11. Lena

My body is frozen in disbelief. No. I've only just met him. It's only been days that I've had with my true mate. My true mate. I could see it all play out before it happened. The moment I felt Devin's warning, when I saw the pain in my mate's eyes as the Betas stared straight at him. It was undeniable and too late to stop it. My thought shocks me and I breathe in the heavy air. It's only then that I realize I was screaming and that my poor pup is crying in my arms. I quickly hunch over him and hold him tight. I bounce slightly and try to still my trembling body. My mate has just challenged his father.

My heart falls as I slowly close my eyes. The tears tangle with my thick lashes before falling down my face. My heart feels as though it's stopped beating. My wolf howls in agony.

Although the Betas were given orders, they hesitate, and the room is hushed in apprehension. I can barely breathe. The seers... I thought they were wrong.

"You know what the seers told you." Jude's hard words make me open my eyes. "You can back down. You can submit to me, and I will let you live."

I stare up at Jude, the cords in his neck tightening. What is he talking about? What did the seers tell him? I don't know if my mate will win. But the thought of him being in any danger causes me physical pain. I couldn't bear to let him come into danger. Something about being here has stirred a need inside of me. To protect him. To love him. My wretched, shattered heart beats wildly against my rib cage. He must be my mate. My heart twists with an aching need. And now, I may lose him forever. A strangled sob racks through my body, but I keep my lips pressed tight and continue shushing my little one. He's barely calmed.

"The seer was wrong." Jude's father raises his voice. "Victor has shown me the truth." He leans across the table and sneers. "The seer has been punished." My blood turns to ice as the air around him turns foul and his eyes flash with madness.

"Father," one of Jude's brothers says quietly, interrupting the darkest of moments. "I think you need to see a healer." I can feel the air grow tight with tension and worry as the Betas at the back of the room shift their weight.

"I don't need to listen to you! You know nothing." The Alpha snarls and stomps his way around the large, oak table on the other side of me. We all move at once, except for Jude. I push myself away as quickly as possible, shielding my pup. The chair beneath me falls and my back hits the wall. Jude stands between his father and me. Devin has Grace pinned next to me. His back to her chest. And Vince and Veronica rise slowly and walk backward, not taking their eyes off the aggressive shifter.

This isn't how it's supposed to work. When a challenge is declared, it's done in public for the pack to witness. Jude rises and puts his arm out as though to shield me, but his father isn't moving in my direction, and I wish he'd forget about me and only think about stopping his father. They should be separated. They should be away from each other until the fight for dominance is ready to commence. My heart races as the Betas grab their Alpha's arms in an attempt to keep him back. He rips his arms from their grasp and pushes each of them away, shoving his hands against their chests. It is chaos before us, and as tears brim in my eyes, my little one cries.

The worry in Grace's eyes and the sheer fear that fills the room is my undoing.

Jude's brothers are shielding their mate. She's in complete hysterics and trying to pull them back away from their father.

"You two want to fight me as well? I'll end all of you!" He screams at his sons who are merely shielding their fragile mate from his anger. It's obvious she's terrified for them, but she's going to get hurt. Just as the thought hits me, everything turns violent. If my back weren't cemented to this wall I'd lunge for her and pull her away, but I'd have gotten there too late. Luke, out of pure rage, slams a hard fist against his father's jaw. The sickening sound sends everything into slow motion. The Alpha's arm raises and he shifts his hand, the claws extending and shining as they sharpen before my eyes.

"No!" Emma screams squeezing between her two mates and turning her body, her back to the Alpha to push Luke out of the way. Half of her body in front of Luke and half in front of Owen. She's foolish to think she could do anything other than put herself into harm's way, which is exactly what she's done. Her shove doesn't do anything to move Luke, and Owen isn't quick enough to pull her small body away. Their father's claws smack Luke's chin and then lands hard against Emma's cheek, splitting the skin and slamming her small body onto the table.

Veronica lunges across the table and reaches for Emma. But the vampire is slow. I've seen vampires before. They've recently come more and more to Shadow's camp. Their movements are far too fast for my eyes to track, nearly a blur of jerky movements. Veronica's speed is absent; she moves no quicker than any of us would.

At first I feel a hint of betrayal and nearly push myself away from the wall to grab the human myself, but then I see her own shock and hear Vince's breath hitch as he races to be alongside his mate. Veronica's eyes widen with fear as she recognizes her failed efforts. Her breath stalls and she frantically pushes her upper body across the table in an effort to reach Emma as she slowly slips off the table. I don't understand. Nothing is as it should be. Veronica barely catches Emma's small hand, struggling to pull her unconscious and limp body across the table. Vince climbs on the table and pulls Emma across to safely shield her from the snarling werewolves.

Her limp legs smack against the chair as Vince pushes her body to Devin. Devin's grip on his own mate is harsh as he pulls her behind him. The air is thick with tension as loud growls rip through the air.

"Alpha!" The Betas yell out and try to pull the crazed man back from attacking his sons. A commotion of fury and confusion grows outside the door as several loud knocks beat against the frame. It's a trap. My pup's wail is lost in the commotion as I desperately wish it would all end. Devin moves to the door and slams it shut as someone tries to enter. Jude pulls Owen's shoulder with both of his hands and Owen attempts to shift. Luke has already shifted into a stunning white wolf and his jaws have locked around his father's forearm.

All hell has broken lose. A fire of fear races through my blood.

"I'll kill you all!" The Alpha sneers as he attempts to shift, but Jude slams his fists into his father's chest, pushing him backward. His arm is ripped from Luke's jaws, spraying dark red blood; it splatters across Jude's chest and the table. Their father lands hard on the ground and rises quickly as a gray beast. He snarls, exposing his fangs and lunges at Luke. Jude shifts and circles the two wolves. Waiting for a moment to strike. Owen shifts as well but struggles to find an opening to safely attack without harming his brother.

My focus is taken from the unbearable sight as Devin's body is shoved forward from the door being pushed violently open by the heavy shoulders of several men. The Betas run past us, on our side of the table to prevent the intruders from interfering. "Challenge!" It's the only word that registers on my left through all the screams suffocating the air. Men and women crowd the doorway, but don't dare to enter more than a few feet. Their eyes wide with the same fear that churns my gut.

Jude. Tears flow easily as all I can do is watch.

The two wolves, one white and one gray, spar with the desire to kill, snarling and biting into each other's bodies. Luke whimpers as his father clamps his jaws around Luke's back leg.

Jude's wolf, a dark brown, monster of a wolf, attacks. He grips his father's exposed throat easily in his jaws and clamps hard, digging his fangs into the flesh. But he doesn't strike to kill. It's a warning. His father doesn't budge and instead a loud snap sounds through the room. Luke's wolf howls in pain as his leg breaks. Owen's wolf snarls and lunges for the leg of his father on a path of justified vengeance. A low growl resonates through the room from the dark brown wolf, halting Owen's attack. The growl is one meaning death will come if he's not obeyed. Their father slowly loosens his hold on Luke and the wounded wolf limps in pain. Owen runs to be at his brother's side. He pushes his side against the white wolf, leading him closer to us, closer to safety.

Jude growls again and the sound is meant to be obeyed. My blood rushes with adrenaline as the room goes silent. Waiting for his father to submit or die. My vision is obstructed by the large table, and I find myself slowly walking close and leaning against the table to look at Jude's father. The wolf's eyes are crazed and his lip is curled back, revealing his fangs covered in blood.

He arches his neck feigning submission, and I can practically see the decision to trick Jude forming in his sick mind. Everything plays in slow motion before me and I haven't the time to warn Jude. As his neck goes limp, Jude loosens his grip on his father and takes a cautious step back. The wolf continues to lay, surprising me. His eyes spark of fury. The room is so quiet that the sound of Jude's paw settling in a small pool of blood is easily heard. And then the snarl from his father tears through the silence. But instead of attacking Jude, the wolf leaps off the ground and lunges for me.

My blood rushes hot as I scream and push my weight backward. Devin's strong arm wraps around my waist, pulling me back as Jude leaps in the air, jaws open, and clamps around his father's neck. They both land heavy on the table. I continue screaming and holding my crying baby closer to me as Jude rips his father's throat out in front of me, in front of everyone. His wolf continues to claw against the dead wolf as a dark pool of blood spills down his fur and soaks into the table.

The only other sounds I'm vaguely aware of as I rock my body and try to calm myself and my son are the sounds of murmuring and then silence. It only lasts a small moment before I peek up at the sound of clothes ruffling as everyone in the room kneels and then bows. With all of the adrenaline still racing through me and my head clouded by the visions of what's just happened, it's hard to believe it's over. That it ended just as quickly as it began.

Jude's wolf calms and paces on the table, staring at the Betas who have kneeled and lowered their heads. He shifts with his back to me. His muscles ripple and glisten with sweat as he wipes his face with the back of his hand. I stare at the blood on his hand as he turns, taking in all the people bowing before him. My baby finally calms, still making small sounds of irritation, as I continue to rock and pat his back. I feel distant; the shock makes my body tremble.

As his eyes land on me, I realize I haven't bowed to him. I'm the only one not on my knees and my mouth falls open in horror. My hand leaves my son's back and cradles his head to me, and I quickly attempt to kneel. I swallow thickly, feeling his eyes bore into me as he jumps off the table, landing on both feet directly in front of me. I try to lower my head in submission, but his hand cups my chin and brings my eyes to his.

"You will never bow to me." My lips part in shock as his handsome face leans down as he kisses the crook of my neck. I close my eyes and breathe in his masculine scent, knowing exactly why he's kissing me there. As I look into Jude's eyes, our son wiggles in my arms. It's hard to miss that all eyes are on us. Jude's hand curves around the baby's head and he leans down to give him a small kiss.

Jude looks me in the eyes and says, "Don't you ever put yourself into danger again." The admonishment nearly has my knees buckling under me. His dominance radiates off him and my body involuntarily shakes. His arm wraps around my waist and pulls me closer to him. He whispers in the hot air between us, "You scared me." His soft lips press against mine. "I never want you two in danger ever again."

My shoulders collapse inward and I fall against his chest. With one hand stroking my back and the other holding my son, Jude leans down and kisses each of us again.