Rising From The Ashes, The Vengeful Luna

Challenged: Liam POV

I did a roundhouse kick, hitting my opponent in the chin hard and causing him to stagger backward, a dangerous look on his face. Before he could recover, I lunged forward, thrusting the palm of my hand out and breaking his nose. I heard the vicious cracking sound and then blood began to spurt out, the man holding his nose, even as I kneed him in the stomach, and then hit him on the back of the neck with my elbow, forcing him to the ground hard. He was barely conscious now.

"Do you concede?" I growled.

I was in no mood for games. This man had seen fit to challenge me, thinking that he would be able to beat me in human form and he had lost spectacularly. I could kill him, but there would be no point. Now that he had lost the challenge, his pack was now mine. It had been too easy. So many Alpha's were arrogant enough to believe they could beat me and all of them had learned the hard way that I was undefeatable.

Alpha Tobias Roman of the Silver Linings Pack, a young pup with more brawn than sense, lay on the ground looking pathetic and woeful. He was only eighteen and yet had seen fit to challenge me. I shook my head in disgust, folding my arms across my chest and regarding him steadily. He panted, trying to breathe through his mouth.

"I concede" he squeaked.

I rolled my eyes. His pack looked at him in disgust. I eyed the men gathered around us, my Beta Toby keeping a close watch on the crowd along with my Gamma Autumn, but nobody looked on the verge of trying to attack or defend themselves against any of my men or warriors.

I addressed the crowd. "Your Alpha has lost the fight and the challenge that he issued me. As per the rules of combat, your pack is now part of my own. Where is the Beta and Gamma of the pack?"

The crowd looked uneasy. Finally, another man stepped forward, approximately the same age as this weakling pup on the ground. He bowed his head low.

"I am Beta Richard," he said lowly "we don't have a gamma" he explained tiredly.

No Gamma? That made things a little easier. I looked down at the defeated Alpha and then glanced back at Beta Richard.

"You didn't interfere why? Did you agree with the challenge when it was issued?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No Alpha Liam, I did not. I know your reputation" the young man stared at the ground "and I knew without a doubt that you would be able to beat our Alpha with all of your experience, even if you remained in human form. I tried to tell" he looked down at Tobias with a sigh "I tried to tell Alpha Tobias that, but he refused to listen to me."

So, the Beta at least possessed some common sense. Good. I could use him in my pack, although he would no longer retain his title.

"I will have you in my pack, providing you pledge your loyalty to me," I said calmly as the man's face paled "but you will no longer retain your title. You are too young to be of any use to me and" I nodded at Toby "I already have a Beta of my own and don't have the need for another."

"What about a Gamma?" he asked lowly.

I pointed to Autumn, stunning him. "My Gamma is more than capable of remaining in her position. She was handpicked by me."

"A woman?" he sounded incredulous. "Not many packs would dare to have a woman as a Gamma in their pack or allow them to have such a high position."

"My pack is anything but normal" I sneered "and I appreciate ability more than gender. Don't let her hear you say that either" I warned him "because she will bite and she will bite hard."

He swallowed, looking back at Autumn apprehensively. I smirked. He had no idea—none of them did—what Autumn was capable of, but they would see. She was a fierce warrior who would defend any of my pack members until her dying breath. She was also fiercely loyal. I did not regret giving her the position because she had earned it.

"What do you need me to do Alpha Liam?" the boy's voice is respectful.

Alpha Richard has yet to move off the ground, further indicating his weakness. The pack looks embarrassed by their Alpha, avoiding looking at him and looking at me instead.

"Help me to merge your pack with mine. Ensure that they will remain loyal. Anybody who gives a hint of not wanting to merge, or wanting to pledge their loyalty to me is to be banished as a rogue and left to survive on their own."

My words are cold. The Alpha has been so useless in this pack that his territory is overrun with rogues who have threatened this pack over and over again. Another reason I had willingly accepted the challenge. Those who could not defend or take care of their pack members did not deserve to be in charge.

"Yes, sir." Richard straightened his shoulders, looking relieved, Then, with a questioning look in his eyes, he glanced down at his Alpha. "What is to happen with the Alpha?"

At this, Alpha Tobias's eyes widened, and he managed to sit himself upright. I sighed as he began to clutch at me with desperate hands, the bleeding from his nose thankfully having stopped.

"Don't kill me" he pleaded, looking up at me wildly, his eyes beseeching. "Please, I'm only young. I didn't know better. I don't deserve to die. Please, I'll do anything. I'll willingly join your pack" he begged, "just don't kill me."

"Where is your pride?" I asked him, pulling his hands off me and looking at him with condemnation. "You are meant to be a powerful Alpha, and yet you are begging for your life. Aren't you embarrassed?" I snarled.

He swallowed hard. "I don't want to die" he whispered, hanging his head.

"You have two choices," I told him without sympathy.

He sensed my tone, and I saw his Adam's apple bob as he swallowed again, anticipating what I was about to say. I didn't have a reputation for being ruthless for nothing.

"What choices?" he stammered, his voice cracking.

So weak. So pathetic. How this pack had survived this long with such a weak pup, I would never know. I tried not to kick at him. I knew his parents were dead but that didn't excuse this type of behaviour. Alphas were more powerful than any other pack member. This pup was nothing like an Alpha, in any respect. It irritated me.

"You lost the challenge" I reminded him, narrowing my eyes "so I will give you two choices, which are both merciful in a sense. The first option" I paused and looked down at him "I can kill you now, quickly, breaking your neck and allowing your pack members to bury you with a small amount of dignity."

That is if the pack was even willing to at this rate.

"What is the second option" Alpha Tobia's voice was barely above a whisper now, the blood having drained out of his face.

I arched a brow. "You become a rogue and be banished from this territory which is now belonging to me. You have a chance at survival" I mused, glancing towards the forest and doubting he would last long by himself "but the chances of that are minimal and I doubt you have much in the way of survival training."

He flinched. Beta Richard was quiet, staring fixedly at the ground. He knew that he couldn't help his Alpha, none of the pack could. This was the consequence of losing the challenge. I refused to feel sorry for the arrogant pup.

"There's no third option?" Alpha Tobias's voice wavered.

"Those are it. Choose wisely. Try and live as a rogue and hope those that are living near this territory don't kill you when they recognize you to be a banished Alpha or have me kill you right here and now, allowing you to die a merciful death."

He began to quietly sob. "I don't want either."

I rolled my eyes. "Unfortunately, you don't get a choice. I will choose for you if you don't make your mind up" I informed him with a low growl "and if you know my reputation you know I tend to go for the killing."

He slowly stood up, eyeing his pack. "Isn't anybody going to help me?" he shouted incensed.

Silence. The pack turned their backs on him, causing him to look even further distressed. He looked on the verge of throwing a tantrum now. "After everything I've done for you all," he screamed "and now you're just leaving me to die."

"It's your fault we're in this mess" Richard spoke, the only one to meet his eyes. "You should have listened to me. As it is, our pack has lost so many lives because of your failed leadership. Pack members who didn't need to die the way they did. I suggest you make a decision" he nodded at me "before he does. At least as a rogue you stand a chance" he suggested, nodding at the forest as Tobias's shoulders slumped "and you might be able to make it. It's better than dying now, isn't it?" he bit out.

I cracked my fingers experimentally and the other alpha started. I almost laughed. He sniffled. "Rogue," he said quietly.

I glanced down at my watch. "You have thirty minutes to get off this territory, which is plenty of time in your wolf form. Otherwise, my men will hunt you down and kill you anyway for disobeying my rules. I suggest you hurry" I smiled at him coldly as he blinked at me "and don't waste time."

He backed away, glancing nervously at the forest. He shifted and then glanced back at his pack one more time, everybody refusing to meet his eyes, he began to run towards the forest, his head down low. Within moments he had disappeared. I exhaled and glanced at Richard.

"Get your pack out here. We start the merging now. I want everybody back at my territory within the next few hours and I'm not wasting time. Women, children, elderly, and all the men. Now" I instructed him.

He nodded, closing his eyes and beginning to mind-link. I nodded at my Gamma, who came to my side, handing me a goblet and a dagger.

"Everybody takes a sip," I said, beginning to cut across my palm "to link themselves to me. Babies have it smeared on the inside of their cheeks."

It was a blood oath, and it was binding. It also gave me the power to mind-link with all the new members of my pack. I watched as the pack began to gather in front of me, one by one, single file, Autumn beginning to hand the goblet out to the first person to approach me.

"I pledge my loyalty to the Bloodlust Pack and Alpha Liam Salvadore," the man said obediently, taking the goblet and swallowing one droplet as per the custom.

His eyes darkened for a moment and then returned to normal. He stepped to the side and then passed the goblet to the next. I watched as they all began to pledge, certain that nobody would be foolish enough to oppose me. I was right.