Page 79 of Alpha Games
Filming was about to begin.
30
Ranger
“The end of the Alpha Games is upon us and what a competition this has been. Hearts were stolen, blood was shed, and the finale promises to be…”
I tuned out Jay Renfro’s superfluous speech, tired of these games. It pained me to realize most of what we saw on TV was five-minute clips filmed between hours and hours of waiting. I’d never be able to see a movie the same way again. So much time and effort went into media you could consume in a passing glance. It was insane.
The Alphas around me shifted as we stood under the warming midday sun waiting for Jay to finish a full take of the introduction speech for the last episode of the Alpha Games portion ofMating Season. In front of us where Jay was being filmed was the fighting cage designed from the nightmares of my youth.
Except I wasn’t some hotheaded prepubescent pup anymore trying to prove myself to the new trainer of the week. There were no referees placing side bets and trying to throw my fight. I wasn’t beholden to the bookies’ flavor of the night. Fredrick was dead. I was a grown ass Alpha who had no need for the circuits. Once upon a time, I’d thought I would drown in the violence of the ring. But I’d survived and I’d become so much more.
I turned my attention to the tents instead where Aspen and my sister sat watching. My mate. The little spitfire who’d challenged me in front of my pack. They were in love with her now. She had the same piss and vinegar mentality that made the inner circle I’d grown up with and appointed to leadership positions. Most of them would’ve liked her knowing she’d come from more humble roots, but when she refused to leave without forcing me to exact some sort of retribution, she sealed the deal.
Aspen belonged in McCaw Pack and at my side. I just had to make sure I didn’t let her down.
We won’t.
“The luck of the draw will determine who fights today in the first rounds,” Jay stood onstage, speaking into the ribbon microphone which was mostly for show as the audio team hovered just outside the camera shot. “As the winner of the traditional hunt, the infamous Ranger McCaw is the sole Alpha who will get to choose his opponent in the main event at the end of the afternoon.”
The PA nudged me forward and my wolf burrowed down, snarling in my mind as the familiar sensations overwhelmed us.
I made my way to the ring and ducked through the cage door, feeling the zing of iron and silver start to weaken my beast, and walked across the padded canvas floor to stand next to Jay Renfro.
“Tell us, Mr. McCaw, which Alpha will have the pleasure, or dare I say misfortune, of joining you in the ring today?” Jay thrust the microphone in frontof my face, bouncing on the balls of his feet in anticipation.
I didn’t keep him waiting for long. Staring at my future mate as the buzz of adrenaline faded to a steady hum, my voice came out clear and strong, “I pick Chad Tulia.”
*
I winced, watching in slow motion as Colton Penobscot took Tucker Jones down to the mat with a single uppercut.
Colton roared his victory. It was well earned despite us practicing a few moves before the match started. Had I known how pathetic the fight was going to be, I wouldn’t have told him to go for the knockout though.
Tucker didn’t deserve that.
None of them did.
The Alphas fighting had brute strength and speed to rival the toughest of shifters. I had no doubt that in a real fight, they’d hold their ground if not dominate each other. But these fights weren’t real.
It wasn’t as if they were staged, but there were more than a few who were pulling their punches. It was a balancing act to control your inner beast and not go straight to the kill. If the other Alphas had been allowed to pick their matches, the fights might’ve been a little more brutal. Because of the luck of the draw, the cameras weren’t getting much action to record.
The afternoon passed slowly and more Lunas were leaving the shade of the tent to head into the resort. I’d sat with Aspen and Fallon a few times throughout the morning after Edith and Lilith stormed off in a fury. But I felt I could do more good here ringside and give a pointer or two.
At least while I was here the fights were moving a bit faster. The first few matches with three five-minute rounds dragged out painfully with two Alphas circling the cage enough times to make me dizzy.
“Heard you’re handing out advice.” John chuckled as he walked up beside me, stretching his shoulders.
“You up next?”
“Looks like it.” John peered around the edge of the ring where the Alphas yet to fight stood clustered around the water cooler. “I still can’t believe you’re challenging Chad Tulia.”
“It isn’t a traditional challenge,” I told him.
“No?” He reached for his quad to stretch. “Does your wolf know that? If I picked someone to fight, mine wouldn’t understand the difference.”
Let me know if he needs some tutoring.