Shift

Chapter Nine

The truck jerked to a stop the back end flying out as I slammed on the brakes. The pack jumped out of the truck bed before it had even come to its final resting spot. Jonathan, Cal, and Colt along with members of Logan's pack were circled around Logan keeping the other intruding werewolves back. Logan and a big, dark haired werewolf stood in the middle of the circle glaring at each other.

Logan's head swung to us, as I slammed the truck to a stop. His eyes narrowed to slits as his lips mouthed the word, "Stay."

Ignoring him, I reached down and grabbed my gun.

"What do you want from me?" Christian asked.

"Shoot anyone that gets to close."

He grinned and readied a bow. "Gotcha."

I jumped out of the truck and slid my gun into the waist of my sleep shorts pulling Logan's tee over it, but I had to hold it as I walked so it wouldn't slip right out the bottom. I headed to Logan—who as I closed the space between us was growling a pretty impressive tempo. He had on dark gray boxer briefs that were splattered with red. His bare chest was also covered in blood along with streaks in his auburn hair and down his throat and one cheek. His eyes blazed golden fury but I could read the exhaustion in the set of his shoulders.

This had to stop. He couldn't keep fighting. And by the blood-stained grass. He'd been fighting. A lot.

"I accept your challenge." I yelled to the big dark haired wolf standing nose-to-nose with Logan.

"Avery," Logan growled, slow, angry. "Back in the truck. Now."

"Nope," I said to him, but kept my eyes on the big guy. I needed a clean shot and to get that I needed Logan to move away from him.

"Damn, Bitch. You smell good," the big guy snarled and took a step toward me. Unfortunately, Logan mirrored him, staying between us.

"Mine," Logan snapped.

A warm, hard body hit my back and a couple more hit each side and I realized my pack was surrounding me. Damnit. This was going to be harder than I thought.

"Back off, guys," I murmured to my pack and took a step forward. "Logan. I want this challenge."

"Now. Avery," he ordered me again, not moving.

"Logan," I sang. "I'm the queen, remember. I'm not the princess in some tower. It's time I fight. I need you to back off and let me fight."

The muscles in his back rippled, like a wave of tension flowing through them. His fists flexed and unflexed and then finally. Finally. Logan took one, then two, steps back. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

I looked at the big wolf. "I accept your challenge, but I must warn you, I'm a dirty cheat." He opened his mouth, probably to say something rude, but I pulled the gun from the waist of my sleep shorts and aimed it at him.

The werewolf seemed totally unconcerned. He seemed so completely unconcerned that he even gave me a condescending grin like he hadn't a care in the world. "You can't use a gun."

"Sure, I can. New werewolf." I waved the gun for emphasis. "New rules." I shot him in the thigh. "Submit?" I pointed the gun at his head.

His eyes widened with shock before he grabbed his thigh and took a couple steps back, nodding.

"Go." I shot the ground at his feet. He stumbled backwards. "Tell others that your male rules don't apply to the female. She plays by her own set." I swung my gun between the other wolves that were standing around, waiting for their turn with Logan. "Any other challengers?" I offered a friendly smile. They quickly shook their heads and backed away. "Didn't think so." I dropped the smile and stood tall, proud, like the queen I was. "I want these challenges to end. I choose my mate. Not you bull headed assholes. Not some antiquated system. And certainly not some tyrant king." I waved the gun. "Pass that on too. Now"—I made a shooing motion—"get off my territory or I'll kill you all and have to repeat this entire speech to the next group and that will really piss me off."