Un.Wavering (Claimed Series Book 3)

by Reese Morgan

  Hayden dropped her shoulders, shaking off Cole’s hold. “I don’t care about him; I don’t care about my father. I only want answers. I’m willing to put my ego on the line for that chance.”

  “If you lose, you are essentially agreeing to be seen as a breeding bitch.”

  Pinning Nicolas with a severe look, Hayden immediately noticed he was on edge, from his locked jaw to his rigid shoulders. Her ire over his comment diminished somewhat and sadistic amusement took its place.

  It was nice to know even Nicolas Slayter grew anxious.

  “Isn’t that how every female werewolf is looked at anyway?” Hayden asked sharply. “It doesn’t matter how powerful or smart she is, males will always look down on her.”

  “Now we know where she gets her intolerable obstinacy.”

  Ignoring Nicolas’ murmured insult, Hayden sidestepped the two males and looked pointedly at Julian. “I accept.”

  Cole sighed wearily behind her, his aura exuding heavy disapproval. Julian, however, smiled widely, a glint of predator glee in his eyes.

  Around them, the werewolves howled excitingly and hurriedly made their way to the training stadium. They threw open the double doors and light flooded inside the dusty structure. Something told Hayden that challenges around Julian’s pack were common.

  “I will meet you in the arena.” Julian motioned toward his pack members. “I will give you three a chance to either leave beforehand, or try to formulate an escape plan for when she loses.”

  Hayden stared at his proud face, eerily reminded of her father.

  “I’d recommend the earlier option,” he continued airily. “Despite your infamous Slayter talents, you are sadly outnumbered. She will hold her end of the bargain despite your intentions to prevent otherwise.”

  With a superior spring to his step, he abandoned them in order to make an entrance inside the arena. She seethed at his arrogance and slowly unbuttoned her blouse, ignoring the tension exuding from her companions.

  Because she couldn’t use her knives, she didn’t want their weight hindering her movements. Unfastening her holster, she passed the assortment of throwing knives to Cole. Fortunately, he accepted the weapons without any argument.

  Stifling his displeasure, Nicolas began lecturing. “We will assume he is similar to Logan in skill level, but keep in mind he has not yet reached maturity.”

  Nicolas and Cole didn’t think she could beat Julian.

  Maybe they were right. She might be in over her head, but adrenaline coursed through her body, her mind in chaotic disorder, and her resolve to get answers suffocated her. If Julian wanted to make a game out of it, so be it. If he wanted to put her in her place, she’d just have to make it difficult for him.

  “Logan was very skilled,” Cole continued quietly, “but he was also arrogant and conceited. Before Logan and our father were comrades, he underestimated Xavier in the beginning, which led to his defeat.”

  “Julian is leading the majority of this pack on name alone.” Nicolas walked Hayden to the stadium, Cole in step beside them. “He may underestimate you. You may be able to play on that particular weakness by going slow in the beginning. Lead him to a false sense of security. Make him underestimate you.”

  They had good information, experienced knowledge, but in the end, they truly didn’t know how good Julian was at combating. They were making assumptions, just as they were betting Julian was making assumptions of her.

  The only problem to their theory was that Julian already knew so much about Hayden from Celeste’s information. Despite his claim of staying neutral in this conflict between the traditional wolves and his mother, it was painfully obvious he kept in contact with Celeste.

  Hayden stopped at the entrance of the stadium, absorbing her surroundings.

  The center ring was enormous and empty of everything but a hard layer of sand. Werewolves, buzzing with excitement, surrounded the ring, sitting or propping themselves against the metal gate that extended around the perimeter.

  Her eyes drifted upward, toward the dim, industrial lights hanging from the vaulted rafters. Dust and sand danced high in the air, coating the abandoned and yellowed windows.

  The air was stale and warm, a layer of perspiration already coating her skin. In the center of the ring, Julian stood waiting, having already discarded his shirt and shoes.

  “You will conquer,” Cole comforted firmly, curling a reassuring hand around her bicep. “Nicolas and I will not let any harm come to you.”

  She nodded distractedly, suddenly feeling uneasy with all the eyes, with all the attention. Numbly, she stumbled into the ring. An earsplitting bang sounded behind her as the gate closed indefinitely, caging her inside.

  Hayden turned suddenly, observing the closed gate. Isolation and hopelessness washed her cold. Subconsciously, she met Nicolas’ eyes. He stood outside the ring, his indestructible strength no longer able to fuel her.

  His lips thinned and he nodded once. “Go on, Hayden.”

  This was your decision, he seemed to say.

  It was too late to turn around and run, she had to go through with it. He and Cole would have to work out the consequences of her actions. Judging from the way Julian’s pack encircled the two Alpha males, an escape wouldn’t be as easy as anticipated.

  Salvaging what little pride she had remaining, Hayden turned back around and walked toward the center of the ring. The closer she approached Julian, the further away the spectators grew. Their faces blurred and faded insignificantly into the background.

  Only Julian Crow stood with startling clarity.

  His lips twisted into a semblance of a smirk as she stopped opposite of him. Slowly, he began to circle her, sizing her up, intimidating her. A little too late, she noticed her hunched shoulders and her inclined neck.

  Opposite of Julian, she appeared submissive.

  With a false sense a bravado, she straightened her posture and lifted her chin. The man, her half-brother, chuckled at her pathetic attempts.

  “I almost feel guilty doing this,” he whispered to her. “You must be reeling with what you learned about your father. Our father.” He stopped directly behind her. “How does it feel to know that Celeste orchestrated your entire life behind the scenes?”

  Her stomach twisted. Desperately, she pushed aside her feelings regarding her father and Celeste’s manipulations. At least for now. “You’re not going to get under my skin. But it was a nice try.”

  Julian looped back around and got into a solid stance in front of her. “You’re as proud as I imagined. Of course, with the company you keep, you have to maintain a robust image, I’m sure.”

  Exhaling slowly, Hayden dragged her left foot in the sand and lowered into a defensive stance. “You talk too much.”

  He smirked and threw the first punch.

  She had enough sense to duck and raise her arms protectively. A part of her realized that the majority of her efforts would go to defending herself in this combat.

  Cheers roared to life, the high volume taking her off guard. Her eyes flickered across the spectators, feeling dizzy, jarred, and awkward. She wasn’t used to this kind of environment when she fought. Usually, her fights were one-on-one, or alone with Adolf.

  Even facing real danger was preferable.

  Hayden quickly shuffled back when Julian threw another punch, but this time, she countered with one of her own.

  Only, he abruptly stopped her fist with his hand. The contact made a pathetic slapping-noise, resembling the sound of a tiny fist trying to punch an unmovable force. His palm cupped her fist entirely, his long fingers curling over her hand.

  It was like punching Cole or Nicolas.

  Her biceps flexed as she tried to make him move an inch. A simple, insignificant inch. He merely smiled down at her, as if appeasing a determined child.

  When he was fully grown, he would be an unbeatable force, Hayden realized with despair. Even now, he possessed real power. Julian was not an awkward teen boy who cloaked himself in his
daddy’s name. No, this was the real deal, a real Alpha male in the making.

  Which was unfortunate for her.

  Without mercy, he twisted her arm abruptly, nearly snapping it before tossing her aside. He kicked the legs from underneath her and she fell to the ground. Dust and dirt rose from the impact, veiling her rising blush from the gleeful spectators.

  He grabbed her braid and hoisted her off her feet. Like a marionette, he controlled the direction of her body. Twisting the braid a second time around his hand, he forced her to turn and face him at an awkward position, angling her head near his face.

  “And you’re just as impressive as I imagined.”

  Rage washed through her. Using her left hand, she struck out and caught him across his jaw. She’d succeeded in releasing her hair from his hold, but as she went to kick his shin, he caught her ankle and spun her in the air, forcing her back onto the ground.

  She landed on her forearms, quickly forcing herself back on her feet. She hadn’t landed on the ground this often since the beginning of her training with Adolf.

  Julian’s attention sharpened and he began delivering as many hits as possible. She blocked most of them, though he hit her hard in the stomach and split her lip with an impressive left hook. She craved to inflict half as much damage to him, but her fists hardly hit their mark. When they were lucky enough to catch his flesh, they never made a dent or a bruise.

  His strength tripled her own. He didn’t even seem to outweigh her in body mass, yet she struggled to land any damage on his person.

  Sweat trickled down her temple and hopelessness flared. He caught her arm, twisted it behind her back, and kicked her away. Before she fell to the ground again, he caught her around the neck and lifted her completely off her feet.

  He hoisted her high in the air.

  Howls of extreme glee thundered across the stadium, vibrating the glass windows and making them shudder. Her weary eyes lifted and met Cole’s from across the ring. Unable to hold his stare out of extreme shame, Hayden closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come.

  Julian roared and threw her down hard.

  Her spine hit the ground and knocked the air out of her lungs. For a frightening moment, she couldn’t take in air. However, before she could fall unconscious, a horrifying rattle and wheeze erupted from her lungs.

  She choked on blood and coughed it out, finally able to take in oxygen.

  She laid there with her eyes closed, drowning in humiliation and trying to heal her body. All the while, the earsplitting cheers from Julian’s pack only grew in volume.

  A foot landed on her forehead, pressing her head further into the ground.

  “I’ve heard enough about you to know you have issues with male authority. It’s rather ironic, really. Daddy issues and an extreme sense of female supremacy. Give it time, Hayden, and you’ll be just like the bitch you’re hunting after.”

  He released her head and walked away.

  Her eyes flickered open and stared at the hazy lights above her. Julian’s words sparked a sudden realization within Hayden. She was female. So why was she trying to win a combative challenge like a man?

  Hadn’t she ingrained Adolf’s teachings by now? Time and time again, he repeatedly warned her not to get into a power exchange with a male werewolf. Females had to fight differently in order to win, in order to dominate.

  It was difficult always watching Nicolas and Cole fight. It was second nature to try to mimic their style and techniques. They were a different breed of animal, however, and it was impossible to mirror them completely.

  But that didn’t mean she couldn’t infuse their style with her own.

  She refused to be humiliated, and above all else, she refused to prove Nicolas right. She could win this. Others would see her as more than just a breeding bitch.

  Slowly, she sat up, her joints cracking back in place and her world fretfully trying to stop spinning. Julian stood further away, towards the perimeter of the ring. It appeared as if he were approaching Nicolas to reestablish the terms of their deal.

  As if he already won.

  Hayden got to her feet and regained her balance. Starting out slow to test her spine, she ran towards Julian’s turned back.

  “I believe it’s time you honored your end of the deal, Slayter.”

  Nicolas cocked his head to the side, watching Hayden from over Julian’s shoulder. “I don’t believe she’s quite finished with you yet.”

  Julian glanced at her and then dismissed her by turning back to Nicolas. Hayden increased her speed, insulted, but determined to best him. He turned around at the last second, anticipating her to simply barrel into him.

  Instead, she jumped and flipped over his head. She used his shoulders as a springboard, similar to how she’d used Cole’s during their fight with Evan. Grabbing the back of his neck, she descended behind him. Using the momentum of her falling body, she brought him backward.

  He hit the back of his head against the metal railing and fell to the ground. Hayden hardly let him recover before she brought back her fist and punched him hard in the face.

  Julian spluttered, trying to pull himself together.

  Springing from the ground, he lunged at her, but she flipped backward to avoid his counterattack. She realized dimly that he was surprised at her retaliation. Hayden didn’t dwell on his disregard for long and remained focused on evading his hands.

  She used her quickness and her flexibility to dance around him. She did not try to meet his force with her own power, but simply forced him into exhaustion. Cloaked with a fluid grace only a female werewolf could possibly possess, she played with him.

  He’d aim a lethal punch at her face, but instead of connecting with skin, he’d slice through empty air. He tried to recover and hone in on where she’d moved to next, but he was left frustrated at his inability to make contact.

  It was like a dance, she surmised. She would lead him along, influencing where he’d go next. Despite his brute strength, he could never keep up with her speed, always falling one-step behind.

  Julian roared angrily as he struck air once more. “Stop running!”

  Hayden smirked and dropped to the ground, throwing a robust kick to the front of his knee. It buckled, yet he did not drop. Before he could defend himself, she kicked him once more in the same knee, hoping to take advantage of the technique Nicolas taught her on the train.

  Rolling away, she jumped to her feet. Julian struck and backhanded her across her face. Fortunately, she recovered in time to avoid further hand-to-hand power struggles.

  She continued her cat and mouse game, her body screaming with fatigue, but her determination burning bright. Julian’s frustration mounted and his hits became frantic. Hayden tried to escalate her own hits, jabbing him sharply in his exposed ribs when he was too slow to track her movements.

  He was also nursing his left knee, putting the majority of his weight on his right leg. She dropped quickly, slamming the sole of her boot once more against his left knee.

  Her last hit had to be the back of his knee. Hopefully then he’d go down.

  Jumping up, Hayden slipped past him and ran toward the gate. As expected, he followed. She leapt on top the gate and executed a high backflip, soaring over his head. He looked up and made a grab for her, but she landed behind him too swiftly.

  Aiming one last kick to the back of his knee, Julian abruptly thwarted her intentions. He whirled around and hastily intercepted her foot before it could make contact.

  “I know that trick all too well,” he growled, sounding nearly deranged. His eyes were amber too, his wolf nearing the surface. “I prefer the faster method of fracturing knees, however.”

  With her leg held at an awkward angle, he brought back his arm and chopped viciously at her leg. Hayden opened her mouth and screamed as her knee ripped away from its socket and painfully fractured. She dry heaved, her nausea hitting its peak.

  “No more fancy flips for you.”

  She threw herself on
her belly and convulsed in pain. Still, she dragged herself away from him, trying to distance herself. He could have finished her off as soon as he fractured her knee, but he stood basking in his accomplishment, watching her sad retreat with a manic grin.

  Rolling onto her backside, Hayden shakily tried to touch her knee, but pain prevented her from examining it too far. She sat up, watching as Julian considered her from across the ring.

  “Do you yield?”

  She stared. She panted.

  Pain turned her sweat cold. Yet surrender never once crossed her mind.

  “Do you?” He paced back and forth, like an impatient animal waiting for his release.

  Even Julian had a layer of sweat across his body. It glistened and shined against the dim lighting. She’d made him work, she noted with satisfaction. She’d unsettled him enough that he’d lost his preening arrogance.

  Hayden slowly stood up, favoring her good leg.

  Seeing her defiance as an act of challenge, Julian huffed and sprinted towards her. Vividly, Hayden remembered the time when Celeste’s puppet had charged at Nicolas. The rogue Alpha intercepted it and broke its neck by rolling across its shoulders.

  It could work. It was her last chance. Her last option.

  Hesitantly, she tapped the ground with her right leg, gasping as pain flared. She had to put weight on it, otherwise she wouldn’t gain enough momentum to leap on top his back and snap his neck.

  Clenching her teeth, she ran towards him. Her knee screamed and begged to give out, but she refused to give in. Not now. Each step was a searing pain she’d never forget. It tore at her resolve, but never once did it damper her spirits.

  As soon as he was within arm’s length, she fisted the side of his cheek and leapt on top of him with her good leg. Keeping a hold of his face with her opposite arm, she rolled agilely across his shoulders, a sharp pop indicating she’d successfully snapped or dislocated his neck.

  When Nicolas had executed this move, he ended up on his feet, flipping his enemy faultlessly to the ground. Hayden, on the other hand, went down with Julian, still clutching his turned cheek.