How. Fucking. Dare. He. Touch.My. Mate.
White hot rage fills my chest, followed quickly by a low, rumbling growl, and I can feel my teeth and nails elongating. I’m not sure if the crowd actually parts around me or if I’m moving so fast that I don’t notice pushing my way through, but what feels like only seconds after entering the warehouse, I’m leaping into the ring, my clothes tearing away as I shift in the air.
I land on four black-tipped silver gray paws, crouching low in front of Julien and baring my teeth at Derek. A commotion picks up around me, but I don’t take my eyes off the enemy in front of me. The other wolf is nothing special. A plain dark gray all over, his coat dull and his eyes a boring brown. He growls at me, his lips pulling away from his teeth as the fur along his spine rises.
I snarl back in a canine version of ‘come at me, bitch.’
Derek growls again, but doesn’t move, not taking a single step toward me or Julien. I want to shift back and scream about how this stupid challenge is over, but I’m not giving up my only weapons—my claws and teeth—not while Derek is still in wolf form and posed to pounce on my already injured mate.
Someone’s yelling my name again. My ears perk up, swiveling toward the sound. There. On the edge of the ring.Remy. He’s saying something, but he’s talking too fast or I’m too worked up to pay enough attention to decipher the words.
Behind me, Julien’s panting, but whatever pain he was in seems to have passed, my nearness appeasing the mating frenzy for the moment. I edge backward until my side presses against his non-injured one, nuzzling my snout into his fur while still on guard in case the other Alpha decides to attack again. I push against Julien with my hindquarters, urging him toward the edge of the ring and farther away from Derek.
I’m getting my mate out of here and I don’t care what anyone else has to say about it.
Derek, presumably noticing what I’m doing, shifts back to human form. He remains crouched, his hands covering his groin. “He’s forfeit now, you mongrel. Get out of my way or I’ll kill you, too.”
I chuff, almost amused that this asshole thinks I’m going to let him anywhere near my mate.
“So be it.” Derek’s body shimmers as the change starts.
“Stop!” yells someone at the top of their lungs. “By order of the triumvirate, this challenge is over.”
I glance to the side of the ring. Yang and Smith are standing next to Remy facing the crowd with Dante and Brody fanned out behind them.
“You don’t have the authority to—” starts Derek.
Yang puts her hands on her hips, head and shoulders back. “Alpha, I would suggest you not complete that sentence before you understand what’s going on here.”
Derek juts out his chin. “What’s going on is a valid challenge. Matisse broke the mating alliance he brokered with my pack and—”
“He found his fated mate,” snaps Yang. “That trumps your alliance.”
Derek’s bushy eyebrows draw together. “But he didn’t…”
“Say anything?” asks Remy, the question laced with pure scorn. “Of course he didn’t.On my advice.” Remy stalks forward, moving closer to Derek. “Julien didn’t mention what Keir is to him because we were trying to protect Keir until we got him the hell out of Chicago. My brother is on another Alpha’s territory—anenemyAlpha—with little back up and his fated mate is a male omega Rossi has already attempted to take custody of in order to sell him forparts.”
Yang pales a little. I think I may have forgotten to mention that particular detail to her. She shares an unreadable look with Smith. Derek blinks at Remy, disbelief clear on his face.
Remy rolls his eyes. “Use your nose, dumbass. One sniff of Keir’s wolf will tell you the truth of what he is.”
Derek’s head swings in my direction and his nostrils flare as he take single step forward, his eyes widening. “It’s true. He’s an omega.”
A murmur travels through the crowd and Derek’s packmates, even Meredith, turn to stand side by side with Dante and Brody, Remy and the two praetorians behind them. Gradually, more and more people gather on “our” side until only Rossi and his men are left standing in opposition to the crowd.
The tension drains out of Yang. I suppose this could have gone either way, but Remy’s quick thinking to expose exactly how horrible Rossi really is turned the tide in our favor. She nods at me, then turns to walk toward Rossi, the crowd parting around her.
“Alpha Rossi, you are hereby under arrest by order of the triumvirate,” says Yang. She tilts her head toward the crowd of shifters behind her. “Are you going to come quietly, or are you planning to make this difficult?”
“I’ll submit myself to the judgment of the triumvirate.” Rossi scowls and his gaze focuses in on me. “But this isn’t the end.”
Yang doesn't respond to the last part, only steps forward and fastens a set of silver handcuffs around his wrists. “While your case is pending, you will be stripped of your Alpha designation. You are permitted to suggest someone to take charge in your stead, otherwise a praetorian will be assigned the role.”
He huffs, but says nothing. I suppose he’d rather his entire pack fall than let someone else take care of it for him, even temporarily. It’s somewhat anticlimactic watching Yang and Smith lead Rossi away, even though every eye in the room is on him as he goes, the entire warehouse silent until he’s gone.
Derek clears his throat, then drops his chin to his chest. “I apologize, Alpha Matisse, for letting Rossi bait my temper.”
Behind me, Julien shifts and rises to stand on two legs. “No harm done.”
