Chapter 216


    Alora was leaning back, her hands braced next to her hips on the bench. Her legs stretched out in


    front of her with her ankles crossed. Alora’s hoodie had fallen off her shoulders and was midway


    down her biceps. Alora tilted her head one way then the next, stretching her neck muscles.


    Down in the arena, thest fighter of the Scout ss defeated his opponent, earning a rank


    advancement to the Beta ss. The buzzer went off, the music stopped, and the light brightened


    up all over the stadium.


    “We will go into a twenty minute recess now, before we continue with the Rank advancement


    challenges from the Enforcer ss. Please take this time to cather food and drink, stretch your legs


    and use the facilities “The announcer boomed out over the stadium.


    Alora was blinking, and sympathized with Garret when he said, “Goddess I forgot how bright these


    lights were after being in the dark for so long”


    Everybody stood up and stretched their stiff limbs, letting out moans and groans of both relief and


    pain. While stretching, Serenity, with her brothers following closely behind, ran up the steps to their


    row,


    Darien lit up like the sun the moment his gazended on Serenity: Aloraughed as the watched


    Darien bound over to Serenity like an excited pup. He scooped up Serenity and squeezed her to


    him while she gizzled and hugged Darien back.


    Galen and Kain had matching expressions of annoyance at their sisters antics. Alora, amused and


    curious, got closer to the twins.


    “What’s with the dark looks?” Alora asked them teasingly.


    Behind Alora, the rest of the Alpha ss was demanding an introduction from Darien.


    “The moment the light went on and the announcer said recess, Serenity was out of her seat and


    running up here.* Galen grumbled, looking slightly embarrassed.


    “She should have waited for the announcer to finish speaking before jumping out of her seat.


    Instead, she decaded she would rather act like a hooligan.” Kain crossed his arms and our eyebrow


    twitched.


    Jason walked up behind Alora in time to hear what his cousins were saying. He was highly amused


    and knew Alora to be when the burst intoughter. Alora’s voice was like music, the notes were


    filled with her emotions.


    Those emotionden notes wrapped around those in hearing distance, filling them with Alora’s


    feelings of amusement. Jaxon could almost see them, it was interesting.xon also saw the


    emotions in the eyes of his twin cousins.


    He knew what those looks meant, because he was feeling the same emotions those looks spoke of


    Kain and Galen had the Alpha they wanted to serve as their Delta Enforcers. Then Galen and Kain


    finally noticed Jaxon was behind Alora and waved a hello at him.


    Jaxon nodded, acknowledging their greeting. “Did you two see that Sarah challenged Alora?” He


    asked the twins.


    Kain and Galen looked at Alora with matching expressions of surprise. “Really?” They asked in


    unison.


    Alora nodded. “She did.”


    “How do you feel about that?” Galen asked Alora.


    Alora shrugged, then with a half grin said, “I’m kind of looking forward to it.”


    “That’s if Sarah even wins her first fight.” Serenity said, her voiceing from behind Jaxon.


    Jaxon and Alora turned to look at Serenity at the same time, but it was Jaxon who asked. “What do


    you mean?”


    “Sarah, while ranked in the top five of the Enforcer fighter ss, has to fight someone in the top five


    of the Delta ss or the Beta ss in order to fight Alora.” Serenity exined.


    “Why?” Garrett asked.


    Hand on her hips, Darien’s arm around her shoulders, Serenity huffed adorably as she red at the


    others. “Were none of you paying attention to our VP while she was exining the rules of the


    challenge?”


    1/3


    her first fight.”


    Every male of the Alpha ss but Darien started to shuffle and look off in a different direction with


    various expressions of guilt.


    “It’s not that they were not paying attention to our VP.” Alora said, and all heads snapped in her


    direction, their expressions now abination of panic and embarrassment. “It’s that they were


    paying attention to how gorgeous our VP is, instead of what she was saying.”


    Serenity’s re had more than one male look at her with apologetic faces. With a snort she said. “It


    figures.” With a shake of her head her gaze focused on Garret and began to exin,


    “The rules are… you are allowed to challenge two fighters to advance your rank. For your first fight,


    the fighter you challenge can’t be ahead of you by more than two fight sses. They also must be


    within five rank cements of your own rank in your fight ss. If you win your first challenge, the


    rules of the challenge will adhere to your new fight ss and tank.”


    “What happens if you fail your first challenge?” Mason asked,


    Serenity turned to Mason to answer. “If you fail your first challenge, and your second challenge is


    outside your current fight ss and rank, your second challenge will be canceled, and you won’t


    advance.”


    Lexus raised a hand, his fingers half curled. “What happens if you win the first, but fail the second?”


    Turning her head. Serenity again looked directly at the one who asked her a question and


    answered. “If you win the first challenge, but fail the second, you remain in the same fight ss and


    rank that you advanced to in the first round.”


    “Meaning Alora will only get to fight Sarah if she wins her first fight.” Jaxon said with a sigh,


    repeating Serenity’s earlier statement.


    “Exactly.” Serenity said with a bright smile.


    “Did anyone see who Sarah’s first challenge was?” Mason asked.


    “No, I only happened to look because it had Sarah challenging Alora.” Jaxon said.


    Several more “nos’ter and everyone looked at Serenity with questioning expressions. Serenity


    looked at each one of them in turn in silence.


    Finally, Serenity shrugged and said, “I think Sarah was wanting to y it safe so she could


    challenge Alora. Her first fight is with the fourth ranked Sighter of the Delta ss”


    Jamison let out a startledugh, and when everyone turned his way exined. “I only know who the


    male is that you are talking about, because he is in my science ss. I caught him and Sarah doingProperty ? N?velDrama.Org.


    the deed in an empty ssroom one day.”


    “Ew.” Serenity said, cringing.


    “Doesn’t surprise me.” Alora said cidly.


    “This means Sarah’s notpletely stupid, she made a n.“ Lexus said with a stony expression,


    crossing his arms over his chest.


    “Sarah’s plenty stupid, believe me, but she also happens to be a conniving bitch on top of it.” Alora


    said in a caustic tone.


    Darien let out a derisive snort and said, “Sarah is the definition of every nasty insult she has hurled


    at Alora over the years.”


    “Ah! You mean Sarah is throwing stones from a ss house”mison said.


    Alora let out a shortugh. “That’s as good an exnation as any.”


    “All right everyone, enough talking unless we are walking. I am hungry and thirsty, and we have


    already used up seven of our twenty minute break just standing here,” Garrett said, waving his hand


    in a gesture for everyone to start moving.


    With a little bit of maneuvering, Darien wound up in the middle of Alora and Serenity. Serenity was


    cuddled up into Darien x side, with his arm stapped around her. Alora was casually strolling along


    his other side, hand in the pockets of her hoodie


    Behind them was Kain, Jason and Galen, behind them was the rest of the Alpha ss. They made


    their way down to the ground level where the food courts were.


    “What are you in the mood to eat Darien asked Serenity.


    “I’m thinking of a couple of Chicago style hot dogs, with a basket of fries.” Serenity said, while


    rubbing her belly.


    Darien chuckled, then he turned to Alora and asked the same question. Serenity’sment on hot


    dogs sparked a desire in Alora for some of her own. “I want dow New York style hot dogs, with an


    order of Jpeno poppers.”


    There was a gagging sound behind her with a muttering of “Sauerkraut, bleck.”


    Alora looked back at Mason, narrowing her eyes a little. “I happen to like sauerkraut on my hot dog


    and a few other things.”


    “But never on its own.” Darien added.


    Masori grimace. “How can you like that stuff?”


    “On a hot dog with spicy brown mustard and onion relish.” Alora responded in a dry tone, making


    several in theirrge groupugh.


    “Yeah well, I will stick to a nice normal chili cheese dog with fries, nothing fancy.” Mason responded.


    “I’ll find a California style dog and a Mediterranean sd.” Jamison said, gaining a couple of funny


    looks.


    “Whats a California style hot dog? Lexus asked.


    “Ites on a toasted bun with a grilled all beef hot dog, sliced avocados, tomatoes, and crumbled


    feta cheese.” Jamison replied.


    “Quit judging rach other’s food choices and let’s just get to ordering our food,” Jaxon said.


    They all managed to get their food ordered and received. With drinks and food in hand, the group


    went back to their seats to sit down and eat without any mishaps.


    Chapter Comments


    Susan Moledor


    Yummy. I think I would like all of their choices