Stubbornness

ALPHA ROWLAND'S POV

I woke up feeling better than I had felt in a long time. I enjoyed laying with the new girl despite her stubbornness. She had been a virgin just as promised.

I stretched out and yawned. I was spent completely from our vigorous lovemaking. I needed food badly in my system. It was the first time I had exhausted myself completely with a woman and that was because I enjoyed her too much.

One of the maids brought in a tray for me. Inside was one of my favorite dishes and I ate the whole thing within minutes and requested more. This never happens and the maid was surprised by my request.

After replenishing part of my lost strength with food, I left the room for some hours of training in the pits. The smell of the dust, sweat, and blood mixed with the sound of swords clashing was as therapeutic to my soul as any healer’s herb.

I thrived in that environment and soon enough, I was starting to feel like myself once again. The exhaustion was gone completely by the time I dropped my training sword.

“What’s different?” Josh asked.

He cocked his head to one side and stared at me with an eager glint in his eyes.

“What are you on yapping about?” I raised a brow at him.

Josh was my Beta and one of the only men I respected enough to let get close to me in the pack. He was as deadly as he was playful. The only known flaws he had were women and booze and still, that didn’t stop him from being a force to be reckoned with.

“You’re glowing like crazy.” He said tapping his lip with a finger. “What am I missing?”

I told him about the previous night and how I had bedded the new girl I had bought. He listened quietly grinning from time to time. By the time I was done, he cursed and chuckled hard holding his side.

“What?” I asked, my face got red because of his reaction to what I had just said.

“Have you gone soft?” His words bit through me.

“What she did is unforgivable or do I have to spell it out? It should hurt your pride.” 

I got mad that instant because I knew he was right. Her insubordination had hurt my pride even though I had tried to hide it under the mask of enjoying the moment we had together. If word got out that a new sex slave of mine had opposed me and lived to smile about it then my reputation would suffer badly. I couldn’t let that happen.

"You're right." My face twisted in a gruesome scowl.

I ordered that she be brought immediately and in less than a minute, she stood before me.

She avoided looking me in the face which was a wise thing to do but it didn't change anything.

Josh watched her with interest as I climbed the elevated platform drawing the attention of all the warriors around the arena.

I gave her one final look. She was amazing with her long dark hair and big brown eyes. Such a waste, I thought bitterly.

"I have been insulted by my new slave. She stands before you all."

All eyes shifted from me to her and there was a low rumble and grumble from those around.

"As punishment, she would have to forfeit her life by midnight."

Her face crumbled instantly. She was afraid of what would happen to her which was understandable. She whispered something to herself.

"What was that?" I asked facing her.

She muttered under her breath. Her eyes had tears that were close to dropping.

"Speak out!"

"I just think it's unfair that you take my life without giving me a chance to fight back." She said shaking uncontrollably.

I sneered. "A thousand of you won't be enough to bruise my flesh."

She knew I was right and so did everyone around. It was pointless.

Her eyes glowed as she thought up an idea. It was pointless. I gestured for her to say her mind.

"I propose you give me the chance of having a champion that would fight in my place." She said causing talks all around the arena.

"Quiet!" I roared. She was more daring than I had imagined.

"Why would I agree to that foolishness?" I asked frowning at her.

"Be- Because if you don't then the people would think you fear my champion." 

She was right. I cursed internally as my anger grew. Josh smirked at her, clapping as if she had just performed an impossible task.

"Fine. And who is this champion you have chosen?"

"Sir Alvin Troy." She said calling the name of the strongest warrior in the land.

I smiled. I was going to enjoy destroying her once I won the fight.

"Agreed," I said walking away.

Josh gave me a mouthful back at my inner chambers. He told me how he thought the new girl was probably the most good-looking little thing in all the land. He was right of course. She had the type of body most men would go to war for without hesitation.

His annoying talks went on till I couldn't take it any longer. I yelled at him and dismissed him from my presence before I end up kicking his ass.

I had no fear that I was going to defeat Sir Alvin but I wanted to get it over with fast and put an end to that deviant pest.

An hour to midnight, the contest began. Sir Alvin was a duel sword user and his blade were the fastest things I'd ever seen in my life. I avoided his mad attacks during the first quarter of our fight and just when I noticed he was getting exhausted, I moved to a fierce counterattack. 

She stood not far away watching the battle that would decide her fate in less than an hour. She was as white with fear as a snowman ought to be.

It took a few minutes of constant charging to overpower Sir Alvin. I struck him on the shoulder with the hilt of my sword and he went down hard. He dropped his swords to show he forfeited but it was too late. I stabbed his neck and he choked on his blood till he stopped moving.

I was willing to cut off every form of defiance.

My guards ceased her and when I gave the order, they moved forward with her while she struggled. She cried and begged for them to set her free but it was too late for all that. She had given up any right she had to seek mercy. 

"Any last words?" I asked with a cocky smirk.

She bit her lips. "I'll come back for all of you!" Her tears made her sound silly. "I'll avenge my death." She said with a convincing glow in her eyes that made her have a fake heroic essence.

I drove my sword into her heart.

Just before her heart stopped beating, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. My eyes bulged at the realization of what I had just done. Mu wolf wept so loud, it clouded the existence of everything else.

I had just killed my mate...