The whole situation is ridiculous.
My pack hasn’t even had a challenge for succession in at least three generations. Since my great-grandfather, each transfer of power has been peaceful, made easier because the Madison pack is healthy, prosperous, and happy. If there’s any discontent, people bring it up with the elders, who in turn consult with me as the Alpha and a solution is reached without bloodshed.
But a fight—in this case to the death because we’re on Rossi’s territory and that’s what he wants—over what amounts to little more than hurt feelings? It’s utterly absurd.
But it’s too late to do anything about it now.
Remy, Brody, and I arrive at Rossi’s chosen location, but twenty minutes later, we have yet to see the Chicago Alpha. Derek and his brother are already here along with Meredith, who’s sitting in a chair off to the side looking bored.
I’m not sure if Rossi uses this building for challenges often or if he already thought ahead far enough to have the place set up, but the large warehouse is empty except for a few rows of chairs facing a raised area similar to a boxing ring in one corner.
Remy has been mostly silent since he told me how stupid I was, but I can see the wheels working in his head as he tries to think of a way out of this. If anyone can find one, my brother can. There’s a reason I depend on him so much to help me navigate sticky situations. Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s enough time for him to come up with a workable plan.
Remy elbows me in the side and jerks his chin toward the far door where I can just make out the top of Dante’s head coming through the crowd. Before we left the hotel, Remy sent Dante to try to talk with the praetorians. Remy’s hope was that they’d release Keir to us so we could announce he’s my fated mate in a last ditch effort to get me out of this idiotic challenge.
Dante’s not smiling when he reaches us.
“No luck?” asks Remy.
“Well,” he says, hesitantly. “I got to meet Keir’s former Alpha.”
“What the hell?” An involuntary growl vibrates in my chest.
“Yeah, that was my reaction too.” Dante sighs. “Seems Rossi contacted the guy, Randall, and flew him out here to get the praetorians to release Keir into the custody of ‘his’ pack.”
Exactly what Remy had been hoping they’d do, but to the wrong damn pack. Another growl rumbles in my throat.Mypack is Keir’s pack, not some asshole who threw him away.
“On the bright side, Keir ran off when Rossi showed up with some sort of mating contract,” says Dante. “so he’s notcurrentlyin any danger from his old Alpha or from Rossi.”
“That’s…” Remy presses his lips together and his brows draw together. “It seems too convenient. Keir ran off and Rossi just let him go?”
Dante shrugs. “Randall wasn’t particularly helpful. He said his kid, Keir’s younger cousin, bopped Rossi on the head with something and the two of them took off.”
“Something’s not right.” Remy rubs a hand over his brow, his face and shoulders tense as he shakes his head. “No teenage shifter can take down someone of Rossi’s power level with a ‘bop on the head.’ Rossi let them go. I just can’t figure outwhy.”
Unease creeps up my spine as I observe my brother’s agitation. It only gets worse when Rossi strides into the building, an enormous grin stretched across his face and a confident tilt to his chin. That is not the look of an Alpha who thinks he’s lost. That’s the look of someone for whom things are going exactly as planned.
Rossi stops by Derek’s group first, shaking Derek’s hand, then clapping him on the back as he says something. Probably wishing him luck. Tradition demands that he greet my pack as well, so he walks toward us, his hands clasped together behind his back. He puts his hand out toward me, but I ignore it.
After a beat, Rossi drops his hand. “Only a few minutes to go,” he says. “Are you sure you don’t just want to sign the mating alliance and avoid all this?”
I narrow my eyes. “I’m not signing anything.”
“I thought not.” He leans closer, speaking in a low voice only I can hear. “It’s a good thing you didn’t claim him. This way he doesn’t have to take the risk of sharing your death.”
I go still, forcing my expression to stay blank. The only person he could be referring to is Keir, but how does he know Keir is my fated mate? For that matter, how does he know Keir is unclaimed?
Rossi smirks, then tugs something from his pocket: a piece of fabric sprinkled with glitter.
Is thatKeir’s shirt?
“My staff just hates it when guests don’t clean up after themselves.” He tosses the shirt to me. Half-instinctively, I catch it, Keir’s scent drifting into my nostrils as the fabric lands in my hands.
“My brother is looking forward to having his mate back once Derek takes over your pack,” says Rossi as he walks away.
“What was that all about?” asks Dante, his brow furrowed.
“I have no idea,” I say, my fingers tightening on the shirt.
