Looking around, I realized that close to a thousand shifters from all over the Rocky mountain states were gathered to watch. There were Alphas, their families, and their pack members. Members of Kray’s family and pack, and their allies, sat on one side of the clearing, and members of the Timber Valley pack sat on the other side. I sat with Jade, Vince, and Virginia, Max’s brothers, Cody, and Sheriff Battle. There were also half a dozen packs that were allied with our pack sitting on our side.
There were about two dozen members of the Renker family all grouped together and sitting near the front, glaring at us with hatred and contempt.
Bess had gone home to be with her family, but she’d called me that morning to wish me the best of luck.
On each side there were a couple of dozen Wardens, there to ensure that no one tried to interfere with the match, and that it didn’t turn into an all out pack war. Although technically they served the Elders, they were their own entity, with a paramilitary structure, a chief, lieutenants, and officers.
Chief Loren Redthorne was there, as he would be at all such challenges.
The thirteen Elders sat in the front row, where they could observe and monitor the action. Felix sat with them; he’d already tested both wolves and pronounced that there was no magic enhancement being used.
According to Max, the compound that Kray had been taking did, indeed, have magic in it. Cody had designed it that way. The magic, however, was useless in a fight; it did nothing more than enhance his sense of smell.
The Renkers were getting restless, jostling in their seats and trash talking. One of them, a bleached blonde in her twenties, caught my eye and made a throat cutting motion with her hand. I restrained myself from responding with a similar hand gesture. I had to set a good example, even if I wanted to run across the field and punch her in the face.
“Hey, bitch! I can’t wait to move in to your house!” Louise Renker, Krey’s older sister, shouted across the field at Jade. “You’ll be sleeping in the barn with the pigs, where you belong!” Jade tightened her jaw and looked away.
“We have nothing to worry about,” Vince told his wife, his voice low and angry.
“I’m going to enjoy fucking your sister!” one of the males screamed at Lance, who had to be physically restrained in his seat.
One of the Wardens leaned in and said something to the Renker family, who shouted abuse at him. Half a dozen Wardens quickly gathered around them, and the Renkers settled back in their seats, making obscene gestures at us and muttering angrily amongst themselves.
“Listen, don’t let it get to you. They’re playing right into our hands,” I said to Vince and Jade. “All this power has gone to their heads. They think they’re showing strength, but they’re just exposing themselves as bullies. Their behavior, the disrespect they’re showing to the Wardens – it will cost them any future allies they could have hoped to gain.”
Vince nodded. “She’s right, dear,” he said to his wife. “Don’t worry, they won’t be smirking for much longer.”
Ragnar, the oldest Elder, stood up and began reading from a proclamation, his voice booming through the crowd.
It was the same proclamation that was read at every Challenge, about how the matches helped make the race stronger, how each Alpha would fight with honor to represent his pack, how once the Challenge was issued it could not be revoked, and they would fight to the death.
This was a Challenge for the territory of the pack, Ragnar continued; whichever Alpha won would now rule both packs and would take possession of all of the property of the losing pack.
If any members of the losing pack wanted to leave, they would leave without their homes or possessions, and they would have to find a new pack to accept them. The Alpha of the new pack could face a Death Challenge from the Alpha of their old pack.
Finally Ragnar was done, and Max and Kray stripped off their clothing. I saw Max strip off the leather necklace, as well, dropping it to the ground.
What had Max seen with his magic charm? Was Kray’s magic working? Even if it was, Max wouldn’t be able to back down now.
Both men walked in to the center of the clearing, and stood about a dozen feet apart, facing each other. Kray’s eyes gleamed with hate and malice, and a smirk distorted his face.
They shifted, their bodies melting into their wolf forms. There they were, two huge wolves, circling each other, snarling and snapping, saliva dripping from their jaws.
Virginia grabbed my hand and squeezed it so hard she nearly crushed my bones.
“Ouch,” I muttered. “Virginia, he will be fine. Calm down.”
“Sorry.” She loosened her grip a little. “You’re sure he’ll be all right?”