The peaceful days didn’t last long.
We were gathered in the clearing the next afternoon — Leo’s latest video playing on the screen as he proudly showed off his new drawings — when Ryker’s phone rang. He answered it on speaker, his body tensing immediately.
Darius’s voice came through, cold and arrogant.
“Thorne. I’m calling you out. One final match. The old training rink. Tonight. You and me. Hockey. No weapons. No hybrids. Just us. Winner takes the right to challenge Rhea for a formal mate claim in front of the neutral council.”
The clearing went dead silent.
Ryker’s grip on the phone tightened until the screen cracked. “You’ve lost your mind.”
Darius laughed. “I’ve lost everything else thanks to her. But I still have my title as Alpha and my place in the league. One game. If I win,
