I planned on getting some individual opinions before looking for the general answer. All I knew was that there was a war brewing amid these two villages and where it stood was important for me to know. Channing and Fang had an extreme brotherly relation, but they were not the general public. Knowing Suzan, she would give an honest opinion on it.

She thought about it a little, scratching above her eyebrows. “I don’t know. Channing and Fang share good relations so we pack members never really felt like we are preparing for the war”

It surprised me she knew Fang’s name and called him by his name. It was considered rude to address any Alpha who held the position, to be called by his real name. That did not apply to Channing, but she even called Fang casually. “Have you met Fang?” I couldn’t help but ask her.

Suzan shrugged, a little conscious of admitting she knew the Alpha of a village who was at war with our village, “Ya. Actually, I and Arina had accompanied Channing one night to patrol the village borders. We were surprised that Channing himself came, but then he crossed the border onto a crooked tree and talked with Fang for the entire night. So I have just seen his handsome face once, I still better about it than never having witnessed that angelic beauty”

Angelic? Fang was a demon. If she met him, she would say the same. The beauty was just to lure his prey until he grabs an opportunity to gobble it up.

“Didn’t you meet him during the case, Selene?” Suzan asked curiously.

“Huh” I turned to her, getting conscious about what influence Fang had on me. “Y-ya, actually we exchanged greetings and nothing else.” His name was also making me feel enraged. I had to change the topic, as this was not something that I wanted to know. “Suzan, has there ever been an attack?”

She laughed as if I said something ridiculous. “Never. We are too chilled out for that. Although yes Waterwoods is usually on high alert since their Alpha spends half of his month in the minister quarters of the castle,” Suzan was relaxed till she remembered something at the end of her sentence, “Actually the attack on Channing was the first one I know of. Now our entire pack is on alert about the Waterwoods pack”

The guilt washed on her as she went through her memories of the night Channing was attacked and no one went to save him, even she followed John then.

I placed my hand on her shoulder. I was not good at words, but I could tell she needed this comforting touch. Suzan looked glum for the first time to me, and she said, keeping her head still low as well as her voice, “I am sorry, Selene. That night e-even I was against your actions”

I sighed, “That’s okay, I would have felt the same.”

She hugged me uncalled for and my hands were stunned before returning her the hug. “You know, even I had noticed John taking the wrong path. The moment I saw you protecting Channing later, I knew you were right with your actions. I decided to side with you, no matter what, and hence followed you to prison. You were the only one who completed her duties that day. Thank you”

There was nothing else for me to say. I was honestly bad when it came to handling feelings, may it be mine or others.

We heard a knock on the open door and Suzan’s mother was standing there with a trolley to carry food. “I hope I am not disturbing your girls.” Suzan pulled away from the hug and went to help take the food trolley. Her mother left with a smile on her face. She looked truly happy watching Suzan with me.

Suzan served on a tiny table in the corner of her room. Her room was spacious, just like her five-bedroom duplex flat. My eyes observed it now on how her room had a subtle touch of ochre yellow, with the cupboard and bedsheets matched that colour, and the white walls were covered in stickers and posters on one side. I walked to the two-seater table touching the wall above which was a painting of a white horse.

“Selene!” Suzan gasped, looking at her watch, “eat up fast you have just 15 minutes left for the start of Stage two”

Instinctively, I checked my mobile and started eating fast. I ate just enough to replenish my energy, too much can make me puke even on one punch in the abdomen. Next was duels and getting sick or having pain in my stomach from exerting my body right after lunch was a no go.

On the training ground, everything was prepared for Stage two. They set a large square on the ground with a thick rope separating the fighting zone and the audience area. We almost ran here within the remaining time we had.

There was a matchboard on the far right designed with that hierarchical fight pattern. The names were being written by someone copying from a sheet of paper.

Suzan jerked me by my shoulder, “Look there, Arina”

“Woah, Suzan, do you want to dislocate my shoulder before the fight starts?” I asked, and she patted my shoulder as if it was nothing. “Arina!” She waved loudly, and it made everyone turn their heads to us. I sighed. Being with Suzan was like always being the centre of attention.

I met with my team. Technically, they were my rivals in this round, but it would be foolish of me to treat them like one if I was to become the Beta.

Sam called in from behind me, “Oh Selene, ready to get crushed by my muscles?” he childishly flexed his muscular biceps, pulling up his sleeve

I chuckled while looking at him, pumping them up and down, “wow, you look so scary Sam” And it had all of us laugh. Diana was nowhere to be seen but Arina and Sam were there, Connie had us all worried whether he was still sleeping because I know one thing, that man would sacrifice anything for his sleep.

In this sweet, happy moment, I heard the voice that had all the blood drain from my face. The sensual voice spoke right beside my ear, repeating Sam’s words, “Oh, Selene, ready to get crushed by me?”

I turned around to face Hailey. Such a saint smile coated her lips that it made her look scarier. She took one step forward and said, “I hope I am not scaring you just yet”