The clash began with a sharp left jab from Jack, but Joshua slipped the punch effortlessly, tilting his head to the right with grace. In the same fluid motion, he countered with a right hook to the body, but Jack blocked it with his left elbow. Not to be outdone, Jack swung a right hook of his own, which Joshua blocked with his left elbow. They each stepped back, tension crackling in the air like lightning before a storm.
"I see you've been training," Jack said, smirking. "Your punches are stronger than before. The Baby Alpha is finally growing up."
"Yeah," Joshua replied with a sarcastic grin. "And I see you're still as slow as ever."
From the sidelines, Merlin leaned in, her eyes wide. "I've never seen Joshua fight like this before. What is it?"
"It's called boxing, I think," Lancelot answered, wincing slightly as he held his wound. "It's when they use only their hands to hit each other. Part of the Noble Werewolf Secret Mixed Martial Arts. There are a lot of styles, but this one's the most common and easiest to learn. Humans usually don't train in hand-to-hand. We can't match werewolves or vampires physically. So we master weapons. But there are a few exceptions, your father and mine. Human nobles strong enough to overpower even supernatural warriors. Rare, though. Most humans can't."
Jack advanced, closing the distance. He threw a flurry, three left jabs in quick succession but Joshua slipped them all, weaving like smoke. Jack followed up with a straight right, but Joshua slipped it again and fired back with a sharp right cross to Jack's mouth, snapping his head back and sending him stumbling.
"Ooooooohhhhhhh!!!" Merlin, Blanchette, Lancelot, and the watching warrior werewolves roared in unison.
Joshua surged forward and launched a right hook, but Jack ducked under and countered with a brutal left hook to Joshua's temple. The blow snapped Joshua's head to the side, staggering him.
"Ouuuuuuhhhhhh!!!" the crowd gasped again.
"This is fun to watch," Merlin said, practically bouncing.
"Yeah," Blanchette agreed, eyes gleaming. "It's getting my blood boiling."
Lancelot chuckled despite the pain. "Yeah, but it's hard to scream when your ribs are broken…"
Knocked-out werewolves began waking, groggily turning their attention to the intense duel now unfolding.
Joshua stepped forward with a right cross. Jack mirrored him. Both punches landed, brutal, thunderous, sending blood flying from both of their mouths as their heads snapped back.
"Beta Jack! Beta Jack! Beta Jack!" the werewolves began chanting, rallying behind their warrior.
Seeing the surge of support, Lancelot, Merlin, and Blanchette stood straighter. Something stirred deep in their chests.
"Joshua! Joshua! Joshua!" they chanted, voices defiant and proud.
Fueled by the roars, the two fighters clashed again. Joshua lashed out with a fast left jab. Jack blocked it and fired his own jab. Joshua blocked in turn. They moved in circles now, hunting for angles, dancing a violent waltz.
Jack threw a left hook. Joshua blocked it with his right elbow. Joshua fired a right uppercut. Jack slipped it and countered with a straight but Joshua slipped that as well. A flurry followed... Joshua's double left jab, one slipped, one blocked. Jack's heavy right, blocked, but its sheer force drove Joshua back.
He's still super strong, Joshua thought, chest heaving, sweat running down his brow. Even after all my training… I thought I'd beat him easily. But he's been training too.
Joshua's gotten so strong, Jack mused, eyes fixed. When he was a kid, I could beat him in ten seconds. I'm glad he's grown. He can protect himself now. But… what am I thinking? He's my enemy. He ran. He left me alone.
Joshua dashed low. Jack threw a jab, missed. Joshua slipped it and slammed a left hook into Jack's ribs. Jack gasped, stumbling.
The dining hall fell silent.
Time to finish this, Joshua thought, his body coiling like a spring.
He landed another vicious right hook to Jack's body, Jack coughed up blood and dropped his guard. Joshua dipped low, nearly brushing the floor, then surged upward with a devastating uppercut.
CRACK.
The impact echoed through the hall as Jack flew backward, airborne, then crashed down hard. The silence broke.
"Yeeeeeeaaaaaah!!!" Merlin, Blanchette, and Lancelot erupted, arms raised in victory.
Joshua turned away, raising his fists in a triumphant pose.
But the celebration died on their lips.
Jack stirred.
Blood dripping from his mouth, he stood, slowly, shakily.
"That was a good punch, Joshua," he said, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Would've killed me if I wasn't a Noble Werewolf."
Joshua's eyes narrowed. He raised his guard, sweat pouring, heart thundering.
Jack walked toward him, deliberately.
"Did you know boxing isn't the only fighting style in Noble Werewolf Mixed Martial Arts?" Jack sneered. "Oh, right… you ran away before they could teach you the rest."
He stopped in front of Joshua and raised his arms, now in a Muay Thai stance.
"Okay, Joshua. Let me educate you."
Joshua rushed in, but Jack snapped a brutal leg kick into his thigh. Joshua's legs buckled, and he stumbled into Jack, who seized him in a clinch.
"Boxing's incomplete," Jack whispered. "No legs. No knees. No elbows. Time for your punishment."
He kneed Joshua, once, twice, three times, until Joshua coughed blood. Then he released him.
Joshua, barely standing, dropped his guard. Jack unleashed elbows, left and right, hammering Joshua's face. Cuts bloomed. Blood sprayed.
Joshua began to collapse.
But Jack caught him by the hoodie.
"You'll never beat me, Joshua," he said, voice cracking. "I'm an awakened Beta Werewolf. You'll never awaken. This is your fault. You ran. You left me. I waited. I believed you'd come back. But you didn't. I thought you were my best friend. I thought… I thought you'd rescue me."
He raised his clawed right hand.
"Now die, Baby Alpha."
With a savage swipe, Jack's claws tore into Joshua's skull. A sickening crunch. A splash of crimson.
A quarter of Joshua's face ripped away. His left eye popped out, dangling by the optic nerve.
Jack let him go.
Joshua hit the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. Blood pooled beneath his head. His eye twitched where it lay beside him.
Merlin, Blanchette, and Lancelot stared in horror.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Lancelot screamed.
"BROOOOOOTHHHHEEEEERRR!!!" Merlin cried.
"JOOOOOOSSSSHHHHUUUAAAA!!!" Blanchette wailed.
Jack sat down in front of Joshua's corpse, his breath shallow, his expression unreadable.
He looked down at the bloodied remains of the boy who had once been his brother.
And for the first time in years…
Jack looked sad.