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When it's Lilly's turn, she picks "Don't Stop Believin'" by Journey. Gage claps as she sings her heart out, a broad smile on her face. Clearly, she’s having the time of her life, and he’s grateful to see her let loose.
As they make their way back to the booth, he high fives her. "You killed it up there."
"You weren't half bad, yourself," she replies, bumping her shoulder against his.
They order another round of drinks and settle in to enjoy the other karaoke performances. He realizes that he's having a great time as the night seems to fly by.
As they leave the bar, Gage takes Lilly's hand in the parking lot and pulls her close, a sense of contentment washing over him. "That was awesome," he says, smiling at her.
"I had a blast," she replies, grinning back as she wraps her arms around his shoulders.
Gage is lost in Lilly’s embrace when a loud crash and a roar shatters their moment. They both turn their heads to see Michelle, one of the waitresses, burst through the bar doors with an enormous polar bear on her heels. The woman screams for help as long black claws just miss taking a swipe of her flesh.Oh, shit! That’s Taryn.
Kaitlyn runs up to Gage, her eyes wide. "First Rights! Taryn calls First Rights!" she says, bouncing from foot to foot.
"Fuck. What the hell has Michelle done this time?" Lilly growls.
Gage shakes his head. "Whatever it was, she won't live to regret it if Tayrn gets a hold of her."
Matt quickly joins them from where he and Calli are parked. "What's going on?"
Kaitlyn turns to Matt, her voice dripping with disgust. "That woman climbed all up on Taryn's mate. Your rules say she can call First Rights. Taryn wants her pound of flesh."
"She can't kill her," Matt says firmly.
Gage turns to Kaitlyn. “You heard him.”
A crowd has now gathered outside. "I told Michelle her alley-cat ways would end like this," a woman says, her resigned tone cutting through the chaos.
"Matt, you–you can't let this happen!" Michelle’s eyes widen as her face pales. Taryn’s polar bear paces in front of her.
Matt rubs the area between his brows as if to ward off a headache. He shakes his head, and his expression hardens. "You’ve been warned numerous times. I told you someone would call you out on your shit. Taryn called First Rights. Shift into your lioness, now.”
The woman trembles but does what she’s told and shifts into her golden lion.
A circle forms around the two shifted females, and a hush settles over the crowd.
Gage pulls Lilly close to him, his arm a protective shield across her shoulders. This was pack law, and he had to respect it. It was also the part of being a leader that he hated most, the necessary evil of discipline. As the head of his people, he must witness the punishment as it’s given.
Lilly tenses in his arms as the two predators lock eyes, circling around each other, their primal instincts driving them forward. Muscles ripple beneath the polar bear’s fur, and Taryn charges, her massive paws pounding against the rugged ground. The nimble and agile lioness darts to the side, attempting to outmaneuver its imposing adversary.
With a thunderous roar, the lioness leaps forward, attempting to sink her powerful jaws into the polar bear’s flesh. But the bear, ever watchful, swiftly sidesteps the attack. She retaliates with a swipe of her massive paw, razor-sharp claws slashing through the air. The lioness, caught off guard, receives a glancing blow, leaving a deep gash on its side. Blood stains its golden fur, but the lioness growls and swipes out, refusing to yield.
Gage kisses the top of Lilly’s head as she shudders. Witnessing a challenge like this is never easy.
Regaining its composure, the lioness circles the polar bear, appearing to search for an opening to attack or a possible weak spot to exploit. She lunges once again, fangs bared and claws extended. This time, her attack finds its mark. The lioness’s sharp teeth sink into the bear’s shoulder, eliciting a growl from its powerful opponent.
Undeterred, the polar bear uses its superior strength to its advantage. She throws the lioness off with a mighty heave, sending it sprawling onto the parking lot. The lioness struggles to rise as blood stains the dirt.
“Stay down,” someone calls out from the back of the crowd.
Gage mutters, “Yes, for fuck’s sake. She’ll show mercy.”
“Mhm,” Kaitlyn hums beside him.
Taryn advances. Her every movement seems deliberate and calculated, just as Gage has trained her. With one last charge, she delivers a crushing blow, her massive paw swatting the lioness.
After what feels like an eternity, Taryn finally relents. Michelle is left cowering on the ground, still in her animal form. Her wounds look severe but not fatal. The breeze shifts, and the smell of blood fills the air.
