The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 344

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 344: After Care**

**Judy’s POV**

The sharpness of her nails sliced through my skin, sending a jolt of pain radiating across my cheek. I winced as a thin stream of crimson began its slow descent down my face. My gaze lifted, locking onto the girl from the bathroom—Alpha Levi’s daughter—her furious expression betraying a confidence that ignited a fire within me.

A low growl escaped my lips, anger flaring in my own eyes. Her laughter rang out, mocking, as she prepared for another strike. But I refused to let her dominate me again. I focused, willing my nails to elongate, a trick we could employ within the confines of the competition’s rules. We weren’t allowed to fully shift, but we could still harness certain wolf traits to gain an upper hand.

She dodged my swipe with ease, a victorious grin plastered across her face as if she had already claimed victory. My frustration bubbled over, and I lunged at her, aware that my movements were becoming erratic. The realization gnawed at me; she was exploiting my anger, and with each moment of fury, I risked becoming careless. I needed to present myself as the composed fighter I was, regardless of the provocation.

I managed to evade several of her attacks, taking a deep breath to center my wolf and steady my body amidst the chaos of the battle. Others were also taking cheap shots at me, but I swiftly dealt with them, knocking them out of my path with surprising ease. I had to admit, I was taken aback by her skill. Then again, being Alpha Levi’s daughter meant she had likely received rigorous training.

As she swung at me again, I sidestepped her strike, seizing her arm and using my momentum to flip her over my shoulder, slamming her to the ground with the force of a wrestler. She screeched in fury, thrashing beneath me, but I was stronger; I managed to pin her down, securing her wrists behind her back. Her hisses of protest fell on deaf ears as I maintained my hold.

The crowd erupted into cheers as I took her down. My focus shifted momentarily to the larger opponents around us, but they were too engrossed in their own battles to notice me. My eyes caught sight of Tabby, who was moving with an impressive agility. She was dispatching opponents twice her size in mere seconds, and I couldn’t help but admire her prowess.

I knew she would be a formidable force to reckon with.

Utilizing my ability to blend into the shadows, I prepared to make my next move. These were the kind of fighters who could thwart my attack if they anticipated it. I was adept at sniping, and even without weapons, I had to rely on my creativity to outmaneuver them.

The element of surprise was my ally. Before they even realized I was upon them, I had one of them pinned to the ground beneath my weight. He nearly bucked me off, but I dug my nails deep into his flesh, ensuring that any attempt to move would result in excruciating pain. The warm blood pooling from his neck only fueled my determination further.

I couldn’t kill him, but I could certainly leave my mark.

The first round of fighting stretched on for an hour, the buzzer finally signaling its end. Those who had the strength to continue were ushered out of the arena and into the locker rooms, where we could clean up and recuperate before the next round began in an hour. This brief respite was a welcome chance to recover.

Unfortunately, those who were too injured to proceed—so badly hurt that even their inner wolves couldn’t heal them in time—were disqualified. I felt a surge of pride knowing that I had made it through to the next round.

“You were incredible!” Tabby exclaimed, her bright smile lighting up the room. But then her expression shifted as she noticed my face, and she whistled in surprise. “Wow, Milly really did a number on you, huh?”

“Milly?” I echoed, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

“Yeah, Alpha Levi’s daughter,” she explained, her gaze drifting towards Milly, who was preening in front of a mirror with a few other girls I recognized from the gym. They were gossiping animatedly, as usual.

I rolled my eyes, irritation bubbling beneath the surface.

“I won’t let her get the best of me,” I muttered, determination lacing my voice.

“That’s the spirit!” Tabby encouraged, giving me a supportive pat on the back.

“I need some air,” I announced, suddenly feeling the walls of the locker room closing in on me. She nodded, returning to her own preparations as I stepped out into the bustling atmosphere outside. Paparazzi swarmed the area, eager to capture the excitement of the competition and the Lycans. One of them was engaged in conversation with a Lycan who seemed to relish the attention.

“Not bad for a girl,” a voice chimed in from behind me.

I turned to find Theo striding towards me, his body marked with scratches yet still standing tall and confident. Sweat glistened on his bare chest, and a towel hung around his neck, soaking up the perspiration.

He flashed me a broad, dimpled smile, likely believing it made him charming, but it came across as nothing more than arrogance.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I challenged, crossing my arms defiantly over my chest.

He shrugged nonchalantly, leaning against the wall with a casual air.

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