Violet’s POV
My heart was pounding. Kristy was relentless–every time her
claws slashed toward Philip, I caught myself gripping the seat
tighter. Philip dodged and blocked with all he had, but he was
being pushed back, bit by bit. He tried to match her strength,
but Kristy was a force.
Her bear form was massive, her strikes heavy. Each time she
lunged, it took everything in Philip to stay upright.
He tried to land a few hits of his own, quick jabs to her side, but
Kristy barely flinched. Instead, she responded with a powerful
swipe that sent him stumbling. His claws dug into the dirt to
catch balance, breath ragged, sweat shining across his arms.
Asher stood beside me, every muscle locked tight. I knew he
was seconds away from stepping in.
Kristy lunged again, claws aimed straight for Philip’s neck. At
the last moment, he ducked low and twisted. Using her
momentum against her, he rolled behind and leapt onto her
back with precision. His claws gripped her thick fur as she
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snarled and tried to buck him off, but he held firm, anchoring
himself to her massive form.
She swung her body side to side, trying to throw him, but
Philip’s focus didn’t waver. He shifted his weight, adjusted his
grip, and raised his claws high, ready to strike-
A bell rang.
Time.
Kristy froze, panting. Philip didn’t move either. The crowd
erupted in murmurs, some cheering, some stunned silent.
Jason stepped forward, clapping his hands once. “That’s enough.
Well fought, both of you.”
Kristy looked far from satisfied, but she backed away with a
nod. Philip dropped to the ground, barely able to stay on his
feet.
“Winner: Beta Philip,” Jason declared.
The room broke into applause, though I caught Kristy’s brief
scowl before she turned away.
Jason looked to the crowd. “Bear clan warriors are strong, but
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like all things, we have weaknesses. Thick skin helps little
when your eyes and ears are left exposed. Philip found that out
fast.”
Asher and I exchanged a glance, mind–linking immediately.
“Three wolves to handle one bear. Minimum,” Asher said.
I nodded. “And even then, only if they know the weak spots.”
Jason wasn’t just being gracious. He was making a point.
Philip stumbled as he stepped off the platform. Olivia was
already pushing through the crowd to reach him.
“You should’ve stopped!” she snapped, gripping his arm. “You’re
bleeding through your uniform. You shouldn’t be this injured.”
“It’s fine. Just a scratch.” Philip tried to brush her off gently.
But it wasn’t. The gashes across his chest were deep, and I could
see that they weren’t healing the way they should have.
Something about Kristy’s strikes had disrupted his natural
healing.
Jason approached calmly, still smiling. “It wasn’t my intention
to push him that far. Kristy has a strong spirit. She doesn’t pull
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punches.”
“Convenient,” Olivia muttered under her breath. “As we can
see, Philip hadn’t used his full strength at the start because he
didn’t want to disrespect you, our guest.” She crossed her arms,
clearly unwilling to let the matter go easily.
Jason met Olivia’s glare without flinching. “It was a fair match,
but injuries weren’t the goal. Consider this my apology.”
From his coat, Jason pulled out a small glass vial filled with a
golden liquid. He knelt and poured a few drops directly onto
Philip’s wound.
The effect was immediate.
Philip inhaled sharply as the wound began to close rapidly. The
bleeding stopped within seconds. Even the bruising faded.
Jason stood. “Our medicines are more precise and hence more
effective.”
I looked at Asher, catching the subtle shift in his expression. Like me, he was thinking the same thing. If this small sample of bear clan medicine worked that well, then the Silvermoon Grass had to be real. And it might actually be the solution we
needed.
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Asher took a step forward. “Let’s begin the banquet. We’ve all
earned it.”
There was a sense of relief among the pack members as the
tension eased. People began moving toward the dining hall,
chatting again, slowly recovering from the intensity of the
match.
But Jason didn’t follow right away.
“Wait a minute, Alpha Asher. Before we eat,” he said, raising his
voice slightly. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.” He turned
to the side and gestured.
A tall woman stepped into the room, her footsteps light but
commanding. Her dark auburn hair was tied back neatly, and
her emerald green eyes scanned the room with quiet
confidence. She was dressed in simple but elegant armor, a
blend of leather and metal that highlighted her stature.
“You must already be aware of the strength of the bear clan.
And this one–this is my daughter, Ava,” Jason said. “My clan’s
strongest female warrior.”
The murmurs around the room swelled again, this time louder. Ava stood still under their stares, neither shy nor arrogant. Just
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composed.
Some of the younger, unmated wolves near the back of the room were clearly taken aback. I caught one elbowing his friend, another straightening his clothes.
They were clearly unable to hide their excitement.
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Chapter 197
