Page 11 of Rogue Wolf

Oh fucking hell, he didn’t need a wet-behind-the-ears pup thinking he was king of the heap. Or maybe this was just pure and deliberate distraction. He didn’t know, but he was going to find out.

“Really? You’re a champion, are you?” He growled again then said, “Why not openly challenge me, get your little show on the road, prove your worth? Or are you not worth anything at all and you cover that up by making noise and causing disruption?”

“I don’t want your position.”

Kodiak looked him up and down. “I don’t believe you. Maybe we should fight to the death?” He let go of Moki’s shirt, and the shifter fell hard onto the concrete floor.

“My leg,” groaned Moki, rolling side-to-side on his back and clutching it.

Channing made a sound but didn’t dare speak up. He knew what the pup wanted to say, that surely there’d been enough bloodshed. For all his bravery, Channing hadn’t ever dealt with anything so destructive, not on this scale and not so close to home.

Close?

It had invaded their home.

He didn’t want a fight and neither did Moki. But Moki needed to learn a lesson.

“Get up and stop faking it.” Kodiak didn’t give him a choice. He grabbed Moki by the arm and pulled him off the floor.

“Let me go!” yelled Moki, trying to break free.

Fucking childish pup. Kodiak needed to push it, so he did.

“Let you go? No. Not until you kneel and pledge yourself to me. Do that, or I won’t bother with a fight. I’ll rip your head off your shoulders right now and feed your remains to the crows.”

“I can’t. You’re not sworn in as our alpha,” Moki said.

“Can’t? Or is that won’t?” Kodiak punched Moki, sending him stumbling backwards into the panelled wall.

But the kid stood there, and Kodiak knew he was either looking at a future leader or a future Brutus. Or maybe a vampire’s lunch. This kind of foolish bravery could go any of those ways.

If he learned wisdom, it would be the first; cunning the second; and just thoughtless chest puffing bravery? The third.

“Let’s try this again, Moki. Kneel.” Kodiak held up his fists, ready to strike.

“No.”

He didn’t hit the idiot. Instead, he insulted him by unfurling his hand and giving him a powerful shove.

Moki’s face turned a ruddy red. But he didn’t raise his fist to Kodiak.

“That’s why you’re in this mess.” Kodiak stepped up to him. “You’re useless to me if you can’t follow my instructions.”

The kid scowled. “I’m better suited to work here than where you put me.”

Kodiak’s anger got the better of him, and this time he punched Moki, hard. But then he dropped his hand. His anger wasn’t going to help. He needed to try and stay on top of it, to manipulate it into something constructive. “You. Stay there and don’t move.

He turned from Moki to Channing. “Kid, tell me what he was doing.”

“Hooking up the system to his phone so he had special access,” said Channing, typing quickly.

“Is that so, Moki?” Kodiak spoke slow and deep. “So, I’m thinking sabotage?”

Moki’s eyes widened with fear.

“You need to prove that you deserve to stay in the pack,” said Kodiak.

Moki lifted a shaking hand and pointed a finger at him. “The only one who should leave is that human of yours.”

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