It felt like someone had kicked me in the stomach. He’d told them. After we’d discussed it, he’d still told everyone. Why?
My eyes widened as the crowd erupted into conversation, every person shooting glances in my direction. Many people didn’t look totally surprised, as Eugenia had said, word was beginning to spread about us, but most of the town looked totally taken aback by the revelation.
“Is June your fated mate?” a woman called out from the crowd.
Levi nodded, a grin on his face. “She?—”
“I challenge Juniper Hollis!” Eugenia roared, pushing through the crowd to the front.
The biggest gasp yet burst through the crowd. The reaction was loud and so perfectly well-timed, it would have been comical were I not so angry and shocked.
“Eugenia,” Levi said, raising a calming hand. “We’ll discuss this in private later, and?—”
“No!” she bellowed, her hateful eyes locked on me, teeth bared as if she’d already shifted. “There’s no talking. I challenge June to single combat for the position as your mate.”
Levi pressed his lips to my ear. “Reject the challenge. I’ll speak with her later and smooth all this out.”
I turned my head to glare at him. “You’ll smooth it out?Really?”
His face twisted in some mixture of anguish and embarrassment. “June, I needed to do this now. There’s no time to draw things out, no time to?—”
“No time to honor your word?” I snapped. “Got it.” I turned to Eugenia and raised my voice, ensuringno onecould miss my next words. “I accept your challenge.”
36
LEVIATHAN
“Hold on, now,” I said. “Let’s relax and talk this out.”
Fear and anger swelled in my chest, a rising tide that threatened to drown me. This was not how I’d anticipated this going. Not at all. I’d truly thought that once the news was out, June would be relieved. It was one less thing to worry about. I’d figured Eugenia would challenge her, but I never thought June would accept. In my head, I’d pictured her rejecting the challenge, then I could speak to Eugenia in private and tone down her vitriol. June welcoming the challenge had thrown a massive wrench in my—admittedly—poorly planned idea.
“There’s nothing to talk about,” Eugenia said, a self-satisfied grin on her face. Her eyes flashed with rage. “June and I will settle this like women.” She turned to look at June. “See you soon. I hope you’re ready.”
With that, she spun on her heel and stalked off, pushing her way through the crowd. The rest of the pack, looking bewildered, began to trickle away, heading back to their cabins. I clenched my jaw. How the fuck had this gone downhill so quickly? I wasangry with myself for misjudging the situation, but I was angrier with June and Eugenia.
June shoved past me to get off the stage, almost knocking me over.
“Wait,” I said, calling after her, but she didn’t acknowledge me.
Hurrying down the steps, I rushed over to catch up, reaching her before she could go inside the bunkhouse.
“June, hang on,” I said, gently touching her arm.
She ripped her arm away and turned on me, face red and eyes blazing. “Why? What could you possibly need me for? You do whatever thefuckyou want no matter what.”
I backed away a step, surprised by the anger radiating off her like heat from a fire.
“June, I thought?—”
“You thought what?” she snapped. “Thought I was onlyjokingwhen I said you needed to wait to introduce me as your mate? Thought I was being a silly little girl?” She shoved me for emphasis, jamming her palms into my chest.
This was goingwayworse than I’d imagined, and I was kicking myself for assuming. Deep down, I’d believed she wanted the pack to know she was my mate, and that it would be a relief to have it out in the open. I’d relied on my ability as a leader and peacemaker to smooth over any objections that might erupt. Now, I saw that I hadn’t understood how serious June had been about it all. In trying to do the right thing, I’d screwed up beyond belief.
“Okay,” I said, holding my hands up in surrender. “I understand I screwed up.”
She snorted and folded her arms across her chest. “That’s putting it mildly.”
“Yes, I messed up,” I agreed, “but so did you.”
