Chapter 711: Handing His Body Over to His Wolf
Hayley’s POV:
Before the opponent’s punch landed, Benjamin had already raised his leg and kicked him squarely in the stomach. The man froze as if time had stopped, suspended in place with his fist mid-swing. Three full seconds passed before he finally retracted his arm, clutched his collapsed abdomen, and fell heavily to the ground. The impact shook the entire platform, despite the starting bell barely having finished its ring. The sound still lingered in the air, but the victor had already fallen. Benjamin stood calmly and composed, radiating the powerful presence of an Alpha. Even without fully unleashing his wolf, he could easily win in combat. Hera was cheering wildly for him.
Moments later, the staff rushed forward to check on the fallen fighter’s condition. Once they confirmed he couldn’t get back up, one of them stood, raised Benjamin’s right hand, and announced him as the winner.
“Amazing! Who would’ve thought this refined-looking guy could fight like that?!”
“Another round! Give us another round!”
Benjamin stood on the stage, cold and stoic, his eyes focused only on me. I understood exactly what he meant. He gave a small nod, calmly ready to face the next opponent. Beside him, the staff dragged the unconscious man off the stage. Soon, the second challenger stepped up. I found a spot with a good view and sat down calmly. Benjamin won the second round as well.
Forty minutes later, he was the reigning champion with twelve straight victories. One more, and he’d break the arena’s win streak record. The thirteenth opponent arrived late. He was another man from the witch clan, sporting a fox mask that lent him an air of mysterious theatrics. Unlike the others, he didn’t charge Benjamin right away. Instead, he kept a fixed distance and circled the stage twice before coming to a stop.
Losing his composure, Benjamin attacked first, seeking a quick resolution. But the masked man’s movements were nimble and accurate, and he avoided every strike. After over a dozen exchanges, Benjamin hadn’t managed a single clean hit. It clearly got under his skin. His attacks grew faster, harder, and more reckless with every move.
I narrowed my eyes from the stands. Something felt off. When I saw Benjamin start showing signs of weakness, my gut clenched. Just as I opened my mouth to warn him, the masked man struck. He took advantage of the opening and poisoned Benjamin in one swift move. Benjamin clutched his side where he’d been hit and dropped to one knee, his breathing shallow and strained. Hera was restless within me, furious and agitated from sensing how much his wolf was suffering. I soothed her and kept my eyes locked on the stage.
The masked man began walking toward Benjamin. Benjamin steadied his breathing, focusing, clearly ready to endure the few remaining minutes and outlast the match. But when the masked man raised his arm again to strike, I couldn’t stay still anymore. I jumped down from the stands, leapt forward using the rails for momentum, and landed on the stage. With one swift kick, I knocked the masked man back and stood in front of Benjamin, shielding him.
The crowd immediately erupted into chaos.
“Hey! What’s a woman doing getting involved?! This is a signed death match! Where’s the referee?! Drag her off!”
“Two on one now?! What kind of fight is this?!”
“Pretty boy, if you can’t handle it, get down on your knees and beg us all! Stop hiding behind a woman like a coward!”
Silas rushed over, panic in his voice, calling out from the edge of the platform, “Ms. Carson, you know the rules. If the dominant side hasn’t backed off, a third party can’t enter the ring!”
“I know,” I replied, my tone icy, eyes still locked on the masked man. “But I believe he was just about to stop. If you don’t believe me, ask him.”
My gaze narrowed, full of warning. If he dared say no, I’d flip this whole arena upside down—and he’d be the first to die. One of Xavier’s men looked at the masked fighter and asked, “Well? What do you say?”