Page 50 of Mating at Midnight: Book 1

At that moment Daddy, Bryant, and Alpha Lennox return to the backyard. Alpha Lennox whispers some words to his men. They along with Joaquin’s friends split up with half retrieving the dead man’s body and the other escorting Joaquin to his vehicle. After the dead body is put in the back, Joaquin is ushered into the second-row seating. Three of Alpha Lennox’s men wait outside of the vehicle for him.

Extending his hand to daddy, Alpha Lennox says, “Noah, I’m glad that this didn’t destroy the truce that we’ve had in place.”

Daddy shakes his hand, returning, “We’ve come too far to let something like this come between wolf and bear. But like I told you, your Pack is still welcomed on the Midnight Pack lands but not your son. As long as he doesn’t try any shit like this in the future, our pact will still be upheld.”

“I understand,” Alpha Lennox attests. “You won’t have any more problems out of Joaquin, that I can guarantee.” He lets daddy hand go, then shakes Bryant’s. “It was nice to meet you, and I look forward to the three of us getting together to do some hunting.”

“Likewise,” Bryant says. “And again, I’m sorry about shooting your Pack member.”

Alpha Lennox holds up his hand. “There’s nothing for you to be sorry for. He chose to break the rules, and his demise is that of his own making. Everyone knows there is no interfering in an Alpha challenge.” He turns to daddy, saying, “Noah, I’ll be in touch soon.”

“I’ll make sure I have my phone on me,” daddy chuckles with Alpha Lennox joining in.

With a quick head gesture, Alpha Lennox and the rest of his men retreat to his pickup. They get in and drive off with Joaquin’s SUV following behind them.

I was once told that you should keep your mouth closed when the attention isn’t on you. Obviously, Horace wasn’t taught that because he inquires, “Noah, what about me and Corey?” he points to Levi. “That asshole sucker punched him again, knocking my son out while you were having your little meeting. Corey issued the challenge, and lost, so what happens now? I want to take my boy home to tend to his wounds.”

Daddy turns to face him with a look in his eyes I have never seen before. Usually, when a shifter is angered, their eyes will change to that of their wolf’s, but daddy’s eyes remain to his dark brown.

“What happens now is you and your son are officially exiled from the Midnight Pack.”

“Noah, you can’t be serious,” Horace mutters, trying to move closer to daddy but security stops him. “After all that we’ve beenthrough, you’re going to let this one little infraction turn into something bigger that it shouldn’t be?’

Daddy frowns, taking a step back. “Little infraction? Your son challenged me to be Alpha of our Pack and from what Alpha Lennox relayed what the boy told him, your name came up too many times for my liking. So, as of this moment you are stripped of your Beta title to the Midnight Pack. You and your son are forever exiled from our Pack. After this betrayal, I will make sure no other Pack from Alaska to New York will let you in. Hell, I’ll even go as far as those we are affiliated with overseas.” Daddy gives Horace a daring look. “You know how long my reach is, Horace. The best thing for you to do is get in the vehicle that brought you and your son here and go. I will have the items from your house packed up and sent to the forwarding address you give me.”

“You know this isn’t right,” Horace gripes. “Our families have ruled over this Pack for decades and now you’re going to fall into the influences of an outsider.”

“Influences?” Daddy roars, making the ground under our feet shake. I lock onto Braxton. Daddy’s eye color flickers between his natural color and his wolf’s. “Influences?” he snarls. “From what I was just told, you fell into your son’s influence. You knew what he was going to do, but you didn’t stop him. The both of you knew Corey couldn’t defeat me which is why Joaquin was thrown into the mix, not expecting me to have Braxton stand in for me.” Daddy laughs. “Let me be the first to say that if Braxton wasn’t here, I would have proudly fought Joaquin, and the results would have come out the same.”

Frowning, Horace responds, “Whether I fell in or not, I think me, and Corey should be given another opportunity to prove that we are loyal members of the Midnight Pack.”

Daddy takes some time to mentally go over his decision. He finally focuses on Horace, declaring, “As of this day, your title ofBeta has been stripped. You and your son have twenty minutes to get what you need out of that house and leave Pack land.”

“You can’t do that,” Horace argues.

Daddy laughs. “I’m the Alpha of this Pack and I can do whatever I want. And since I own all of the Midnight Pack lands and the houses on it, including yours, I want you off my property.”

“Noah, can we talk in private?” Horace requests.

Daddy narrows his eyes at him, responding, “Just like you talked in private with your son. I don’t think so. My decision is made, and you nor your son are no longer members of the Midnight Pack. Get the fuck off my land before I get my son-in-law and his Beta to help you.”

“You’re going to regret this,” Horace sneers.

Chapter 26

Braxton

“You’re going to regret this,” Horace sneers.

“Regret what?” Alpha Lightfeather roars. With the speed of his wolf, Alpha Lightfeather is in front of Horace. His mighty hand reaches out and grips Horace’s neck, then lifts him off the ground. “Don’t make me regret not killing the both of you? I can still make it happen,” he growls. With his feet dangling in the air, Horace’s face reddens as he fights to get out of Alpha Lightfeather’s clutches.

“You know I am a fair and peaceful Alpha, Horace but when my family and my Pack are threatened, the peaceful side of me no longer exists,” Alpha Lightfeather says. “Not only has your son disrespected my daughters but he had the audacity to threaten me as his Alpha. Now, you want to throw out your own threat?” Horace gasps as Alpha Lightfeather shakes him like a rag doll. “Thank you for making me realize that if I let you live, there’s a possibility for you all to return for retaliation.” He closes his eyes, holding his head back. In a wild tone, Alpha Lightfeather yells, “Pack members shift. It’s time for a hunt.”

All standing around begin to shift into their wolves. Horace frantically fights more, pounding on Alpha Lightfeather’s arm to no avail. Alpha Lightfeather lowers his head and opens his eyes. The eyes staring at Horace are that of his wolves. He grins wide with his canines extracted.

“This is the fair part of me,” he tells Horace. “I’m going to give you and Corey a thirty-second head start, to the house. After that, we will start hunting you. If you make it to the house without getting caught, I’ll let you leave peacefully but if you’re caught, well you know what happens, Horace. This isn’t the firsttime we’ve done this. It just so happens that you and your son are now the prey.”

Alpha Lightfeather eases up on his hold when Horace tries to speak. “Noah, don’t do this! I take back what I said. Corey and I will leave, and you will never hear from either one of us again.”

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