Without hesitating, Ares leapt at Axel and punched him squarely in the jaw. I flinched at the sound her fist connecting with his face made.

Even more unnerving: her face was aloof, as if she didn't just punch a Beta right in the head.

Axel growled and threw a punch back with such ferocity, I was sure that it would send her flying through the air. However, Ares sidestepped it as if Axel were a child.

The Beta's eyes darkened, and his canines descended as he said in a growly voice, "It's unfortunate for you that Cain isn't here to reprimand me for beating the crap out of his mate."

My jaw dropped. He just threatened the Blood Luna as if he were merely stating what the weather outside was like. Ares grinned in response. Despite grins usually looking friendly, hers just looked like she was dying to tear his throat out.

Axel sent a punch into her stomach, which the Luna blocked with ease. However, it looked like most of her force was concentrated on keeping his fist at bay, because she didn't do anything to stop him from kicking her ankle.

She fell to the ground, and her ankle was twisted at an angle that made me gag. The bone looked like it was nearly ready to break through the skin.

Despite the fact that Ares was clearly incapacitated, Axel was cruel in sitting on her torso, and reached to pin her arms down, as if she had any chance of getting back up.

Before he could restrain her arms, she swiftly poked his eyes with her fingers! I gasped as Axel groaned and immediately covered his eyes with his hands.

Ares used this as an opportunity to punch his chest, and despite the fact that the Beta looked the Hulk, the force from the punch pushed him off of her as if he were a rag doll.

Ares jumped off of the ground from her back and rebroke her ankle so that it was facing normally. Axel was still recovering from the assault on his eyes, and Ares kicked him in the ribs with her injured foot.

He stumbled over, and Ares put the nail in his coffin when she gently shoved him to the ground and pinned him.

Poor Axel groaned, "I'll get you next time, Ares. Count on it."

As Ares turned towards me, I was sure that I was as pale as a ghost. Watching the sheer brutality they used against each other was earth-shattering.

When she asked me what I learned, I told her that she fights dirty. I mean, who tries gauging out their Beta's eyeball during a friendly match of sparring?

Axel thanked me for taking his side inadvertently, but the Luna mindlinked me, It's not fighting dirty. It's using every weapon in your arsenal. You'd be stupid to think that in your battle, the female won't do whatever it takes to end you.

Her tone was so resolute it made my heart sink to the bottom of my stomach. She wasn't wrong. I had witnessed Brenna's cruelty firsthand and had no doubt she would enjoy destroying me.

The Luna held out a knife, which I took with much apprehension.

Let's spar. I want you to do whatever it takes to hurt me, she said, making my jaw drop once more.

First of all, I had seen the way she spars, and I quite happen to like my eyeballs being fully functional. Secondly, it wasn't fair for me to have a weapon when she didn't.

"Luna, with all due respect, I can't stab you," I mumbled. The last thing I need is the Blood Alpha putting my head on a stick.

No, you can't. But you should try, she ordered. Every word she spoke was factual, leaving no room for subjectivity or objections.

I tried to plead my case to Axel, but before he could back me up, Ares ripped the knife out of my hand and I braced for the slashing I was sure to get.

However, she just turned the knife on herself while rolling her eyes and cut deeply into her the flesh on her face. I covered my mouth in shock. Is she suicidal?

However, just as quickly as she had maimed herself, the wound closed, and I made a comment about her being insane, which she merely shrugged to. She had a mischievously dangerous glint in her eye that I had only ever seen before in Thane.

The Luna seemed pretty indestructible, so I took the knife with renewed faith that I wouldn't be able to hurt her even if I stabbed her in the heart.

Seriously, Onyx. Nothing is off limits. I'll be disappointed if you don't hurt me, she said apathetically. Yup, she's psychotic.

Axel counted down, and when he said "Go", I waited for her first blow. It didn't come.

Ares mindlinked me and advised me to attack first for the element of surprise. I lunged immediately after she told me, and the Luna dodged it effortlessly.

Faster attacks. Be decisive. Don't overthink. If even one of your motions is hesitant, you're dead, Ares deadpanned, and I almost snorted aloud. Yeah, right. Me, not overthink?

Ares kicks powerfully at my hand, which both disarms the knife from my hand whilst making my wrist snap back unnaturally.

I hissed at the pain, but decided to take a page out of the Luna's handbook and keep on punching after being wounded. Unfortunately, she grabbed my fist in midair and before I knew it, my arm was twisted behind my back.

Boom, you're dead, she snarls venomously, and my wolf is infuriated momentarily.

I tried punching her more, but she clearly has the upper hand and pins me after bruising my ribs and ankle during her assaults.

Boom, dead, her voice taunts me once more, and for the first time, I think about hurting the Blood Luna.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The training was no doubt a failure, and I walked away with substantial injuries that I swore to myself Thane would never find out about.

Ares and I chatted about a multitude of subjects such as Thane and Grayson on the way back. After having seeing how durable the Blood Luna is, I felt much more comfortable around her, well-aware that she wasn't the sensitive type, nor the type to cry to the Blood Alpha if something went wrong.

When we got to the Pack House, we were still on the topic of Greyson. It reminded me that I need to try to reach out to him, see if he's okay. I felt consumed with guilt for being so self-involved with the Challenge that I didn't put much thought into my old friend.

My nightmares became a reality when Ares crashed into my least favorite pack member. Brenna ricocheted off of Ares as if she was a bouncy ball thrown against a brick wall.

Brenna scowls from the floor and before looking up says in her trademark nasally voice, "Watch where you're going, bitch."

Uh oh.

Brenna got up and looked Ares up and down before turning to me. "I see you finally found someone creepy enough to be friends with you."

Uh oh x2.

Ares had nearly gauged Axel's eyes out, and that was somewhat of a friendly interaction. My heartbeat quickened as I imaged how gruesomely she would respond to such disrespect.

I looked down in shame at the pack member that berated both me and the foreign Luna. Brenna kept pressing on, trying to get a reaction from me for Ares, I couldn't say. "Unfortunate that she'll be all alone once I kill you in three weeks. Who are you anyways?" She questioned, her eyes narrowing at the Blood Luna.

Ares smiles, and her eyes are aglow with that violent mischievous trademarked to her and Thane. Ares must not be the quick-to-anger type, because she said nothing.

"Hello? I asked you a question," Brenna commanded, solidifying her death sentence by waving her hand in front of the Blood Luna as if she were an invalid.

Ares caught Brenna's hand swiftly, without hesitation. She also did not hesitate to squeeze, crushing her fingers. When I thought the brutality was over, Ares thew in just breaking Brenna's wrist altogether.

Brenna screamed, but Ares' bloodlust wasn't satiated yet. Ares choked Brenna's throat, and I didn't like the gurgling sound that Brenna was making as she tried to get away from the Blood Luna's grasp.

Ares didn't even look like she was struggling to keep Brenna pinned to the wall, even though she was about a foot off of the floor. She held her neck by one hand, and her other hand was casually hanging by her side.

Ares must have told her of her identity because Brenna went from blood red to ghastly white. "I'm.. sorry... Luna..." She choked out in between gasps.

The Blood Luna snarls and my heart almost jumps out of my chest as I see her glowing silver eyes and long canines. She looked more wolf than human in that moment, and that very image of her would be the star of my nightmares for many nights thereafter.

Brenna was crying, and Ares finally spit on her face before letting her leave the kitchen in a tearful frenzy.

When Ares questioned why I let her speak to me like that, I couldn't help the floodgate of emotions as I told her about Brenna previously hurting me when Thane wasn't around.

When the Luna reassured me that she would make sure Brenna was dead by the end of the challenge, I couldn't help the sinking feeling in my stomach as I recalled the repulsion I felt even watching Ares choke my rival.

That sinking feeling stayed with me for the rest of the day, even when Axel watched Marvel movies with Ares and I.

I showered before Thane arrived for dinner, being sure to cover the bruises when I redressed. At dinner, Thane listened closely to my account of what happened at the training. He looked impassive, and I couldn't detect any emotion on his face.

We bid Ares and Axel goodnight, who went to their guest bedrooms.

Back in Thane's bedroom, I sighed as I sat on the corner of his bed. He had just gotten out of the shower, and a pair of sweatpants hung lowly on his hips. It took everything in me not to lick my lips at the sight of his defined muscles as he walked towards where I was located on the bed.

My cheeks burned as I saw the look in his eye, one of knowing. The corner of his mouth was turned up into a slight, cocky smile.

"You know, little one," Thane casually said as he tucked a piece of hair behind my ear as he stood up in front of me. "What they say about staring?"

That mischievous look in his eye, the exact copy of the one that Ares possesses, make his green eyes glow.

I gulped, feeling like a fluffy bunny in front of a starving wolf. I inadvertently scooted away from the edge of the bed, further from where he stood. His raw power made my wolf feel ready to bolt at any moment.

My actions only made his dangerous smirk deepen, and I truly was prey in that moment.

"They say..." He drawled, and my breathing hitched as he reached his hand out to my face. "It's very rude."

He caressed my cheek, before moving his hand to the side of my neck. It sent a chill down my spine, and Thane growled lowly as his eyes continued to glow into the brightest green I had ever seen.

He bent down, and pressed a chaste kiss against my lips. I made a noise of disappointment, and I could feel his cocky grin widen as he went in for another kiss.

The kiss deepened as I opened my mouth and he flicked his tongue inside. He growled and grabbed my wrist, roughly pulling me closer into him.

This wouldn't have particularly been a problem, except it was the wrist that I'm pretty sure Ares sprained. I couldn't help the yelp of pain that escaped my mouth.

He swiftly pulled away in concern. "I'm sorry, was I too rough?" He asked as he released my wrist.

I shook my head, answering too quickly. "No! You just surprised me is all."

He narrowed his eyes, but before he could read too much into it, I captured his lips with mine and we began kissing again, though I was careful to keep my injured wrist away.

With my nonharmed hand, I used this opportunity to feel his muscles under my hand. I could feel every grove in between the harsh abdomen lines.

Growling, he too used this as an opportunity to explore my torso. When he reached my ribs, I hissed in pain.

He pulled away once more and I looked at him in guilt. "You're harmed," He snarled, and it wasn't a question.

"Physically, yes. Technically, yes," I began, but before I could defend Ares, he transformed his hand so that he had claws.

Swiftly and in one motion, he shredded my shirt down the middle, leaving me in only a bra. I would have been self conscious, but his blackened eyes narrowed in on the dark purple bruises around my rib cage.

He snarled again viciously, but gently grabbed my wrist, and when my face contorted in pain, it confirmed that he knew it was also injured.

"Ares," Thane hissed, his eyes flashing dangerously. He stood up, his frame slightly shaking.

"Thane please-" I started, but his canines descended and one pointed look from him shut me up. He stalked towards the door, and I hurriedly got off of the bed and chased after him.

When I grabbed his hand when he was about to open the door, he turned around, and the malicious look in his eyes made my blood run cold.

"Stay here," He commanded so dominantly, my wolf had no choice but to instantaneously submit and go back to the bed and watch helplessly as Thane went out the door to presumably kill Ares.

And it was all my fault.