billion book
Chapter 42
Chapter 0042 ASHANTI’S POV. “Alpha Reagan.” I call and take a small step forward. His muscles relax. His features lose their tension. “I wouldn’t want you to insult your skills by having a duel with someone as inexperienced as me. Why don’t you chose someone else who’s al little up to your standards to have a duel with? This will be a complete waste of your time?” My eyes are glued to his chest and I’m intertwining my fingers as I utter those words. I am challenging the Alpha. An abominable thing for me to do, but I won’t die. without at least trying to save myself. “I commend your efforts for trying to change my mind about having this duel with you. However, my mind has been up. I’m having this duel with you, Everyone here speaks very highly of your skills. Even Kyle himself has persuaded me time and again to do this with you so I see for myself what they are all talking about, so I have finally decided to swallow my pride and do as told.” My eyes flick around and I’m inwardly cursing everytime I accepted their praises about my skills. I wish I could turn back the hands of time and pretend to be the weakest weakling in this place so this moment will never come. “But… you’ll crush me.” I whimper. “Only if you let me.” Only if I let him? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I shudder with fear when he gestures for me to get into the circle. “After you.” His emotionless voice instructs. I give Delta Kyle a hard glare before stepping Into the circle. He’s the reason why this is happening. If he had not challenged Alpha Reagan, I would not be about here, about to face my end. If I die, I swear I’m going to kill him. I almost evaporate into nothingness when Alpha Reagan joins me in the circle. He’s standing a few meters away from me, both hands behind his back. and his feet slightly apart. His emotionless gaze
is focused on my heated face. “You know your safeword, don’t you?” “Strawberry?” “Let’s hope your skills are as good as your memory.” My head starts spinning when he drags the sleeves of both sides of his tracksuit up to sticking points on both his elbows and bundles his fists in a blow. I clear my throat and do the same, taking a defensive pose. “You will be attacking, Ashanti.” He points out. I swallow and nod my head, changing my stance. With both fists clenched and away from my face, my left fist further in front, I try to read his body language. I try to look for a weakness, a point where I can strike, but no matter how hard I look, I don’t see any. My fear is blinding me! “Ashanti, you need to get that fear out of your head and attack me. I’m just like any other soldier you’ve had a duel with.” “You are the Alpha.” I hiss back at him, still trying to find the perfect opportunity to strike him unaware. “So what?” His body relaxes. “I don’t have two horns on my head, do I?” Got it! “Do look like a mons…” A heavy blow in his rips cuts off his words and I’m about to drive another fists into his jaw, but he holds my hand midway and flips me in the air, putting me on my back on the floor. One hand on my right arm is enough to nail me to the floor. I can’t even move a single muscle. He looks down at me and chuckles. “You distracted me in order to launch your attack.” “I couldn’t see any weakness. I had to improvise.” “Which is impressive.” He lets go of my arm and I instantly jump on my feet, feeling more courageous and ready to go at him. “Improvise more, because you’ll never see a weakness to use against me.” And he was right. There was no weakness I could use against me. He beats me ten rounds on ten and by the time the final whistle blows, I’m panting and angry because I haven’t made his back touch the floor even once!
That has never happened to me before. I always make my opponent touch the floor at least two times. My pride has been deeply wounded. “That was impressive. Now I understand what the hype is all about.” “No, it’s not!” I stubbornly deny it. “You beat me ten rounds on ten. That’s a disgrace.” “You resisted ten rounds. Most people say their safeword at the fifth or sixth round. It’s not always about winning. Resilience has a big role to play in the battle field.” “What’s the essence of being resilient when you can’t win in the end?” “It keeps you alive to fight another day.” My mouth seals shut. “You are amazing.” Something like a smile tugs at the corner of his lips, but the dissapears the moment it forms, but I know it was there. I consider that a smile from him. As I watch him step out of the circle, an overwhelming feeling takes over me and before I know it, my left arm is circling his right, while my right hand tries to flip his body over mine, to the floor, but the within a second, the tables turn and I’m the one spinning in the air and landing on the floor. My eyes shut close and a scream escapes my throat as I prepare for the impact of my head hitting hard against the floor, but it never comes, because my head falls on soft flesh that cubes it protectively. My eyes snap open and I’m greeted with Alpha Reagan’s mesmerizing brown eyes that are staring down at me like I’ve lost my mind. “Ashanti, you really wanted my back on the floor at all costs, didn’t you?” RIP my pride. I slam my eyes shut and inhale sharply, his scent feeling my nostrils and dancing its way into my mind. His strong masculine smell almost makes me moan. “Can’t a girl be ambitious?” My eyes flutter open again after mourning my crushed pride. I drown in his charming brown eyes. “Of course she can.” He gently pulls his hand underneath my head and offers it for me for me to hold and get on my feet, but I hesitate to take it.
I don’t like how quiet it is around here. Everyone is looking at us, completely mortified by what they are withnessing. “Are you taking my hand or not?” His voice brings me back to our conversation. I look up at his large palm that’s stretched above me. I try to scan it to see if it’s bruised as a result of the impact, but it looks unscathed. Alpha Reagan actually saved me from hurting my head. I would have definitely had a concussion if I had hit my head on the floor with such a great impact. Lesson learned; Never try to take an Alpha unaware because he is never unaware. His hand swallows mine once I finally decide to accept his help and he drags me to my feet. The moment I get my balance, I drop his hand like it suddenly shocked me and take several steps away from him. “From now on, anyone who wants to have a duel with you needs to take permission from me?” “What? Why?” “Because you are my permanent duel partner.” Kil. Me. Now.