Chapter 74

Ava

The entire tavern was silent once again, but not in a good way this time. The strange man’s question had echoed through the space, his deep voice reverberating off the walls in a menacing way.

Before I could even fully comprehend what was happening, Chris straightened his shoulders and announced in an equally clear, firm voice that also carried throughout the now-silent tavern.

“I am the Alpha of Moonstone pack. Who are you to speak to me like this?” he demanded.

The hooded man smirked, half of his face obscured by the shadows cast from the hood of his cloak. With one swift motion, he reached up and pulled back the fabric, revealing himself.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd as the harsh, angular features of a man I somewhat recognized as the Beta of New Moon Pack came into view. His ice-blue eyes were narrowed menacingly, glaring daggers at Chris as a cruel sneer twisted his lips.

“You don’t recognize me?” the man asked Chris when Chris gave no indication.

“My apologies, but not in the slightest,” Chris said evenly. “I’m afraid I’ve spent a considerable amount of my life away from the werewolf continent—although, if I had seen that mug of yours elsewhere, I’m certain I wouldn’t forget it.”

A soft ripple of laughter worked its way through the tavern at Chris’s teasing, but I wasn’t laughing and neither was the Beta; New Moon pack was not on good terms with us, seeing as how they were sworn enemies of Moonrise and Moonrise was our closest ally.

“Chris…” I murmured softly, touching his arm.

But Chris didn’t pay me any mind. With a smile, he stuck his hand out for the Beta to shake and loudly proclaimed, “But, what use is a tavern if not to make new friends? I’m Chris, and you are…?”

The New Moon Beta didn’t even spare Chris’s hand a glance before swatting it away with a disdainful flick of his wrist. I could practically feel my wolf’s hackles rise in the back of my mind at the blatant show of disrespect as another murmur swept through the tavern.

And then, the Beta’s cold eyes flicked to me. “You his whore for the night?” he growled. “What about when another Alpha takes his place? Will you be that man’s whore then, too?”

I felt my stomach twist, and the tavern became so silent it was as if you could hear a pin drop. Opening my mouth to bite out a scathing retort, I felt my hands clench into fists at my sides.

But before I could speak, I felt Chris’s hand on my arm, firmly pushing me back as he stepped between the Beta and me.

“There’s no need for all that,” Chris said in a low, warning tone. “If you’ve something to discuss, then discuss it with me. Like a man.”

The Beta barked out a harsh laugh, his lip curling back over his teeth in something resembling a snarl. “Oh, I’ve plenty to discuss,” he sneered.

His gaze flickered over to me then, his eyes raking over me with open disdain.

“Ava the Acting Luna,” he said, practically spitting out my name as though the sound was poison on his tongue. “The rumors about you certainly don’t do you justice, do they? So much ambition, so much naked hunger for power… all wrapped up in that pretty little package.”

I furrowed my brow. Hunger for power? “You’ve got me all wrong,” I said.

The Beta stepped closer to me then, until he was practically towering over the two of us. But Chris didn’t budge.

“Tell me, how does it feel to mark your territory so thoroughly? To have the great and ‘noble’ Alpha of Moonstone pack wrapped around your little finger, following your every whim like a pathetic, lovestruck fool?” the Beta asked.

“That’s enough,” Chris growled out in a low, dangerous voice. “You will not speak to my Luna that way.”

The Beta smirked, clearly enjoying how easily he could get under our skin. “Luna? Is that what she tricked you into believing?” He let out a harsh bark of laughter. “Oh, Chris… surely even someone as besotted as you couldn’t be fooled by her little act. We all know the truth.”

“And what would that truth be?” I bit back.

“That you convinced your dear Alpha to step down from his position through whatever twisted manipulation or trickery you’ve employed. And why? So you can clear a path for yourself, of course.” The Beta sneered openly at me. “A little past her prime, perhaps, but still desperate enough to claw and scratch her way into a position of power, no matter how undeserving she may be.”

White-hot fury went through me at his words. I opened my mouth, fully prepared to put this arrogant son of a bitch firmly in his place.

But before I could get a word out, Chris was speaking again, his voice gone dangerously soft and measured.

“I don’t care much for the way you’re speaking to my Luna. If you have objections to the way I choose to lead my pack, I would be happy to discuss them. Properly.” He lifted his chin challengingly.

The Beta didn’t even miss a beat. He simply shot me one last contemptuous sneer before turning his full attention back to Chris.

“Oh, we’ll properly discuss them,” he snarled. “From what I understand, you’re employing some… unconventional methods for finding a new Alpha for your pack, and it just so happens that I, like your precious Ava, have ambitions of my own. But I’m also a man of tradition.”

“What do you want, then?” Chris asked without hesitation.

The Beta’s smirk grew. “I demand a Trial by Combat.”

Another wave of gasps worked its way through the tavern. I felt my knees practically buckle beneath me, and my hand shot out to grip Chris’s arm. His muscles were firm and tense beneath my hand as though he were about to spring at any moment, which did nothing to quell my fears.

A Trial by Combat… This Beta was practically twice Chris’s size. There was no way—

“Very well,” Chris replied, his tone clipped. “Although I won’t be indulging you here. I’d hate to see this lovely tavern filled with lovely people be disturbed.”

The Beta sneered and jerked his chin towards the door. “An hour. In the thicket beyond the south ridge. I trust you’re familiar with the terrain, Alpha?”

Chris nodded, a cool as ice expression on his face. Without another word, the Beta turned on his heel and stormed off, his two companions rushing after him in a swirl of dark cloaks.

As soon as they were gone, I rounded on Chris, staring at him with wide, disbelieving eyes.

“Are you out of your mind?” I hissed, my grip tightening on his arm. “You can’t seriously be considering this. He’ll kill you!”

But Chris simply turned towards me, his expression infuriatingly serene. Gently, he reached out and stroked a lock of hair away from my face, letting his hand come to rest against my cheek.

“I’ll be fine,” he murmured, his thumb tracing along the line of my cheekbone. “Have a little faith in your Alpha.”

Then, without any further explanation, he leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against my forehead.

Before I could recover from my shock, he was pulling away, already starting towards the exit. He tossed one last look over his shoulder at me.

“Get back to the car,” he said, tossing me his keys. I caught them with one hand, and before I could even issue a retort—that I absolutely would not be leaving without him—he was already out the door.

I stood there for several moments, staring after him in stunned silence along with all the others. Slowly turning, my heart in my throat, I glanced around to see the tavern patrons looking at me expectantly—not only looking to see what would happen to their Alpha, but also to see what I would do.

“Like hell I’m leaving without him,” I hissed, more to myself than the others.

Squaring my shoulders, I clenched my jaw and stormed out after Chris.