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“They let you play at being Alpha, boy?” He sneered, lip curling as Caleb’s hands fisted. I tensed, ready to intervene if Caleb lost control, but after a second, he relaxed his hands. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Leah lower her hand from Caleb’s back where she must have reminded him of her presence.

“I am Alpha,” Caleb said clearly, the words echoing over the silent yard. “And you are cowards who didn’t have the strength to face a true challenge. Instead, you shot my father in the back.” The wolves behind me shifted restlessly at the reminder, and the Hanley pack members tensed.

Remain calm, I commanded the Pack, infusing my will into the order. I didn’t have the same willpower as an Alpha would or even my father for that matter, but the other shifters ceased, awaiting further orders.

“What’s pathetic is seeing a child lead the once mighty Navarre pack,” Hanley spat. “But don’t worry,” he continued, spreading his arms out as he smiled beatifically. “I’m here to make sure you know what it’s like to have a true Alpha.”

I tensed, suspecting what was coming, as Caleb stood resolute next to me. I’ve got Sam, Jess whispered in my mind and a little of the tension eased from me. I trusted Jess to keep my big sister safe, even from herself. Any chance you want to tell me why I have her? Before I could answer Jess, Hanley spoke again.

“I challenge the Navarre Alpha for control of the pack.”

Gasps filled the air, but I could still pick out the low, keening cry of my sister as her husband challenged Caleb to a fight to the death.

Caleb lifted his head, eyes gleaming in the low glow of the overhead lights. “Challenge accepted,” he declared. Only I knew him well enough to spot the faint tremor in his hands as he curled them into fists.

Sunday, here, I pushed the thought to him urgently. As the challenged, he had the right to choose when and where, and I wanted both to be to our advantage. It would give us a day to strategize and if the fight was held on motel grounds, it fell within the jurisdiction of the sheriff, who now happened to be Hank Navarre.

“Sunday, four o’clock, right here,” Caleb called out, easing some of the tightness in my chest as he took my advice.

“Be there or be square,” a low female voice whispered under her breath, the words vaguely hysterical and I cut my gaze toward Leah to make sure she held it together.

The low whoop-whoop of a siren filled the air as a sheriff car pulled into the parking lot of the motel. Jess’ Dad stepped forward, his expression hard. “You’ve said what you came to say. Now get the hell out of here,” he ordered, apparently the one who’d called the sheriff. A few dirty looks were tossed his way, but Hanley thumped his hand on the hood of the pickup and it fishtailed out of the field and into the parking lot before the sheriff could even step from the car.

“Thank you,” Caleb muttered, sending me a sideways glance.

“Always,” I replied, clapping him on the shoulder.

“What the hell was that?” The girl, Leah, exclaimed, reminding us she was still standing there. Caleb glanced down at her and for a brief second his expression softened and I saw the boy he’d been before the Alpha died. He schooled his face and said sternly, “Nothing you need to worry about.” He paused. “Or mention,” he added hastily and she rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, yeah, I signed the NDA when I got here,” she retorted and I disguised my snort as a cough. “But seriously, what were those guys challenging you to? A duel? Are we in the medieval ages and no one thought to mention it?” She hitched a thumb behind her head. “Are all those women wearing chastity belts too?”

Caleb sighed, crossing his arms. “No, but muzzles aren’t unheard of,” he answered her, momentarily stopping her stream of questions. “And it’s need to know, and you don’t need to know,” he concluded, swiping his thumb over her nose as her mouth opened and closed in shock. He glanced at me, sending his next thought through our private link, speak with you later?

I nodded and he cut through the clustered guests easily, since they parted in front of him, eyes lowered in the face of his frown. I could feel the churning emotions fighting inside of him and knew he needed to go for a run before he could begin to plan for the coming fight. The Hanleys had stirred up memories of his father and the inadequacy Caleb couldn’t help but feel as some of the Pack rejected his ascension to Alpha.

“Nicky?” My head turned at the panicked shout, recognizing Sam’s voice as she combed through the crowd, Jess hot on her heels, calling for her son. “Nicky?”