The Alpha and The Fool novel Chapter 27

The next two days, I spent training hard, preparing myself for what was going to be an awesome fight. Antoine and I stood at opposite ends of the gym. Father was advising me on how I should fight, but I wasn’t listening to him. I was done listening to him and to be honest, at this point the plan was to enjoy pitting my strength against Antoine’s. After meeting the wanna-be alpha, I didn’t think my pack was in danger.

He seemed like a man that wanted to ensure the safety of his growing family, just like the majority of werewolf men when such things come to pass. I couldn’t see him killing members of my old pack because they served Father unless they gave him a reason to. “It’s time,” Wesley said in a loud voice, having agreed to referee the fight.

“Nic, you have to win,” Father said, glaring at me. The desperation was easily visible in his eyes.

“Father, things are changing. As soon as Brandon left it began, and this time, there is nothing to you can do to stop it. You better get used to that idea,” I told him. He frowned at me, but before he could say anything more, I turned to Dean.

“Be careful out there,” he said, looking worried but his voice was almost bitter when he added, “And you don’t have to win.”

“I know. Really, don’t worry. I know,” I replied, punching his shoulder lightly and walked out to join Antoine in the center of the room. I took his hand and shook as per custom. “Fight fair, fight hard, and the first person who can’t safely continue loses.”

Antoine gave me a funny look but dipped his chin in a nod. We took a few steps back, and the fight began. I took the offensive since I didn’t think he’d feel comfortable doing it. I charged him, slamming my fist into his stomach, and hitting the inside of his knee with my own. He grunted, falling to one knee and I bounced back a couple of steps. Proof that I wasn’t dainty and I didn’t need him to patronize me. I wanted him to really fight.

His eyes blazed as he looked up at me and I brought up my fists, ready. He stood and ran at me, no doubt trying to tackle me and use his heavier weight against me, but I danced out of the way and kicked him in the ribs. Antoine grunted but otherwise seemed unfazed. I rushed him, hitting him in the kidneys, ribs again, and he dodged my jab to the temple. His massive fist swung at me, and I dodged but saw his second swing too late. As his fist connected with my jaw, my vision blurred and my ears started to ring.

I stumbled back and acting on pure instinct managed to dodge the next few swings. I blinked as I bounced back away from him until my vision blurred back into focus. Okay, so getting hit by this guy was a very bad idea. I ran at him, faking a kick to the right and went left for his ribs, kneed him in the side, punching him where he’d hit me as hard as I could. A surge of victory ran through me as he wobbled on his feet, but he was far from finished.

We rushed each other again. I hit him again in the ribs, but he got a hit right on my nose. I think he might have broken it, considering how much blood gushed down my face. The pain though didn’t seem to back. We broke apart and instead of throwing a punch, the next time we rushed at each other. I jumped, kicked him in the face, breaking his nose with an audible crunch, and his blood went everywhere.

We kept throwing punches and kicks at each other, obviously tiring but neither wanting to give in to the other. The pain was now kicking in, radiating from everywhere, and I was ready to end this - one way or another. I kicked Antoine’s knee again, another hit into his most likely bruised ribs, and I went around jumping on his back, wrapping my arm around his neck in a choke hold, squeezing as hard as I could.

Antoine, tried, to pull me off, only managing to rip my shirt, and when he fell to one knee, I said, “I can either knock you unconscious, or you can give up now. If it’s all the same, I’d rather you just give up.”

He growled at me, again tried to get me off his back. Antoine even fell backward, slamming us both on the ground, but I still held on. He continued to struggle, and I squeezed tighter. Seriously, he was going to be a dick about this?

“Fine,” he spat out. “I call it finished,” he wheezed out, and I let him go.

Grinning, despite how tired and in pain I was, I stood and helped him up. “I have a proposition for you if you’d like to hear it.”

He rubbed his neck, eyeing me with obvious suspicion, as Father and Dean came to us. “Good Job, Nic. I knew you would do it,” Father said.

Dean let me lean against him, and I tried not to glare too hard at Father. “Just remember our agreement,” I told him.

“Yes, well, of course, I agree. That was a mistake, but the second. Don’t be foolish, Nic. You’re the alpha, and I’m your father.”

“Wrong,” I said then spat out some blood on the floor just in front of him. “I’m not the alpha and if you don’t agree to my terms, not my father. However, I’m willing to negotiate some aspects currently.” I turned away from him to focus on Antoine. “I would really like it if you and Beth stayed with us for a few days. Get yourself healed up and there is something I wish to speak to you about.”

Antoine’s stony faced expression stared back at me for a long time. I could see I confused him. Usual custom was for him to leave the territory now unless he wanted to risk being killed, but I had no intention of running him out of town. I thought he was going to refuse at first then Beth whispered something to him and he agreed.

“What are you doing?” Father hissed once Beth led her mate out of the room and most likely to the infirmary.

“He fought well, and he seems like a decent guy,” I replied. “Swallow your pride, Father. We won. Let’s have a celebration tonight. Dean, help me to my room. I think I need to get cleaned up.”