Page 49 of Rejected By a Wolf

But this felt like more.

Sophia jumped onto the platform, trying to shrug the feeling off.

Antonio came to her side, “Remember, Maya will take down anyone in your way. Just focus on grabbing that flag and getting back to us alive.”

Sophia nodded, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Gotcha.”

King Valaris settled the crowd and announced, “At the sound of the horn, this match will commence! Good luck to all competitors.” It was clear he had repeated this far too many times today. Though he spoke idly, his stare - focused on Sophia - was uneasy. He was worried for her.

Sophia had no doubt his nephews and niece were as well, but she refused to look their way. She didn’t think she could handle the pained look in their eyes, the ones she saw only yesterday.

“You’re fast, use that to your advantage,” Antonio was able to get in that last piece of advice before the blaring of the horn rang in her ears, her body instantaneously reacting by jolting forward.

From behind her, she could hear Maya call out, “Eye on the prize, I got the rest!”

As Sophia closed in the distance between her and the red flag she was able to get an idea of what the other team was doing. Two of the demons sprinted off the platform - one sprinting for their own flag, and one charging straight for her.

If it came down to her and the demon approaching her, Sophia didn’t believe she had a chance. It wasn’t like she had a weapon to aid her in a battle against such a burly man. “C’mon Maya…” She whispered to herself, not daring to slow down as the space between them lessened.

Sophia didn’t have to worry for long, because the demon came to an abrupt halt, his hands reaching for his neck as he struggled to breathe.

I know that feeling, bud,Sophia thought as she sprinted past him.And it isn’t a great one.

Sophia directed her attention to the flag and the blonde haired demon that still defended it, not wasting any time on the struggling demon she bypassed.Eye on the prize, eye on the prize…

As she jumped onto the platform the demon in front of her began to struggle in the same fashion as the one before him, allowing Sophia to grab the flag with ease.

Now all she had to do was return the flag. And with two members on the opposing team already dead, she knew her team had this match in the bag.

Sophia tried not to become overly confident too soon as she began running back to Maya and Antonio, who were currently finishing off the last standing demon.

Overcome with premature excitement over winning this match, Sophia failed to notice that the first demon she encountered, who was currently laying in the mud, was still alive.

So she didn’t expect it when his hand gripped her ankle as she jumped over his body, sending her sprawling to the ground.

She fell face first into the mud before he dragged her body back to him.

As soon as she found the opportunity she flipped onto her back, looking up at the demon she ignorantly assumed was already dead. “I’m going to kill you, you bitch!” He spat, readying his fist.

Before she had the chance to react she could hear Antonio’s gut curdling scream from across the arena.“Sophia!”

Then, with every ounce of power her small body could muster, she reached for the demon’s horns, pulling his head down to hers as she rammed her foot into his rib cage.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Sophia Brenning

Sophia groaned when the demon’s body went limp on top of her, his weight nearly crushing her. She defeated the threat to her life, but gods it was heavy.

With a groan, she pushed him off her, more mud finding a way to splatter onto her face when she did.

“Fia,are you okay?” She could hear Antonio’s panic stricken voice beside her as she sat upright. He sounded much more worried for her than she expected.

She looked up to him and nodded. “Fine. Could be better, but I’m fine.”

His eyes narrowed as if he didn’t believe her. “You almost died.” He said as if he could hardly believe his words when he spoke them, reaching for her arm and lifting her.

“Well, wearefighting in the Elaron Games, aren’t we?” She said as he began searching her body. If he was looking for wounds he wouldn’t find any. There was too much mud on her body to even distinguish between where her clothes stopped and her skin began. “Remember, we haven’t won yet. Do you want to bring this flag to our base?” She waved the flag she was still holding in the air.