Page 27 of Alpha's Redemption

‘Valen, it's a challenge; that’s the whole point. You can't make him submit for me.’

‘No, but I will. I don't care how many laws it breaks. I know only an heir can challenge, but I will not let your father kill you either, Everly. And before you try, don't ask me not to step in if it comes to that. That’s something I won’t promise you, so either win or back out now, because if you’re on the losing end, I am getting in that arena,’he says, and I sigh.

‘Ok, I won't ask that, but–’

‘No. There are no buts. That’s how it is. Sorry, but if I have to pull rank, I will if it means keeping you alive, Everly. I don’t want to, but don't expect me to just stand there and watch you get hurt or killed. I wouldn't ask that of you if our roles were reversed, so don't ask something of me I know you wouldn't live up to yourself.’

I swallow down my guilt. His words hit home a little too closely. He knows me too well, which only makes lying to him tear me apart more.

* * *

All night, I’m restless and sleep doesn’t come easily. Luckily, Valen didn’t ask me to train, insisting I need a good night’s rest, yet when I wake up the following day, I feel anything but rested.

I’m anxious and my eyes feel like sandpaper. My stomach twists violently and has me running for the bathroom as I retch and gag. Once I empty my stomach, I rinse my mouth and wet down my face just as Valen walks in and leans on the doorframe.

“Nerves?” he asks and I nod, trying to catch my breath.

“You alright?” he asks.

“Yep, never better,” I lie. He nods, walking out, and I stare at my reflection, trying to get myself together. A few more hours and this city is about to have another power player, and for once the ball is in my court, I just have to win the challenge first.

“Everly, breakfast!” Valen calls out to me and I sigh. As long as I can make my father submit before we come to the second round, which requires us to shift, I could win this. If not, it may all be for nothing. That’s not an option.

ChapterThirteen

Everly

The arena is basically just an old football stadium that no one uses anymore besides for city functions. The building is huge and well looked after, but it’s rare for the entire city to participate in the functions; most packs tend to stick to themselves, and besides the annual alpha meeting, you rarely catch everyone in the same place. But this challenge is all through the media, so I’m not shocked to see this place packed to the brim, everyone crammed in like sardines in a can. Nervousness creeps in as we pull in next to the huge entrance.

People are walking in and I feel giddy seeing rogues entering a place that’s otherwise forbidden to them; Valen’s men made sure they had entry through his tunnel entrance. Macey and Zoe stand by the doors next to Tatum and Marcus. Macey is the only one out of the three of us that’s still rogue, and despite the offers, she’s refused, saying she’s happy with her status. Although, I have a funny feeling with Tatum’s infatuation with her it will only be a matter of time.

Valen will take and accept all the rogues without asking, but it’s more than that. I may be pack, Zoe may be pack, but we’re all rogues. Status may have been given, but at heart, we clawed out from the rubble like the rest of them, bled beside them and took on society exactly the same.

No, my village doesn’t need a pack, this city should be a pack; no names, no labels, no designation. One pack is how it should be, how it was supposed to be; everyone free—free to choose and free to live. That’s what we want, just our freedoms, nothing more and nothing less.

Valen grips my knee as Valarian undoes his seatbelt when he sees Taylor and Casey. Casey is waving a snow cone in the air for him and he jumps out and runs over to her. His has no color, just ice—the girls know him too well. Valen shakes his head at him and chuckles before looking over at me.

“Are you sure you wouldn't be more comfortable in shorts? You’ll ruin those pants shifting in them. I brought you a set in case you change your mind,” Valen says while glancing down at my yoga pants. I shake my head. I won't be shifting, it would risk too much, my body would have to change too much.

“No, I'm hoping he submits in the first half.”

“You realize how hard that is? We’re instinctual. And you know how these things go—after 10 minutes and the horn goes off, everyone shifts. So unless you got some moves I don't know, you are gonna have to shift, Love.”

I swallow. He’s right. No one likes a challenge going on too long; after ten minutes of hand to hand, the air horn blasts and you have to shift. That was brought in decades before I was born after a challenge lasted three days while both of them circled each other looking for an opening. I laugh at that thought. Screw that, better to get it over with. Then again, I also understand it. What parent wants to fight their child and vice versa?

"Are you afraid to show your wolf?” Valen asks and I stare at him but he looks away. I tilt my head to look at him.

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Nothing. I just know you’re self-conscious about how small yours is. Though when the rogue attack happened, you were a fair bit bigger. Is that why you never want to train in your wolf at home?”

“Well, you would be self conscious too if you looked like someone's pet dog and not a werewolf,” I tell him.

“You're not that small,” he says and I shrug and open my door. Zoe and Macey are waiting for me by the entrance and I need them to keep me calm right now. We make our way through the dark tunnel and come out the other end, walking along the boundary line. I can see Nixon and his pack watching.

Slasher pack is also here, but Nixon and Dad stand on the other side of the massive ring that’s etched into the grass with white paint. We start to make our way over to our place when I feel my head tugged back by my ponytail.

Valen’s hand grips it and pulls me to a stop, turning me. His other arm wraps around my waist, pulling me against him, and he tips my head back. The way his lips cover mine in a heated kiss has my cheeks burning with his very public display.

---