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Even if I defeated this shifter, there’s the broken ward and the fact that if he knows, there have to be others who found out.
We had a traitor in our midst, but I couldn’t worry about that now. One crisis at a time. “Who are you?”
“Billy Cordova, alpha of the Copper Springs Pack. Do you accept or do you want to just bow to me now?” The man smiled in a strange way that didn’t meet his eyes.
This was part of being alpha. I knew eventually someone would come for my title, I just thought it would be someone I knew. Maybe it was better this way. No shared history to get in the way. “I accept your challenge, but we go by the standard rules. One-on-one. No assistance, no magic.”
“Agreed.”
The witch casually walked toward a building, and I realized her feet were bare. Despite the gravel on the road, she didn’t even flinch. The shifters nearby scattered, giving her a wide berth as she settled into a spot to watch the fight unfold.
Reluctantly, I tore my eyes away from her. She was clearly the greater threat, but I wasn’t fighting her now.
“Get him, Luke!” Someone shouted from the gathered crowd.
“You can take him!” Another called.
Voices rose around me, cheering and urging me on. I lifted my chin, feeling emboldened by the support of my pack. I was young and untested in an alpha challenge, but I was their alpha and I would uphold my word to protect them.
Billy charged forward, his body breaking and twisting as he shifted into his wolf form. He could have fought me in either form, but this was his choice. I grinned, knowing he’d chosen wrong. There was no way he could beat me.
I called to my wolf, and he answered with enthusiasm, eager to tear this outsider to shreds. My body moved through the motions with ease. Shifting was like breathing, coming naturally.
My wolf was ready to attack before the older shifter was on guard but I waited for him to make the first move.
When he charged me, claws extended, jaw snapping, he moved with brute force. It was powerful but slow, allowing me to easily dodge his attacks.
I swiped at him, digging my claws into the side of his face. He yelped and backed up, his wolf growling and baring its teeth. Poised to attack again, I leaned onto my haunches and sprung forward like an explosion, landing on top of him.
His wolf reared, trying to throw me, but I dug my claws into his shoulder blades, then dragged him to the ground. Blood gushed leaving matted patches of red in his gray fur.
I released him and moved back, giving enough distance that I could evaluate my prey. With a growl, I watched him slowly regain his footing. He was moving slower and panting. Why had he challenged me when he clearly couldn’t handle the fight? We’d just started, and he was already struggling.
Waiting for him to show his hand, I paced in front of him, daring him to try me. He wasn’t going to survive this fight. He could try to beg for mercy, or he could continue to throw his best at me. Either way, he had to know he wasn’t going to win.
My wolf was restless, urging me to attack, but I maintained my composure. Fighting as a wolf was about strategy. It was how I always won. Most wolf shifters let instinct take over, leaning into their wolf side. They were rash and seeking glory. It always cost them.
I sensed him change tactics before he completed his movement and the second the older wolf charged me, I dodged, moving so his claws met nothing but air. With a rapid spin, I was in front of him, rearing up on my hind legs before landing on him and taking him to the ground again.
He yelped, a pathetic whimpering kind of sound and I pinned him, my jaws inches from his neck. I could end it all right now. It would be so easy to just finish him.
His body shuddered under me and the fur melted away to reveal a frightened-looking naked male. My claws were deep in his chest and blood poured from the wounds.
I yanked my claws out, and he bellowed in agony, tears streaming down his face. What a pathetic waste of shifter. My pack was laughing, unable to hide their disdain for the opposing alpha.
Pacing in front of him, I growled, showing my teeth. He’d come to my home and put in the work to break my wards without having the skills to challenge me. Why had he done this? I allowed myself a moment to look at the woman who’d accompanied him and I knew she was behind the breaking of the wards. But why challenge me? Was this a distraction from something else?
Panic gripped me, and I wondered if we were being ambushed. My challenger was still crying on the ground so I shifted back and did a quick scan to find Zoe.
She was standing next to Scarlett, and both women were staring at the witch who’d accompanied this pathetic excuse for an alpha.
If they were here, the wards must be intact. Zoe would sense if they weren’t. She’d also know if we were being attacked. She was calm and collected, but focused on the visiting witch. Clearly, she was the greater threat right now.
“Mercy,” the fallen alpha called. “Please, I beg you.”
My upper lip curled in disgust. I’d never seen a shifter act this way in a fight, let alone an alpha.
“Kill him!” My pack was chanting, over and over. It was the rules. The way things were done. You didn’t just challenge an alpha and expect to walk away.
