Page 275 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha

No need to lose your head, Night,I told myself.This just makes for an easier win.There were only ten fighters, including myself, with Xavier the biggest threat. It was the best-case scenario, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d been denied a real challenge.

“Will the fighters please line up along the west side of the arena?” Bryn’s voice, clear as the sweetest bell, sounded over the crowd.

We did. And again, I wasn’t too impressed with my competition. Xavier stood with his arms crossed, already assured of his win.

Councilman Grant stepped forward and announced, “We nominate Xavier Chase for the alpha challenge.”

Xavier stepped into the center of the ring, and the crowd went wild, screaming and chanting his name. He raised his fist, eliciting even more cheers from the crowd. It was obvious he wasn’t just the council’s pick; most of the pack was rooting for him. Some undoubtedly liked him for his strength and violence,but it was likely that the majority feared him and didn’t want to oppose him when his supporters were around.

I sneered. We’d see how well he fared.

The first challenger went up, ready to fight. The battle began, and within a minute, Xavier had him face-down on the ground, blood spurting into the dirt from the pulp that his face had become.

A pair of wolves dragged the body out of the ring. The next challenger didn’t hesitate; he sprinted at Xavier, obviously relying on the fact that he was smaller and more agile than the older wolf. He got in a couple of jabs, but when he went in for his big punch, Xavier caught him by the neck. A revolting crack reached my ears as Xavier crushed the man’s neck. He dropped the corpse, and it fell to the ground like a broken toy.

The next challenger came, more hesitant, which worked against him. Xavier went on the offense so quickly that the wolf could do nothing as he tackled him to the ground. The wolf raised his hands to protect his face and head, but it didn’t matter. Xavier brought his fists down over and over again, sickening crunch after sickening crunch.

There were those in the crowd who couldn’t hide their disgust at the overt, unnecessary violence. This body was dragged away, too. Blood coated the ground and splattered across the ring. Xavier stared openly at me, then raised his bloody hand and pointed.

“Shepherd,” he growled.

My wolf’s menacing growl had a bloodthirsty grin forming on my face. Neither of us was intimidated in the least.

I stepped into the ring and readied myself for whatever Xavier had planned. This was an ideal situation: he had easily dispatched those poor wolves ahead of me, which got the crowd geared up for his win. All the while, he remained in top form. By the end of this, no one could say I’d cheated or taken advantage of the fact that he was tired because he’d made a show of how healthy and fit he was.

The crowd was chanting his name and screaming for my death. I would have laughed if I didn’t think that would be overdoing it. Now was my chance to bring everything crashing down on him.

We approached each other, fists raised. There was nothing fancy about it—we traded a few punches, testing each other’s strength. That was how it was at first—until out of the corner of my eye, I saw his bloody fist headed right for my head.This is their champion?Slapping it away, I enjoyed watching his eyes widen in shock as the momentum carried him toward me.What a fucking joke!I raised my knee, and he drilled himself onto it. I felt the air leave his lungs.

Xavier fell to his knees, gasping and coughing as spittle flew from his mouth. The crowd quieted somewhat, people glancing at each other, eyebrows knitted. The only opportunity they’d had to see me fight was with Troy. They must have expected me to be just as weak as I was then.

I glanced down as Xavier screamed. He ripped through his clothes as he shifted, angrier now than I’d ever seen him, his hackles raised. Xavier tackled me, his claws digging into my chest, but I’d shifted by the time we hit the ground. My wolf let out a guttural roar and kicked him away. I hopped to my feet, sprinting for him.

His sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight. Xavier was strong and bulky, but when we met in the middle of the ring, he couldn’t push me back. Bellowing his frustration, he nipped at my throat, desperate to get my fur in his jaws. Ducking those snapping jowls, I took a page from my mate’s fighting playbook and got my head under his belly.

I bucked, and he flew through the air with a surprised yelp. He crashed to the ground with a thud. The tide shifted in the crowd. Those who were screaming for Xavier to kill me were drowned out by my pack’s cheers. My blood thrummed powerfully through my body, and I’d never felt stronger in my life.

Xavier struggled to his feet, his breath so hot that it fogged at his salivating mouth. He’d landed on his right leg. He couldn’t put any weight on it. Time to stop playing with him and end this.

I rushed him, no longer in the mood to drag this out. Claws out, he pawed at me, scratching my shoulder as I tackled him. I barely felt it. I opened my mouth and slammed my jaws over his throat. His yelp of pain and surprise cut off when I thrashed my head once, breaking his neck. His head thumped lifelessly to the ground when I released him.

A deafening silence fell over the crowd. I threw my head back, and my howl echoed over the arena and spread to every corner of the King compound. I lowered my head and glared at the five remaining challengers. I stepped forward, growling as Xavier’s coppery blood dripped from my teeth. The intent was clear:Come at me if you fucking dare!

They raised their hands and backed slowly away from the side of the ring. I turned my gaze to the rest of the crowd, laying the same offer at their feet. The slightly sour scent of fear tinged the air. That was all the answer I needed.

I shifted back into my human form, turning slowly to look over the crowd. Finally, I spotted Lance standing at the tree line. Our eyes met for a few seconds, and he turned away. He was declining my invitation to meet in the ring. Not because he was afraid; no, whatever his plans were, fighting with me wasn’t part of it. At least, not for the position of alpha. I was reminded of that seething disappointment I’d felt at the beginning of the alpha challenge. I stared after him until I couldn’t see him anymore. Whatever it took, I would figure out what his deal was—even if it killed him.

With no one to challenge me, Bryn spoke again. “Kings pack,” she announced, “Witness your new alpha: Night Shepherd!”

My wolves and my family swarmed the arena, their words of congratulations drowned by their tears and whoops of victory.

A grinning Dom handed me my pants. “Never doubted you for a minute, Night.”

I smirked and pulled on the pants milliseconds before Bryn threw herself at me. Stumbling back, I managed to catch her, laughing as she peppered my face with kisses. Her relief—as well as her dizzying waves of joy and pride—washed over me.

A lot needed to be done from this point forward, but I was looking forward to building the pack my wolves deserved. The Kings the world had known had died with Xavier, and in its place, I would build an empire that would prosper.

The future was here, and I couldn’t wait to get started.