Chapter 7

"You're awake."

Alpha Lucian's voice was rough with sleep, his breath warm against my neck. We were tangled together in his bed, skin against skin, and the memories of last night made heat flood my body.

"I am," I said softly, not quite ready to turn and face him. What was the protocol here? What did you say to an Alpha the morning after you'd slept with him?

His arm tightened around my waist, pulling me closer. "Regrets?"

"No." I was surprised to find it was true. "You?"

"Never." He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "But we need to talk about what happens now."

"What do you mean?"

He rolled me over so I was facing him. His silver eyes were serious. "Last night, you said you were mine. Did you mean it?"

My heart started racing. "Yes."

"Then you understand what that means in our world. To an Alpha."

I did. When an Alpha claimed someone, it wasn't casual. It wasn't temporary. It was forever.

"I understand," I said quietly.

"The pack will know by noon. They always do. And when they find out, there will be talk. About you. About us. About Jude." He cupped my face gently. "It's going to get ugly, Hailey. Are you ready for that?"

"I don't care what they say."

"What about Jude? He's going to be furious. Heartbroken. He might do something stupid."

"Let him. He brought this on himself."

Alpha Lucian studied me for a long moment. "You're different than you were a week ago. Harder. Colder."

"Good."

"Is it?" He traced his thumb across my cheek. "I don't want you to lose yourself in revenge, Hailey. I don't want you to become someone you hate."

"Too late. I already am someone different. The old Hailey died when she found her mate in bed with her sister."

"No. The old Hailey is still in there. I can see her when you smile. When you let your guard down. When you—"

A loud knock on the door interrupted him.

"Alpha!" A man's voice, urgent. "We have a situation!"

Alpha Lucian cursed and got out of bed, pulling on pants. "Stay here," he told me, then went to answer the door.

I couldn't hear the full conversation, but I caught words like "Jude," "northern border," and "challenge."

My blood ran cold. Challenge?

Alpha Lucian came back into the bedroom, his expression grim.

"What's wrong?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Jude knows you're here. Someone saw you arrive last night and told him."

"And?"

"And he's issued a challenge. For you."

My heart stopped. "A challenge? But we're not mated anymore. He has no right—"

"He doesn't care. He's claiming that I stole his mate, that I abused my power as Alpha. He wants to fight me for the right to court you."

"That's insane. The bond is broken. I rejected him!"

"I know. But he's not thinking clearly. His wolf is probably driving him crazy with jealousy and rage." Alpha Lucian ran his hand through his hair. "I have to accept the challenge. If I don't, it will look like weakness. And an Alpha can never show weakness."

"So what happens now?"

"Now I get dressed, go to the challenge grounds, and put my son in his place."

Fear gripped me. "What if he hurts you?"

Alpha Lucian smiled, but it wasn't kind. "Hailey, I'm an Alpha. I've been fighting for longer than Jude has been alive. He can't hurt me."

"But he's your son—"

"A son who needs to learn that actions have consequences." He came back to the bed and kissed me hard. "Get dressed. You're coming with me."

"What? No! I can't watch you fight Jude!"

"Yes, you can. And you will. Because this challenge is about you. The whole pack needs to see you there, needs to see you standing with me. Otherwise, they'll think you're just a pawn in some game between father and son."

He was right, but that didn't make it easier.

I got dressed quickly, putting on yesterday's clothes since I had nothing else here. My hair was a mess, and I probably looked exactly like someone who'd spent the night in the Alpha's bed.

Good. Let them all know.

We drove to the challenge grounds in his truck, neither of us speaking. My hands were shaking, and I clasped them together to hide it.

"He's going to hate me even more after this," I said quietly.

"He already hates you. Or thinks he does. Really, he's just angry that you moved on before he could come crawling back."

"You think he would have tried to come back?"

"Eventually. Once the novelty of being with Lucy wore off. Once he realized what he'd lost." Alpha Lucian glanced at me. "But that's not going to happen now. Because you're mine."

We arrived at the challenge grounds to find the entire pack already gathered. Word traveled fast in our world. Everyone stood in a circle around a cleared area, whispering and pointing.

When Alpha Lucian and I got out of the truck together, the whispers turned to gasps.

I held my head high as we walked through the crowd. I could feel their eyes on me—judging, speculating, condemning. I didn't care.

Jude stood in the center of the circle, already shirtless and ready to fight. When he saw me, his face twisted with rage.

"You actually came," he spat. "I didn't think even you could be that shameless."

"Watch your tone," Alpha Lucian warned, his voice dropping to a growl. "That's my—"

"Your what? Your mate? Your lover?" Jude laughed bitterly. "She was mine first! You stole her from me!"

"She was never yours!" The words burst out of me before I could stop them. "You gave up any claim to me when you slept with my sister!"

"That's not—"

"That's not what?" I stepped forward, ignoring Alpha Lucian's attempt to pull me back. "Not fair? Not the same? You're right. It's not the same. Because at least I ended things with you first. I rejected you, broke the bond, made it clear we were done. You, on the other hand, betrayed me while we were still mated. While I still trusted you. While I still loved you."

The crowd had gone silent, everyone watching our confrontation.

Jude's face paled. "Hailey, I—"

"No. You don't get to say my name anymore. You lost that right." I turned to Alpha Lucian. "Finish this. Please."

He nodded, his silver eyes blazing with pride and something else. Something that looked almost like love.

Then he stepped into the circle, facing his son.

"Jude Castellan," he said formally, "you have issued a challenge for the right to court Hailey Moreno. Do you stand by this challenge?"

"I do," Jude said, but his voice wavered slightly.

"Then as Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, I accept your challenge. The fight will be to submission, not death. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"Then let's begin."

What happened next was brutal and quick. Jude lunged first, but Alpha Lucian was faster. He dodged Jude's attack and countered with a blow that sent Jude stumbling backward.

Again and again, Jude tried to land a hit. Again and again, Alpha Lucian blocked or dodged, each counterattack more punishing than the last.

It was clear within minutes that Jude never had a chance. The Alpha was toying with him, teaching him a lesson.

Finally, after Jude was on his hands and knees, bleeding and gasping for breath, Alpha Lucian spoke.

"Do you submit?"

"Never," Jude gasped.

"Then we continue."

Alpha Lucian grabbed Jude and threw him across the circle. Jude hit the ground hard and didn't get up immediately.

"Jude!" Lucy's voice rang out from the crowd. She tried to run to him, but someone held her back.

"Do you submit?" Alpha Lucian asked again, standing over his son.

This time, Jude's voice was broken. "I submit."

The crowd erupted in noise—some cheering, some gasping, some whispering furiously to each other.

Alpha Lucian turned to face me, his eyes finding mine across the circle. Blood dripped from a cut on his cheek, but otherwise he was unharmed.

"The challenge is over," he announced to the pack. "Hailey Moreno is under my protection. Anyone who disrespects her, disrespects me. Is that understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, Alpha" rose from the crowd.

Then he walked toward me, and the crowd parted before him. When he reached me, he pulled me into his arms and kissed me in front of everyone.

It was a claiming kiss. A statement. A promise.

When he pulled back, he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "Hailey Moreno is mine. Now and always."

The crowd erupted again, but I barely heard them. All I could hear was my own heartbeat and the words he'd just spoken.

Mine. Now and always.

My wolf howled with joy inside me.

Jude was still on the ground, bleeding and broken. Lucy knelt beside him now, crying. Part of me—a tiny, almost invisible part—felt sorry for them.

But the rest of me felt nothing but satisfaction.

This was what revenge tasted like. And it was sweet.