“Some people have said that you only feel this way because you married one of them. That you have been twisted, and only want to betray our people.”

  “Sounds like something your father would say.”

  “Indeed, but his word is law.”

  That was a not-so-subtle hint about what I was going to be up against. It had always been a long shot that I would find common ground with Michael, but I had hoped with time he had changed. Leaving the other day to get Jackson out of the police station might have been a mistake. It only seemed to have infuriated him. The change of location was also something I hadn’t planned for. The more I thought about it, the more it felt like he had a purpose behind his actions. He was going to try and force my hand.

  I smiled at Max, letting him know that I understood what he was telling me. This trip would not go as I had hoped. “Max, can you tell me why we are meeting out here?”

  “There is a pack function at sundown.”

  Sundown was the traditional time for a fight to be decided or a judgment to be made. “And am I part of this pack function?”

  His smile grew tight, and he shrugged. “Let’s head inside. My father eagerly awaits your presence.”

  It seemed that I would be doing more than negotiating today. His simple shrug told me all that I needed to know. Before the night was over, I had the feeling I would be fighting for my life.

  Michael was waiting for us on the back porch of the property, looking out over his lands. The fighting pit could clearly be seen from here. He turned toward us as we exited the house. I could see why he had been alpha for so long. He had dark hair and eyes to match. He was dressed in a loose-fitting button-down shirt and jeans. The shirt was open just enough to show the muscles of his chest. He had sleeves rolled up, and the corded muscles of his forearms stood out. Any female in his pack could have done worse if they were seeking a mate.

  He stepped toward me, wearing a grin that many women had fallen victim to over the years. The smile didn’t extend to his eyes; those remained cold and calculating. I accepted his hand in greeting. Something had happened since we spoke on the phone. He had been angry then. This calmness that he was displaying put me on edge. I wondered if he was making this choice on his own or if someone else had reached out to him. It wouldn’t shock me if he had been offered something to make an example out of me.

  “Welcome back. I hope the drive wasn’t too long.”

  It was long enough that it put me further away from my son than I would have liked. “The mountain is a pleasant relief from the city.”

  “It is, isn’t it? Welcome to my home away from home.”

  “It’s grown much larger since the last time I visited.”

  “My pack grows and flourishes under my leadership, and with the help of my son.” He put a hand on Max’s shoulder and gave it an affectionate squeeze before returning his gaze to me. “That is why it is so troubling that you are here now. Just your presence has sent ripples through our pack. They know why you are here, and are looking toward us for guidance on how to approach you.”

  “Have you decided if you will let me speak with them?”

  “In many ways, the decision made itself. You do not have my leave to engage members of my pack to join your cause.”

  I hadn’t really expected him to say yes, but I had to try the easy way first. Because I had stepped down from leadership, many of the alphas viewed me as weak. They tended to forget that I had run the strongest and most feared pack for a hundred years. No one trained as hard and faced more battles successfully than the Lycans who had stood by my side in the Ascendancy. I understood the games Michael was playing, but I loathed them now. Our world was at stake; we needed to band together, not find ways to fight against each other.

  That was where the demons had us beat. They would come at us as a unified horde. They wouldn’t fight against each other until they had secured this realm for their own. Then and only then would they fall upon each other in hopes of controlling this world. By fighting against each other, we were only making it easier for them to kill us all.

  “With all due respect, Michael, I can’t abide by that decision. They need to know what we are facing and be able to make that choice for themselves.” A snarl escaped from his throat, and he took a step toward me. “I only came to you as a courtesy, not to ask permission.”

  His rage boiled over, and spittle flew from his mouth as he screamed at me. “Here in my home, on my pack's lands, you dare to question the decision that I have made?”

  It was interesting that he made the distinction of this being pack lands. He was working himself up to something. “I didn’t question your judgment; I’m stating that for all intents and purposes, in this one instance, that it is completely irrelevant. The fight against the demons is more important than how you or I feel.”

  He spat on the floor at my feet. “Your demons are nothing more than fairytales. You live a sad and lonely life, Sarah. You have forgotten what it means to be one of the pack. You have come here to spread lies and plant the seeds of corruption in my pack, and I won’t let you do that.”

  “A true warrior would relish the challenge the demons present, not cower in his home. You have forgotten what it means to be alpha. You lead your people to destruction.”

  He waved his hand around as if he wanted to point out all that surrounded us. “We have only grown stronger in recent years. Our ranks have swelled, and our people are happy. You don’t have the right to change that. Leave our city and never come back. If we see or hear of you again, you will be marked for death.”

  I laughed. He reached back to strike me, and when the blow came, I caught his wrist. I held it firm and an inch away from my cheek. “You have left me only one path to take. I challenge you for alpha.”

  This time, he laughed. “You are not a member of this pack; you cannot challenge me.” He snapped his fingers. “Toss this piece of trash out of our home.”

  Four men walked out of the shadows and stalked toward me with a grim purpose. I kept my eyes fixed on the alpha. Things were about to get bloody, and quickly. When the guards got close enough, I would shift and go straight for Michael. With him down, I stood a fairly good chance of making it out of here alive.

  Max moved next to me as I tensed. “Father, this isn’t right.”

  “So you’ve finally grown a set of balls, but do you have the courage to back your words up with action? Will you challenge me for the pack?”

  The four men drew closer; they laughed at the alpha’s joke at his son's expense. I could feel the beast stirring inside of me. I was ready to go to war. None of them would be able to stop me.

  Max moved into his father’s face. “No, but I will lend my support to Sarah, and as the pack’s second, that is all she needs to challenge you for control of the pack.” The laughter fell away from the men who were advancing on me. They looked from Max to their alpha, unsure of what to do next.

  “I haven’t changed my decision. Get rid of her.” He turned around as if the matter had been decided.

  The four men had stopped, and now they slowly moved back to where they had been standing. “It looks as if your pack has more honor than their alpha.” I said with a scathing tone as I watched the men retreat.

  Michael turned back to face me, noting that his men had retreated. He looked at his son with hate-filled eyes. I could smell the rage coming off of him. He kept the boiling mass of anger contained just below the surface. “You would support her. Put her in front of your family, your pack, and for what? So she can sell you a fairytale? You put everything we have been working toward at risk, for nothing.”

  “I would put the pack at risk for something that would destroy it. This is a real threat; your money and power mean nothing if the pack doesn’t live to benefit from it.”

  “You disgust me. When she loses, you will be exiled. As far as I am concerned, as of right now, I have no son.”

  “I will see you at sunset, Father. Either way for the last time.”

  Max placed a hand on the small of my back and led me into the house. At least I wouldn’t have to wait much longer. This would be decided today, and then I could get back to my son. The thought of waiting until sunset was killing me. Jackson could be in trouble right now, or worse, fighting for his very life. I needed to talk with Max. I had no intention of taking over the pack. If I won, I needed to hand it off to someone I could trust. He seemed like just the person to take control. My goal was to recruit a few warriors and to build a friendship with the pack. If we needed their help, I needed to know they would come at my call.

  The hours leading to sunset had been brutal. I spent the entire time wondering what was happening to Jackson, and afraid to call him in fear that he would drop what he was doing and come to me. They had locked me in a room with guards posted at the door. Even Max had been denied entrance when he asked. I felt a sense of surprise when Max opened the door. He shuffled into the room, looking weary and tired. I was sure he had spent most of the day trying to secure the support we would need for a smooth transition. His arrival meant the wait for the battle was over, and now it was time to do something that came almost naturally to me—fight.

  “I’ll be back to take you to the pit in five minutes,” he said without a hint of energy. The way his shoulders were set, he already looked defeated. That meant that despite all of his efforts, more people stood with his father than against him.

  “I know this is hard for you, Max, but when you go out there, I need you to appear confident and strong. So take whatever you are feeling now and bury it until this is over.”

  “My father has been challenged thirty-seven times as alpha and has never lost a battle. As much as I believe in your cause, I fear that I made the wrong choice when I backed your challenge for the pack.”

  “Your father has never faced anyone like me.” Max nodded, but I could tell he didn’t believe it. “I want you to know that after I win, I have no interest in becoming this pack’s alpha.” He looked at me, stunned, as if he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “That responsibility is going to fall on you.”

  “Why would you challenge for alpha just to abandon the pack to another?”

  “I am part of something greater than this, Max, something that requires all of me. It wouldn’t be fair to be alpha and never be around. I need you to look strong standing by my side. Go, and when you come back, look every inch of the alpha that I know you are.”

  His eyes finally showed a glimmer of hope. He turned and left the room, giving me time to prepare. I had no doubt the fight would take place in the ceremonial pit. If the entire pack had been called in, then it would take place in the traditional manner. We would walk naked to the pit, and then shift once we were inside of it. At that point, anything goes until one of us submitted or was dead. A submission didn’t have to be accepted, but oftentimes it was. I had no illusions that Michael would accept anything short of my death in the battle tonight. This was going to be bloody, and the outcome wasn’t a sure thing.

  I stripped off my clothes, folding them and setting them to the side. I held my head high when the door opened, and Max came in. He looked different now. He had showered and shaved. His hair was combed, and he had on a fresh suit. His shoulders were back, and his chin was held at just the right angle to make him look every inch of the arrogant bastard that his father was.

  I smiled and went to stand beside him. “Thank you, Max.”

  “Just do me a favor and win.” He tried to make it sound light, but the words came grinding out of his mouth. He was still nervous, and that wouldn’t do.

  I turned his head and looked him in the eye. “Don’t worry about the fight; I’ve got this. Your father is strong and powerful, but he is young compared to me and his abilities haven’t been challenged in a long while. I have spent the last thirty years training with the alpha of alphas and his personal guard.”

  His eyes widened as I namedropped the head of the Lycans on the West Coast. A true smile reached his lips for the first time. He finally believed that I had a chance. I knew his father’s reputation as a merciless fighter. This would be no easy fight to win, but I did have years of experience, and I was determined not to lose.

  Max led me through the doors to the back patio. Torches had been lit, leading from the house to the fighting pit. The pit itself had torches surrounding it in a circle. The light flickered and swayed in the mountain breeze. People lined the pit, and more looked down from seating that had been erected. The sun was setting behind us, bathing us in the pink light of an Arizona sunset.

  Max moved away from my side as I climbed onto the platform above the pit. His father climbed onto a similar platform on the other side. We stared at each other for a moment. These human forms meant so little and gave away no indication of what our beasts looked like. He was old enough that he should have known what I was capable of, but like most alphas, he would have to be on the receiving end of it to believe it.

  As was his right, he dropped into the pit first. A voice called out as I jumped into the pit. “Tonight we have an outsider challenging for the alpha of our pack.” Cheering and a wild chorus of boos rained down on us. “This outsider has been seconded by the alpha’s son, Max.” The crowd grew quiet, and every head turned to look at him. He did well; he kept a look on his face that said he was certain of the outcome. It wasn’t an easy thing to do under the stares of over a hundred Lycans. He nodded back to the man who had been speaking. “In accordance with our laws, this will be a fight to the death. You may begin.”

  I was out of shape when it came to shifting. The last month or so I had been on the road, visiting different packs. The opportunity to shift and run hadn’t presented itself too often. I felt my bones snap and lock back into place. When I was finished, Michael was still only halfway transformed. I could have rushed forward and ended it there, but that wouldn’t earn me the kind of respect I needed. The pack should have already been in awe at the speed of my shift, but they hadn’t seen anything yet.

  I lifted my head high and howled into the growing darkness. My voice carried into the night. Every eye turned to me as I waited for his shift to complete. Finally, he was done, and we could start this fight. He gave me a moment to take in his form. His coat was solid black; he was taller than me, probably somewhere around eight and a half feet. That one glance was all I was given before he charged forward.

  Rushing forward to meet his charge, I ducked under the first swipe of his claws and struck out with my own. I ripped huge gashes across his stomach and chest. By the time he turned around to face me again, the wounds had already closed. He was a damn fast healer, either that or he had some help.

  He dashed forward again. I was able to dodge one swing, but the tips of his claws caught me on his second swing. Huge rents appeared in the flesh on my arm. They burned and wouldn’t seem to heal all the way. The bastard had laced his claws with something. I had expected a hell of a fight, but I had expected it to be fair. This was anything but fair.

  Two could play at that game, though. I had been holding back in the hopes of gaining more favor with a drawn-out fight. That was over now. I caught his wrist when he lashed out, and broke it. Before his howl of rage ended, I darted behind him and ripped my claws across his Achilles, sending him to the ground. I stepped forward to break his neck so I could deliver the death blow, and he surprised me by flipping me over his head as he stood.

  There was no way he could heal that fast. My eyes found Max’s, and I growled out, “He has magical help.” I flipped back to my feet, turning and snapping my jaws closed on his arm as he reached for me. I slapped his next strike away before he planted a foot into my stomach, sending me flying backward. My teeth left a huge gash along his arm, and I spit out a chunk of his flesh that I had taken with me.

  His arm healed almost instantly. I was going to have to rely on Max to find whoever was helping him. I could keep doing this for a while, but eventually, he would land a few shots that disabled me. Whatever he had coated his claws with hurt me, but it had to be hurting him as well. The magical healing he was receiving probably had more to do with the silver toxin than trying to close the wounds I had dealt him. He needed to end the fight quickly for another reason altogether; already the pack was starting to notice that something wasn’t right. The blows I had dealt to him should have crippled him for minutes.

  We circled each other around the floor of the pit. He stomped forward slowly and with murderous purpose. I managed to deflect the first two strikes, but the third ripped across my abdomen. The pain flared from the wounds. They wouldn’t heal, and the burning sensation was distracting me. He tried the same tactic again, but this time, I was ready for it. He came in high, but I went higher. It wasn’t conventional, but I threw myself over the top of him, lashing out with my claws at his eyes. I felt something pop as I landed on my feet behind him.

  Michael howled in fury as he rubbed at where his eye used to be, and then he stumbled forward a step. I met his retreat and dropped low again, slashing at his knees and up the length of his back as I stepped around him. When he turned to face me, his eye had already healed. That should have been impossible. It should have taken weeks to repair that kind of damage.

  “You bitch,” he managed to snarl at me.

  He charged forward again, but for now, I was just content to play keep away. While his wounds continued to heal with superhuman quickness, my own weren’t healing at all. I scanned the crowd around the pit, looking for Max, but I didn’t see him. I managed to dodge Michael’s next attack, and this time, I connected a kick to his knee. When the bone snapped, it sounded like a gunshot. He howled his anger at the night, but as he turned, the knee was already back into place. Whoever this healer was, they were good.

  “You have got to be fucking kidding me,” I mumbled under my breath. I was starting to think I might not come out of this alive when I saw a hand waving at the edge of the pit.