Her Second Chance

Chapter 3

Tessa's POV

I waited in my room for a couple of hours, thoughts racing through my mind.

ALL PACK MEMBERS TO THE ARENA! Honi shouted via the pack link.

I grabbed my packed bookbag and put it on my shoulders. If Honi wins the challenge, I will make a run to the boundary and reject the pack. If Amos wins, I will stay and see how he is as an Alpha.

On my way to the arena, I ran into another Omega who works at the hospital. "Girl, you really did a number on Garrett Luther. He's sipping food through a straw right now! I love it!!" She actually hugged me. It took everything I had in me not to crack up laughing. As much as I want to hope I taught Garrett a lesson, I don't think a piece of trash like him will ever learn to keep his hands to himself.

I scanned the arena and opted to stand next to the nearest exit. Hundreds of fellow wolves poured in and made their way to the arena seats. Honi went to the center and addressed the crowd.

"Many of you know that after my brother Crow Rainwater passed away tragically, I tried to guide his son at a young age and prepare him to run this pack. But Amos did not meet the expectations I and many of my friends have for an Alpha. Now, he dares to issue a challenge to take MY pack!? I will not stand for this! BRING HIM OUT!!"

A very large Native American man entered the arena without his shirt on. Amos was no longer the skinny boy who left here at 18 but now a massive muscular man. His dark eyes are bright and alert, an almost predatory appearance to them. Amos's chest was covered in tribal tattoos and his bronze skin glistened in the sun. Many of the female Omegas are drooling all over themselves. Even Honi's eyes widened in shock and horror.

Why couldn't Amos be our mate! Athena whined. I definitely wouldn't mind having that hunk as my mate!

"You're full of s**t as usual Uncle! You didn't guide me, you suffocated me and MADE me think I wasn't worthy to be an Alpha! I didn't want this but you forced my hand!! I have been training for ten years for this moment. You and I both know that I am the rightful Alpha of Fire Moon! I, AMOS RAINWATER, SON OF ALPHA CROW RAINWATER AND LUNA ELAINE RAINWATER, HEREBY ISSUE A CHALLENGE TO YOU HONI RAINWATER! FOR THE FIRE MOON PACK TO THE DEATH!

Honi immediately shifted into his wolf which broke protocol. Traditionally, Honi would have to accept the challenge and a referee would have to keep time. But Honi never was one for protocol and Amos knew it, because he immediately shifted into a very large, midnight black wolf.

Holy crap Tessa, he's going to rip Honi apart.

Good! I can't wait to see it!!

Both wolves snapped and growled at each other. Honi's wolf somehow got the upper hand and pinned Amos's down. Amos quickly turned his snout and used his hind legs to kick Honi off of him just before Honi bit his kill spot. He lunged at Honi and they rolled and tackled for what seemed like an eternity.

Honi was weakening right before my eyes. He grossly underestimated Amos and how determined Amos was to take back his pack. He lunged one more time and Amos dodged, came up behind him and bit one of Honi's hind legs off and before another minute had passed, bit one of the front legs off. As Honi shifted back to human, he muttered out one last plea.

"Amos...don't...please."

"Goodbye Uncle." Amos bit Honi's head off right in front of us, the arena silent with shock and horror. He dismembered Honi in seconds and sent the remaining arm and leg flying across the arena.

Amos shifted back into his human form, and stood up naked in front of us covered in blood. Was Honi's reign of terror finally over? What were we all in store for with this new Alpha?

"Fire Moon, I apologize for what you had to see here today. I tried several times not to do this challenge and reason with my uncle. I wanted nothing more than to take back my pack without violence. But you all knew my uncle and how he could be." Amos cleared his throat and took a robe a guard brought out for him.

"I want to make three things clear right now. Number one. For those who are new, my father Crow Rainwater was the former Alpha of this pack. Honi took it from me illegally as many have probably long suspected. I AM THE TRUE ALPHA OF FIRE MOON! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD!"

"YES ALPHA!" All of us shouted.

"Good. Number two, I will be meeting with each and every one of the pack members to learn what all happened here under Honi. I am appalled at the shape Fire Moon is in since I left it ten years ago! I will be working with my close friend and the man I have appointed my Beta, James Olmstead, to make the many repairs needed here. Starting with the pack hospital and a few of the cottages on the outer edge of the territory. Is that understood?"

"Yes Alpha!" Immediately I was relieved that Amos brought a Beta into the pack that wasn't from Fire Moon. There are too many here loyal to Honi.

"Number 3. When I meet with all of you, I want total honesty and transparency. The past has a way of coming back to haunt us and my philosophy has long been that transparency is one weapon against it. Is that understood!?"

"YES ALPHA!"

"I am not my uncle Fire Moon. I have spent the last ten years in California training not only to beat him, but to be the man and Alpha my father wanted me to be. I have been counseled by several good Alpha's as well as my mother who was the former Luna before Honi banished us. I understand that some may not want to remain here and that is fine, I will release you if you wish. I ask that you give me a chance to fix things and bring Fire Moon back to how it was."

I looked around and saw the relief on just about the entire pack's faces.

"One final thing. I anticipate when other packs get wind of what happened here today, we will have attacks. TRAINING IS MANDATORY FOR ALL ABLE BODIED ME AND WOMEN STARTING TOMORROW! UNDERSTOOD?!"

"YES ALPHA!" All of us shouted. As we exited the arena, I made my way back to my cottage and poured myself a shot of Tequila, reflecting on the day's events.

Tessa, this is Carter one of the guards. The new Alpha is requesting you in the Alpha office.

I'll be right there.

I walked to the Alpha's office and immediately felt at ease when I met Amos's brown eyes. I saw none of the lust there that was in Honi's. His and his Beta's eyes were kind and warm.

"Are you Tessa Morse?"

"Yes Alpha."

"You may have a seat." I sat down in one of the chairs in front of his desk.

"My uncle kept some extensive notes about you. You lead the cleaning teams here, correct?"

"Yes Alpha."

"He noted you had a run-in a couple of days ago with one Garrett Luther. What happened there?"

"Garrett tried to seduce me and wouldn't take no for an answer. He tried to kiss me and I guess I hit him too hard, because I broke his jaw."

Amos inhaled sharply and his face hardened. "Is Garrett one to do this often?"

"This is his second time with me."

"The second time!?" Amos shouted and I shrunk back.

"The first time was nothing. He tried to grab me to kiss me, and I slapped him hard. This time he got a little more grabby and I panicked. I have been training and I guess I don't know my own strength. I only meant to get him off of me." I said softly.

"Beta, see to it that the moment he is discharged from the hospital you place Garrett Luther in the tombs. I will not tolerate a man in my pack who thinks he can treat women this way!" Amos commanded.

I really like him! Athena pranced in my head.

"Done. How long do you think?" the Beta asked him.

"I'll begin questioning other Omegas and see what they have to say first. Tessa, were there others this man Garrett may have tried to force advances on?"

"I don't know about that, but I do know Garrett gets around."

"Apparently my uncle did too. Tessa, were you one of my uncle's many affairs?"

"No Alpha." I will take the secret of Honi trying to blackmail me to sleep with him to my grave. Some things are just better left unsaid.

"Did Honi ever try anything with you?" Amos asked.

"I sensed that he would have given the opportunity. I didn't give him much of one."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I avoided the former Alpha as much as I could. He put me in charge of cleaning his office and his rooms and I made a point to do it while he was out of the pack house. Just things like that. I tried never to be alone with him."

"I see. Was Honi going to punish you for breaking Garrett Luther's jaw?"

"I'm not sure Alpha. He called me in here to talk about it and we were interrupted by the news of your challenge."

"Tessa, I believe you and I also believe you are not the first that Garrett Luther may have tried to force himself on. But if the others will not confirm that or say they participated willingly, then I'm not going to have enough evidence to throw him out of the pack. This new Council that has been formed is watching Alphas all around the United States very closely. They are attempting to keep Alphas from abusing their roles and being like Honi was, and also want to keep the rogue population from rising. If this Council wasn't around, I'd have already thrown Garrett out for this. But the Council will intervene if I banish a werewolf and don't have enough evidence as to why I am banishing. It will make the job I'm facing getting this pack back to where it should be much harder. I hope you understand what I am trying to say."

"I do. I know your hands are tied Alpha. I think Garrett learned his lesson not to try that with me again. If other women aren't willing to speak up there isn't much you can do." I agreed. Hopefully the others use their voices and get Garrett out of Fire Moon once and for all.

"We're going to be watching him closely Tessa. Especially since Honi was planning on making him Beta, and I need to make sure he isn't a threat to me. I just ask that you keep this in confidence." Beta James told me and smiled reassuringly.

"I understand."

"Tessa I'd also like you to start working with the warrior in charge of training, uhm what's his name James?" Amos asked.

"It's Brix, Alpha."

"Thank you. I'd like you to start working with him on training the women. He has bragged about you as being the strongest female in this pack. I want everyone trained that is able bodied as our pack is vulnerable right now." Amos said to me.

"I can help him, Alpha."

"Thank you. That will be all, Tessa."

I walked out and walked back to my cottage, closing the front door and falling to the ground sobbing. No more Honi. No more watching over my shoulder and being on guard. It's over.

Amos and James are going to do great things for this pack. I can already tell.