Page 51 of Once You Go Pack
But it was Mila who grounded him completely. She stepped in front of him, her eyes blazing with unwavering faith as she reached up to frame his face with her hands.
“You are the rightful High Sovereign,” she whispered, her voice cutting through the crowd’s roar. “You are my mate, my king, and the strongest man I’ve ever known. Win this—not for duty, but for us.”
Her lips met his in a kiss that tasted of determination and love, sending warmth cascading through him. When she pulled back, her smile carried all the confidence he needed.
“Go claim what’s yours.”
Cade strode into the arena circle, his boots crunching on the packed snow as the crowd’s volume tripled. Zarik was already waiting in the center, his large frame radiating predatory satisfaction. The Shadow Moon king had stripped to black leather pants, his muscled torso gleaming with oils that would make grappling difficult. His icy blue eyes tracked Cade’sapproach with the hungry anticipation of a wolf who’d been denied a hunt for too long.
“Well, well,” Zarik called out, his voice carrying easily across the arena. “The pretty boy finally shows up. I was beginning to think you’d run back to your human mate’s skirts.”
Cade’s jaw clenched as he pulled off his shirt, revealing the powerful muscles that had been honed through decades of royal training. His own body bore the scars of countless battles—territory disputes, rogue pack incursions, and sparring sessions that had pushed him to his limits.
Don’t let him bait you,he reminded himself, falling into the fighting stance his father had drilled into him since childhood.Anger makes you sloppy.
Elder Grimm’s voice boomed across the arena as he stepped forward with ancient ceremonial authority. “Wolves of the Ice Mountains! We gather tonight to witness a formal challenge for High Sovereign leadership, issued by King Zarik Veynar of the Shadow Moon pack against King Cade Dravik of the Ice Moon pack!”
The crowd erupted in howls and cheers that shook snow from the arena walls.
“The rules are simple!” Elder Grimm continued, his weathered face stern. “First to deliver a knockout wins the position and all authority that comes with it. Death, while not the goal, is an accepted risk in challenges of this magnitude. May the strongest Alpha claim victory!”
Cade’s stomach lurched at the mention of death, his eyes flashing to Mila’s face in the crowd.I just found her. I just claimed her. I can’t leave her now.
The ceremonial horn sounded, its deep note reverberating through the mountains like a declaration of war.
Zarik lunged immediately, his fist aimed at Cade’s jaw with brutal precision. Cade twisted aside, letting the punch whistlepast his ear before countering with an uppercut that caught Zarik in the ribs. The impact sent shockwaves up Cade’s arm—Zarik’s body was like hitting stone.
They circled each other in human form, trading devastating blows that would have felled ordinary men. Zarik fought like a berserker just like Cade had expected, all overwhelming force and savage aggression. But Cade matched him with calculated precision and superior footwork. Blood flowed from split lips and bruised knuckles as they tested each other’s limits.
“Is this the best the Ice Moon royal family can offer?” Zarik snarled, wiping blood from his mouth. “No wonder your father died disappointed!”
The insult hit its mark, sending rage exploding through Cade’s control. With a roar that shook the arena, both men shifted simultaneously—bones cracking, muscles expanding, human forms dissolving into their powerful wolf shapes.
Cade’s wolf was magnificent and mighty—the dark brown beast with the golden crescent marking that proclaimed his royal lineage. But Zarik’s wolf was a nightmare of black fur and exposed fangs, slightly larger and radiating the kind of brutal dominance that came from years of killing rivals.
They collided in the center of the arena like thunder, fangs seeking throats as they rolled across the snow in a snarling mass of fur and fury. Zarik’s wolf was stronger, his jaws more powerful, and Cade found himself being driven back toward the arena wall under the relentless assault.
I’m losing,the thought hit him as Zarik’s fangs found purchase on his shoulder, sending blood streaming down his fur.He’s too strong. Too vicious.
The crowd’s roar became deafening as Zarik pressed his advantage, his black wolf pinning Cade against the stone wall with crushing force. Pain exploded through Cade’s ribs aspowerful jaws clamped down, and for a moment, darkness threatened to claim him.
Then he felt it—a surge of warmth and strength flowing through the mate bond like liquid courage. Mila’s love, her unwavering faith, and her absolute belief that he was destined for this moment. Through their connection, he could feel her heart beating in perfect rhythm with his own.
Fight for our future,her voice seemed to whisper.Fight for our love.
Power erupted through Cade’s wolf like a flood gate opening. This wasn’t just about duty or legacy anymore—this was about the woman who had awakened his soul and about building the life they both deserved. With a surge of strength that surprised even him, Cade twisted free of Zarik’s grip and launched himself forward with devastating force.
Now it was Zarik who found himself outmatched as Cade fought with the fury of a wolf protecting his mate and his future. Every strike carried the weight of love and determination, every dodge flowed with the grace of a wolf who finally understood what he was truly fighting for.
The final moment came suddenly. Zarik, overconfident in his initial dominance, left himself open for just an instant. Cade’s wolf seized the opportunity, delivering a crushing blow to Zarik’s temple that sent the black wolf crashing into the arena wall. Zarik crumpled to the snow, unconscious but breathing.
Cade stood over his fallen opponent, his wolf’s chest heaving as he fought the urge to finish what Zarik had started. The crowd held its breath, waiting to see if the new High Sovereign would claim his victory with mercy or blood.
He challenged me. He insulted my mate. He threatened everything I hold dear.
But then Cade’s eyes found Mila in the crowd, her face shining with pride and love, and he knew what kind of king—what kind of man—he wanted to be.
He shifted back to his human form and walked away from Zarik’s unconscious wolf, his voice carrying clearly across the silent arena. “I am High Sovereign of the Ice Mountains. This challenge has ended.”
