Page 36

36

WARNER

Other than some briefs, I’m bare to the chill autumn night. Not that the cold bothers me much. I run hot. We all do. Still, I’d rather be almost all the way naked in Zoey’s cabin than out here behind The Rabbit Hole.

But she won’t be safe until this is over.

Plus, I plan on heading to her place after this. I just need to make sure not to get too bloody or bruised. My goal is to keep this challenge in the pack. No reason for Zoey to know.

I think I can pull it off, especially because for this challenge, we’re remaining in human form.

Fights in wolf form are usually fights to the death. Those are for serious crimes and would mainly be Roderick’s responsibility.

But Ross’s decision to fuck with Zoey is a different kind of crime.

And that’s where wolves differ from humans.

If a human man approached Zoey the way Ross did, with the same outcome of no one being physically hurt, then the police wouldn’t do shit about it. Human law doesn’t seem to understand how minds work. How intimidation can take away someone’s sense of safety. How insults can fester and turn into violence.

I won’t let Ross retaliate against Zoey. If he wants violence, then I’ll be the one to give it to him.

I bounce on the balls of my feet and shake out my arms, warming up my muscles. All the while, I watch Ross across the clearing.

He’s laughing with a couple of the other young pack members.

He still isn’t taking this seriously.

The challenge might have surprised him—they don’t happen too often—but I can tell he thinks this is going to be like a normal weekend brawl between two wolves that’ve had too much to drink. A situation he finds himself in almost every other night.

Ross thinks because I like to smile and laugh that I’ll be easy enough to beat.

And I realize how little my pack knows me.

I’ve grown up in Pine Falls, been around these people my whole life, and they still only see what I want them to.

Suddenly, Roderick is in front of me. “He’s vain. Probably go for a roundhouse to show off. But I’ve seen him land it.”

My brother’s arms are crossed over his chest, and he stares down at me. He has maybe three inches on me, but the power pressing off him always seems to add an extra foot.

“You worried about me?” I give him a casual grin that covers the urge to scowl.

He snorts. “Try not to mess him up too bad. If Ross can’t run tomorrow, he’ll be hell to have around for the next month.”

Roderick knows me.

He can see my fury under my joking veneer. He’s also my regular sparring partner when both of our wolves are restless.

My brother knows how fast I am. How good I am at landing a punch.

But even he doesn’t understand fully what Zoey means to me. What I’ll do for her.

“We’ll see,” is all I say.

Roderick stares a moment longer before giving the barest hint of a nod and striding out into the middle of the clearing. All side conversations halt. The pack leader holds attention without effort.

When our father died, the pack was left without a head wolf. The next mantle could have gone to anyone in the pack. There’s no inheritance rule. It’s all tied up in a magical force. A lot of people expected our mom or Uncle Mason to be the next leader. But almost immediately, a change came over Roderick. Already six foot three, he seemed to grow taller, tower above everyone else. He was eighteen, barely an adult, but still had people turning to him.

The responsibility fell on his shoulders to care for the Pine Falls wolves, and I have never seen him falter.

But he also changed that day, and I couldn’t help feeling like I somehow lost my brother. Or at least the slightly more carefree version I’d grown up with.

He belongs to more than just my family now.

“Challenge has been declared. Offense given and threats made toward a resident of Pine Falls.” Roderick’s eyes flick over to me, the only warning before he tacks on an extra bit to the charge. “And a potential future mate.”

“What?” Ross shouts as I try to keep all shock off my face.

The pack leader basically just gave his blessing for me to officially pursue Zoey. I thought I was going to have to put up a hell of an argument to even get him to listen to me.

It’s not unheard of for a werewolf to take a human mate—we’d probably die out if we didn’t—but it’s rare, and usually, the human has been around wolves for most of their lives. They aren’t outsiders, like Zoey.

What could’ve changed my stubborn brother’s mind?

“This is bullshit,” Ross growls. There’s wariness in his eyes. He thought this was a fight over him insulting my friend. Not my mate. Even the most easygoing wolf will tear out someone’s throat when it comes to protecting their partner. “How was I supposed to know?”

“Maybe you should stop being a dick to all women. Just to be safe.” This comment comes from a spectator.

I glance over to see Courtney has backed her pickup to the edge of the woods, dropped the tailgate, and unfolded a lawn chair in the bed of the truck.

She raises her beer. “Go get ’em, Warner! Rip off a limb!”

“Hey!” Ross glares at her.

She smirks right back before chanting, “Less hands, less ass grabbing! Fuck him up!”

There are snickers from some of those assembled. Mainly the females. Looks like Ross doesn’t have many fans among the women of our pack.

Challenges are rare occurrences. Too many indicate instability in a pack. I can’t help wondering how many women Ross has harassed enough to make them feel uncomfortable, but not enough for them to think it was worth a formal challenge.

I wonder how many here wish they could swap places with me.

Even more of a reason not to hold back.

Roderick raises an arm, regaining control of the crowd.

“Ignorance does not excuse your actions,” he announces. “Let this be a warning. And be thankful you face a challenge rather than a trial.”

My brother makes a slow circle, including all gathered in his cautioning. When his gaze sweeps over me, I realize his eyes have gone full black. Their depths seem unfathomable. Cosmic. Terrifying.

Note to self: remember to never piss off a pack leader.

“The challenge ends on a forfeit or a knockout. Shifting is prohibited. Commence.” Roderick steps back, clearing the space between Ross and me.

In my day-to-day life, I tease people. Not in a malicious manner. My goal is always to make others smile. Get them to laugh. Most times, I’m playful, dancing around important topics, rarely speaking in a fully serious tone.

So, people don’t tend to take me seriously.

Even with all the lead up to this challenge, I can tell from the unhurried way Ross raises his arms that he still doesn’t believe I can be anything different from the joker he’s always known.

I hit fast.

Wide eyes take in the fist heading for his face. Maybe if Ross had expected me to fight with ruthlessness, he’d have been prepared. He would have been ready to block. Despite having the same supernatural speed as I do, he’s half a second late.

The bone of his eye socket makes an impression on my knuckles as a meaty thwack echoes through the clearing.

Thing is, werewolves are good at taking hits. While my punch would’ve laid out a human man, Ross only gives his head a quick shake before lunging at me.

He goes low, trying to knock me off my feet. Get me on the ground, on my back. But I dig in, bending forward and pushing back. And I use the position to pound on his ribs.

As we grapple, the surrounding pack members call out encouragements and jeers and advice.

“Keep your hold on him!”

“Go for the knees!”

“That’s a mean punch!”

“Rip his balls off!” Courtney’s cheer rises above the rest.

Without warning, Ross releases me, shoving my body away from his violently. The sudden shift has me briefly off-balance. Just enough time for him to land a blow to my gut first, then my jaw. I stumble back a step.

Roderick’s warning flashes in my brain, and my arm shoots up in time to block the leaping roundhouse. If the blow had hit my skull, it would have been a knockout for sure. Instead, I’m able to grab hold of Ross’s calf and use the man’s momentum to fling him over my shoulder.

He hits the ground hard, but I don’t let him have a moment to recover his breath. Every second counts.

“Bitch.”

That’s what he called her. The word pounds in my furious mind as I leap onto my pack mate’s chest and aim blows at his head. His arms protect his skull as best they can as frustrated snarls pour from his throat.

“Bitch.”

“Bitch.”

“Bitch.”

“If you won’t keep her on a leash, I will.”

“You touch her”—I growl the words as I rain down on him with my fists—“I’ll kill you. I swear it.” The threat comes out on my adrenaline-fueled pants. My voice is low. Monstrous.

Unfortunately, speaking must’ve slowed me down for a split second because Ross is able to snatch my wrist and wrench it to the side. In that opening, he lunges up, delivering a brain-rattling head butt.

Black spots flicker in my vision, messing me up enough for Ross to heave my weight off him.

We both end up back on our feet, fists raised, eyes wary. The tang of iron fills the air. Blood seeps out of a gash on Ross’s forehead and cheek. I can feel my own spilling from a cut on my brow, threatening to blind me.

As we circle each other, I catch sight of Roderick just over my opponent’s shoulder.

He meets my eyes, his mouth forming two words. Finish it.

Of course, he knows.

I’ve only been playing with Ross.

Each one of my hits has been a few centimeters away from a point that could send the man into unconsciousness.

Because I didn’t want him to black out.

I wanted him to hurt. To know that if he comes for Zoey, this is just a taste of what he’ll get.

Still, Roderick is right. The fight needs to end.

If only so I can go be with her.

The grass is cool under my feet as I slide forward, feigning to the right. He leaps, trying for the high ground.

But I’m not afraid to go low. Dropping to the earth, I roll under his legs and rise up again behind him. Before Ross has time to land and turn, my body is already in motion.

Using his move against him, I swing my leg high, the force behind it as brutal as a hammer. He turns as if we choreographed the move together, placing his jaw exactly where I planned on it being. My foot hits the perfect spot, and his body crumples.

Ragged pants push and pull from my chest, the only sound in the woods with everyone else having gone quiet.

Roderick strides up to the fallen wolf, using the toe of his boot to flip the guy over.

We can all hear the air trickling in and out of his slack mouth.

“Knockout. Warner wins the challenge. If Ross commits the same offense again, he will stand trial.”

Everyone gathered knows what that means. If I, not even the most powerful of the Jameson brothers, took the man down this quickly, no way would he stand a chance against Roderick. A trial would mean the wolf’s death.

A few of Ross’s friends come to collect him. Even though his face still pisses me off, I hope he’ll take this loss with grace. Mainly because I want Zoey safe. But also because my brother shouldn’t have to deal with idiots with death wishes.

But our pack hasn’t had a trial in decades. Even Ross wouldn’t be arrogant enough to stumble into one.

Not after I just handed him his ass.