<h4>Chapter 24: Combat ss II.</h4>


    Ang didn’t get another chance to speak. She wouldn’t dare after what happened earlier. Fear gripped her chest, and she knew if she said anything else, her punishment might get worse. And if it did, Alex would suffer too.


    The students were silent as they watched her and Alex walk to the middle. Once again, she had be the center of everyone’s attention, a puppet for their cruel games.


    "You will start in twenty seconds," Samuel said, moving aside.


    There was no doubt now. This stage belonged to her and Alex.


    Ang looked up at therge time board on the wall to her right. Ten seconds left. Her mind was nk. She didn’t know what to do or how to even begin.


    Alex, who had refused to fight her earlier, now stood ready. His stance shifted...right foot back, left foot forward, hands up, body still. His eyes locked on hers, but the warmth she once saw there had vanished.


    Now, they burned with something else-bitterness, betrayal, and pain.


    She knew why. He med her for this, and she didn’t me him in return. He had every right to feel that way. If only she had kept quiet, maybe none of this would have happened.


    Ang nced at the board again but didn’t have time to count.


    "Now!" Renn’s voice rang out across the room.


    Before she could even react, pain exploded through her face. A punchnded hard and fast, sending her crashing to the floor. Shended on her butt, the impact knocking the breath out of her.


    Her head throbbed so badly that her vision blurred. She saw nothing but darkness and a thousand stars swirling behind her eyes.


    She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her teeth. The pain was too much to bear.


    Ang had always known she couldn’t fight Alex. Renn knew it too. But still, he threw her in. Not for training. Not to teach. But to punish.


    He was still angry about yesterday, and this was his way of making her pay.


    "Get up or get ready for what’sing," Renn warned, his voice firm as he walked behind the line of students who stood watching for the first time.


    Ang couldn’t see him clearly, but his voice rang in her head like a bell that refused to stop. She knew she had no choice. If she didn’t get up now, she would regret it for the rest of her life. With all the strength she could gather, she pushed herself off the ground and stood.


    Maybe she was doing this all wrong. Maybe the real problem was in her head. Alex was a werewolf, and from the start, she believed he was stronger, faster, and untouchable. She kept thinking that someone like her, a human girl, could never defeat someone like him. But that mindset was killing her.


    Still, she couldn’t let herself give up. She didn’t want to hurt Alex. None of this was his fault. It was hers. Her mouth got them into this, and now they were both paying the price. But if she held back much longer, she might not make it to the end of the fight.


    So she gathered what was left of her courage and charged forward with everything in her. But just when she thought she had him, Alex bent his body, and she missed himpletely.


    Her bnce gave way, and she crashed to the floor once more.


    Shock rushed through her body. And then came the sound she feared most-theughter of the other students. Theyughed loud and clear like it was some kind of joke that she couldn’t evennd a single punch.


    Ang stayed on the ground, breathing hard. Pain burned in her left knee where she hadnded. It throbbed badly, and it felt like something inside it wasn’t right. She didn’t even know if she could get up again.


    Then her eyes met Alex’s. He wasn’tughing. He just stood there, staring at her with a look that broke her heart even more.


    He looked sorry. Truly sorry. But he was part of this now, just like she was.


    "I think he should stop," Samuel said with concern in his voice. But Renn was not ready to end it. He was enjoying what was happening and wanted to drag it out, make the show even more painful for her.


    "Stop ying, Alex. Finish the boy and let’s get this over with," Alpha Renn said coldly.


    Alex gave a small nod and shifted his weight, getting ready for the next attack. He waited as Ang slowly pulled herself together, forcing her weak body back to her feet.


    She wondered what would happen if she chose to give up now. But then she looked up and caught Renn’s re. It was sharp and cold, and it told her everything she needed to know. He wasn’t done. Not until she paid for what she did yesterday. He wanted her broken.


    Ang decided she would take it all if that was what it would take to end this. Her legs were shaky and her body screamed in pain, but she stood. She raised her fists, not sure they could do anything, but she lifted them anyway. She waited for Alex’s next move. She thought maybe she could dodge, just like he had done before.


    Alex threw his punch, just as she expected.


    But what followed was worse than she imagined.


    A wave of darkness covered her face as the hitnded. Her vision blurred, her head spun, and then everything went ck. No sound, no light, no thought.


    It was finished. And she knew it.


    ******


    Author’s Note:


    Hello Everyone,


    Thank you all for reading this book. The support so far it’s amazing. Eachment, power stone and golden ticket means a lot to me. It gives me reason to keep writing.


    However, I won’t be updating daily. I am writing using my phone(not something I’m used to) because myptop is faulty. Phone writing slows me down. Hopefully, this month if I earn well, I will be able to get a newptop and start daily/mass release for this book.


    For now, please managed the Chapters I release. Not daily, But I will try my best to keep up four times a week.


    Thank you so much.


    Love you guys alot!