Challenge

RORY

Martha’s bald declaration of war sparks a fury in our pack warriors. The air is filled with a riot of snarls, howls, and challenges to bring it on.

“Hold!” Everett barks, lifting his hand. The noise dies down, but hackles are still up, weapons still held ready. “We are the Shadow Moon Pack! We respect tradition! We honor the law.”

Martha surveys the chaos coolly, somehow not intimidated. “I am glad to hear that, alpha. Perhaps you’ll see reason after all.” She gives him a fake smile, climbs in her car, and drives off.

Sam, a squad leader, spits after them and sheathes his sword with a clatter. “How dare she talk to you like that! You ought to have challenged her right there.”

Everett turns to the assembled warriors, face stern. “We will not be the ones to disgrace ourselves. They came under a flag of truce, and they will leave under it, unharmed.”

“Just say the word and we’ll make them regret showing their faces around here,” Delilah, another squad leader says. Her people nod behind her, clearly hoping battle will be called.

“I know.” Everett clasps hands with Sam briefly. “You are all loyal, and better fighters.”

He does the same with Delilah and the other warriors. “But we gain nothing by attacking. Our bonds, our laws, our traditions; those are what make us strong. Make us better than they are.”

Tempers are still running hot, but slowly the warriors settle. They’re fierce but proud, too. Everett knows how to speak to their values, how to make not fighting noble instead of cowardly.

No matter how aggressive they get or thoughtlessly they speak, he meets them all calmly, with certainty, a perfect alpha.

Everett is furious too. I can see it in the tension in his neck, the darkness of his blue eyes. But he doesn’t show any of it to the pack. He’s got the best self-control of anyone I know, wolf or human.

Still, if he’s upset, that must mean that Martha’s claim holds some water. Otherwise, he’d just laugh her off, or take her up on her challenge.

What I don’t understand is how. How can she have any right to take me and my baby? I put my hands around my middle, sick with worry for my little boy.

“Hey, Rory!” I look up to see Freya weaving her way through the crowd of wolves. She throws her arms around me the second she reaches me, and I lean into the hug, relaxing a little.

“What the hell, girl? I leave you to take a nap for a few hours, and all of a sudden rogue wolves are threatening to kidnap you?” She laughs, letting me go. “I thought your life was finally getting boring!”

Ace comes to stand at his mate’s side. “You were listening?” He looks unhappy. I’m sure Freya was supposed to stay inside with the other non-combatants.

She rolls her eyes. “Well, I wasn’t just going to sit at home and let you take care of everything. Especially when I heard they were after my best friend.”

“Hey, I can take care of things,” Ace says, pouting a little. Then he looks at me, fierce. “I can guarantee that I’m not letting anyone take our luna away from us.”

Lucius nods, still staring after the car. “Yeah, Rory, don’t worry. We’ll protect you.”

“I know,” I say, trying to smile, but I really hate this. I’m so tired of people fighting for me, of fighting in general. I don’t want my child to come into the world this way.

Everett pulls me close to his side, his grip on my arm almost painful. “We won’t let them get away with this.”

“We can still go to the border now and finish things,” Delilah says, getting mutters of agreement. I know she has kids of her own, so she’s probably extra riled up about this.

“No!” Everett shouts, his voice carrying across the square. “We’ll have a pack meeting to decide our course of action. Until then, no one does anything.”

Everyone scatters at that announcement. There’s nothing the pack likes better than a meeting, a chance to be heard and make big decisions. It’s a good idea calling one.

There’s just one problem. I get on tiptoe, whispering in Everett’s ear. “I don’t want to go to a meeting with a bunch of angry, yelling wolves right now. I need time to process what just happened.”

“Alright, little mate. If that’s what you need.” He kisses me, blows a kiss down to the baby, and heads over to Lucius and Ace to discuss strategy.

I slip away from the pack house easily, everyone too busy getting ready for the meeting or talking about it to stop and fuss over me. Beth, one of my usual guards, keeps pace at a distance.

She’s pretty good at watching over me without hovering, and honestly, Everett and I could both use the peace of mind with Martha still so close. So I don’t try to lose her, just put her out of my mind.

I need my time at the old pack house even more now. Martha’s got me so unsettled my hands are still shaking a little, my stomach churning. I stumble a few times but barely notice, too upset.

It’s quiet at the old pack house, as usual, too far from the other buildings for anyone to come here. I breathe in the smell of dust and pine, letting the history of the place fill me and soothe me.

My stomach’s so big now I won’t be able to get up by myself if I sit, so I stand instead and hope my feet won’t start to hurt too soon.

So many wolves lived their lives here; alphas and lunas, betas, gammas, warriors, teachers, and parents, down to the littlest child.

These are my ancestors. This is my pack, my family, no matter what Martha claims. “Hello, again. I wish I was just here to talk about motherhood again. I guess in a way, I still am.”

I touch my stomach again. “They want my baby. I know if they get their way, they’ll take him from me, and I’ll never see him again.” I close my eyes, overwhelmed by the possibility.

The wind whispers through the trees, and I imagine it’s the voices of the past. I take a deep breath. “I know I’m not alone. That everyone here will fight for my son like he’s their own. But, I’m scared.”

I get no response, as usual, but it feels good to share my problems. Nothing seems impossible here. These walls have known the greatest of sorrows and greatest of joys.

Pain hits me like a punch to the stomach, making me stumble. My muscles are cramping so hard I can barely breathe. For a terrible moment, I’m sure that something’s gone wrong, that the baby’s hurt.

Then I realize—this is a contraction. I’m going into labor two weeks early. I need to get back to the pack house, get my phone, tell Everett…

Another wave of pain hits me and I can barely think, let alone move. I whimper. I know it’s supposed to hurt, but this much? What if something is wrong, after all?

I fall to my knees. All I can do is try to breathe and hope someone comes.