Chapter 10 - The Challenge

The order rumbled through the mind link, and many of the wolves were quick to obey. Aiden felt his entire body stiffen as he all but felt his father’s domineering presence approach through the pathway of wolves. His black coat glistened dangerously at them, a stark contrast to the pure white snow blanketing their surroundings.

Aiden felt the hackles on the back of his neck rise, dread filling his stomach like a lead brick, heavy and unrelenting making him almost queasy at the thought of their meeting. She felt his uneasiness, and -correctly he may add - took it to mean that a threat was coming her way, and she dropped further, her fangs dripping with her saliva, and her chest rumbling in warning.

Aaron exuded power, each stride could have shaken the earth beneath his claws. His crimson eyes, cold and calculating, took in the new werewolf before him and her glistening white coat. And though her electric gaze still unnerved him he did not let it show, instead held his head high, and locked his gaze with hers, challengingly.

She bristled at the challenge, and having recognized the power of a beta she raised her head from her defensive stance, squaring her canine shoulders, and meeting his own gaze, accepting the challenge. Taking a step forward she placed her body in front of her mate’s and released a snarl, lips curled back pearly white and razor-sharp canines, a challenge of her own clear in her body language, as if she were saying ‘Bring it on,’.

Aiden worried what his father would do, and attempted to push the white wolf behind him, determined to protect his mate. The Beta snapped at his son, the order to move aside resounded like bells inside Aiden’s head and sent shockwaves of pain through his body which sent his body crumbling in on itself.

Affronted by the threat to her mate, she all but threw herself at the onyx wolf, snapping even more ferociously than he did, ready to take on this Beta, simply because he’d had the gall to snap at what was hers.

With the challenge accepted, all wolves present watched on with bated breaths as their Beta, who’d led them and protected them for the past nineteen years, and the newly turned werewolf stalked toward each other, resolution clear in their gazes, and raw power rippling off their muscles.

Aaron felt confident in his challenge, and his ability to subdue the snowy wolf. After all, this was her first challenge during her very first change, she’d have very little control over her body, he’d determined. And when comparing her size to his, she was on the small side, thin even, toned but not at all muscular.

With his size alone, the Beta determined his power, control, and experience would allow him to easily take down the wolf. His thoughts were cut off when his son growled at him, his disapproval and anger radiating through their bond, obviously displeased with his plan to fight and beat his mate.He shot the ashen wolf a look that cemented his place on the sidelines, that is until his gaze was broken by angered blue eyes.

She didn’t like the way this black wolf looked at her, and she liked the way he ordered her mate around even less. And stepping between them she decided this wolf needed to be put in his place, he was, after all, only a Beta.

They stopped mere inches from each other, eyeing the other as they determined their strategy. He towered over her, attempting to intimidate her, but she didn’t shrink back as he’d expected, no, instead she rose to her full height in defiance, even with their height difference she never backed down, and part of him was impressed.

She felt the pressure in her mind as the Beta attempted to force his pack bond upon her, attempting to force her to join his pack, but he was only a Beta and held no power over her. She forced her own power through the invading bond and took the older wolf by surprise, the force sending him back a few steps.

She took this opportunity and lunged for his throat, he dodged, instead, she clamped her pristine teeth into the flank of his hind leg, drawing the first blood. He let out a whelp but spun around and with his front paw slashed at her side, leaving behind blood-stained claw marks on her once pristine coat.

White and black clashed under the morning sun, so fast they mixed like Yin and Yang, light and dark, both fighting for dominance. He went for her underbelly and was met with her claws as they slashed at his eye, sending him away from her.

Back and forth they went, biting, scratching, teeth chomping into flesh and claws sinking into fur, both ignoring the barks, howls, and growls of their spectators, the pack jeering and cheering them on in their battle.

Aiden watched on from the sidelines, concern rippling off him in waves as he watched his mate and his father square off against one another. And whilst he’d known this fight had been coming, the need to face off against the old leader to allow her to claim her rightful place as Alpha, he didn’t think it would be so soon.

He felt his heart constrict in his chest when his father pinned her down with his forelegs. She struggled against the hold this Beta had on her, and Aaron snarled against her neck, urging her to concede and declare him the winner.

The wolf felt anger fill her body, how dare this wolf, this mere Beta, challenge her, how dare this dog threaten her mate, and how dare he order her to submit?

He was not her Alpha … No, She was his!

Her eyes flashed in defiance, the electric blue hue of her gaze sent shockwaves through the old Beta. But he pressed down even more, keeping her pinned. And just when he thought he'd won she let out the most menacing growl he'd ever heard.

The she-wolf snapped her jaw, saliva spewing between her curled lip. And with a shocking display of strength, which none of the on-lookers, her mate included, thought she possessed she shoved the black wolf off her body.

Speed accompanied this burst of power and before Aaron knew what had happened she had him pinned beneath her with her razor sharp canines threateningly clamped against his carotid artery until he stopped resisting.

Aaron’s wolf conceded, feeling the raw power flowing from her very pores, and having successfully subdued him, he surrendered to the she-wolf, recognizing her power and authority as one who descended from a long and powerful Alpha lineage.

She felt him go limp beneath her, surrendering to her, but she held him for a moment longer, ensuring her absolute dominance and his absolute obedience. Once she was sure he'd completely submitted she released him.

He remained on the ground as she stepped back, lifted her head and released a triumphant and powerful howl, which echoed through the forest, charged with an electrifying power. And with it each pack member stiffened as their pack bond snapped from Aaron to the she wolf.

The wolves stepped forward, and joined her melodious howl as they accepted their new Alpha, the one and only nineteen year old, Alexa Winters…