Serge's POV

The battle was as brutal and bloody as any fight I had ever been in with the eastern wolves.

Landon was relentless.  He drew first blood and his defense was impeccable.  I landed more than one attack, but none were serious enough to level the playing field and make up for the blood that continued to seep from my left side.  The loss began to wear down my strength and I was at a clear disadvantage.

I was rapidly running out of opportunities to overcome Landon.  I whirled and snapped with my canines where he was, but he was gone.  I felt slightly light headed.

Then Landon slammed me and my paws betrayed me.  I slammed to the ground and time seemed to stop.

My senses were as if through a veil; the taste of iron, the smell of sweat and aggression, the buzz of the crowd as they watched me fall.  Landon stood triumphantly over me and the truth of his yellow eyes was he was ready for the kill.

My mind felt curiously unmoored as I understood I had reached the end of my lifetime.  Twenty-five years of striving and for what?  Perhaps it was better this way.  A few might mourn me, but they would move on.  Though I had little hope, perhaps Landon would be as skilled a leader as he was a fighter.

I could only hope I had not failed my people in my final minutes.

A high, distressed cry cut through the haze of noise around me and I adjusted my ears towards the sound.

My eyes found Elise and I realized she was struggling as Matthias held her in place.  Had she tried to come to my aid?

I could only be grateful that he was there to curb the magic and look after her.

She would be fine, even if the curse rebounded to Landon rather than dissipated.  Her friend would ensure it.  I had seen the way he cared for her.  I hated it, but at the same time it was a balm for my worries.

Though I could not make out the words, he was speaking sense to her, low and urgent.

My ears perked up at the sound of her voice.

"But Matt, S-Serge."

My name, finally on the lips of the one for whom I could never dare admit the extent of my growing feelings.

It was a sweet memento to send me on my way.  I hoped she would be free.  I closed my eyes.

Sharp teeth touched my neck.  A choked sob met my ears.

A flash of memory.  I had promised her, had I not?  I had promised to try.

How could I fail her?  There was a reason I had promised to try to survive.

We did not know what would happen to her if I died in the challenge.  I did not want her to fall into Landon's power if the curse did not dissolve, even if there were people to watch over her.

No one understood better than I how much a master would be able to abuse a thrall if only the desire struck.

I wrenched myself up, tearing my own flesh to escape his sinking teeth and staggered away.

Although I could hardly comprehend the noise, there was an audible gasp from the crowd.  I wheeled to face Landon, my neck burning where the skin beneath my fur had been rent by his canines.  I could see the anger and frustration in his eyes that I had escaped his final blow once more.

He had thought I had given up.

And he had been right, but with life came the ability to reconsider, to repent, to recoup.

It was certain I had only a few minutes before my stamina completely deserted me and I would again be at his mercy.  I was running on little more than a renewed shot of adrenaline and determination. 

I had no time to waste.

But I could afford to be reckless, because I had nothing to lose.

He was just recovering from his failure to finish our fight when I charged at him head on.  He dodged, but I snapped my jaws around his left hind leg and wrenched his leg with all the force I could muster, dislocating the joint.

He howled and rounded towards me and took a chunk out of my upper leg before I got out of the way.

He was limping now, and bleeding from both hind legs.  I growled and rushed him again.

I could take risks, but he wanted to preserve his life.  That was his weakness.

This time, he was careful not to let me get his leg, so I went for his neck instead and gave him wounds to match my own.

He lunged, but instead of dodging I pushed forward and he turned at the last moment.  I caught his left front paw and jerked it until I heard it snap.

He howled in pain and I released.  Landon had lost his advantage, because his moves were restricted, but moreover, his confidence was shaken.

I bared my teeth at him and growled.  So long as I did not collapse, so long as I finished the fight quickly, I had won.

I risked a glance at Elise and saw those frightened brown orbs staring at me.  Her face was wet with tears and my heart constricted painfully.  I turned my attention back to my challenger.

This time as I rushed him, he was unbalanced and did not have the dexterity to get out of the way.  I sunk my teeth into his neck and I crushed him down to the ground with the combined weight of my body and my renewed purpose.

I held him there for a long moment.  I waited to see if he would yield or struggle to the death.

Landon went limp.

I waited for another long moment with my teeth almost piercing his jugular.  He was not willing risk tearing his own throat to escape as I had been.

Finally, he signalled to Leah that he surrendered, a whining whimper.

I released him and stood up.  I let out a long howl to remind my people who their leader remained.

Then, the world spun around me and I sank down onto my haunches.

Somewhere far away, I heard Leah declare that I had defended my position.  The challenge was over.

I glanced towards Elise.  She was sitting in the dirt as if she were a child, crying into her knees and shaking.  My poor thrall.

The pain and exhaustion hit me quite suddenly.  I needed treatment, probably more than Landon.  My wounds were bleeding.  I shifted back into my human form.

My wounds screamed anew as my flesh twisted to accommodate my new shape.

"What are you thinking, Serge?  You know not to transform with such injuries."  I heard Doctor Fischer's familiar scolding as he rushed forward.

Perhaps he was correct.  I could not even find the strength to get to my feet.

Someone covered my exposed flesh with a blanket.  My vision swam and darkness shrunk the world into a pinprick of light and then even that little spark was gone.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

I woke to the scent of antiseptic and bitter medications.  The sensation of aching pain was in nearly every part of my body.  I cracked open an eye and found myself in a dimly lit room.

I recognized it as part of the clinic off of Doctor Fischer's house.  An initial inspection of my body found an iv stuck in the back of my hand and bandages on various tender spots on my arms, legs, neck, and torso.  Stitches pulled uncomfortably as I shifted myself in the bed.

The memories from before I collapsed came flooding back to me. 

Bittersweet.  I had won; I still lead my people; all my myriad problems were still my own.

Where was my poor thrall?

I only hoped someone had the presence of mind to keep her near me so she was not suffering unduly.  How long had I been out?  There was a calendar on the wall, but it told me nothing beyond that it was still May.  It was bright outside the window, but that did not tell me much, either.

I was alone in the room, but surely not in the building.

"Doctor Fischer?" I croaked.  My voice came out through a dry and painful throat.  I relaxed back into the pillows and waited to see if my summons bore fruit.

A minute later Agnes came into the room.  She was a pretty red-headed nurse about my own age and she worked under Doctor Fischer.

"Serge!  You're awake."

I nodded.  "What day is it?" I asked her.

She smiled at me sweetly as she fussed over me and checked my vitals.  "Saturday morning," she supplied.  "How are you feeling?"

"Like I was in a battle to the death yesterday," I rasped.

"The way you recovered at the end was amazing.  I was really afraid for you for a moment there," she told me in a breathy voice as she wrote something on a clipboard.

"Good show then?" I asked with a touch of wry humour.

Agnes missed my intent.  "Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Serge.  I meant that, you know, I'm glad you made it."  She looked worried that she might have upset me.

"I was joking."

"Oh," she said and giggled.  It was a light sound.  I let it wash over me.

I recalled my earlier thoughts.  "Where's Elise?"

Her eyes lit up with sympathy.  "She's in Doctor Fischer's house right now, watching television.  She's staying in the guest room."

I let out a breath I had not realized I had been holding, glad that someone was taking care of her.  It was another failing that I did not set someone in charge of her wellbeing before my fight.  I had unthinkingly assumed those who loved her would see to it, but I would have regretted if my assumption had been wrong.

"I'll let the doctor know that you're awake, Serge.  He'll want to see you.

I nodded, my eyes suddenly heavy.

"Just a moment," she said.  I watched her lithe form as she left.

I managed to barely stay awake long enough for Doctor Fischer to come and talk to me.  I opened my eyes blearily and looked at him.  He spoke briefly, asked a few questions and then left me to sleep.

My exhaustion overwhelmed me even before I heard his uneven steps leave the room.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

The next time I awoke, she was there.  I knew of her presence before I opened my eyes by the light sound of her breathing.

I considered what I should say.  I almost regretted surviving.  Had she really been correct that my death would not be release for her?

I pushed aside the thought.  She did not hate me to the death and for that I could only feel an undeserving gratitude.  I opened my eyes.

My thrall was curled up with a book in a cushioned chair that would have easily accommodated my larger form, and so she looked tiny in comparison.  She was delicate and beautiful in her ease, her sleek brown hair spilling over her shoulders.

I saw her start when I moved.  She looked up from her book, not quite towards me, rather her gaze seemed fixed on the wall to my right.  She still rarely managed to meet my eyes, but I recalled that she had watched the fight.

"Are y-you okay?" she asked.

"I am," I said.  It was half true.  "Are you?"

She almost smiled.  "I w-wasn't the one in a b-battle to the d-death."  I hated that she stuttered and trembled when she spoke; it was a visceral reminder of what I had done to her.

Yet I was ever grateful that she spoke at all.

"I survived."  Perhaps the observation would put her more at ease.

"There was s-so much bl-blood," she whispered.

I smiled weakly.  "Landon was fighting for the kill."

"Y-you let him live," she commented.

I paused.  "Challenging me using the proper channels is not a crime worthy of death, I think.  Once he gave up, it was over."

She nodded.  "I ag-agree.  Still, he might cause tr-trouble."

She was right.  "I'll deal with that when and if it comes."

There was much to deal with.  Work had piled up while we had prepared for the challenge and there was no doubt it continued to even as I lay there, but I was still too exhausted to handle it.  I healed faster than a regular human, but it would still take time.

Perhaps tomorrow I could call Leah and began to catch up.

Elise yanked me from my thoughts.  "I'm glad y-you won."

Little though I deserved it, how could her words not warm me?

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

Elise stayed with the doctor for the next week while I recovered.  Karen came to visit every day and fussed over us both.  I thanked her and could only hope my words were sufficient.  I received a number of cards wishing me well, which did bolster my sense that I was not a complete pretender in the eyes of my people.  Macy came by with her mother and a bunch of wildflowers she had picked for me.  I appreciated the gesture.

On Monday I began working from my bed with the begrudging permission of Doctor Fischer.  Leah came and visited me that day.

"Congratulations on your victory," she said briskly as she strode into the door.

"Thank you," I said.

"Doctor Fischer says I am not to overload you, so I'll only be sending what urgently and absolutely needs your attention while you're here," she said.  She set several folders down on the bedside table.

I nodded.  "Very well."

"I do believe my prediction was correct.  Your win calmed some of the dissent in the territory," she commented.

"No doubt there's more."

"No leader rules without some discord."

"But less is preferable."

"Well, you now have less, I believe."

"That's good."

"It is.  Landon would have been a disaster.  I could not intervene, but I am pleased that I don't have to reform the offices, or worse, be replaced by someone with less experience."  Her displeasure at the thought was obvious.

"He was going to replace you?" I asked.  Landon was more the fool than I had imagined.

She paused.  "Perhaps, perhaps not.  He would give no guarantees."

"I'm surprised he did not attempt to buy your loyalty with promises," I commented.

She looked disgusted.  "I can't be bought so easily."

"I suppose not."

"Only by a successful challenge, which Landon was unable to pay."  Her face split with a wicked grin.

I appreciated the sentiment.  Had I survived, that would be the price for my loyalty as well.

"Well, I shall let you rest.  I'll send someone along with more as it comes up."

"Thank you, Leah."

"Get well, soon.  I hope you'll continue coming in to work once you're healed.

"Perhaps."  That was entirely up to what Elise could tolerate.  The previous week had been draining for her.

"Perhaps indeed."  She left the room.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *

I was released from the clinic the Thursday after the fight, accompanied by a number of strict directions from Doctor Fischer and by my thrall, trailing behind me.  Dan drove my truck, since I was allegedly not up to the task.

When we entered my house, I released a heavy sigh of relief.  We were home.

* *  *   *   *   *   *  * *