Griffin’s jaw gaped open. “What?”
Skye was still and stiff at my side, waiting to see how others would react.
“It’s true,” I said quietly, my eyes on Damien’s. “Nikolai surrendered his pack to Skye days ago. Guess you didn’t hear about that?”
“Not just my pack,” Nikolai corrected, going in for the kill, “but a dozen or so European and Asian packs have also agreed to recognize her as their leader. It’s why Windale is currently being surrounded by an army of our combined packs.”
Trace had stopped laughing and panic was starting to set in. His eyes darted around like he expected the car to be ambushed by our pack at any second.
I loved watching him squirm like the snake he was.
“You’re lying,” Damien whispered.
“We’re not,” Skye replied firmly.
“Thanks for giving us those extra two days we needed to get our people in place,” I added, unable to keep the smugness from my tone.
Damien’s gaze shot to me. “This wasn’t the deal.”
“You wanted Skye here, and you’ve got her,” I responded evenly. “In all her Alpha glory and with the support of her people at her back.”
Damien’s gaze swung to her. “You said that you would marry me if your mate lost.”
“I did,” she agreed easily enough. Her green eyes glittered. “But I never said I wouldn’t stab you in your sleep before you could touch me, steal your pack and free all those people you’ve stolen.”
“Bitch,” Trace spat.
The growl that ripped from me was completely from my wolf. “Watch yourself,” I warned.
Skye smirked at him, her lips pulled back to reveal her teeth. “That’s Alpha bitch to you, bitch.”
I laughed softly, loving the way Trace’s face twisted with anger that he couldn’t do anything with. Not in this car with me, Nikolai, and Griffin in his way.
“It will only serve to make our packs stronger with our union,” Damien said, rolling his shoulders back. “Surely you can see that.”
“I can see that if anything happens to my true mate that I’ll rip your heart out the first chance I get,” she replied, almost happily.
“She gets the bloodthirsty side from me,” Nikolai added apologetically, shrugging a bit helplessly for effect. “Her eyes she gets from her mother.”
“She agreed to this arrangement,” Damien snapped, a little desperate. His eyes bounced around to each of us, like we would side with him. The very idea made me smile.
“I agreed to it, yes,” Skye said softly. “But I never said for how long. If you were too stupid to think I wouldn’t fight back, that’s on you.”
“So, this was all what? A trick? Some plot to get me here?” Damien leaned forward, baring his teeth. “If you want a fight, I’ll give you a fight. I’ll have my men destroy this pack before I let you have it.”
“All I want is what I called you for,” I said sharply, keeping this on point. “No games. Just the challenge. You win, you get Blackwater. I win? I get Norwood.”
“And this army your mate has brought with her?”
“My army is here to make sure you keep this a fair fight,” Skye answered.
“A fair fight.” Damien laughed, smirking at me. “Do you really think you can take my pack from me, boy?”
I stared back. “Guess we’ll see.”
Griffin cleared his throat. “We’re here.”
I looked out the window as the car stopped. Here was Griffin’s family home. I’d only been here a couple times when I’d visited his pack and knew he lived here with his mother and grandfather. His family had held the Alpha seat of the Windale pack for three generations.
The house was a sprawling estate that boasted the small fortune the pack had amassed. The small town nestled around the Alpha house was a sleepy, mid-America town that rarely attracted attention, unlike the larger city fifteen miles east.
“Where’s our people?” I asked.
“Hotel closer to the city. One of my deltas owns it. We reserved the hotels for all of our out of town guests.” Annoyance clung to Griffin’s words. “It has two towers so we can keep the packs in separate areas.”
“Worried for your pack?” Trace taunted.
I smirked slightly. “Something like that.”
More like worried someone would lose their temper and kick start a war before the challenge began.
“Home sweet home,” Damien started, opening the door and getting out of the car.
Griffin’s frown deepened and he turned to me when Trace got out.
“We can kill them in their sleep,” he muttered, running a hand through his blond hair. “Fuck, I’ll burn the hotel to the ground tonight.”
Nikolai’s eyes grew big as he started to grin. “I rather like this fellow. Griffin was it?”
“We’re doing this the right way,” I said, ignoring Nikolai. “If I win the pack in a challenge, that ends it. If we murder their Alpha, it’ll just start a new war.”
“Not if we kill them all,” Nikolai suggested, still on board with Griffin’s idea.
“Not helping, Nikolai,” Skye murmured.
His eyes narrowed. “What happened to Dad?”
She gave him an exasperated look. “Fine. Not helping, Dad.”
Nikolai sighed and leaned back. “If you say so.”
“Remy’s got this,” she went on, her eyes finding mine. The complete faith and trust in her gaze was humbling. “We’re doing this his way.”
“Fine,” Nikolai huffed. “But mine and Griffin’s way would be decidedly more fun.”
“Right,” Griffin said wryly, rolling his eyes. “I was kidding. Let’s not turn my pack into a warzone.” He slid out of the car, followed by Nikolai.
I turned to face Skye now that we were alone. “You okay?”
She nodded, her green eyes wide and alert in the dim interior of the car. “Yeah. You think Damien will play nice now?”
“No,” I replied with a small laugh, “but at least he knows we’re on pretty even footing.”
“Think it’ll be enough?” She whispered the question, and I wanted like hell to tell her it would be.
“I hope so,” was the only answer I could offer.
“Guess we should go in?” Her gaze flickered to the open door.
“Yeah.” I started to move and then turned, reaching for her and pulling her against me so I could kiss her without anyone watching.
She blinked up at me, slightly dazed. “What was that for?”
“I wanted to,” I replied, licking her taste off my lips and wishing I had time for more than a fast, hard kiss that left both of us wanting more.
I grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the car with me, angling her body away from Damien and Trace. One accidental brush against her from one of them and the small control I had over my wolf would snap.
“My mom arranged dinner,” Griffin said softly, looking up at the house, “but I can tell her that you’re tired.”
“How is she?” I asked quietly, keeping my voice low so Damien and Trace, who were headed toward the front door like they owned the place, wouldn’t hear.