pack,” he said pointing to Peyton. Ashby felt the air move as Mojo took up a position in front of him and
Peyton. Out of the corner of his eye Ashby saw Ethan slip out of the diner and take off down the road.
“You son of a bitch, why can’t you just leave us alone!” Kate demanded.
“Who is he, Kate?” Ma asked.
“He’s the brother to my old Alpha,” Kate growled.
“Interesting, so your parents failed on two occasions.” Rebecca looked up at the wolf and scrunched her
nose before shaking her head.
“Like I said before, you can’t challenge Bran. And even if you could, you can’t just own people. That’s
just rude,” Rebecca said, chasing the juice from her steak around her plate with what looked to be her last
bite.
“Rebecca he’s right, no one can interfere with a dominance challenge,” Bran said, cracking his knuckles.
Caleb bared his canines at the man.
“Except when that challenge is issued to a pack that is under the protection of the Alpha Mother in an
Arkadian town. In the Shifter Council bylaws the only time such a challenge is recognized is when
approved of by the Alpha Mother. So like I said…again. You can’t do that,” she said, sweetly smiling up at
the man. He growled and knocked the table away from Rebecca to leave her sitting in the chair before him.
The entire diner began to growl as Connor jumped the counter and stood directly behind Rebecca.
“Fine. Where is the Alpha Mother? Bring her to me,” he demanded. Rebecca stood.
“I’m right here,” she said, placing her hands on her hips.
“Where? Where is the Alpha Mother?” he demanded, ignoring Rebecca. She growled her tiny growl at
him.
“I know you’re not growling at me puny human. What could you possibly do to me?” He reached down
and squeezed her cheeks together. Her eyes flared with anger before two deafening shots echoed through
the diner. The skeezy wolf Alpha howled and dropped to the floor clutching at his knees.
“I got it back just in time.” She grinned, waving her gun. Aleks and Liam entered the diner at a dead
run.
“We heard gun shots,” Liam said, eyeing the man writhing around in pain on the diner floor.
“Becca, baby, what’s going on?” Aleks asked as the two other wolves that had come in barred the way
to his mate.
“I shot their Alpha in the knee caps,” she said calmly.
“What did that bastard do?” he asked, his hands shifting as he and Liam faced down the two wolf
shifters.
“He grabbed me,” she said then stepped forward before kicking him in the face. Blood and teeth
skittered across the diner floor. The Alpha began to laugh.
He wheezed and said, “You broke Arkadian law. You hurt a shifter within the town’s perimeter.” The
Alpha forced each word out between painful breaths.
Ashby froze. Rebecca had. She had shot him. Oh God, what if she had to leave Arkadia?
“Bitch, please. I know every law, bylaw and Council suggestion that’s been enforced or documented
since Arkadia was created. It states that any town member is able to defend themselves against physical
harm. You laid your hands on me and caused me pain. I was simply defending myself.”
Aleks growled and stepped forward to go after the wolf on the floor.
“You dare touch my mate!” He stepped right into the wolf shifter’s chest that still stood between him
and Rebecca.
“I only grabbed your face, you shot me. It’s completely different. I’ll take my case to the vampires.
They will destroy your town.” The Alpha growled up at Rebecca. Ashby smiled and stepped forward to
stand next to Rebecca. He put on his haughtiest expression and looked down at the man on the floor.
“I am Prince Ashby, mated to Prince Gabriel, who rules over all vampires. I can with utmost certainty,
unequivocally advise you that we will never rule in your favor, nor will we ever attack any Arkadian town.
This I can swear to you.” Ashby looked at him in disgust.
“I will take my case to the Council. This isn’t over!” The two wolves stepped away from Liam and
Aleks and helped their leader to stand. Rebecca frowned and stepped forward.
“For your transgression against my person as Alpha Mother of Arkadia, I am hereby issuing you this
final warning. Do not seek to harm what is mine or I will ban your pack from Arkadia. If you succeed in
harming what is mine, I will destroy you. Not kill. Destroy. I will systematically and painfully rip you apart
piece by piece.” Rebecca stared at them coldly.
“As prince of the vampire race I also give you warning. If you ever harm so much as a hair on my