Akila's eyes fluttered open, and she was greeted by the harsh sound of knocking on her rusty metal door.
"Open the damn door! Akila!" A man's angry voice boomed on the other side of the door, followed by a low angry growl.
She groggily got out of bed, her battered body protesting the movement. She limped towards the door, her bruised leg aching with every step.
Lexine managed to heal most of her bruises, but some pain remained.
There was only so much her wolf could do in such a short time when she was asleep, and her healing abilities weren't like the other wolves in the pack.
Lexine needed a considerable amount of time to heal her. Even a cut on her hand took about a week to heal, and with the constant abuse she received, she always had bruises on her body, so much so that she had even lost count.
As she reached the door, she hesitated for a moment before opening it.
On the other side of the door stood Donel, the Gamma of AlphaDante's pack. His piercing gaze seemed to bore into Akila's very soul, and she felt a shiver run down her spine.
"You should answer the door quickly when I knock, or you'll get it," he warned, his voice icy and mean, and his tone filled with dominance.
His wolf growled lowly to prove his point.
She looked down and nodded, something she had learned to do to avoid getting beaten up, but trouble seemed to follow her everywhere as Donel grabbed her by the jaw, a hard slap landing on the side of her face.
She hissed, her ear ringing as she fell to the floor.
"Answer me!" he urged angrily.
"Y-yes," she responded, her voice barely above a whisper as tears stained her eyes, threatening to leak out of her.
He gave her a mean glare. The hatred in his eyes suffocating her.
"The Alpha demands your presence in the training grounds," Donel said, his voice cold and commanding, before he turned, walking away as though nothing ever happened.
She quickly got to her feet, knowing better than to refuse or hesitate. She followed Donel out of her cell, her heart racing with anticipation and fear.
As Akila was dragged to the training grounds by Donel, she caught sight of Alpha Dante sitting on his throne, a regal and imposing figure.
Beside him sat another Alpha, his presence commanding attention and respect.
Akila's gaze flickered to Princess Leah, Alpha Dante's sister, who stood before the two Alphas in her battle apparel.
Leah's armor gleamed in the light, and her eyes seemed to burn with a fierce intensity.
Akila's heart sank as she realized that this might be more than just a routine "training" session.
The presence of another Alpha and Princess Leah in battle gear suggested that something significant was about to unfold.
She was about to be beaten up again to be more precise.
The training grounds were buzzing with spectators. Donel pushed Akila forward, forcing her to stand before Alpha Dante and the other Alpha, and a few feet before Princess Leah, and bowed to the two Alphas before her without making eye contact with them.
"I greet you, Alphas," she said softly.
Alpha Dante's eyes narrowed as he looked at Akila, and he sneered at her battered appearance. Alpha Dante nodded, a cruel smile spreading across his face.
"The opponent is here, now. The match should begin," Alpha Dante said in a bored tone.
As he spoke, Princess Leah stepped forward, her eyes fixed intently on Akila.
Princess Leah was a beautiful she-wolf with light ash blonde hair and soft, silky skin. But as beautiful as she was, she had a nasty temper.
She was just as cold as her brother, Alpha Dante.
Akila bowed before the princess before Leah stepped closer to her.
"Don't just stand there and take it. Let's give them a good show," Princess Leah said, twisting Akila's wrist, she hissed in pain, but she nodded nonetheless.
Akila's eyes met Leah's, and she knew that she was facing a formidable opponent.
Princess Leah was not one to be underestimated, and Akila would need all her strength and all the fighting tricks she had up her sleeve to survive this match.
The air was electric with tension as the two opponents faced off, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The match was about to begin, and Akila steeled herself for the battle ahead.
The match began, and Princess Leah charged at Akila with a fierce determination. She landed a solid punch on Akila's jaw, sending her crashing to the ground.
The spectators erupted in a roar, their cheers and jeers filling the air as Akila rolled a couple of times, struggling to get back to her feet.
Leah took advantage of Akila's momentary disorientation, pouncing on her with a flurry of kicks and punches.
Akila tried to defend herself, but Leah's attacks were relentless, and she stumbled backward under the onslaught.
She make it look like she was actually fighting and not just getting beaten up, but Leah came at her too strong and too quick, she couldn't block all of her attacks.
It wasn't her fault... Leah was trained by the best warriors of the pack. She could probably hold her own against the giant looking Gamma, but Akila was just a runt....
The slave of the pack, who only learned how to fight from being beaten up since she was young.
She mostly learned to block or avoid getting hit, never had she learned to fight back.
Despite her battered body, Akila refused to give up.
She gritted her teeth and launched herself at Leah, determined to take her down.
But Leah was too strong, too skilled, and she easily countered Akila's attacks.
The fight continued, with Leah having the upper hand. She landed blow after blow, each one sending Akila crashing to the ground.
But Akila refused to stay down, getting back to her feet each time, her determination and resilience driving her forward.
