Page 40 of Alpha's Unclaimed Mate

But I’m still an alpha, even without Titan.

Maybe I need to show that to others. I can make an example out of one so they never question me again.

The young wolf slowly steps out of the crowd, his eyes bright.

“I don’t accept you as my Alpha.” His voice is steady and sure.

The crowd goes silent, all eyes on us. A few elders look on with a smile, watching how it plays out. Luke flies out of his chair, about to interject, when I say in a loud voice, “I accept.”

Luke turns to me furiously before yelling, “The fight will be in human form, and Elder Marek will declare when the fight ends and who the winner is.”

Murmurs ripple through the crowd. People praise Luke, thinking he has evened the fight for the warrior, since an alpha wolf is twice the size of most others.

As we circle each other, I feel adrenaline coursing through my system. My senses sharpen at the promise of a fight.

Despite my depleted strength, I channel every bit of anger I’ve felt at myself.

The challenger’s face blurs as we attack each other. Every strike, every blow, is a release of the pent-up rage and helplessness that have been eating away at me.

Days, weeks, months lost because of my faults.

Bone cracks beneath my fists, the sound triggering a flood of dopamine.

For the first time in three months, I feel good.

“Please!”

Somewhere past my blinding rage, a trembling voice breaks through the haze.

“Please! Spare him!”

I stop for a moment and turn to where the voice is coming from. A frail girl looks at me with folded hands, pleading.

I turn to the man in my hold, and notice blood all over him and my hands.

“Damn it!” I curse under my breath, dropping him instantly.

A hush falls over the pack grounds.

Elder Marek walks over to us, staring at everyone watching.

“Our alpha has spared the life of Enforcer Adam, but he and his family are banished from the pack. They have twelve hours to leave the pack premises. Anyone else who wants to join them is free to leave. As for the rest of you—get back to training.”

I know this reprieve is temporary.

As the adrenaline fades, I realize with renewed urgency that I need to find Seren.

Two days later, a breakthrough comes unexpectedly.

A gamma from Alpha Landon’s pack is caught trying to steal contract documents. The packhouse is abuzz with the news, a tangible sense of anticipation hanging in the air.

The man refuses to talk at first, stubborn and defiant. But wolfsbane and some rough questioning eventually loosen his tongue.

I’ve always known what Landon really wants: not my land or my people, just my business. But the gamma’s words hit me unexpectedly.

“Landon knows where Seren is,” he finally admits. His voice is a strained whisper. “He’s covering her tracks to keep you distracted.”

But why? He doesn’t know what Seren is to me…unless someone told him. I turn to Luke, but he seems unbothered, busy texting on his phone. I push the thought away and look at the captive.

---