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There was a part of Bel that very much wanted to say, “Fuck it all.” He didn’t want anyone laying a hand on his Wyatt and River. And if that meant using his powers to control all the wolves in the pack, so be it.
It was the same damn reason the rest of the Varik clan wasn’t there by their sides. Vampires appearing for a challenge to the pack alpha would definitely be categorized as interfering on the part of vampires. Only Bel could get away with staying by Wyatt and River because Albert had struck first by attacking his house.
“Wyatt, you know that I love you, right?” Bel started. His hands were back in his pockets and fisted at his sides.
“I hear a but in there,” Wyatt teased.
Okay, Bel more than loved the man if he could hold on to his sense of humor while Bel was struggling against a swelling sense of panic and helplessness.
“But I really feel that this isn’t the strongest plan we could have come up with.”
River snorted. “He’s saying your plan sucks.”
“Yes, I got that,” Wyatt replied blandly. “What would a vampire prefer to do?”
“Probably sneak in and rip Albert’s fucking throat out,” River continued in a low voice.
It didn’t sound great, but it had been along the lines of what Bel had been thinking. Or maybe use his secret formula to turn Albert into a popping, hissing pile of goo. Yes, that would have been very nice.
But there was no more formula, and it wouldn’t help keep things under control with the shifters.
“It’s not that I don’t have complete confidence in your skills,” Bel said.
Wyatt reached over and wrapped his hand around Bel’s arm. He squeezed and Bel looked up to find Wyatt smiling at him. “I know. You just don’t want to see me hurt.”
“Yes.” That was everything. He’d do whatever he had to in order to keep Wyatt from feeling an ounce of pain.
“Love you too,” Wyatt whispered. “Love you both.”
“Don’t!” River snapped. “We’re getting through this and getting our lives back.” River’s voice was hard and unyielding, as if he could simply will his wishes into existence.
Before any of them could add to River’s statement, there was a soft noise ahead of them. Bel had felt their presence for the past couple of minutes. He’d sensed them first as wolves, and then it was more of a reaction of the other animals in the woods. Humans. They read more like dangerous blank spaces. Animals avoided them, gave them a wide berth if it was possible.
They stopped walking, waiting for the shifters to approach. According to the directions Casey had given them, they were less than a quarter of a mile from the pack town. Guards were expected. People loyal only to Albert.
A naked man stepped past a particularly large tree with a wolf at his side. Bel could feel the presence of two more wolves close by, attempting to circle around them from behind. Tension and anger radiated from River, but there was only a sense of calm coming from Wyatt along with a deeper feeling of purpose and determination. Nothing was going to deter Wyatt from his chosen course.
“You’re trespassing on pack lands,” the man snarled.
“Like your people trespassed on vampire lands,” River shot back.
Wyatt placed a restraining hand on River’s shoulder, but his voice was even. “I’m here to challenge Albert.”
The man barked out an ugly laugh. “You have no right to challenge our alpha.”
“Besides my right as a werewolf to challenge another, Albert also ordered members of the pack to trespass on vampire land, attacked our home, and threatened our lives. I’m well within my rights to challenge the alpha.”
The mocking laughter left the shifter’s face and he just sneered at Wyatt. “Fucking abominations have no rights.”
“And only cowards hide from their challengers.”
“Albert will meet your challenge in front of the pack. The only problem is that you have to make it to the pack square first.”
The low growling rumble from the wolves grew louder as they crept toward them, circling them so there was no escape. Bel remained calm as he watched the wolves. He gave a small nod and he waited. A couple of seconds later, the wolves yelped softly and fell over.
The human stumbled back a step in horror, his wide eyes darting from one limp wolf to the other. “Wh-what? What did you do?” He barely got the sentence out before a dart was lodged in his neck. Grabbing at it, he plucked it out and held it in front of him, but Bel doubted he actually saw what was in his hand. His eyes had already glazed over as he collapsed to the ground in a heap.
With an excited giggle, Bel hurried over to the man and placed two fingers to his neck. His pulse was slow but steady.
