Page 46 of Mating at Midnight: Book 1

What the fuck is he talking about?

Nyah clears the air when she says, “What type of position, Corey? Like how Kenia is your true mate and when she denied you, you thought you could move onto me?”

As if he’s possessed, Alpha Lightfeather’s neck rotates towards the father and son.

“What?” he booms, making the ground under our feet rumble.

Horace tries to make a plea, but Corey pushes him to the side. “Alpha Lightfeather, I know how all of this must seem to you, but the only reason why it was done is because I saw that outsider claim Nyah last night before the bonding ceremony.”

Daddy shifts his eyes to us. Honestly, I think daddy already knew about our mating. If he had an issue with it, he would have maimed Braxton when we first pulled up. With all of the commotion with the cabin fire and Crown missing, he must have pushed that shit to the back of his head.

“You were spying on us?” Nyah snarls, having me hold on to her tighter. As she writhers in my arms, proclaiming, “You thought this would make me mate with you...fuck you, Corey! You could be the last wolf on earth, and I would be happy dying peacefully knowing I didn’t mate with your sorry ass.”

Corey menacingly grins, saying, “At this point it doesn’t even matter. You were just a stepping stone I needed to get there, but since you’re now mated to this mutt, I’ll have to go to my backup plan.” His deranged eyes swirled like a lunatic. “The shanty should have been demolished a long time ago and as for yourpet, he should have been skinned and on the grill just like the rest of his kind.”

His remarks send everyone in an uproar, especially Alpha Lightfeather who takes a step towards him but stops when Corey holds up his hands, announcing, “I formally challenge Alpha Lightfeather.”

Well, shit if the Midnight pack is anything like ours, no matter if a shifter is an Alpha, Beta, or Omega if there is a challenge issued, it must be honored. Thus, saving Corey from a certain death because of what he has done.

Nyah frowns. “And how the Hell do you think you’re going to do that? My daddy is an Alpha, and you are a Beta.”

Corey snickers, shaking his finger at her. “You are absolutely correct. Yes, I am a Beta, but I never said it would be me fighting your father. I will have another as my proxy.”

Shit, another one of those Pack laws. Like a pitch hitter in baseball, a shifter can have another fight in their place. I hope Corey chooses his no good father to stand in for him. I’m sure Alpha Lightfeather is all for punishing him for going along with his son’s plan.

“You want to be Alpha of this pack, then fight me one on one for it,” Alpha Lightfeather demands.

As if this whole situation is humorous to him, Corey laughs again. “We all know that would be a severe disadvantage on my end, so I have someone who can match your strength.”

Just at that time a maroon SUV with deep tinted windows pulls to the backyard. I strain my eyes trying to make out the figures inside. The front driver’s side door opens, and a big burly motherfucker gets out as the other doors open.

“Oh, there’s my proxy now,” Corey says.

“Shit,” Nyah whispers.

“Who the fuck is that?” I ask.

“That’s Joaquin,” I reply. “Kenia used to have a crush on him.” Braxton and I look behind us when a scary growl comes from Levi. Four other large guys get out of the SUV and follow the asshole to Corey. We watch as he hugs Corey like they’re old friends.

Sniffing the air, I ask Nyah, “What is he? His smell is off.”

Nyah looks up at me, replying, “Joaquin is a bear shifter from the Lord Bruin Pack. His daddy is the Alpha of their pack, and he is also an Alpha.”

Shit, that’s all I needed to hear. Elbowing Alpha Lightfeather to get his attention, I mentally communicate with him to take Nyah. He nods.

“Nyah, go stand with your father,” I tell her, losing my grip for Alpha Lightfeather to secure his lock on her.

“Braxton, what are you doing?” Nyah inquires, effortlessly squirming in her father’s arms.

Glaring back at her, I say, “What needs to be done.” I kiss her cheek.

Father, Levi, and James join me as I walk to face Corey and his build-a-bear.

“I will be Alpha Lightfeather’s proxy in the fight.”

Corey’s once jovial attitude is replaced with a twitching right eye and shaking hands.

He quickly puts on a brave face, saying, “You can’t do that.”

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