Elena''s POV


    I stood beside Prince Deacon with my head held high and my hand still on the stick, waiting for more things to unfold. Knowing Glenda and her stubbornness, I knew she wouldn''t ept her defeat so easily.


    My eyes narrowed when Glenda''s breathing became heavier. Her jaws clenched, and her hands balled into a fist on her side as if she were trying to control herself, but... she ended up still losing it.


    "I don''t believe this!" Her voice shook a little bit as she looked at Prince Deacon, but the hate and disgust in her voice were audible.


    "This was a setup, wasn''t it? You conspired with thatst challenger to make a fool of me-both of you!" she dramatically used, eyes wondering a few seconds as she nced at thest challenger and sent him a re.


    I wanted to roll my eyes at how defensive she was being right now. Even if she thought thest challenger was a setup, how would she exin how she terribly lost the duel with me?


    "Maybe she''s part of the so-called conspiracy..." Ava, my wolf, teased.


    I wanted tough, but I held out myself.


    "Really, Glenda? Instead of owning up to your loss, you''re making up more excuses?" Prince Deacon shifted his gaze and stared at her with so much disappointment that it was even leaking from his voice.


    She tried to open her lips to speak, but a smallugh finally escaped my lips, taking her attention.


    Looking at her with disbelief, Imented, "Honestly, Glenda, maybe it''s time to check your head. You''re grasping at straws now."


    Anyone would have backed away from shame, but I forgot she didn''t have that.


    She kept her head high and took slow menacing steps towards me. Stopping just a few steps away and almost aligned with Prince Deacon, she let out a smirk. "I mayck your skill, Elena, but I have merited from the southern front. And let''s not forget-I''m Bryson''s Luna. That''s a title you''ll never take from me. You may gain all the honors you like, but you''ll always be behind me, the first female general.''


    As she said those, she gestured me toward Bryson by swiftly ncing at where he was.


    I scoffed at her statements. Now, she wasn''t even afraid to broadcast how she took another woman''s husband.


    ncing back and forth between her and Bryson, I shook my head in disgust and told her with disdain radiating all over me, "Keep your title, Glenda. I''d rather not take a position that requires constant whining to keep. Bryson''s Luna? You can have it."


    "What did you say?" she asked, writhing in anger.


    Tilting my head, I smirked as I asked, "Oh, have you gone deaf as well?"


    "You!" she shouted angrily, raising her arm to point the finger at me.


    When she saw I didn''t even butter my eyelids at her child-like tantrum, she became even angrier, and I narrowed my eyes when I saw how her legs started bending down.


    "She''ll lunge at you!" Ava warned, but I kept standing still.


    "Let her be. I can take her on," I mindlessly replied.


    As if on cue, she started dashing froward and lunged toward me with her ws up


    in the air. Her eyes were red


    with a thirst for vengeance, and her fangs were slowly showing etween her lips.


    "I''ll teach you a lesson, Elena-"


    Her words and actions were halted, and a painful gasp reced them when Pre Deacon suddenly outstretched his arm.


    His handnded heavily on Glenda''s shoulder, making her drop to the ground until her legs went weak and her knees met the dirt.


    Prince Deacon remained standing beside her with his hand on her shoulder, effortlessly holding her down while she tried not to squirm from the pain the pressure he was giving her.


    "If you wish to stay in the North, I''d suggest you reconsider your choices. Because


    I won''t tolerate this kind of behavior, Glenda. No matter what your title might be,"


    he uttered in a dangerously calm voice that sent chills to Glenda, wondering how she squirmed.


    Her bloodshot eyes, filled with anger, immediately wavered and were reced with a glint of fear.


    And that was when I noticed blood slowly dripping down her shoulder. My eyes widened when I looked closer and saw that Prince Deacon had his ws out, and it was digging into her skin.


    "P-Prince Deacon..." Bryson came into the arena and knelt beside her.


    This time, he didn''t apologize on her behalf.


    By how calm and yet dangerous Prince Deacon looked right now, I don''t think anyone would dare even to speak to try and change his mind.


    The surroundings went quiet for a full minute before Pre Deacon finally retracted his hand and ws, causing Glenda to dash forward as her blood sshed onto the ground.


    Bryson caught her fast and supported her to prevent her from falling with his arm wrapped around her shoulder.


    Looking to the side, Prince Deacon ordered, "Tyson, arrange a medic for Glenda. Seems she may need a full assessment."


    "Yes, Alpha," Beta Tyson went forward, but before he could reach Gledna, Prince Decon continued, "Have them especially pay attention to her head. It looks like a few screws need some tightening."


    Upon hearing that remark, I pursed my lips as tight as I could, almost losing myself intoughing out loud. ncing at Glenda, she had an opposite reaction, though. She was red with anger and humiliation.


    She tightened her hold on Bryson and clung to him tighter as if a child telling on him. However, his gaze remained on me as if trying to say something.


    My eyes narrowed as I looked back at him, but my view of him was immediately blocked when Prince Deacon stood right in front of me.


    "This is over. Let''s go," he said, guiding me back to the camp tents as the other warriors dispersed.


    Once we arrived inside his tent, he grabbed a towel from his rack and dipped it in a basin of water he poured hot


    water into.


    "Did you think about killing her back there?" he asked as he handed me the hot towel.