Watercolor Girl

20 A Challenge?

Lev

“NOX WAIT!!” I reached for her barely making contact with her shoulder, but she paused, still primed, Ciaran stood frozen, trembling, tears streaming down his face. Her gaze didn’t falter, but she stopped. “Nox, Evie, I’ll challenge him. I’ll challenge him for the title.” Ciaran looked at me almost pleading. Although I wouldn’t blame her, hell I’d even support her in annihilating the entire clan, to depose an Alpha by taking his life and the life of a former alpha, and Luna and the current Luna would put a much bigger and brighter target on her back.

“Ciaran. Get your family here now, or I’ll let her find them herself.”

“I’m not bringing them her so she can murder my family!!”

“I need a witness to the challenge, Ciaran. You know the rules of it.” The funny part of it is that he probably didn’t. He had slept through the majority of the most important parts of his training. “If you refuse to call them here, I’ll announce it to the pack. You choose.” Ciaran put his hands up, surrendering.

“They have 10 minutes, Ciaran, if every single one of them isn’t lined up in this office, I’ll rip your throat out at 10:01.” Nox snarled. I had respected him so much. So f*****g much. His lips moved but no words came out and I knew he was linking them, telling them to get here.

“Yeeee haaaaa COWBOY!” Rea screamed through my head. She may not have been privy to the entirety of everything but even she understood enough. I was surprised to hear her voice, speaking to Ciaran.

“So lemme get this straight, make sure I’m smelling what you’re stepping in here, Alpha. You let this little wolf, just a tiny little thing at the time, a baby really, live all by herself out and away from the pack, sending her occasional necessities, things like, shoes from the prison, or some hand me down charity clothes you had laying around in lending closet, clothes that didn’t even fit her because, she was tiny and just a baby at that time. You didn’t send her enough food to actually feed her, we all know that, she lived off of what she hunted. Right. You left her out there knowing this Stev fella was still around and based on what he did to Cowboy over here, he wasn’t too happy about his change of scenery or the fact that baby brother was getting what he thought was his. So you really did leave her out there all wrapped up with a pretty pink bow vulnerable and ignorant of the danger that still existed out there for her. Then when s**t started getting real here, you had the brass b***s to send her out into some wicked danger zone. You had the audacity to ask for her help? And I’m sure you had an inkling that this fella might have something to do with it. But you still said nothing? I’ve seen a lot of crazy s**t go down with werewolves but hot dollar you must be the absolute worst alpha I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Isn’t it your job to protect your pack? Not make sacrifices to the criminals you let walk outta here without barely a slap on the wrist?” Oh Rea was mad.

“What do you know about being a wolf, human?!” Ciaran snarled at her. Rea pushed right past me, standing next to Evie, tall and confident, she pulled the hoodie she was wearing off and brought her eyes to Ciaran’s. I wished I could see her face.

“Well Alpha Ciaran. It is an honor to meet you, I’m Xandrea Max Carter, former Luna of the Snow Claw Pack, largest pack on the East side of the continent, fated mate and wife of former Alpha Russell Drake Carter who gave his life going to war against tyranny like what you got going on here.” ALL of our jaws dropped. The Snow Claw Pack was feared and adored, they were enormous, their territory spanning from the northern limits of the globe, all the way down the east coast. They were fierce warriors but also dwarfed even the next largest pack that existed. Even an 18th of their army could lay waste to the little speck of a pack that Storm Solstice was, and Rea has been their Luna. Rea had been the Luna to an Alpha who’d given his life in battle, which meant she would always be respected and held within high regard in the pack. Rea, could decimate this pack with a slight flick of her wrist. When she turned back to walk casually to her spot behind me, her mark was still there. Many, many years had passed since Alpha Russell had passed, and Rea still wore his mark, permanent and prominent on her collarbone.

“You hurt my girl, Alpha, and I think that’s pretty god damned s****y.” Rea pulled out her phone, pecked at the screen before the telltale ring of an outgoing phone call sounded.

“Hi there Luna. - Oh I know it’s been a hot minute since we had a chance to catch up, but you know I’ve been pup rearing that sad little orphan down here. - (laugh) - well you know I actually have a bit of a problem. - You ever heard of the Storm Solstice Pack? - it’s just an itty bitty little spot on the map, just south of the Appalachia outpost, maybe about 200 miles, probably less. - Yeah! That’s the one! - well I just got some bad news regarding - oh no she’s ok - yeah the pup I took in a few years back - Jelly!! Right!! - well it turns out their former beta and alpha rigged her up and sold her bloodline to the former beta’s oldest son. - no I know. I know. - I was wondering if I could trouble you for some assistance down here. - turns out my pup mated to the former beta’s youngest and they’re posing a pretty nasty threat to my pup and her mate. - well you know sometimes when it’s just a few on the right side but the wrong side’s got all the power. - Oh I know it, girl. - well I thank you for your assistance. - and I know you aren’t gonna believe this, Lyss, but I still got the link. So you let em know to reach out when they’re close. - ok Luna, as always, I thank you for your continued support. - I’ll call you as soon as they arrive. - love you too, we’ll chat soon. - Bye.” Almost as if it had been orchestrated to work this way, in poured Ciaran’s family. Every last one of them. Dargan, who lived in the pack house was the last one through the door, immediately posting to Ciaran’s side. He pressed his face into her cheek sobbing.

“What is the meaning of all of this?!” Former Alpha Thomas yelled.

“Tell them Ciaran.” All eyes turned to Ciaran, who was absolutely breaking down. “Look into Dargan’s eyes and tell her about what you did to Evie.” Dargan tried to get him to look at her, but he just stood leaning against the wall before looking to his father.

“Dad they know. They all know.”

“They know what, son?”

“Stop, they know! They know all of it, they know about Stev, they know about what happened.”

“You look surprised Tom. Why do you look so surprised?” Evie stepped towards him menacing for her small size, “do you have something you want to tell me, Tommy?”

“How dare you speak to me like that you little w***e!? We tolerated your presence here. Allowed your to remain within the safety of the pack, show some respect!” Rea chuckled her little chuckle, sitting in my chair with her feet kicked up onto the desk, apparently finding it comical they claimed they allowed her to stay for her own safety.

“I renounced my loyalty to this pack. I owe you nothing.” Evie receded, and Alpha Thomas found himself face to face with Nox, a very, very angry Nox. I stepped behind her, putting my hands around her waist, this situation I did not trust her to control herself through. Alpha Thomas stood speechless looking into the void that was Nox, unable to back away from her, he crouched. “You’re here for a reason, coward. Not to sit in a puddle of your own piss, stand up, before I stand you up.” Nox was ruthless and hostile, Alpha Thomas stood, once again finding himself face to face with my feral little warrior witch who snapped her attention to Ciaran and Dargan. “Tell her Ciaran. Tell her what you told us.”

“‘Baby, you need to run.’ Is not what you need to tell her Ciaran.” Both Dargan and Ciaran turned to her wide eyed. “Use your big boy voice, Ciaran, I won’t ask you again.” Ciaran began to explain what he had explained to me and to Evie. Dargan looked at Evie, her mouth told Evie she was so sorry but no sound came out through her tears. She stepped back and away from Ciaran. Shaking her head. Of all the creatures in this room, I felt the worst for Dargan. She was bound to Ciaran until one of them perished. Which would be soon, but she would have to feel that, and I didn’t feel like she deserved it. Dargan wasn’t malicious or mean, she wouldn’t have allowed any of this.

“Alpha Ciaran O’ Riley, I, Beta Lev Riley Lyons both of the Storm Solstice Werewolf Pack, challenge you for the title of Alpha. I challenge you here under the witness of Former Luna Xandrea Max Carter of The Snow Claw Werwolf Pack and Former Alpha Thomas O’ Riley of the Storm Solstice Warewolf Pack. I challenge you following the rules of The Storm Solstice covenants, to take place in the arena of your choosing, at a date no later then 5 days from the date of this challenge. If you fail to establish an appropriate arena, the challenge will take place in an arena of my choosing, which will be 3 miles northeast of the pack house, in the clearing approximately 1 mile east of the former residence of Evangeline Vesper Nightclaw. If you fail to appear at the challenge, you will forfeit your title of Alpha to me and be declared an enemy of The Storm Solstice Pack, you will be hunted down and exterminated, along with any wolf, creature, or human who aids in your evacuation. You will have 3 days to declare an arena. If you fail to do so, the challenge arena will default to my arena of choice. The terms of the challenge dictate, a winner is declared upon the death of one of the challengers.” Alpha Thomas laughed.

“You’re a stupid wolf, Beta.” He spit out the words beta like it tasted rotten in his mouth. “You’ve always been weak. That she wolf has a better chance of beating my son in a duel.” I looked at Alpha Thomas, and I let Til have control.

“That she wolf made us whole, Alpha.” And he let out a roar that rattled the bricks to the foundation. “Now get out, and a guard will stand watch to ensure there are no untimely exits over the next 5 days. You will not outrun Evie and you will not outrun me. You will not outrun the reinforcements we have coming from the Snow Claw Pack. I implore all of you to not be so foolish as to think you can escape this.” Before Dargan walked out the door, her head hung low, she stopped and hugged Evie, no words were exchanged but enough was said in that single gesture of support.

When the office was empty or all except the three of us, Evie turned to Rea who was shoveling the remainder of my salad in her mouth and seemingly completely unbothered by everything that had just occurred in this room.

“Rea!! How dare you keep secrets from me?” Rea shrugged,

“Well you never asked!” The sound of my mate’s laugh calmed me, and I couldn’t help but laugh myself. Burdened only mildly by the prospect that I would have to battle the alpha in 5 days time. Despite an entire life of insecurities, I had never been so confident in my capabilities. I wasn’t worried.