get up anymore.
Then, the horn blared and the crowd went wild with cheers and growls. Harrison stood in the middle of the ring, a bloody fist raised into the air with a triumphal smile forming from the edge of his lips.
Then, his eyes fell on Theo's.
And she held his gaze.
It was cruel. Hers was Crueller.
Of course, she didn't clap. Instead, her hands flew to her neck to feel the pendant lying there. It was an old, silver piece with strange, red markings around it, and Theodora couldn't remember a time when this pendant hadn't been around her neck.
Her late mother had said it was a gift with extraordinary powers, and had warned her never to take it off.
For a moment, Theo closed her eyes. She could feel the ghost of her mother next to her, and it gave her so much strength.
When Theo opened her eyes, her gaze fell on her father.
He was sitting on the raised dias above the arena, putting on his royal robes with his broad shoulders and a face that looked like it had been carved from stone.
Darius leaned in to whisper something to the man next to him, and Theo felt a chill run down her spine.
Alpha Cain Pendragon.
If Alpha Darius was iron, then Cain would be the fire. His presence alone made her wolf get goosebumps. Everyone has heard stories of his terrorising reign in the East that was gradually spreading to other territories, and the Packs he had crushed under his foot. Cain was ruthless and dangerous in a way Darius couldn't measure up to.
Quickly, Theo tore her eyes off the Dark Alpha and looked behind him, where his son sat.
Eric, her best friend.
Eric caught her staring and offered her a small smile. Her heart lurched, and a silly feeling formed in her stomach that made her look away shyly. Eric has been her secret anchor in this cruel world, and the only person who has treated her differently.
She was also, hopelessly in love with him.
But Eric wasn't the plan tonight.
The title of the heir was.
And the only thing in her way was her arrogant, little brother.
"Theodora Blackthorn!" The announcer's voice boomed across the arena, "Daughter of Alpha Darius of the west, and the Challenger to the Heir!"
'Challenger to the heir?' Theo scoffed with an eye roll, 'Please, he was the one challenging her, and not the other way round,'
The crowd shifted as Theo pushed back from the tree and began walking up to the arena. Harrison turned to her again, a savage look in his eyes.
A woman has never stepped into this arena before in the history of the games, not because they weren't allowed to compete but because none ever made it this far before.
Theo stepped into the large space, her brother not too far away from her. She could feel over a thousand eyes on her, weighing greatly on her back like she was carrying a mountain.
But it only made her more excited.
And she was bubbling with rage.
"Careful, sister," Harrison called to her from the other side, "I'd hate to embarrass you in front of half the werewolf world. Though, I suppose you're used to humiliation by now,"
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "Embarrass me? You'll be lucky if you can still crawl out of this arena when I'm done. I'd tell you to fight your hardest… but we both know this is your hardest,"
"You forget yourself," Harrison snorted, "You're a girl. That's the only reason you've made it this far, because father wanted the crowd entertained before the real fight began,"
Theodore remained calm, and when she spoke it carried a lot of pride, "No, brother. I made it this far because I've beaten every wolf they've thrown at me. Including the ones you struggled with," She smirked, knowing that would get to him.
"You'll regret crossing me, Dora!" He growled.
"Funny. I was about to say the same to you," She taunted.
And then, the horn sounded, indicating the start of the match.
Theo's wolf, Seraphina, snarled within her, ready for a fight.
*Time to kick his ass* Seraphina rumbled out dangerously at the same time that Theo's regular nails stretched into those of the wolf.
"Yeah, time to put this little twerp in his place!" Theo replied.
The next second, both siblings lunged, ready to tear each other apart.