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Cal steepled his fingers under his chin. “Branson is an arrogant new alpha. He’s seeing how far he can push you, Holden. Testing limits.”
“He’s about to find out what those limits are.” Father glanced at me. “You need to nip this bullshit in the bud immediately. The packs are watching your every move right now.”
He didn’t have to tell me that. I’d worked my entire life to get to this point. Won every challenge thrown my way. I was now only six months away from claiming my title. I refused to let something like this stand in my way.
Instead of giving me orders, though, my father watched and waited. It was something he’d been doing more of this past year, allowing me to make my own decisions and letting me deal with the fallout.
“This is a challenge in its own right,” I said, mulling over the options of how to handle it. “The longer we wait to address it, the weaker we appear.” I glanced around the table at my parents and my inner circle. This was my birthday, and it was supposed to be a night of relaxation and celebration with those closest to me. But an alpha didn’t always have that luxury. “We leave tonight and confront Branson in person first thing in the morning.”
Father gave me a nod of approval. “Very well. Let’s enjoy our dinner first. Willow, would you like to join us?”
“Thank you, Bridger, but I have so much to take care of. The girls will begin arriving over the next couple of days.” Willow smiled at me. “Happy birthday, Holden. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.”
“It’s all part of the job.” I gave her a tight smile, trying to keep the frustration from my voice.
Willow left, and the kitchen staff brought in our meal, but I couldn’t fully enjoy it. My mind was on the Southeastern Coastal pack and what might be waiting for us when we arrived. Most of the challenges I’d received were more like tests for me to prove myself, which I’d had. But when I’d been challenged by this pack several weeks back, it had been different than the others.
They weren’t interested in my ability to lead the packs, as if they were just out to serve their own interests. It had resulted in the death of several wolves, something that was always regrettable even if it came with the territory.
After dinner, I gathered with Garret, Jax, and Callan in my third-floor office suite that overlooked the vast grounds of my family estate. Behind me, the sun was beginning to set over the dense foliage of the forest surrounding our ancestral home, casting a golden glow on the ocean half a mile to the east.
I stared out the window, a plan formulating in my mind.
“This is an act of defiance,” Garrett said quietly, standing beside me.
“I know.” I’d reflected on it throughout the meal, despite trying to keep the conversation light for Mother’s sake. Not submitting a girl to the Contention clearly meant that the pack would not recognize me as alpha.
“You have options,” Cal said from behind us. “It’s your choice how to handle this.” As the most level-headed, strategic member of my inner circle, Cal’s advice was always considered.
“What would you suggest?”
“The simplest solution is to put Branson on probation, with one of us keeping an eye on him. You can also remove him from his position permanently and appoint another alpha in his place.” Cal paused. “And then, of course, there’s always the option of a challenge. You are within your rights to kill him for this defiance.”
That wasn’t the route I wanted to take. My father had earned the respect of nearly all the packs through fairness and justice. While I’d had to kill several wolves in my challenges, it wasn’t something I enjoyed. If there was a more peaceful way of handling this, that’s the option I’d take.
“I’ll start by putting him on probation. If he continues to defy pack law, I’ll consider removing him.”
“You may need to make an example of him,” Garrett warned. “If the other alphas still aren’t convinced of your ability to lead, this would be a way to prove you’re up to the task.”
“Perhaps it won’t come to that.” I stared at the darkening sky and the waves crashing on the distant shore. “Perhaps he will come around, and that will be example enough for anyone who isn’t yet convinced.”
I turned to my inner circle, my most trusted advisors. My friends who had my back no matter what. “Thank you. Your loyalty and support mean everything to me.”
Garrett grinned and spread his arms wide. “About time I got some recognition.”
I laughed, appreciating his ability to keep things light, even when faced with a rebellious young alpha who needed to be put in his place. “Why don’t you all take a few minutes to prepare? I’ll meet you at the forest’s edge in half an hour. In wolf form, we should be able to make it to Branson’s territory before midnight.”
They all nodded in agreement, then left me alone. I continued staring out at the ocean as twilight settled in, the weight of my future heavy on my shoulders. I wasn’t sure what we’d be walking into tomorrow, but one thing was certain...
I’d worked my ass off to become the North American alpha, to become the best version of myself I could be, the best man for the job. I wasn’t about to let some rebellious young wolf cause problems now. I’d take care of this and prove to the world that Holden Wilder was here to stay.
2
KAYDEN
My heart thundered in my chest, my lungs burning as I struggled to run faster. To push myself beyond my limit as I raced through the midnight forest. It was dark. So dark I could barely see where I was going—not in my human form.
But as hard as I tried to shift, to call upon the wolf within me, I remained upright on two human legs, my waist-length hair streaming out behind me like a silvery-white beacon in the moonlight, revealing my path to the beast that tore through the woods behind me.
