Rise of the Underdogs: (Book 1) COLTON

Chapter 19

Almost three hours later, I slammed Thomas into the concrete floor — the impact ringing out with a crack that was ridiculously satisfying. The sound of his teeth rattling was music to my fury. His parents screamed in protest from the corner of the cell block, but I didn’t hold back. He had put my kids at risk the moment he struck my Mate. He damaged her face badly enough that the doctor demanded bed rest and ordered her kept in the clinic until she fully healed.

Then my Aunt decided to throw a tantrum.

“I’m calling the Alpha! I’ll do it, Colton! Neil won’t like that you’re violent!”

I stopped mid-turn and faced her with a smile that carried all the darkness I felt. “Are you now? Alpha Jack, keep them locked up. Neil’ll be here tomorrow to decide what happens to him. And hey, Aunt Sasha? My Mate is Alpha Prince Neil’s first cousin — on his mother’s side. Can’t wait to see how you spin your way out of this one.”

Their faces drained instantly, turning paler than fresh snow. We had kept Daisy’s relation to Neil quiet, so that little surprise landed harder than any punch I could’ve thrown.

“You’re lying!”

“Is he?”

Every head turned toward the doorway where a very out-of-breath Kaden stood beside Neil. They had shown up just hours after I made the call — but that’s how we were. When one of us needed help, the rest dropped everything and came swinging. The fact that Neil brought Kaden meant he wanted this handled quickly and cleanly.

Kaden was Neil’s secret ace — sharp, unpredictable, and fiercely loyal.

“Dude, how fast did you drive?” I asked, eyeing the tension in Neil’s jaw.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he kept those hardened eyes locked on mine. That look told me everything I needed to know — Neil still hadn’t found his Mate.

“He didn’t drive. I did,” Kaden said. “I was gonna steal my brother’s car to get here, but once Neil said you needed backup? I used a transport spell instead.”

I pulled him into a hug without hesitation. “Thanks, man. Seriously.”

Neil’s voice sliced into the moment like ice. “Where is my cousin?”

His tone was low and precise — quiet fury leaking from every syllable.

“She’s in the infirmary until she’s healed.” I handed over the report, every line of it proof. “I want to kill him.”

Neil flipped through the pages with a clenched jaw. The change in his scent hit hard. I smelled it immediately — anger rising, slow and thunderous.

“Twins, huh?” he muttered. “Good for you, Colt. Go be with your Mate. I’ll handle this.”

He was stressy. He was aggressy. And he was about to make things messy. Did I care? Not even a little.

I rolled my eyes, knowing how this was going to pan out. “How’s Neil been holding up?”

“Henry’s got me watching him,” Kaden replied. “Dreson’s on the mend. And honestly? I’m just enjoying the chaos. The new Grand Luna’s a riot. Remember John?”

“Not that I want to,” I muttered as we stepped into the clinic’s outer hallway.

The new girl at the front desk growled when she caught sight of me. I didn’t flinch. I leveled her with a stare and bared my fangs — slow and deliberate. She backed down instantly, submitting without another word.

“Come on, Kaden,” I said, tugging him along as I led the way to the maternity ward. “Tell me what happened?”

“John’s mom, Molly, decided she wanted to get into the Commissioner’s pants,” Kaden replied, already mid-rant. “To get him to visit, she spun this lie that almost got Neil arrested. I mean, yeah, Neil’s tough to deal with sometimes, but he’d never sexually assault anyone.”

He shrugged. “Luna Clara found out and went full tilt on her. Oh — and she’s the new prosecutor for the Crown back home.”

Classic Kaden — bouncing through a conversation like a ping-pong ball. He could shift from street blunt to courtroom sharp without skipping a beat.

“Don’t be too hyped around her. She’s already on edge,” I warned, pushing open Daisy’s door.

Her eyes lit up the moment she saw me, but Kaden’s growl cut through it like a blade.

“Hell nah,” he snapped. “Hell freaking nah is that piece of trash getting away with this.”

Then he softened, just slightly.

“Daisy,” he said, voice earnest. “Can I take a picture of your injuries to show Neil? He’s in full justice mode and sent Colt back here to be with you.”

She nodded without hesitating. “If my cousin’s here, I’m guessing Colt called it in that I was attacked by a packmate. If that’s the case, go ahead and take the picture.”

Kaden pulled out his phone and leaned in for a close-up before tearing out of the room like a man on a mission. Seeing Daisy’s bruised face lit a fuse in him.

I walked to the sink, soaked a clean cloth in cold water, and carefully dabbed her cheek. “It’s gonna be okay, baby. He’ll be made an example of. Anyone who thinks it’s fine to abuse their Mate’ll see what happens. Yeah, I called Neil. I couldn’t retaliate without him knowing the situation, but you know I’d do anything for you.”

“I know,” she sobbed. “I shouldn’t ha—”

I shook my head and wrapped her in a hug. “Don’t. Please, don’t. You did nothing wrong, Daisy. He should’ve stayed away. Should’ve walked off—but he didn’t. He made that choice, not you. So don’t blame yourself, sweetheart. You’re a Beta female. You outrank him, and he still did something I’d never even think of doing. That wasn’t your fault. You pushed back instead of waiting on me to defend you—and that makes you stronger than most of the female wolves I know.”

Clinging tightly to me, she cried harder. I held her close, steady and silent, just letting her breathe against my chest.

The door opened behind us. One sniff of the blood told me everything—my cousin wasn’t breathing anymore.

“How are you, Daisy?”

Her head snapped up at Neil’s voice, then froze when she saw him. He was soaked in blood, and the growl that tore out of him upon seeing her was low and dangerous.

“Neil, you’re full of blood! Don’t tell me you killed him?!”

Unfazed, I gently smoothed her brown hair back from her face. “It’s all right, Daisy. That’s the law of our kind, honey, and Neil dealt with it himself. Did you want a minute alone with her, Neil?”

“But, Colt, he was your cousin!”

My jaw tightened. “Yeah, but that didn’t give him the right to lay hands on my pregnant Mate. He hurt you, Daisy. That’s not something I’ll ever forgive. You remember the promise I made to Neil before we left Shadow Storm? To keep you safe? I called him before doing anything, and he came down here personally. If death’s what he decided... then it’s what was deserved.”

I glanced at one of my closest friends. His clothes were soaked through with blood. No shift, no claws—he beat Thomas to death with his bare hands. “I’ll swing by the house and grab something for you outta my room. Pretty sure we’re still the same size, so my stuff should fit.”

He nodded, calm but tired. “Appreciate you keeping your word, Colt. Could you grab me a plate of your mom’s cooking too?”

I smirked. “Figured you'd ask.”

Then Neil hit up me on the mind-link. ‘I beat him to death by hand, Colt. Sorry.’

‘I’m not,’ I answered. ‘He earned it. One slap landed her in here. I don’t even wanna think about what could’ve happened if he’d hit her harder. She graduated her baking course too. I’m so damn proud of her.’

Stepping into the hallway, I turned to Kaden. “Guard the door like your life depends on it.”

He didn’t even blink. “Anything for you, man.”