Zira kept her calm gaze on the warrior in front of her. His cocky smirk was getting on her nerves to the point all she wanted to do was bite his head off. Well maybe just a little.
“No respect,” Nina said. Zira could see her pacing back and forth in her mind. She wanted to claw something bad. “Maybe we should show them who we are.”
“Oh really,” Zira said with a curious look at Alistar. "Don’t tell me you’re a fan of hers?"
"Of the whipping? Quite.” That got a few laughs. He must be enjoying himself, Zira thought as he smiled. “But a fan of Luna Alaia? Not really. Don’t get me wrong she was hot in that powerful witch kind of way but I can only handle so much crazy before it's…too crazy."
"And your problem with me?"
“Not a problem, just a weakness. We wouldn’t want a Luna who couldn’t protect herself or even…” Don’t you dare say it! “...her son.”
Whispers rushed throughout the crowd. Some looked angry at Alistar's obvious disrespect towards Zira, while others were excited about some action. It seemed everyone wanted to see what she would do. What would a Luna do in this situation? Getting Isaiah involved would squash this immediately, but Zira didn’t need help. No, she didn’t want it. Besides, things like this would quickly anger Zira, but she has learned through her travels to channel her anger into something more productive.
“What do you think you’re doing, Alistar?” Zira turned to see Zed staring daggers at Alistar.
“Calm down, pup. I’m just poking fun.”
“At my sister,” Zed growled.
“Can you blame me? The Alpha chose her as our Luna, right,” Alistar said, addressing the crowd around them. “We’ve already had a crazy Luna that almost destroyed us. Then we get another one that abandoned her mate at the mating ceremony. How do you expect us to feel any kind of loyalty when she can barely commit to the one person the Goddess made just for her?”
Zira laughed dryly, looking around to see some of them nodding and agreeing to Alistar’s comments. Instead of anger flashing across her face, she smiled.
“Zi…” Zed stepped up and Zira stopped him before turning back to Alistar.
“If you’re waiting for me to say sorry for looking for a way to save my son rather than becoming Luna, then you’re going to be waiting for a long, long time. That is for everyone who feels that way,” Zira directed to the crowd with an air of calmness. “As for the fact that the Alpha and I are not mated is between us, Alistar. I would appreciate it if you don’t involve yourself in my private matters.”
“That’s the thing, Zira,” Alistar said to her. “The Alpha and Luna’s relationship will affect the pack whether we like it or not. Together, they make the pack stronger. I’m just making sure we get a better, stronger Luna this time around.”
Zira could hear the shocked ‘oohs’ coming from the bystanders, and she couldn’t take it anymore. That was it!
“You seem to want to test that theory, Alistar?”
“By all means. My warriors deserve a little show after all their training,” Alistar grinned with a bow as he gestured to the open space. She happily obliged. She had enough bent up frustration to last the year and releasing it on an arrogant warrior seemed justified.
“Look Zi,” Zed started, “are you sure about this? He is really good. Like really good.”
Zira noticed a small worried look behind his eyes. It felt great to have him feel something other than hate from before, but she had to focus. She patted him on the shoulder.
“Your lack of faith in me is disappointing,” she smiled as she took off her halter hoodie and met Alistar in the open space.
“Please let me take him,” Nina growled.
“No. I don't want to hurt him, Nina, and we both know you could care less,” Zira said before focusing back on Alistar. He smiled, which only seemed to make Nina even angrier.
“Ok, Alistar,” she said with a hint of malice, “let see if you can show me what I could’ve done better.”
He huffed at me. “I would probably need more than just one day. I’m not a miracle worker.”
Some of the other warriors laughed but one look from Zira shut them up. She might seem calm but the energy surrounding them felt like little fireworks prickling their skin. They could probably see it in her eyes. She turned her gaze back to Alistar.
“I see,” Zira smirked, “that you’re all talk, Alistar.”
Alistar’s face darkened before he launched at her with a right hook. Zira sidestepped his arm and ducked underneath it, putting her at his back. He stopped short and whipped back to try to strike her with a back hand. She sidestepped again and they ended up back in the position they started in.
Alistar didn’t give her a chance to wait as he kicked towards her feet. Zira merely dodged each kick and turned it into a little dance. She would gloat but, on her journey, she got her ass handed to her enough time to actually pay attention when sparring. Alistar feinted one of his kicks and sent a jab towards her face. Zira gracefully moved out of the way just in time to push his arm back, making him spin a full three sixty.
“Hmph,” Zira smirked. “And here I thought you said you were one of the best. Are we going to dance all night?”
Alistar growled and attacked Zira again. This time he went for two jabs and a straight. He was throwing from his shoulders, meaning his foundation wasn’t as strong as it should be. He went for a right hook and Zira dodged to her left, putting an elbow into his face. His right hand struck out and connected to her face, knocking her sideways. Zira went down on one knee, swiping the small amount of blood from her lip.
This was starting to be fun, she thought, as she quickly got up in time to dodge his next crazy lunge at her. His claw missed her stomach by an inch and the momentum put his past her far enough for her to plant a left hook to the side of his face. He staggered back but she didn’t let up as she followed through from her hip and landed a perfect right to his jaw.
Quid pro quo, dick, she thought.
Alistar shook his head from the hit and massaged his jaw as he glared at her. She could see his eyes changing and that was what she was hoping for. Alistar came straight for her, and she played the defensive side. He was fast, but he wasn’t that talented. His form was weak, so she waited for an opening. When Alistar threw a right straight, she grabbed that arm, used his momentum to pull him forward while driving her knee into his gut. She finished it with a quick roundoff kick, letting go of his arm in the process.
Alistar flew back a few feet and bent over to catch his breath. Gasps spread throughout the crowd as Alistar glared at Zira. She didn’t gloat or even acknowledge the fact that she was winning. She knew this was far from over, so she kept her eyes trained on Alistar. Alistar came for her quickly and shifted into his wolf. She stood her ground and the moment he got close she dodged to the left as he almost collided with the other warriors.
Zira made eye contact with Zed. He was studying them fiercely and from his face she could tell Alistar was coming for again. She only glanced back briefly and silently prayed this would work. Alistar came after her and she ran towards Zed.
“Give me a boost,” Zira yelled at him, and Zed stood his ground, clasping his hands together.
With Alistar only a few feet behind, Zira had to act on this fast. She placed one foot in Zed's hands, and he launched her in the air, over Alistar’s wolf. Zira flipped over Alistar as Zed dodged out of the way and she landed on Alistar’s back. She barely had a chance to celebrate that it worked before Alistar went wild. Zira gripped his fur to hold on. She quickly wrapped her arms and legs around his throat and leaned hard to the side.
Alistar’s wolf fell to the side, thrashing just a bit before whimpering under the pressure. She knew this would work because it was done to Nina multiple times. This was the quickest way to make a werewolf submit. There was nothing he could do now.
“Holy shit,” one of the warriors exclaimed.
“She took him down without shifting.”
Zira stood up as Alistar shifted back into his human form. She held out a hand as he looked at it. He was angry while Zira bit back a smile. For a moment she didn’t think he would accept it, but eventually he did.
“That was amazing, Luna Zira.”
“Please show us that move, Luna Zira.”
“I want to take down Alistar.”
The crowd moved in on them, hammering Zira with praise and asking her to show them the moves she learned. After a few promised lessons, Zira was able to pull herself from the crowd and went after Zed who was sparring with someone.
For some reason, the men in her life always turn to training when they are mad at her. They should start thanking me for the muscles they pack on, Zira thought. Zed was in one-on-one combat with someone she didn’t think she would see here.