Page 34 of Forced Wolf Bride

Diego rises to the podium, and the crowd falls silent. As he begins talking, my eyes scan the room, and I find Marcus and some of his boys in the corner. They don't seem to be listening to Diego, and I gasp when Marcus meets my gaze and winks.

A few surprised whispers go around the room as Diego tells the crowd he's been in negotiations with Mateo. As he outlines the positive terms, surprise turns to murmurs of approval, and there are even a few claps when he brings up a combined skills college. I'm so relieved that some people can see the clear benefits for the community.

When he introduces Mateo, the crowd falls silent. Diego invites him on stage and shakes his hand, explaining that if he is able to agree on these terms, after everything that happened, everyone else should be able to as well.

The two alphas cast a strong presence over the crowd, and I can see that the majority of the pack is in clear agreement. But suddenly, there's a commotion to the side. I close my eyes in preparation for what I know is coming.

"This is ridiculous," Marcus jeers. "You bring the enemy into our territory and do secret deals? You don't deserve to be alpha. You're old and weak."

The crowd falls silent in shock, but Diego looks completely unfazed. He knew this was going to happen. Marcus continues, "We even got you a whore mate, but even she couldn't boost you enough. You're past it, old man."

I feel someone's presence beside me, and Saffy slides her hand into mine in solidarity. We know a challenge is coming.

Mateo steps back slightly as Diego turns toward Marcus. "Is there something constructive you wanted to say, boy?"

"I'm no boy, Diego." Marcus sneers. "I'm the alpha this pack needs. I challenge you. I'm calling you out."

A gasp reverberates through the vast warehouse, first shock and then an eruption of chatter and confusion. Diego raises his hand, and the room falls silent.

"Are you sure this is what you really want, Marcus?" Diego asks solemnly. "You know this means banishment or death?"

"Foryou, old man," Marcus says, shrugging off his jacket and handing it to one of his men. His friends seem just as confident as him, jeering and trying to rally the crowd.

Diego stands tall, and I can feel the tension in the room. He turns to me and winks before jumping off the podium and facing Marcus. Saffy grips my hand tighter as Zack pushes us back further. I can't see Diego anymore and start to panic, but I remember what he said. He knew this was coming, and he was prepared for it.

The men collide, fists punching each other. Claws erupt as they partially shift. Marcus slashes at Diego, and I scream as I see blood erupt on his chest.

But it doesn’t take long for Diego to gain the upper hand. He ducks under another punch from Marcus and grabs him by his throat with one hand while using his other to hammer blows into the younger man’s stomach. Suddenly, he releases him with a roar of power, sending him flying back into his gang of men, who quickly catch him before he hits the floor.

"Surrender, Marcus. You won't win here, and I don't want to have to put you down!" Diego yells.

Marcus springs to his feet and wipes the blood from his mouth. Shrugging off his injuries, he advances again. "This is my fight, Diego. You're finished. Your entire family ends here."

I see something dangerous flash in Diego's eyes, and I know with absolute certainty that Marcus is the one who is finished today.

The fight intensifies, both men shifting completely now. I'm taken aback by Diego's magnificent wolf form. He’s large and completely black, and his amber eyes glow powerfully. I calm a little when I see how much larger he is compared to Marcus’s wolf. But the fight isn't over yet. Their huge claws tear at each other's fur, and powerful jaws snap at exposed flesh. Blood spatters across the floor as they battle for dominance.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity of fighting, Diego ducks under one of Marcus's blows and rips his throat out in one swift move, ending the challenge for good.

The entire warehouse falls silent at the violent ending. Marcus's body lies on the concrete floor. Though he died instantly, my stomach roils at the scene. I’ve never witnessed a pack fight like this before.

The crowd suddenly parts, and Diego emerges, covered in blood and wounds that are already starting to heal. I know I should find the image disturbing, but to me, he looks magnificent. Ignoring everyone around us, I run into his arms. He sweeps me up, and the crowd begins to cheer as he kisses me deeply. I feel a thousand emotions all at once.

Zack moves around us, standing between us and Marcus's body. "You," he says, gesturing to Marcus's shell-shocked friends. "Take his body out, and we'll arrange burial. Then we'll deal with you."

The men nod solemnly and step forward. The crowd is silent again in respect as Marcus's body is carried out.

Mateo approaches us and shakes Diego's hand. "A decisive victory, as expected. We'll go and let you deal with this, but you have my support and our promise of friendship."

"Absolutely," Diego replies, still holding onto me. Mateo nods at me as he leaves with his men, all of whom are clearly impressed by Diego’s display.

Zack moves to the center of the room and addresses the crowd. "Anyone else have a grievance? Anyone else doubts our alpha's decision?"

There's a brief pause before applause erupts, creating a deafening cacophony of cheers. "I think you have their support," I whisper to Diego.

"As long as I have yours," Diego replies.

I simply nod, resting my head against his shoulder, overwhelmed with gratitude for his safety.

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