Page 42

42

Naomi

I can't breathe.

The crowd expands quickly, word spreading through the Games’ participants like wildfire.

Competitors, staff, even some of Dean's pack members form a loose circle around the clearing in front of Brad's cabin. The morning sun filters through the trees, casting dappled shadows across the ground where my mate and my alpha face each other.

The contrast between them is stark. Brad’s wolf is lean and wiry, all calculated precision, while Wyatt towers over him, broad-shouldered and powerful. But I know better than to underestimate Brad. He's survived as an alpha for years, and he fights dirty when cornered.

In any other setting, he'd be impressive. But next to Wyatt's massive dark form, he looks almost delicate. The difference isn't just size, though, it's in the way they move. Brad circles with practiced precision, each step measured and controlled. Wyatt's movements flow with natural power, a predator who's survived by instinct rather than training.

Blake steps into the centre of the clearing, his presence commanding immediate silence.

"This is a formal challenge between Wyatt, competitor in the Alpha Games, and Brad, Alpha of the Northern Ridge Pack," Blake announces, his voice carrying across the gathered crowd. "The terms have been agreed upon. The challenge will be fought in wolf form. Victory comes by submission or…" he pauses, just for a moment, "incapacitation."

A ripple of murmurs passes through the crowd. Everyone knows what he's not saying: that some challenges end in death when one wolf refuses to submit.

"Let it be witnessed," Blake continues, "that this challenge was issued and accepted freely, with full understanding of the consequences."

Brad's cold eyes find mine across the clearing, a promise of retribution in their depths. I hold his gaze steadily, refusing to show fear. He may have controlled me through threats before, but not anymore. Whatever happens today, that power is broken.

"Begin," Blake commands, stepping back to join Dean at the edge of the clearing.

For a long moment, neither wolf moves. They just watch each other, waiting for the first opening, for the other to make a move first. The crowd holds its collective breath.

The tension builds, and I can feel Wyatt's focus through our bond, laser-sharp and unwavering. There's no trace of the weakness I'd detected earlier, no lingering effects of the wolfsbane. His wolf has risen fully to the challenge, pushing aside human concerns like pain and fatigue.

Brad attacks first, a blur of russet fur, as he lunges for Wyatt's throat.

But Wyatt is ready, sidestepping with surprising speed for his size and raking claws across Brad's flank as he passes.

Brad yelps, spinning to face him again, blood matting his fur.

"First blood to Wyatt," someone whispers nearby.

The fight intensifies. Both wolves are moving so fast, it's hard to follow.

Brad is quick, darting in to nip at Wyatt's legs before dancing away again. But Wyatt is smarter than Brad expected, refusing to be drawn into a pattern, varying his responses to keep Brad guessing.

I wrap my arms around myself, barely breathing as I watch. Every time Brad's teeth come near Wyatt's throat, my heart stutters. Every time Wyatt lands a blow, I feel a fierce, primal satisfaction.

The clearing falls silent except for the sounds of the fight, of growls, snarls, the thud of bodies hitting the ground, and the snap of jaws. This isn't just a contest of strength; it's a battle of wills, of determination. Of who has more to lose.

Brad catches Wyatt's shoulder in his jaws, tearing at the muscle.

Wyatt roars in pain, twisting violently to break free. I feel the echo of his pain through our bond, my hand flying to my shoulder instinctively.

"Wyatt," I whisper, a prayer and a plea.

As if hearing me, he rallies, surging forward with renewed strength. He feints to the left, then drives right, catching Brad's hind leg in his powerful jaw. There's a sickening crack as bone gives way beneath the pressure.

Brad howls, collapsing on his side as his leg buckles beneath him. The crowd gasps in unison. This is—the turning point. Brad tries to rise, but his broken leg won't support him. He snaps desperately at Wyatt as he approaches, but there's fear in his eyes now.

Wyatt could end it quickly now, a killing bite to the throat, but he doesn't. Instead, he circles Brad slowly, making a show of his dominance, letting everyone see that this isn't a mindless attack but a calculated victory. The rogue who everyone feared for his unpredictability is showing more control than the established alpha.

Brad attempts one last lunge, teeth bared for Wyatt's throat, but Wyatt is ready. He dodges the clumsy attack and slams Brad to the ground, pinning him with his massive weight.

His fangs hover over Brad's throat, so close, I can almost feel the heat between them.

The crowd holds its breath. One bite. That's all it would take.

Brad goes still beneath him, eyes wide, breathing ragged. For an agonizing moment, I think Wyatt might do it. That he might end him right here, in front of everyone.

But then his jaws close just enough to hold, but not to kill. A claim of victory, not vengeance.

Brad's body goes limp in submission, his wolf knowing what his human side might never admit.

He's lost.

The tension in the clearing breaks as Wyatt steps back, allowing Brad to shift. The transformation back to human is slow and painful to watch as his broken leg twists back into human form. When it's complete, Brad lies naked on the ground, pale and sweating, hatred burning in his eyes.

Wyatt shifts next, his human form emerging with the same fluid grace, with power evident in every line of his body. He stands over Brad, expression grim but controlled.

"It's over," he says simply.

He turns to Blake, who steps forward with a nod of acknowledgment. "The challenge is complete. Wyatt is victorious and may claim his prize."

"I want the truth," Wyatt states, looking back down at Brad. "All of it. Now."

The power in Wyatt’s voice is amplified, his alpha dominance already taking hold.

Brad's eyes dart around the crowd, desperate for an escape that doesn't exist. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Wyatt crouches beside him, his voice dropping to a dangerous rumble. "Start with the wolfsbane. The knife in my back when I wasn't looking."

Silence falls over the clearing as everyone leans forward, straining to hear.

Brad's mouth twists, but with Blake's eyes on him, he knows he has no choice.

"Did you try to kill Wyatt with a silver knife coated in wolfsbane?" Blake asks, his voice low but carrying across the sudden silence.

Brad's jaw works, his eyes darting between Blake, Dean, and the growing crowd. Whatever calculation he's making, whatever lie he's constructing, dissolves under the weight of Blake's stare.

"Yes.” He finally spits. "I tried to kill you. You were in my way."

"In the way of what?"

Brad's eyes flick to me, then back to Wyatt. "Naomi. The pack she was going to win for me."

Gasps ripple through the crowd. I feel Jamie's hand squeezing mine tightly.

"Explain." Wyatt demands.

Brad's jaw works, the words clearly painful to admit. "She was going to win the Games, with your help. Then we would mate, and I would take control of her new territory. Two packs under my control. Reclaiming the land that once was ours."

"And she agreed to this?" Wyatt presses.

Brad's eyes narrow. "She understood the consequences if she refused."

"What consequences?"

A long pause follows then, "Her sister. I told her if she didn't comply, I'd make sure everyone knew what happened to my brother. What they did."

My heart stops beating. Everyone is going to know. What is he doing? Why is Wyatt asking him this in front of everyone?

"And what happened to your brother?" Wyatt's voice is dangerously soft.

Brad's eyes dart to Maddie, who’s now standing beside Lynn, pale and thin. He stares at her, hatred burning in their depths. "She killed him. Her and Naomi. Conspired together."

The crowd breaks into shocked whispers.

I hold my head high, even as fear claws at my insides. This is it, the secret that's haunted us for months, now exposed for all to hear.

"Did you know?" Wyatt asks, his question cutting through the murmurs. "Before it happened. Did you know what your brother was doing to Maddie? Beating her. Threatening her life. Her sister’s life."

Brad's silence is damning.

"Answer the question," Blake commands, his alpha authority rippling through the clearing.

"Yes." Brad finally admits, the word coming out like it's being torn from him. "I knew."

"Yet you did nothing," Wyatt states, not a question.

Brad's laugh is bitter. "What was I supposed to do? He was my brother. My blood."

"He was a monster," Maddie says suddenly, her voice carrying clearly across the clearing. She steps forward now, shoulders squared despite her small stature. "And you let him hurt me."

The crowd parts for her, this tiny woman with fire in her eyes. She approaches Brad without fear, standing beside Wyatt, like they've been allies all along.

"You watched," she continues, her voice gaining strength. "You saw the bruises, and you heard me crying. And you did nothing."

Brad doesn't look at her but shrugs like it’s no concern of his what happened to her. "He would have challenged me if I’d interfered. Taken the pack."

"So you sacrificed her instead," Wyatt says, disgust lacing his tone. "To keep your position."

Brad says nothing, but his silence confirms it all.

Dean steps forward now, his expression dark with controlled fury. "You let your own brother torture his mate rather than risk your position? And then you blackmailed these women when they defended themselves?"

Brad's lips twist in an ugly sneer. "What was I supposed to do? Let her get away with killing him? Their story was convenient. An accident while running. I let them have that lie."

"Out of the goodness of your heart?" Dean asks sarcastically.

"I had my reasons," Brad mutters.

"Yes," Wyatt says coldly. "But at someone else's expense."

Blake steps forward, his expression grave, and then rests a hand on Wyatt’s shoulder.

That’s enough.

Blake turns to Brad, still sprawled on the ground. "Brad Taylor, you are stripped of your alpha rank, effective immediately."

Brad's face contorts with rage. "You can't… It's my land. My father’s land. We’ve ruled for generations. It can’t end like this."

"It just has," Blake cuts him off. "You have betrayed every principle of leadership our kind holds sacred. You are no alpha, and from what I’ve heard today, your father and brother didn’t deserve to be, either."

The crowd murmurs at this pronouncement, and I notice several wolves from Brad's pack exchanging glances of cautious hope. Is this really the end of their alpha? One catches my eye, nodding slightly in what might be gratitude. I realise then that Brad's abuse may have extended beyond just Maddie and me.

Dean moves forward to stand beside Blake, his voice carrying the weight of his own authority.

"You will be escorted from this territory immediately and placed in council custody until a formal trial can be arranged."

Brad's eyes find mine, burning with hatred. "This isn't over."

"Yes," I tell him steadily. "It is."

Two of Dean's guards step forward, hauling Brad to his feet. He hisses in pain as his broken leg takes weight, but neither guard shows any sympathy when they drag him away.

The crowd remains, silent and watchful, as Brad is led toward a waiting vehicle. No one moves to help him. No one speaks in his defense. I search their faces for any hint of loyalty or outrage at his treatment but find none.

"It's really over," Maddie whispers beside me, disbelief making her voice tremble. "He can't hurt us anymore."

I want to reassure her, to agree, but the weight of what's just happened, the public confession, the exposure of our secret, still presses heavy on my chest. What happens now? What will the council decide about us?

As everyone disperses, murmuring amongst themselves, Wyatt turns to me. His eyes are steady and certain, even as blood trickles from the wound on his shoulder.

Ryan tosses him a pair of shorts, which Wyatt accepts with a curt nod.

I move to him without hesitation, my hands finding his face, my body pressing against his as if to reassure myself he's real and whole.

"You're hurt," I whisper, fingers hovering over the bite on his shoulder. “Again.”

"I'll heal," he says simply, his arms wrapping around me.

Maddie approaches hesitantly, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and hope. "Is it really over?" she asks, voice small. “Is that it?”

Wyatt looks at her over my shoulder, his expression softening. "Yes. No one will use what happened against you ever again."

She nods, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you," she whispers. "For standing up for us."

"Always," he replies, and I know he means it with every fiber of his being.

Blake approaches, his expression unreadable. "Well fought," he says to Wyatt. "Although, I would have preferred being in on your plan from the start. Keep me in the loop next time.”

"There will be no next time," Wyatt says, his arm tightening around me.

Blake nods thoughtfully. "You realize what this means? By right of challenge, Brad's pack is now yours to claim. If you choose to."

Wyatt goes still against me as the implication sinks in. "I never intended…"

"Nevertheless," Blake interrupts gently. "The pack needs a leader, and you have proven yourself worthy."

I look up at Wyatt, seeing the conflict in his eyes. He came here to win a pack through the Games, not to take one by force. But circumstances have changed everything.

"You don't have to decide now." Blake assures him. "Think about it. Discuss it." His eyes include me in that statement. "But know that whatever you choose, you have my support."

"And mine," Dean adds, joining us. "A pack led by you two would be a welcome addition to our alliance."

I blink, surprised by how easily they're accepting this turn of events. They're offering us a place at their table, a position among established alphas, without hesitation.

"What about..." I gesture vaguely toward where Brad was taken, not wanting to voice my fears aloud.

"What happened with Rowan?" Blake finishes for me. "The council will review all the evidence. But I've seen enough to know that you both acted to protect yourselves from genuine threats. That matters."

Relief washes through me. Not complete absolution, but the promise of fair consideration, something I hadn't dared hope for.

As Blake walks away, Wyatt looks down at me, uncertainty in his gaze for the first time since this all began. "Naomi..."

I press my fingers to his lips, stopping the words. "Later," I tell him. "Right now, you need to rest."

He nods, allowing me to lead him away from the clearing.

The future is suddenly full of possibilities neither of us anticipated.

But whatever comes next, we’ll face it together.