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Challenge an Alpha, take his place. It’s as simple as that.
Of course, I know why it never occurred to me. Betas rarely turn on their Alphas. It’s just… it’s just not done.
But Shane is no ordinary beta wolf, I’ve learned. After siding with the Wicked Wolf, the only thing holding him back is his current status in a pack’s hierarchy.
Challenge Ryker?KillRyker?
Problem solved.
And since nearly every Alpha challenge ends with only one shifter left standing, it’s not only his pack that Shane can claim.
It’sme.
Oh, no.
No, no, no.
My wolf bares her teeth, ordering me to stop this before it gets started. Not just because it’s obvious to her that we’re involved in this mess, but because even a minuscule chance that Ryker might be hurt is too much for me.
Too bad I can’t. I’m not the one who’s been challenged, and even if I’m an alpha, I can’t interfere.
None of us can.
Ryker’s still holding my hand. When he starts to move in front of me, adding another body between me and Shane, I want to tighten my grip but he gently pulls away before I can.
I have to let him go. As much as I hate it, I have to.
He cuts the distance between him and Shane in half. Approaching him with an almost lazy air, as if he could care less that his former Beta and ex-friend has challenged him, Ryker pulls that same neutral expression that always used to drive me insane.
Tugging at the hem of his sleeve, purposely showing off his blunt, human fingernails—no claws just yet—he raises his eyebrows. “You don’t want to do this, Shane.”
“Oh, but I do.”
“Let me rephrase that,” Ryker says, and hell if it isn’t the conversational tone he used the night I believed he was rejecting me. “You don’t have to do this. Take back the challenge and I guarantee that you’ll walk away from Accalia in one piece. This is my mating night, and I’m in a good mood. So far. I won’t go after you when I have something better to do with my time tonight. It’s the best I can offer you. I suggest you take it.”
If you ask me, I think Ryker’s being more than fair. If he doesn’t accept the challenge and Shane retracts it, then the challenge doesn’t exist. Sure, that’ll be a mark against Ryker, leaving him open to future challenges from other wannabe-Alphas, but he’s only doing that because of who this challenger is.
He doesn’t want to kill his friend. Stop him from being a threat? Of course. Keep him from going back with more intel for Wicked Wolf Walker? That, too. But kill him?
Not if he can help it.
Two months ago, he would’ve accepted the challenge, no questions asked. Coming off of being feral and dealing with moon fever, Ryker was furious about Shane’s betrayal and willing to slice him open. He sold out the Mountainside Pack and tried to steal his mate. Yeah, Ryker wanted blood.
But this is Shane. Even after everything he pulled, Ryker still has the picture of the two of them up in his living room.
Too bad the prick doesn’t take advantage of Ryker’s offer.
“Take it back?” He laughs, but there isn’t a drop of humor in it. “The hell I will. I challenge you, Ryker. Fucking fight me!”
The crack as Ryker flexes his fingers, shifting his hands into claw-tipped lethal weapons, echoes throughout the clearing. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“No. Youdon’t.You’ve never understood,” snarls Shane. Gone is the handsome male standing there with a taunting smirk. As if he let Ryker’s cool attitude get to him, he goes from cocky to furious in a heartbeat. “You’ve always had everything handed to you. Born a fucking alpha, the son of the leader of the pack. You knew when your old man died, you’d be next in line. I want to be an Alpha. Either I kill you or I make your bitch mine. It’s the only way I can get what you have and Ideserveit. You don’t want to fate, then give me Gem. I’ll walk away with her and you get to keep your head. Fair enough?”
Jace rumbles out a growl at the nasty way Shane calls me a bitch. Bobby moves a little closer to me, as if making sure I’m okay.
I’m fine. I’m not the one who’s being challenged after all. And being called a bitch? I’m a female alpha wolf shifter. Iama bitch. It just sucks knowing that I was right. He wants Ryker dead or to use me to help him become an Alpha.
Yeah, right. Not even if the Luna willed it herself.
