My Hockey Alpha



Chapter 0781

Enzo

The groan of the iron gates sent a shudder through my body as they ground open, revealing the vast expanse of the arena. The deafening roar of the crowd washed over me in waves, their excitement palpable in the air.

Here I was again. In the arena.

I had hoped that I would never have to come back here, that I would never have to relive the horrors of this place. But, fate was rarely so kind. I had returned to the arena, and the smell of old blood and sweat filled my nostrils.

This time, though, it would be different. This time, by returning to the arena, I would ensure that no blood would ever sink into this soil ever again.

Ever since I had kissed Nina in my chambers, the fog that had previously been shrouding my mind had slipped away and not returned. I was grateful for it, too, because I needed mental clarity if this was going to work.

I just wished that Nina didn't have to be here. I wished she was still at home, safe within the confines of her father's pinewood mansion.

But, once again... Fate was rarely so kind.

Beside me, the panther shifter emerged from the shadows, his greenish eyes gleaming with a feral intensity. He was being led by a guard and wore a metal collar around his neck, but he didn't resist. There was no need to.

As he passed by, he brushed past me, and as he did, I felt an electric shock of energy course through me.

"You know what to do, wolf," he growled, his voice a low rumble in the back of my mind. "Stick to the plan, and we might just make it out of this alive."

I gave a curt, subtle nod, steeling my nerves as I scanned the endless sea of faces leering down at us from the towering stone bleachers. Somewhere in that mass of bodies were Nina, Luke, and Tyler, preparing to unleash their part of the uprising.

A hush fell over the crowd as Mila rose from her throne, her piercing yellow eyes sweeping over the arena with a cruel indifference. She raised a single hand, her ruby red nails almost seeming to catch the light of the torches.

At her gesture, the roar of the crowd turned tenfold, a cacophony of mindless adoration.

But I could sense the shift. As I scanned the sea of faces, I could see that there were those who didn't hoot and howl with maddened frenzy, but instead stood frozen, their eyes wide and their hands shaking.

The seeds had been sown. The dissent had begun. And Mila, as of right now, was none the wiser.

"Let the games begin!" she bellowed, her voice booming like thunder through the impossibly high ceilings.

With those words, the shift took over. My bones cracked and contorted, fur sprouting across my skin as my body reshaped itself into the powerful wolf form.

Across from me, now unleashed from his chains, the panther's body lowered into a fighting stance. Green spittle dripped from the corners of his mouth, but his mind was still clear. He had resisted the gasses under the mountain, just as I had.

We locked eyes for a moment, a silent understanding passing between us. Then, with a feral snarl, the panther pounced.

His massive body sailed through the air, claws extended, as he aimed for my throat. I ducked at the last moment, his weight slamming into the dirt beside me as I whirled around, snapping my jaws.

Our bodies collided in a flurry of teeth and claws, putting on a show of brutality for the cheering crowd. Blow after blow rained down, each more ferocious than the last, until we were both panting and bloodied. But not once did we make killing blows. We were just biding time, waiting for the signal.

Through the haze of combat, I finally caught Nina's gaze from across the arena. Her subtle nod was nearly imperceptible, but I knew the signal when I saw it.

It was time.

Rearing back, I let loose a piercing howl, the sound ringing through the cavernous space. The panther took the cue, breaking off from our mock battle and turning his attention to the nearest cluster of guards.

Chaos erupted around us as Nina, Luke, and Tyler set their plan into motion. Shouts of dissent rose from the crowd, quickly turning into a deafening roar of rebellion. Bodies surged forward, trampling over one another as the guards scrambled to maintain control.

"Rise up!" Nina;s voice rang out, clear and commanding above the din. "Shake off the evil tyrant's lies and fight for your freedom!"

I caught glimpses of the pandemonium unfurling a guard being dragged down by a sea of hands, another fleeing in terror as a group of dissenters advanced.

Somewhere in the midst of it all, Luke and Tyler moved through the crowd like ghosts, their voices carrying whispers of insurrection to any who would listen.noveldrama