The Challenge (The Pack 2)

“I still can’t believe they shot him,” I murmured, my mind still stuck on the fight that had happened right outside of the apartment. The Hanleys had come here to kidnap me back after I’d escaped them. My dad shot the sheriff, who happened to be a Hanley, to save me. The true loss came when someone shot the Navarre Alpha, Caleb’s father, in cold blood.

“It’s not our way,” Anna agreed quietly. “It’s why they couldn’t take the Pack.”

“Take the pack?” I questioned. “What do you mean?”

Anna looked at me in surprise. “I forget how little you know about the Pack way.” I tilted my head, we’d been through this before, I was completely ignorant about Pack life. It was random chance and a dart that brought me to the tiny town of Banks, Idaho, home of a wolf shifter pack, and the place my life had turned upside down. Apparently, I got my shifter genes from my dad, but he didn’t know any more about it than I did since he’d been adopted as a baby. I couldn’t shift into a wolf like Anna and Dom, but I had the right genes that if I mated with a shifter there was a high probability our children would be able to shift. A valuable trait in the shifter world.

“Another wolf can challenge for Alpha,” she continued and my mouth dropped open. “That’s why things have been so tense. Dominic or any wolf in our Pack can challenge Caleb.”

“But Dom protects Caleb,” I reminded her. “And a challenger can’t take the whole pack, right?”

“Wrong. If someone challenges for Alpha and wins, they get the Pack. How do you think the Hanleys wound up like they did?”

“That’s horrible,” I answered, remembering the total control the Alpha exerted over the Hanley pack.

“That’s why its so important to have a strong Alpha. It’s another reason rogue wolves are run off.” I glanced at her curiously. “A wolf without a Pack has nothing to lose. Challenging an Alpha and winning will give him his own Pack.”

“Yeah, but not everyone wants to be Alpha. There would be challenges all the time.”

“You have to win,” Anna stated, her face drawn. “It’s a fight to the death.”

Chapter Two

Her words froze me in place as I considered what she was saying. Caleb was vulnerable at the moment and the Pack was in turmoil. If a challenge came now, he might fall. “What happens if they don’t accept the challenge?”

“You forfeit or,” she hesitated suddenly and my eyes narrowed.

“Or?” I drawled, having a feeling I wasn’t going to like her answer.

“Someone can fight in your place,” she answered slowly. “The same rules apply, but it’s more a proxy fight?”

“Someone like Dom,” I concluded, piecing it together.

“Someone liked Dom,” she echoed as I pressed my lips together. I knew Dom would step into Caleb’s place in a heartbeat if it came to it.

“He….ohhhh. He didn’t say a word,” I snarled, pissed beyond belief.

“There hasn’t been a challenge and there’s no guarantee Dom would accept it on Caleb’s behalf.” I shot her a disbelieving glance and she shrugged. “Okay, so we know he would, but it doesn’t mean Caleb would ask him too.” Worry flickered across her face as she admitted her own fear and I went over to her.

“It seems like we both have things to worry about,” I sighed, knowing I wouldn’t stop Dom, even if I could. He was overprotective, overbearing, and born to keep everyone around him safe. I couldn’t fault him for that. I knew he’d do anything in his power to keep Caleb safe. He was the closest thing Dom had to a younger brother.

“I didn’t mean to worry you,” Anna said softly, her lithe body making me feel clunky as I stood next to her. “Dom – well, he’s Dom.” I nodded, understanding her perfectly. Dom was Dom. There was no getting around it. “I have to go. I told my Mom I would help with dinner.”

I nodded, “I’ll walk you out.”

We went out the door and almost bumped into Trent as we turned the corner.

“Whoa, sorry ladies.” He stepped back as we came to a sudden halt. “I wasn’t expecting to run into two beautiful women.” He popped the sucker from his mouth and gave us a charming grin. “Anything I can assist you with?”

“You could move out of our way,” Anna challenged, crossing her arms, completely unimpressed by him. “Why are you still hanging around here anyway?”

His grin dropped as he spun the sucker between his fingers. “Dom asked me to hang around. Keep an eye on the motel and his sister.” He ducked his head so he could meet Anna’s eyes. “Run off any big, bad wolves.”

She gave him a tight smile. “Just as long as you don’t become one of them.” She zagged around him, waving at me as an afterthought as she disappeared into the woods.