Alpha’s eyes round before he schools his expression from the others.
“Anrik. You’ve fed me false information.” His power flares, sending others skittering away from the wolf on his knees. When you get on the bad side of the Alpha you become a puppet humiliated and controlled in front of the pack.
“Is this what I can expect from your son, Alphonse?”
The lead enforcer Looks flabbergasted, puffing air and stuttering.
“N-no. I’m sorry, Alpha.” Alphonse drops his head, red-faced, and trembling. His hands are fists at his side.
I hope whatever power grab he planned on fails spectacularity.
“I challenge him.” Cadoc’s eyes lock briefly with the Alpha’s. “If Anrik wants my mate so badly, that he’s willing to disparage my clan, he can fight me for the chance to be considered.”
“Know this. The only way I’ll be parted from her is death.” Bo lends his support backing Cadoc.
“We’ll settle this properly after dinner,” Alpha insists.
His dark gaze follows my every step as I return to my clan’s side.
“Are you okay?” Kirk mouths.
“No, but I will be,” I mouth.
With all eyes and ears on us, I can’t share what happened.
“To the dining room. Our warriors need fuel.”
Masterfully playing the director of ceremonies, the Alpha ushers us to the dining room, always keeping us within earshot. Did I resist his command?
I take my seat at the table and shift into autopilot. I need to keep it together. The desert being removed is a relief, until we head outside.
Excitement smells like peppery hot sauce in the air. Couples chatter already casting bets and weighing the odds. I clutch Kirk’s hand, terrified of how close we came to losing him.
“Yl?” Tucking me under his arm, Cadoc places a kiss on my temple. “It’s going to be okay.” I soak up my time with him before he leaves.
I wish I shared his certainty. Alpha wants to separate me from my clan by whatever means necessary and I can’t figure out why or how to stop it.
“You don’t want to miss this,” Alpha winks. He saunters to the center of his large backyard, clearly enjoying every second of this.
I lean into Bo who stands behind me.
Alpha’s been running interference between us all evening. We haven’t had a moment alone.
Bo holds me tighter. Kirk and Fell surround us, shielding me from the press of the crowd.
Steam flows from their mouths. They face one another. The enforcer Anrik, is broader than Cadoc, but he doesn’t have the experience.
Just over one hundred, Anrik hasn’t been an enforcer for more than twenty years tops. Stomach knotting, I shove my hands in my pockets to hide the tremors.
Alpha leans in speaking in Alphone’s son, Anrik’s ear. Bile tries to climb up my throat. The two men shift. Gasps, and cries of disbelief float around us when they see the valknut on Cadoc’s side.
“What is that?” Alpha points. Despite his smile, his eyes are icy.
“A token that appeared after our bonding.”
Bo’s nonchalant response makes the Alphas’ lip twitch.
“Interesting. Do you all possess one?”
“No.” Bo keeps his answers short and vague. We don’t need to give this monster more ammunition.
Alpha’s shoulders relax and I tilt my head to meet Bo’s gaze, arching an eyebrow. He winks. I study our leader from the corner of my eye.
“Unusual things seem to happen around you, Ylva,” Alpha sounds contemplative.
Anrik lunges, ending the conversation. Cadoc dodges and swipes at his opponent’s side. Anrik whimpers, trotting away.
The metallic scent is carried in on the breeze Anrik huffs as he turns to stare at Cadoc. They circle each other slowly. Cadoc darts in and they snap their jaws at each other.
Cadoc locks onto his throat. Anrik rolls, breaking his hold. Getting a few feet between them, he knocks Cadoc back. Blood drips from his fangs. A nasty low growl erupts.
The bittersweet smell of fear mixes with everyone’s excitement. It’s sickening.
Cadoc is on the offensive, slamming into his side and holding him by the neck. He pins Anrik to the ground, demanding submission. Anrik refuses, fighting to escape like a wolf possessed.
“He’s not going to yield,” Bo mutters.
Anrik gets his feet underneath Cadoc, and rips his belly open. Blood splatters onto the ground. I bite my knuckles to keep from screaming.
