I hated that it made me question mydecision.
Halfway back to my bedroom, I crossed paths with Everest. “If you’re here to talk me out of it, don’t waste yourbreath.”
He kept up with my hurried strides. “Are you kidding? I’m totally on board with you going up againstLiam.”
Thattook me by surprise. I stopped. “Youare?”
“Hell yeah. But if you’re sure, you need to tell the elders beforemidnight.”
“Why? Do they turn into pumpkins afterthat?”
Everest smirked, and it shook off the cloying anxiety that had marred his face since Becca swan dove off her roof. “The blood oath happens atmidnight.”
I remembered my father telling me about blood oaths, but it was in the context of electing the Alpha. Pack members needed to slash their skin, then touch their seeping wounds to the Alpha’s. Once the contact happened, the magic took place and turned an ordinary wolf into a true beast. I wasn’t sure how it worked in terms of competing for thetitle.
“Get cleaned up and meet me on the deck,” Everestsaid.
In front of the dining room entrance, I spied Liam exchanging words with Matt, the blond giant, and another boy who was as tall as Matt but built narrower, with shaggy black hair and an ugly scar across one of hiseyebrows.
When they caught me staring, I turned my attention back to Everest. “I’ll be there in a sec.” And then I jogged away to getready.
I’d give the jerk a run for hismoney.
Did I want to win? Sure. Who wanted to lose? Did I want to lead a bunch of jerks? No. But if I did win, I could probably nominate someone else to run the pack. I wondered what my father would’ve thought of my decision. Would he question my sanity, or would he beproud?
My mother had raised me to go after what I wanted. And what I wanted was to stop another Kolane from being in a position of power. I held on to that as I readied to fight for mybeliefs.
Chapter Five
Dessert and drinkswere being served on the spacious deck when I arrived. Flickering candles in giant hurricane holders cast eerie glows and moving shadows over the faces angled my way. Conversations halted. The only sound was the instrumental jazz whirring from hidden ceilingspeakers.
Jeb shifted toward me, a tumbler of whiskey clutched between hisfingers.
“Sorry I missed dinner,” Isaid.
“You want to eatsomething?”
“I’ll eatlater.”
He lowered his glass to his narrow hip, and the ice clinked. “Ness—”
“Please, Uncle. Don’t tell me what todo.”
“A month ago, you didn’t want to come back here. You wanted nothing to do with the pack, and now you’re vying for—for Alpha.” He joggled his hand, and whiskey splashedout.
“Let me guess… I shouldn’t compete, because I’m a girl, and according to you, girls are mangy littlethings.”
Color crawled up histhroat.
“I might’ve been weak when you kicked me out of Boulder, but I’m notanymore.”
“Stop saying I kicked you out, will you?” hehissed.
“Well, it’strue.”
Through gritted teeth, he added, “It was to protectyou.”
I dropped my voice. “Because of what Heath did toMom?”
