Chapter 4

　　Erika's POV 　　He jumped up and tried to slash my head with one claw. He was indeed very strong and he could knock out a strong adult wolf with one blow. So I turned around and ran quickly. I climbed on a wall, flipped in the air, and stepped on Steve’s one eye hard and my nails left two long wounds on his face. 　　I landed on the ground safe and sound. 　　"Traitor!" I mind-linked him. 　　At my words, he revealed a sly smile on his face. 　　"It's really you! Why did you give me the wrong map? Did you know how many people died because of you?" His words gave me an emotional breakdown. 　　"Because I should be the Gamma without you!" He mind-linked me as he launched another attack with a roar. I fell down and rolled on the ground to avoid his attack. 　　"What a fabulous challenge! Steve is hurt heavily but he keeps attacking. He really has an incredible tolerance for pain," the host said. 　　I rolled to the corner of the ground and got up. Blood was all over Steve’s face and neck. But he still leaped forward. Unfortunately, he couldn’t target me because of his injured eye. I kicked him on his bleeding neck and he fell to the ground on his back. 　　"Oh, that must hurt a lot." Charles gloated. 　　Steve was panting and whining. His neck was heavily injured and bleeding profusely. He struggled to turn over and stand up. But he failed after several attempts. Poor Steve. It must be desperate to be dizzy because of the loss of blood while the enemy didn't even sweat. 　　He glared at me with strong hatred in his eyes. Now I would let him know what it felt when the hopes of success were all dashed. 　　As I walked over, the hatred in his eyes turned into fear. I stepped on his wrist and used all my forces. 　　"No..." he begged under his teeth. His face was distorted by pain. 　　"Apologize to the dead soldiers and I'll give you a quick death." 　　"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn't have..." he began to apologize. 　　Enough with the fake apology! His face made me sick. 　　I slapped him on his head with a frown, putting an end to his vain attempts. 　　"I announce that the winner of the challenge is Erika Barlett!" Charles raised my hand and claimed without betraying any emotion. 　　No one cheered me up. It was all silent. 　　After the challenge, a lot of things happened. Charles also found out the reason for the defeat and made an announcement. He asked me if I wanted to be the Gamma again because they couldn't afford to lose two pack leaders once. I said no and recommended Orsen. 　　Orsen became the new Beta and I was still the Gamma of the pack, except that I did nothing what a Gamma should do. Charles gave me a long leave to take a rest. As for what kind of methods they could think of to deal with the Westford pack, I didn't know. It was not that I didn't care, I cared about it more than everyone did, but something was wrong with me. 　　It was like I lost interest in everything. During the day, I did nothing but drink. At night, I stared at the ceiling in a daze and couldn't sleep. Even if I could sleep, I would have nightmares. 　　I didn't know how long had passed. Time meant nothing to me, because everyone could find me in a pup at any moment. 　　This day, I was in that pub again. 　　As I stood up from my seat and wanted another bottle of wine, a man stood in front of me. 　　I narrowed my eyes. It was difficult to recognize who he was as I was drunk. 　　At this moment, a familiar voice sounded. 　　"Erika, I'm Orsen and I want to talk to you." 　　I turned around with my back to him and refused to see him. I knew people judged me and I didn't care, but I didn't want my students to see me like this. 　　"Charles wants to cooperate with the Blood Moon Pack!" Orsen mind-linked me. 　　"What?" I turned around and looked at him in surprise. The Blood Moon Pack was notorious for its savageness. I heard that their alpha was one of the strongest yet cruelest alphas that ever existed and he once killed two hundred wolves in thirty minutes. There was still rumor that he was actually a hideous and evil monster. 　　Ten minutes later, we were in his office. I listened to Orsen with a cup of coffee in my hands. 　　"What kind of cooperation is it? Charles wants to give the Blood Moon Pack fifty soldiers in exchange for their help? We already lost many soldiers. What was he thinking about?" I mind-linked after I realized what was happening. 　　"Yes. I don't want anything to do with that pack, but Charles is determined. They will meet in the Hills Hotel at the border at ten o'clock in the morning. You're the only one who can stop it." 　　"I'll be there tomorrow," I reassured him. 　　Next day, ten o’clock in the morning, I was at the front desk of the hotel in a mask. The real staff had been kidnapped by me and locked up in a room. The plan was that a power off of the hospital would ruin their meeting and they had to cancel it and meet another time. I would use this time and persuade Charles. At my order, a soldier would cut off the power of the whole hotel. 　　Hopefully, everything could play out as planned.