Emilio just laid there with his head on his paws, looking defeated because he was. It was time to move to the next step, although Adam was sure the other wolf didn't want to.
Whatever was going to happen to Emilio would not be pleasant. Ahead of Adam was a lot of hard work, and he would have to learn a lot because he was now a pack alpha again. Mel would be a pack bitch, and she would have even more to learn.
She waited at the exit from the circle, but Adam waited for his opponent to shift, and he wasn't. Was the other wolf too injured to move?
Adam moved over to him and nudged him with his nose. He should shift and move out of the circle unless he was half dead. Mel would say it was time to pay the piper.
“Is he alright? You didn't kill him, did you?” Damon asked.
His wolf shook his head. His opponent was still alive, but he refused to move. Maybe he had just given up, or maybe he didn't want to face the consequences of his actions.
Adam headed to the exit. Time was wasting, and he wanted to get to his mate.
Once she was out of the circle, he turned back to look at the other wolf, who still lay on the ground, refusing to move. Damon moved to the entry of the circle and looked at the wolf.
Now Adam could see Emilio was beginning to shift, but it wasn't the usual shift. He was sure Damon was forcing him to change.
“I wanted to stay in my wolf form. It's not right that you forced me to change," Emilio complained.
“The rest of us do not have all day to wait and see what you will do. The council has sent a team after you, and it is time that you leave," Damon explained. “You ask that Ricardo be here, and he is, but he is unsure why you requested his presence. He stated that he barely knows you.”
“So that's how it's going to be?" Emilio observed.
Adam heard the whole conversation. It gave him a feeling that Ricardo was about to be investigated by Damon. It was clear there was more going on than they originally suspected.
Harry came back with Cage. They were moving toward Emilio to take custody of him.
There was a loud pop. Something bounced off Harry, who was standing right next to Emilio. It was a bullet.
“Someone is shooting!” Adam yelled.
He suspected they were shooting at Emilio, but Harry's artifact gave him protection because he was standing close to her. Adam looked around to see where Ricardo was, but he had disappeared, and the shooter had as well.
“What do you make of that?” Harry asked.
“I think something is going on that we were not aware of. This goes beyond pack leadership. Emilio thought Ricardo would step in to save him. Now, someone is trying to kill him. That can't be a coincidence," Damon suggested. “Don't worry. I plan to investigate Ricardo and see what he's been up to.”
Adam had heard enough to understand what Damon would be doing next. All he wanted to do was spend some time with Mel. Hopefully, she wouldn't be too angry at him for the risk he had taken.
“Hey beautiful, why don't we get a bite to eat and then retreat to our room?” Adam asked.
“So, it's our room now?” Mel questioned.
“Going to be you and me from here on out. That's the way things are with mates, isn't it?” Adam wondered.
“Let's get a bite to eat, and then we'll see what happens," Mel replied.
He knew what was happening. She wasn't going to give in too easily. She wanted to make him work for it.
Adam could respect that to get back on her good side. They headed up to the dining room, and he saw they weren't the only ones planning to have a bite to eat. Normally, lunch would be a little early, but everyone ate breakfast early to prepare for the fight. It had been the most important thing that had happened for a long time, and no one had wanted to miss it. As he walked by, many people congratulated him or slapped him on the shoulder to show they were happy he won.
Adam couldn't deny that receiving so much approval from his old and new pack felt good. They would stay a few days so Trev could guide him and tell him what he would have to do. Taking over a pack that he had no knowledge of would not be an easy task. He was sure the council would also play a part in what was soon to happen. Adam had never even been to Mexico and couldn't speak the language. That was something that would have to change soon.
The next few days were busy for Adam. Trev explained what would happen when he went to Mexico to take over his new pack. The alpha told him he'd heard that the former alpha of that pack was wealthy. Since Adam defeated him, that wealth would transfer, but the council would have to do it, and they would expect a portion. He didn't know how he felt about that, but it didn't matter because the council would get its due. There was much to learn, and he felt like he was learning it. He would likely get no help figuring out what the pack owned and what the alpha owned. He would have to call in an accountant of a special type, and Trev gave him a name and the number.
“Mel knows her because they are related. You should look through your information first and ensure you need her. She works on a percentage. I feel everything will be a mess when you get down there. I've been told the alpha lived like a king, but the pack lived like paupers. There will be a lot of work, and you'll need your mate to help you. I would also suggest you learn the language as quickly as possible. Janie said Mel can speak a little bit of the language, which might help you," Trev concluded.
That was pretty much all the information Trev had for him. At this point, all Adam could do was figure out how to get down there with the pack members in Wilde. His first thought was to contact Damon and see if he had any suggestions. It surprised him when his phone rang.