chapter 2

**Present **

Swat. Chafed knuckles. The atmosphere violently filled with bloodthirsty cheers- a few of those calling out for my blood.

Every muscle in my body buzzed, the blood in my ears a loud roar as my back slammed into the bars of the cage. I landed on my ass painfully, grunting behind my wolf mask. I welcomed the pain, the burning sensation that brought a whole different kind of clarity to me. The only kind that made sense.

A flash of flesh and I jerked my head- a large fist rushing past it a second later. His knuckles rammed into the metal bars and he growled in annoyance.

My opponent tonight was a giant. The dude was built like a mountain, two hundred pounds of werewolf muscle with a glare that was enough to send any lesser being running for the hills. But I've been on the receiving end of looks that could kill if they had a chance, mountain dude's glare couldn't hold a candle to them.

Too late, I realized I hadn't moved away from him. His foot struck out- my torso exploding with pain as the world spun, the lights overhead blaring and then vanishing as I went sprawling across the floor.

"Shit," I cursed, clutching the screaming muscles of my stomach. Concentrate. Picture it, picture him.

I leapt to my feet, narrowed my eyes at Giant man. And then I imagined it wasn't the growling werewolf's face I was seeing but Kane Wilder's, those pretty lips twisted in that imperious sneer. That taunting voice whispering against the shell of my ear: Mate? I don't want a pathetic omega. Trash.

I shivered. Felt my blood boiling at the memory.

Giant's roar rumbled through the air like an animal's battle cry. He barreled towards me, a raging bull going after the red cloth. A bit over the top if you considered the difference between our sizes. Of course he knew, as did everyone here, what I was capable of. I breathed in, gathering my fury, funneling it into my senses. I was in control here.

Here I was no omega.

Time slowed down, the thud of feet pounding to the steady beat in my chest. The crowd chanted, in tune to the beat, an intoxicating melody I could get drunk on forever.

Alpha. Alpha. Alpha.

My eyes drooped close. Time returned to normal- I raised my arm, caught the punch aimed at my face. I shuddered from the force of the hit, I was going to get a lot of bruises tomorrow. I didn't pause for the pain, fisted my free hand and pummeled his stomach before he could get in another hit. It wasn't very effective- but he staggered back a bit and I was a step behind him, throwing my whole weight into the next fist that hit his chest. Bones cracked. Mine among them.

I saw it then, the flash of fear in his beady eyes. I couldn't hold back the bark of laughter, reveling in it, letting him take hold of my arm.

Then I had his wrist, twisted it, swinging my feet at his knees. The impact of my skinnier leg against his muscled ones popped another few bones and this time I was choking back tears. But his legs fell were out from beneath him and he was on the floor. I clenched my teeth, feeling the dampness of tears join my sweat stained face as I straddled him, ignoring the abnormal way my foot was twisted. The numbness in it. Stared down at the Giant.

The crowd was going wild.

I raised my fists, imagined the man beneath me was my mate, and beat the shit out of him.