The Challenge (The Pack 2)

“It may surprise you, but I was like you once,” Dad rumbled, shaking his head. “What you have with her is special, son. Treat it with care.” I gave a short nod, embarrassed he’d seen me lose control so easily. Dad chuckled at my expression. “Trust me, I understand the difficulty,” he said knowingly and I winced, since he was talking about Mom. “But I also promised her dad you would never push his daughter into something she wasn’t ready for.” My gaze shifted involuntarily to Jess’ Dad, who had started to straighten up the overturned tables. I hadn’t forgotten how he’d faced the Hanleys and knew Jess hadn’t just inherited her shifter genes from her father, she’d also inherited his courage. “Don’t make a liar out of me,” Dad advised, giving my chest a hard thump.

I nodded, and Dad went to help Jess’ Dad pick up the party mess. Trent loped out of the woods a few seconds later and I scanned the area behind him, searching for Anna. He skidded to a stop in front of me, shaking his head. “She’s at home,” he answered before I could voice the question. “I followed her, almost to the Hanley border,” he paused as a snarl ripped out of me. “I know, trust me, I know, but she wasn’t in any danger,” Trent assured me. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to her.” I nodded, knowing it was true. Trent had sworn an oath to me that he would watch over Anna and I knew nothing but death would cause him to break it. “She wasn’t alone out there,” he continued and my gaze sharpened. “Yeah, she was following someone else.”

“Wren,” I said and Trent stared at me in surprise. “I noticed her scent the other day when Monster got lost. I verified earlier that it belonged to Wren. She was meeting someone.”

“Yeah, but we don’t know who. They were gone before we got there.”

“Did she see you?” I questioned.

“Wren or Anna?” Trent asked, unwrapping a sucker. “Anna definitely knew I was there. I swear the woman has a sixth sense when it comes to my presence. Wren didn’t notice us, but I was careful to stay downwind.”

“Good. I want to know who she’s meeting and why she’d risk crossing Navarre land to meet them.” I gave Trent a pointed look. “Without her having a chance to come up with a story for why.”

“Understood,” Trent agreed. “What’d I miss? Anna looked mighty upset but she wouldn’t tell me. She shifted and I damn near lost her before I could shift and keep up. She’s a fast little thing.”

“Frank Hanley showed up,” I replied, and Trent’s mouth dropped open and the sucker he had almost fell out.

“Sam’s ex?”

“One and the same,” I answered with a nod. “He issued a challenge.”

“Ohhhh,” Trent drew the word out slowly. “No wonder Anna was upset. Caleb –” Trent didn’t finish the thought but he didn’t need too. We both knew what could happen. “He’s going to fight him?”

“I don’t know yet,” I replied shortly. “He took off right after they left. I haven’t had a chance to talk to him.”

Trent scratched the side of his neck, choosing his next words carefully. “Do you think he can win the challenge?”

“He’s strong,” I answered, not wanting to face the real point of Trent’s question.

“Is he strong enough to kill a man?” Trent said bluntly and I eyed him silently. “He’s seventeen and we know there’s only one way a challenge like this ends.”

“I know,” I replied, the words barely audible. “And to answer your question…I don’t know.”

“You better find out,” Trent said in a low voice, cracking the sucker between his teeth as he stared into the forest where Caleb had disappeared earlier. “You better find out before it’s too late.”

Chapter Thirteen

Jess

I poked my head out the window, verifying Dom was still there before I crawled out. As my legs swung over the ledge I lost my grip and tumbled through the window, landing in a heap on top of Dom. He grunted as I sprawled over his face, his breath exhaling hotly against my thigh.

“You really want me to hump you like a dog in public, don’t you?” He growled, shoving my legs down, and pulling me into a sitting position.

“Well,” I started to speak and he clamped his palm over my mouth.

“Don’t answer that,” he gritted out, and it was only the hint of pleading I heard that had me complying. I nodded and he uncovered his hand from my mouth.

“Kinky,” I told him, smiling when he eyed me narrowly. “You have hidden depths,” I teased him and he let out a snort, resting his head against the wall behind us.

“I don’t actually,” he admitted, rolling his head slightly so he could see me. “What you see is what you get. Flaws and all.”