My old man didn't have anything to say about Eric and I, and I thank God for that. Everything was great until he saw my bandaged arm. He ended up taking me to the hospital that afternoon but my doctor's appointment ended up being scheduled some time during the first week of December so I had to walk around with a splint over my hand till then, but having a few broken bones didn't stop me from accepting a challenge.

It was Schuyler Leblanc that had called me out during lunch that Wednesday. I was making my way to the library when it happened and he was just standing in the front near the office where most of the kids would stand during lunch. He saw me walking and strolled forward, planting himself right in front of me with the biggest shit eating grin on his face.

"You're Vincent aren't you?" he asked, licking his lips as he smiled at me.

I will admit that back in sixth grade I used to have a crush on him. Could you blame me though? Blonde hair, blur eyes, charming smile, and let's not forget he's rich.

Then sophomore year happened, and I was suddenly the center of attention as some of the other kids in class started getting curious about the newly turned wolf. I went from that hot-headed pup who started fights with whoever whenever to a full fledged wolf who could call anyone in his own right... And Schuyler took notice.

Being a senior and eighteen he was just now starting his changes. I could smell it on him as his scent was now much stronger. The guy was freshly changed and yet he’d already had nearly a dozen different fights in the past week since he started. I don’t know if I was relieved or offended that he hadn’t tried to challenge me sooner but here he was now.

He had no real reason to pick a fight with me though. Most guys like him only fought me cause I had enough credit for them to get recognized but not enough to be considered a real threat since I was still pretty young. The basic logic of literally every upperclassmen I've ever challenged. But with Sky it was different seeing as he’d fought guys twice his age, so his only reason for picking a fight with me had to be because he just didn’t like me. And that one… maybe seventeen hundred or so times we’d gotten into little alterations throughout our middle and high school years.

Honestly it’s a wonder he waited so long to challenge me.

"Yeah. Who wants to know?" I cocked my head to the side as I smiled back.

"Me. I'd like to make a proposal." He crossed his arms over his chest. The crowd started to grow as more kids finished up their lunches. Nice, an audience. He definitely was gonna enjoy that.

"Let me guess, you wanna take me out for coffee after school. Sorry but you're not really my type," I said, taking a slow step back as a few girls behind me started to laugh.

"Very funny Vincent. You know exactly what I stopped you for. I wanna challenge you. You and me, after school at the pool," he sighed, lip curling up at me.

"Sure. It's a date." I reached forward to pat his shoulder. "But not like... A real one. Don't wanna send you any mixed signals."

"Get you fucking hands off me," he growled, jumping back.

Chuckling to myself I shook my head. I wasn't really all that confident in myself though. It was more of a front than anything. I saw what his two older brother had done to other wolves at the pool on the rare occasion where I got to witness their fights. They were ruthless.

What they say about wolves and pack mentality is all a lie though, at least for wild wolves, but in the case of those in captivity it is. You take a bunch of wolves from different packs and force them together they will inevitably clash and begin to create their own hierarchy. The same can be said for both humans and werewolves. We feel the need to create these figure heads and place them on a pedestal to give ourselves a sense of security and order and inevitably end up fighting over said position.

Challenges were like a wolf's version of a campaign, a way to get recognized, to attract the attention of potential pack brothers. No one had the guts to actually challenge an existing alpha for the position let alone the son of an alpha lest they incur his wrath but I wasn't gonna pass this up, not even with my fucked up hand.

Eric wouldn't like it but he'd have to deal, I told him I was gonna be an alpha and couldn't do that hiding in the house and turning down every challenge that came to me. Maybe once he started his changes he'd understand.

I wasn't surprised to hear kids, even the humans, asking me questions later on throughout the day. During group projects they'd stop to ask me if I was really gonna fight Sky Leblanc after school.

"You know his dad's a drug dealer right?"

"I hear he killed people."

"Do you really think you can beat Sky?"

"You have a death wish don't you."

I was glad once last hour came around cause no one in that class really talked to me except this Alana chick and Eric. Alana was already turned halfway around in her seat once I came in, waiting to ask me what I already knew she was.

"Ay man is what people been saying really true. You're seriously finna fight Leblanc?" she whispered as the teacher came back into the classroom, closing the door for the start of class.

"He’s doing what?" Eric snapped his head up, gaping at us.

"People been saying he got challenged by Sky Leblanc during during lunch. A lot of the regular kids even said they were gonna go watch," Alana explained, pushing her braids out of her face.

"Toby." Eric frowned at me, but he looked more disappointed than angry with me this time. And honestly that hurt a lot more.

"Eric I already said yes, I can't back out now," I explained before he could say anything.

Up front the teacher, Ms.Duval, shushed us. Rolling my eyes I ignored her.

"You just broke your fingers in the last fight," he argued, gesturing towards the splint on my hand.

"Aw yeah," Alana snapped her fingers. "I've been meaning to ask about that."

"I tackled this kid and while I was on top of him I tried to punch him in the face but he moved at the last second and I ended up punching the ground," I explained.

"Damn. You must have been trying to hit his ass hard, huh?"

Eric shot her a glare before turning to me. "You're seriously gonna do this? Toby I thought I told you already, you can't keep doing this."

"I can and I will Eric, end of discussion," I snapped, turning around in my seat.

His jaw dropped as he stared at me, looking a little hurt. I ended up apologizing but he didn't accept it, brushing me off and he didn't even bother to speak to me for the rest of class.

I wasn’t surprised that he didn’t come to watch me. He used to back when I first started this and he was afraid to leave me to walk alone in case one of these fights ended with me getting my legs broken or my ribs kicked in but after a while he stopped in a sort of boycott to get me to stop. He even threatened to end our friendship and never talk to me again… you can see how that turned out.

We were are still just getting out of school and the crowd was bigger than usual. I thought they were starting to get bigger with a lot of guys coming out to watch me fight, some people had even started placing bets but they were here for Sky. Just getting in the ring with him would be enough to get recognition, imagine how much I’d get if I made it out of the fight without too many scratches.

I took off my jacket and draped it over the rail at the steps. Sky stood just where the concrete dipped in a jagged slope where the end would be, icy blue gaze following me as I approached. I was excited. Despite all of my experience I was still a little worried but I was excited nonetheless. I was about to fight the son of an alpha. Nobody in their right mind would pass that up. (maybe I’m in the minority on that but still.)

“You came,” he said, smiling at me, swaying on his feet in anticipation.

“Is that an innuendo? Cause honestly I will admit I’m slightly turned on by this but again, you’re not really my type,” I said, hiding my nervous shaking with humor. I could feel a slight buzz in my fingertips. I don’t think I’ve ever been this excited for a fight since that time I finally got a challenge from someone his age and won.

“Very funny Vincent.” He sighed, cracking his neck and knuckles, before rolling his shoulders back.

“Just funny. Come on you have to admit that was pretty clever, but I’ll stop messing with you now. You’re mad enough already, I know when to quit.” Balling my hands into a fist I got down, poised to pounce. “We can start whenever you want.”