“What if I don’t have a wolf?” Lena points out.
Avery’s eyes shimmer. I put my hand on Lena’s back. Her health has seemed better in the last few weeks compared to when I first saw her the night I followed Avery back to the old settler’s cabin. She has color in her cheeks and her eyes are bright.
“Then we’ll get you a dirt bike or a quad. Something to make it easy for you to get around the mountain.”
“I get to drive? You’ll teach me?”
Lena lights up and the three sisters laugh. Avery shoots me a grateful look and traces the edge of the claiming mark I left on her.
“Can we paint dragons on it?” Lena claps, bouncing in place.
This pack never should’ve held so tightly to the old views that being Wolfless is a sign of weakness. I should’ve put an end to it long ago. Shifters are strong no matter what, and Lena’s strength is in the kindhearted peacefulness she exudes.
It’s almost time to start. I search the crowd, locking on Lorne holding his own court behind the picnic tables. My lip curls.
“I’m going after Lorne tonight,” I tell Avery. “Before the run begins.”
She pulls me away from the bonfire, lowering her voice. “Caden, just drop it. If you do this, it’ll make things worse. What if he comes after my sisters next?”
“I’d never let that happen,” I vow fiercely. “I protect what’s mine, and you are mine. That includes your family.”
She licks her lips, swaying into me. I want to whisk her out of here, toss her over my shoulder and take her back to the lodge. Spread her on my bed where she belongs, waking me at all hours as hungry as she was for me when I finally claimed her as mine.
I can’t believe I once thought I didn’t need a mate by my side. I was beyond wrong. My life was nothing without her in it.
“If I do nothing, he gets away with yet another liberty and he’s taken far too fucking many. He wants to challenge me for Alpha, but he’s a fucking snake about it.”
“What do you mean? If he wants to challenge you, he needs to face you. He can’t take the pack without beating you first. It’s the law.”
“He’s been undermining me. Swaying people to think he’s got better ideas to run the pack. That incident I left you to handle the other day? He’s behind it, and it isn’t the only one lately. He wants to ensure he’s got the pack fractured before he faces me. It’s one of the reasons I’ve made so many rules over the years trying to keep their scheming in check.”
“If you know they’re behind it, why not exile them?”
“They’re being smart about it. I can’t exile them without proof they’re doing all this to cause a revolt. They know it. I know it. They stick to getting under people’s skin to cause minor acts of defiance, just enough to make me feel the pressure of them clawing at my back. None of the people involved in these incidents give up their names. Until they make a move openly, I’d be viewed as too extreme, acting for my own gain instead of the good of the pack. It’s written into the accords to prevent alphas from becoming power-hungry like they were in the Original Pack.”
“That’s ridiculous. If you know they’re causing trouble and it’s putting the pack at risk, they need to answer for it,” she huffs.
“I look forward to the day I can put an end to it.” I exhale roughly, caressing her cheek with my knuckles. “But tonight, after I’ve announced our mating to the pack, he’ll know he’s gone too far. He fucked up by daring to touch you. I’ll strip his rank back to nothing for that.”
My wolf paces restlessly, ready to unleash his rage on my cousin.
Liam stands at attention when I nod. He herds the pack into order, gathering them for me. I kiss Avery, then stride to the front of the group. My gaze sweeps over them as they quiet. The majority show deference quickly. I don’t like how many take longer to do the same.
“Before tonight’s full moon run, there are two important matters to bring before the pack.” My booming announcement washes over the commons. “Avery.”
I hold my hand to her in invitation. She hesitates before joining me, taking her rightful place and slipping her fingers into my waiting palm. Several murmurs spread through the crowd. She wears my mating bite proudly, eroding any question that she’s mine.
“Avery Morgan is my mate. I claim her before you as mine.”
Reverence carries in my words. A fervent glow fills me from our bond, her happiness echoing with my own.
The pack breaks out in applause and happy cheers.
Tobin cups his hands around his mouth. “Congratulations, Alpha!”
She laughs airily, leaning into my side when I draw her into my embrace. I drop a kiss on the top of her head.
“Thank you,” I say.
Avery returns to stand with her sisters, accepting a hug from Alisha and more well-wishes from Alma. She tucks Lena against her front. Beatrix and Callie are at her side. Taryn on the other. Gabe and Ford position themselves near them, guarding them.
“Liam.”
He makes his way through the pack with Hodge and Tobin, the three of them bringing the five culprits before me. The two on the end shift their weight nervously, glancing at Lorne. He’s unbothered, amused by my stony expression.
“Kneel.”
Two collapse to the floor immediately. Dane goes next, fighting the Alpha command with a grimace. A thundering growl builds in my throat.
“Why have I called you five before me?”
Lorne bares his teeth, fighting my power pinning down his will, demanding his submission. His legs shake. My chest vibrates, anger pricking my patience. His knees give out and he falls to the grass with a miffed grunt.
“Alpha Blackburn asked you a question.” Liam clamps Lorne’s nape, forcing his head to bow until it’s shoved into the grass for his brazen display of disrespect. “Answer him.”
“We messed with Avery. She’s a traitor,” the weakest of the group blurts.
My scowl swings to him. “My mate is no traitor. Watch your fucking tongue.”
He cowers, emitting a terrified whine. A pittling sound drums the ground, followed by the stink of piss. He’s from one of the smaller family lines. A Dunlop. His family transferred from Crescent Valley Pack seeking better opportunities after they lost everything they had.
“Fighting five against one isn’t messing with someone, is it?” I bite out. He doesn’t answer. “Is it?”
“No, Alpha,” he shrieks.
I turn to Avery at the front of the crowd. “Did he hurt you?”
She shakes her head. “He tried to. My wolf took a chunk out of his thigh before he ran off with those two right behind him.”
That’s my girl. I stroke the bond with praise and she ducks her face to hide a blush.
“She attacked first,” one of the ones who keeps looking at Lorne says.
“Unprovoked?” I press harshly.
He opens his mouth. Closes it. Glances at the male beside him for help. The other one shakes his head.
“Take these three to the patrol cabin,” I order. “They’ll be put on probational work rotation.”
Tobin and Hodge cart them off. I study the remaining two Blackburn brothers with distaste. I feel no connection to my cousins whatsoever. My uncle made sure of that when he raised them to be just like him.
“Dane. Didn’t you learn from the last lesson I gave you? I’ll beat you again if it didn’t stick in that thick head of yours.”
He nods, then shakes his head.
“Which is it?”
“Yes, Alpha. I knew better.”
“And you still thought going after a female—my mate—was a good idea.” I glance at Avery, silently asking if he caused her pain. She shakes her head. “Ford. Solitary for two weeks, then assign him to maintenance crew until I think the lesson’s really sunk in.”