Page 89 of Can't Be Love

“I’m trying, Titus. Impartiality here will be impossible, but my mate has asked that I sit tight and let her do her job, and I certainly intend to try. The last thing I want to do is distract Lily during the battle,” I assured him.

“I see what you meant, Zach,” Victor told my father. “I can feel his power just being in his presence. It’s amazing, so commanding.”

“Amazing?” I snorted. “That’s not exactly how I’d describe it. Hugely problematic when you’re about to put my mate in danger of her life, is more like it.” Titus raised his eyebrow in question. “I said I intend to try, Titus. If my wolf becomes too agitated, you’ll have to be prepared to subdue me. He’s been known to see red quickly whenever she’s in danger, and this disaster you call tradition is most certainly putting her in danger.”

“He’s rational, yet his aggression is borderline dangerous,” Titus commented, as if I were in a clinical study.

My father nodded. “Yes, but as I told you, I fully believe it is because his Alpha side has evolved. He’s ready to take over the Pack. I’m certain of it.”

“But you cannot expect him to do so in the middle of his mating challenges,” Victor said.

“Which is why I’ve petitioned Titus to forego any future challenges and allow him to promote immediately,” my dad said to Victor’s astonishment.

“You’re serious? He’s still young to take over a Pack this size.”

“Maybe, but it is my greatest honor to hand it over to him. I’ve trained him personally since the day he was born, and I’m telling you, he’s ready,” Dad said proudly.

“And what will come of you then?” Victor inquired.

Titus and Dad shared a look that made me uncomfortable. “Oh, I’ll find my new place in the Pack. Look how well it’s worked out for Jason.” They all chuckled, knowing the former Alpha had been struggling to find his place, but finally settled on grandpa as his favorite new title. “Perhaps Thomas and Lily will bless me as well in the near future.”

“Dad,” I scolded as they all chuckled, then sobered as a hush came over the crowd.

Lily and Wanda walked out of the arena doors and into the center. They turned and looked up at where we stood. Dad clapped a hand on my shoulder and gave an apologetic look before stepping forward. He welcomed them all, went through the formalities necessary to start the fight, and before I knew what was happening, I’d been pushed down into a chair with Titus and Victor standing guard on either side of me. Dad took up his place just behind me, a hand resting easily on my shoulder which I knew would give me a blast of his Alpha power should I step out of line.

Lily stripped, as did Wanda, and they waited for the signal. On my dad’s order, they both shifted and the fight was on. Wanda immediately retreated. Lily had been right—she was ready for a quick attack. Wanda’s grey wolf shook off the confusion as Lily’s white wolf started to circle her.

Lily toyed with her just enough to slowly draw her in. Wanda started making close, quick jabs for Lily, who easily dodged them all. There was a sudden commotion from the Larken section. Wanda didn’t falter, but Lily did, and the second she did, Wanda dove in for the attack.

Lily hit the ground with a thud and my heart stopped. My vision blurred and a low rumble started deep in my chest. Just as Wanda went in for the kill I felt a jolt of Alpha power surge into me from Dad.

At the last second, Lily jumped up and plowed into Wanda, knocking her off balance and avoiding her kill move. Lily took one look up at me and I felt terrible for distracting her. She had the upper advantage and should be using it, but she didn’t. Instead, Lily walked slowly over to Wanda, who was quickly regaining her footing. She lifted her head towards the sky and howled.

My wolf immediately responded before anyone could stop me, but more than that, she had affectively called to the entire Pack as shifter after shifter joined her. When I looked back down, Lily was in full focus. I knew at the moment she howled that she’d given herself fully over to her wolf, something I had heard she never did in battle.

I rose to my feet and walked to the railing for a closer look. The others didn’t stop me, but the Pack followed my lead as they all rose to their feet. The howls had been signs of respect and acceptance. Lily had officially just become Collier and it was clear to see the Larkens knew it, as did Wanda, whose fighting became defensive and sloppy.

Exactly as Lily had explained, she patiently waited until Wanda was so angry that she was acting irrationally and emotionally. The first moment she left her neck exposed, the beautiful white wolf leapt in for a swift kill. It happened so fast I wasn’t even sure the grey wolf knew what was happening until it was too late.

With Wanda dead, Lily sat back on her hind legs and howled once again, this time in both grief and victory. Those from Larken made a quick exit as the eerie sounds of Collier Pack followed her lead.

“I told you,” Dad said to Titus. “They’re both ready.”

Titus nodded. “We’ll make the call tonight and let you know.”

“Am I free to go to my mate now?” I asked, not wanting to screw anything up with the challenge, but desperately needing to feel for myself that Lily was okay.

“Yes, son. She’s all yours. Go get your girl,” Dad said with a smile.

I didn’t bother with the stairs. It was a straight drop down to the arena floor from the platform, which I easily landed. Lily’s wolf jumped in surprise, as she turned to face me. I hadn’t spent a ton of time with her wolf, and not at all while still in human form. She happily greeted me, tail wagging, and rubbed her scent against my leg. I leaned down and hugged her as Lily shifted back into her beautiful flesh and bone in my arms.

I lifted her up, cradling her against me as our Pack cheered. The noise was deafening, yet somehow when I leaned down to kiss her, it grew even louder. Lily threw her head back and laughed, wrapping one arm tightly around my neck, and the other she used to wave to the crowd.

“I told you I had this,” she reminded me. “This little slugger didn’t even need a bat to finish the job.”

“Slugger, don’t ever scare me like that again. When you went down like that, I thought . . .”

“Nope,” she said, pressing her lips to mine. “No what ifs. Just let me enjoy my victory. I think the Pack may have finally accepted me.”

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