Page 108 of Claimed By the Rival Alpha
“I’ll show up for the challenge,” I explained, “but I’ll have wolves searching for the girls. I’ll stall during the fight. I’ll let Redwolf believe that I’m falling in line with the plan. But when I get word that they’re safe, at that point, I’ll kill the fucker.”
Mom frowned. I could see the questions already forming on her brow, and I let her ask them. “What if you die during the fight? What if you end up killing each other? What then?”
“Then Dominic will take over the pack,” I said, nodding to my beta. “If I die, I die.”
Dom said nothing, just continued to scowl at the ground.
Mom was quiet as she considered my plan. After several moments, she let out a long, deep sigh and seemed to release most of her anger. She reached up for my face, and I bent so that her hands could touch me. Her fingers were warm, rough with age and with work, and soothing against my skin.
“My boy,” she said gently, “it’s really, really not easy hearing you say these things. When you were a little boy, it just about broke my heart every time you came home with a bruise, though I knew you had to experience those things to grow up. When you fought Peter and the other wolves to become Alpha, I wished I could feel every blow in your stead, so that I could keep you safe.” She ran her fingers through my hair. “I know I haven’t been the most tender of mothers to you, that I had to raise you to be strong to face the struggles that I knew were headed your way, but I’ve only wanted your happiness.”
I briefly closed my eyes. Her words penetrated deep in me, achingly sweet. “You are a great mother,” I assured her. “I wouldn’t be the man I am without you.”
“And don’t I know it.” She smiled and ruffled my hair. “I know how far you will go for Bryn. It would be stupid of me to fault you for choosing her life over yours. There’s no shame in fighting for love, but remember that Troy is evil, and evil men never fight fair. He’s definitely up to something more than you or I can see.”
When she lowered her hands, I stepped back. I glanced at the wall clock. In about ten minutes, I was due to explain my plan to the rest of my team. “I agree. I’ll be as careful as I can be, and we’ll have backup plans in place to make sure Bryn and Tavi are safe.”
“I suppose that’s all I can ask for.” She gave me a sad smile. “I love you, Night.”
“I love you, too.” I hugged her tight, and then left with Dom to head over to the conference room.
We entered the mess hall and walked to the conference room door. The table I’d broken had been removed from the room and converted to a pair of benches. Our current table was unvarnished oak. The surface was sanded, but it would need to be treated with wax to be of any long-term use.
Dom, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet during the conversation with Mom and through most of the walk, turned to me once he’d closed the door behind us. We were alone for now, but the others would be arriving soon.
“Night, I just want you to know that I’ll be with you to the end. I swear it.”
“No.” I looked at him. “I’m sorry, Dom, but you’re too important to the plan. You need to be the one who goes in to get the girls.”
He shook his head, but I started speaking again before he could argue.
“I’ll keep Troy and the audience busy. I’ll give them a show. You’ll only have to deal with the sons of bitches who are holding the girls. When I get the signal that they’re safe, I’ll complete the plan. If the worst happens and Troy kills me before I can kill him, you need to be alive to make sure he’s dead.”
Dom’s lip twitched. “I hate this. Everything about this makes my skin fucking crawl. What if you need me?”
“Dom, listen to me. The moment Troy and I start fighting, I won’t matter to you anymore. You’ve been a great friend, and an even better beta; I know it goes against everything in you to leave me to the fight, but you have to do this. Bryn and Tavi are moreimportant. You’re the only man I can trust to do this. You know that.”
I knew that Dom felt the truth of my words, but I also knew that it wouldn’t make the situation any easier for him to accept. I didn’t like forcing this on him, but the stakes were too damned high.
“How will I ever live with myself?” Dom asked quietly. “How can I be the Alpha after you?”
“I won’t lie and say that it’ll be easy, Dom, and I’m sorry about that. But you’ll manage because you have to.” The path that every Alpha takes is hard and bloody. Every one of us has to live with the memories of the people we kill or leave behind. Some of us deal with the pressure more easily.
Dom closed his eyes. I wanted to say more, but the door opened and the others began filing in. We would have to save the rest of the conversation for later, but as far as I was concerned, this was final.
Once everyone was seated, I explained the plan. When I finished, I let the group consider in silence until Redford spoke up.
“Alpha, this is too risky,” he said. “There’s so much that could go wrong. We should come up with something better.”
“I’m not ready for you to stop being Alpha,” William added. William had been injured in the initial siege on the Kings, when I’d first rescued Bryn. “I’ve seen how other packs are, I’ve seen their Alphas, and frankly, I don’t see how anyone could replace you. No offense, Dom.”
Dom chuckled. “No offense taken, Will. I’m right there with you.”
“I agree with William,” Frankie, a female wolf, spoke up. Since Troy killed Iggy weeks ago, she and Rachel were the only women in my inner circle. I hoped more female wolves would feel comfortable stepping up after the packs merged. “Losing you would be a huge blow to the pack. Most of us remember what it was like before you. Many of us won’t want to risk a return to old times. In other words,” she looked at me pleadingly, “you’re too much of an asset, Night.”
It warmed me to hear them say all of these things. Their words were a kindness that I struggled to feel like I deserved, but in the end, they wouldn’t change my mind. I placed my hands on the table and looked from face to face.
“I understand your concerns, but we’ve run out of time. If any of you have an alternative strategy, speak now.”
