Lara moved immediately over to Leo. "What sort of wolf has a vampire helping him. A young lion far too honourable to want to humiliate an opponent twice his size!" With that her voice dropped low enough that Ella would struggle to hear her; her words were intended for Leo only.

Michael laughed at what sounded like an empty threat, beckoning, claws extended, as Lara kept whispering and Leo forced himself to his feet, looking shaky. "Come and get it, lion cub."

Fliss responded by trying to lead the crowd in a chant of 'Leo! Leo! Leo! Leo!' that was only partially successful; most of their pack watching joined in, but it wasn't enough for a critical mass even with some support for the obvious underdog as Leo psyched himself up, took two steps, and lept.

He flew through the air, Michael smirking confidently as he reached for Leo's throat, claws extended.

There was a bright spray of red.

And Leo was twisting sideways, blood covering his claws as Michael's hand flew to his wrist, holding it together until it healed. Lara's tone was dry. "Second claws, but first blood to Leo."

The two werewolves circled, exchanging blows over the now blood spattered arena. But this time, as their claws were out, Leo's speed meant that he was inflicting slashes far faster to the back of Michael's arms and his side than they were coming back, and Leo's wounds were closing faster. For all the moves were the same, this was a very different fight from the previous one.

Michael, losing his temper, snarled and rushed Leo who, instead of dodging, met the tackle head on and tore into the larger wolf's shoulder and rolling so he was on top. And then kept hitting Michael in the face, seeing in him the previous Alpha and every other person who'd bullied him or the pack, and he wasn't even thinking to stop.