Ifevertherewasa time when someone needed to read the room—or the yard, whatever—it’s now. But Julien’s uncle is clearly not that smart.
In fact, he’s an even bigger idiot than I thought. He repeats his asinine challenge, the poorly timed declaration landing with a thud as me, Julien, and Luke kind of blink at him in stunned disbelief.
Is he serious? Does he really think…?
“No,” I say, because that’s really the only response I’ve got at the moment. “Just no. Not happening.”
Everett puffs out his chest. “You don’t have the authority to—”
“As Alpha Mate, I’m pretty sure I do,” I say.
“You aren’t Alpha Mate.” He sneers, looking me up and down. “The pack elders never accepted you as Julien’s mate at all, much less as Alpha Mate for the pack.”
I roll my eyes. “Do you really want to go there? Are you forgetting what just happened to your head elder?”
“Not to mention,” adds Luke, “before his…untimely death, that same elder acknowledged Keir’s status as Julien’s fated mate.”
“Exactly,” I say with a confidence I don’t quite feel. “Which makes me Alpha Mate by default.”Probably.
“That’s—”
“Just shut up, Everett,” says Julien. “Before I decide to actually take you up on that challenge.” He gestures at himself. “Sure, I’m injured at the moment and fresh from another challenge, but that just means I can choose to either wait to accept your challenge or have someone fight as my proxy. My brother might be the one with the head for the more intricate aspects of our laws, but even I know that much.”
Everett sputters out another protest, but I turn away from him, pulling Julien along with me toward Luke’s SUV. There’s no point in arguing with the asshole.
There’s a growl from behind us, and I hear someone rushing toward us. Julien doesn’t even turn all the way around, just shifts to the side, lifts his arm and catches Everett by the throat before shoving the mangy jerk off to the side. Everett lands on his ass in the dirt, his face red.
“Really now, Uncle. If you want to take this up later with an actual formal challenge, then fine,” says Julien. “But for now you need to just fuck off.”
I snort. There’s no way Everett would have the nerve to reissue that challenge when my mate is back at full strength. We turn away from a still scowling Everett and continue walking toward Luke’s SUV.
Luke walks ahead of me and Julien and grabs a pair of sweats out of the back of his SUV. He tosses them to Julien, who quickly pulls them on before hopping into the backseat. I could also use some pants, but I doubt any other spare clothes Luke might have will fit me, so I’ll have to make do.
I pull myself up into the backseat beside my mate, tucking Julien’s shirt under my ass as I sit down on the leather seat. Julien pulls me to his side, slinging an arm around my shoulders and nuzzling my hair. I relax against him and my tension and anxiety slowly drain away.
The most pressing problems are all resolved.
Zachariah is dead.
Julien is here with me.
And I’m not going anywhere but home with my mate.
Of course, Malachi chooses this moment to waylay Luke before he can get in the driver’s seat, grabbing my cousin by the arm.
“Alpha, I don’t think it is in your best interests to ally yourself with Alpha Matisse. The omega—”
Luke snarls, cutting off the cleric’s words, then shakes out of his hold. “You don’t have permission to touch me, and your opinion on this matter means nothing.” He leans closer. “You should be much more worried about what you’re going to do once I exile you from the pack.”
Malachi has no response. He only stares at Luke open-mouthed as my cousin climbs into the driver’s seat. Luke starts the SUV and heads down the driveway without a single backward glance, leaving both Everett and Malachi behind.
The two of them aren’tcompletelystranded, though. There’s still a sedan left in the driveway, presumably the vehicle William arrived in. If neither one of them has the keys, then they can probably go find William’s body and search his pockets.
I chuckle to myself at the idea.
For a while I watch the world pass by outside the window, but at some point I must drift off because the next thing I know, Julien is nudging me awake.
“We’re home,” he says in a soft voice.
