Crow

Chapter 23

When a roar pierced the air, Kaiden stood up from his desk. Something had changed. He dismissed the man in his room and quickly ran out to the courtyard where his mate was. If something had happened to her, he didn't know what he would do to himself. She was his everything.

Katie couldn't hear anything. Around her, the scent of wolves bombarded her senses. With all the new smells, she couldn't remember which one she had been fighting.

Her wolf snarled, the doe eyed girl dead on the ground. Blood dropped from her teeth as she stood over her prey. Wolves around her were shocked by her actions and though they respected her. Their changing eyes and defensive stances made her on edge.

Kaiden's loud booming growl sent the wolves into a bow. Every wolf except for Katie's was on his or her knees. As Kaiden's eyes scanned the scene, they landed on Katie's wolf. They darkened at the sight of the female below her.

"What did you do?" Kaiden asked quietly. There was no sense of ill intent or anger. His tone was calm, quiet and cold. Her wolf growled and Kaiden bared his teeth in response.

"What happened?" He asked again, addressing the crowd of wolves.

One of them shifted back, Jack was his name.

"Sir, Lawrence challenged Luna. Rachel was attacking and winning until something happened with Luna. She looked," Jack swallowed roughly, tearing his eyes away from Rachel's limp body, "almost feral as she fought."

Kaiden clenched his jaw understanding immediately what was happening. His pumpkin's wolf had appeared and was more than capable of being a leader.

"Stand down. Lawrence, you know better than to challenge a newly shifted female. All of you should be ashamed!" Kaiden announced, making sure that his voice resonated throughout the field.

Kaiden turned toward his female, "Come!" He growled. Obediently, Katie's wolf let out a chirpy bark, bloodlust gone and trotted over to Kaiden. She looked like an overgrown puppy.

Kaiden was in love. She was the cutest, most beautiful pumpkin ever!

"Shift back!" Kaiden ordered as he took off his shirt. He draped it around his female until she had shifted. Katie shivered slightly until the shirt was put over her.

It was larger, smelt very warm and was very comfy.

Katie eyed the wolves and Kaiden grabbed her arm tightly cutting off circulation.

"Meet me in my office Lawrence. Your punishment will be given there," Kaiden gestured to the cold blue body on the ground and two wolves ran forward picking her up.

"The burial will be tonight."

***

Kaiden sat in his office. In front of him, the dark brute stood with a bowed head.

He should be ashamed Kaiden hissed. That was his mate that Lawrence had threatened.

"My mate and I are equals," Kaiden explained quietly. Lawrence scoffed which sent a wave of anger through Kaiden but he quickly gulped it down. "If you challenge her, you challenge me. Did you seriously believe that I would take your sister as my mate?"

Lawrence grounded his teeth together, refusing to look up at his alpha.

Kaiden growled and pounded his hand on the table. "Did you think that I would EVER TAKE HER AS MY MATE?"

"Y-yes, Alpha," Lawrence replied, "we need a Luna that can fight with us and stand strong. Yet, the first chance she got, our Luna left us to go frolic in the woods. You need someone who puts the pack first and herself second by your side, Alpha. Rachel is one of the top in her class."

Lawrence's voice sounded more confident each word and Kaiden hated it. While he was pissed that his mate left, he knew it was against her will. The Tritan pack was to blame for everything. With another growl, Kaiden snarled, spitting on Lawrence. "That is not your job. My Luna was chosen for me and that is all you need to know."

Kaiden sat back down in his chair thoughtfully, "You know, you seem to like pretending to be alpha. Perhaps that shall be your punishment."

Lawrence's eyes went wide, "Sir?"

"Tonight, before the burial, you and I shall duel to the death. If I win, you will be free of charge. If I win, well," Kaiden let out a cruel chuckle, "there will be more than one body to bury tonight."

***

Wyatt gasped at the news, his alpha had just planned on killing Lawrence. No one cared much for Lawrence, it wasn't that he was a bad wolf. But Lawrence was the type to challenge people. He said the words and ideas that everyone thought but no one said out loud. It wasn't right for him to die. What he had said today was not out of ill-thoughts.

Wyatt watched in silence with a still face as Lawrence took time to hug each of his family members.

His mother, an elderly wolf, grabbed his broad shoulders as she cried into his chest.

Lawrence tried to crack a smile, but it looked more like a grimace. There was no way he would win against the Alpha. Kaiden Crow was very special and he was the most powerful Alpha Lawrence or Wyatt had ever seen.

"Don't worry ma, it will be alright."

Lawrence tried to hide his fear for his mother but everyone saw right through the facade. Kaiden wanted him to die and so he would.

"You win this okay, Lawrence?" His father asked, clapping him on the shoulder, "Fight your damn hardest. We will always love you."

"I'm sorry." Lawrence clenched his eyes shut and gritted his teeth, "now you will lose a son and a daughter."

The mother sobbed louder and Lawrence's father looked up at Wyatt before addressing his son.

"You did what you thought was right. For that, you have made us proud."

Lawrence's father sent a grateful smile to Wyatt. Kaiden would have slit his throat, but Wyatt did not care for any informalities. Not when a wolf was about to die for a trivial incident.10 minutes later, Wyatt broke up the family and took Lawrence to prepare for his fight.

It was a somber time. Kaiden had little patience when his mate was kidnapped. Everyone hoped that he would lighten up when Katie had returned home. That is true though not to the extent that the pack hoped. Not that Wyatt would ever tell him, but Kaiden was losing his pants and his mind.

Letting out a sigh, Wyatt rubbed his forehead. He needed some advil.