Vivian Arend - Granite Lake Wolves 2 (13 page)

family and your pack.”

Erik cleared his throat. “If you’re ready, everyone is waiting in the back.”

Tad had seen pictures of gladiator fight rings before. This set-up was a little more

archaic and rustic. On the right side of Keil and Robyn’s backyard, the snow had

been packed down into the shape of a small hockey rink. The cleared area nudged

up against the trees that led out into the wilderness. Bright overhead lights

turned the whole area into high noon.

“Someone afraid of the dark, Keil?” Tad called.

Erik pulled Missy with him toward the house and Tad watched as the light in her

eyes dimmed.
“Missy. You get that look off your face and trust me. We need to

decide where to go for a honeymoon. After we finish the job at Mount Logan.

Liard Hot Springs in April?”

“Tad, he jumps to the left.”

And then silence.

Tad stared up toward the house. “Keil?”

Keil marched into the lit area and pulled Tad in for a hug. He wore his usual

guiding gear of camo pants and padded vest. There was a tall, lean man by his

side dressed in a suit who watched with cold eyes. “Tad. This is Heath, Beta of

Whistler. He’s here to ensure I explain the challenge and all the terms.” Keil shot

an evil look at the intruder. “He’s also listening to make sure I don’t impart any

hints on how to win this thing. I’m sorry, but they’ve got traditional law on their

side. I have total control over my own pack and territory, but these kind of

challenges follow laws that are bigger than me. I suggested they wait until the

next full moon so you’d be able to shift as well but the damn code says…”

Tad shook his head. “It’s okay.”

Keil made a rude noise. “It’s not okay. Your sister is going to make my life

miserable for not coming up with a better solution.”

Tad looked around but saw nothing beyond the blinding lights. The rest of the

yard and the house were dark shadows in the background. “Is Robyn watching?”

“Yes. Erik will stay with her and Missy until this is over. They’re both safe for

now.” Keil straightened, looming large and dangerous. He made the Whistler’s

Beta look weak and pathetic.

Tad felt it again, a transfer of information to him from another wolf. Emotions

rolled through his brain—his Alpha’s desire to take over, his deep frustration—

Tad swore softly. It wasn’t just Missy he could read, he knew what Keil wanted as

well. Holy shit, he
was
an Omega. He skimmed through the layers of information

quickly until he understood enough to reassure his brother-in-law. “It’s going to

be all right. You’ve done everything possible. I know you’d take my place if you

could, but that’s not allowed.”

Keil stepped back a pace. He shook his head at Tad in disbelief. “Shit, so you

really are an Omega as well?”

Tad nodded. “Seems that way. What’s the deal?”

“Doug wants Missy, so he has to fight the actual battle. He’s able to shift as often

as he wants. He’s Alpha for a strong pack, he’ll be a strong wolf. Don’t

underestimate him. You two are alone in the arena until one is defeated. Winner

gets Missy.”

“No weapons are allowed,” Heath whined. “I want to check you.”

Keil glared at him. “We’d better pull Doug’s teeth and claws, hadn’t we? To make

the contest more even?”

Heath shrugged. “Tad is welcome to bite and scratch all he wants to win the

fight.”

Tad stood silently while Heath patted him down. It made Tad’s skin crawl. He

wished he could fart at will like TJ, just to wipe the smirk off the asshole’s face for

a minute. He turned to Keil. “She’s
my
mate. I can win this, I’m sure of it.”

The tall stranger made a choking sound. “You’re very confident. Shall we get

ready? The challenge is to the death.”

Tad got in Heath’s face. “Really? Because I like ‘to the pain’ so much better, you

know, from
The Princess Bride
? Death is short, but ugly lasts forever. Oops, you

already knew that, didn’t you?”

He turned his back on the two of them and swung his arms in a majestic manner

toward the house. Okay, the whole situation had gotten a little out of hand and

he’d like a bit of backup. Maybe what Tad had in mind wasn’t strictly kosher but

he’d use it only if absolutely necessary. A fight to the death against a man who’d

killed his own brother? Tad needed to know that in the end Missy would be safe.

As much as it made his stomach churn, he would ensure Doug either gave up or

didn’t leave the arena alive.

“What are you doing?” Keil asked.

“Communing with the spirits. You see as an Omega…” he glanced over his

shoulder at Heath to make sure his words impacted, “…as an Omega, both Missy

and I have the ability to use not only our skills, but the skills of the wolves who

have fought here before.”

Bullshit. He had a degree in it and right now it better work. He moved his arms

with great care, praying Robyn was watching his “communing”.
Come on, Robyn,

pass on the message to your mate.

Keil jerked beside him. Tad was careful not to look at his brother-in-law as he

finished up his “magic waving”. Heath had edged away from Tad a step or two.

Good. Fear might help keep Tad alive and he really, really wanted to stay alive.

Another figure stalked naked toward them across the snowy February ground.

Tad still couldn’t get used to the way wolves let it all hang out, although this guy

didn’t seem to have much to hang.

Tad grinned up at the house.
“Missy, can I call your brother-in-law a wiener?”

“You want to take this a little more seriously, love?”

“Cocktail size, I’m guessing.”

“Tad, please…”

Keil and Heath stood between the two, forcing Doug and Tad to face each other

across a distance of ten feet. Keil nodded to Tad once, then spoke to Heath. “I

want to observe from the ground in wolf. You may join me.”

Hell, yes, Keil had gotten the message. Now came the hard part, convincing the

Beta to agree. Tad was sure it wasn’t proper etiquette.

“A little encouragement right now, Missy, if you please. Heath needs to say

yes.”
Tad concentrated on making sure positive, peaceful feelings emanated from

himself and Keil. Nothing tricky happening here, la-di-dah.

Heath nodded, and the two of them stepped aside to strip off their clothes. Tad

couldn’t help noticing Keil was far more impressive nude than either of the

Whistler wolves.

And wasn’t that just
not
what he wanted to notice right now.

“You got an issue I need to know about?”
Missy’s thoughts laughed at him.

“Just tell my sister she’s a brave woman.”

“Bad boy. Please be careful, Tad. I love you so much.”

He took note of where the men left the arena to be sure his backup plan was in

place before facing Doug. There was still time for one last chance at solving things

in a civilized manner. Tad held out his hand.

“Hi. I’m Tad. I understand we’re kind of related since Missy and I mated—”

Doug growled and bared his teeth. His canines extended past his lips.

“You sure you want to do this? I mean, both Missy and I are Omegas and—”

“You’re a fool. You have no idea how to use your skills, which is why I’m going to

kill you now. You’ve spent so much of your life as a human and an unwanted half-blood, you have no idea of the power of a full-blood Alpha. You’re even too

sensitive to fuck a woman who is already mated. Oh yes, I know all about you. I

looked into what kind—”

Tad socked him. Hard. Twice.

Someday the bad guys would realize monologues were a bad thing.

While Doug staggered back, Tad ripped off his coat and tied it in a quick knot.

There were no other weapons at hand and when Doug shifted he wanted

something to beat the shit out of the beast.

Tad wasn’t inexperienced in fisticuffs. He had fought training bouts with his pack

mates for the last two years. He was smaller than a lot of other wolves and

knowing how to defend himself in a quick and vicious manner had stopped some

of the in-pack ranking fights. He had also trained with some excellent Arctic

games competitors. He just needed the opportunity to put that training into

effect.

Doug came at him, swinging hard. He appeared soft but the danger in him rolled

off in waves, his evil driving him hard. Tad was smaller and quick, and he dodged

most of the blows, but enough landed that he knew he would be black and blue

when it was all over.

As long as he wasn’t dead.

There was no sense of time as the fight continued. Under the glaring lights there

were only swinging shadows and pain. Tad dodged another murderous attack

from his opponent, dancing away from all but a few strikes. Inevitably his body

protested more and more. Blood clung to his lips and his legs grew weary.

“You’re slowing down. No one is coming to save you,” Doug taunted. He wasn’t

without his bruises and cuts, and he seemed surprised by the furiousness of Tad’s

counterattack.

Tad waited on the ground where he’d fallen after the last bone-crunching blow.

The snow was kind of soft and gentle on his aching limbs, and it was nice to rest

for a moment.

Besides, Doug needed to take one more step. Tad arranged his hands carefully,

bending one leg under him and keeping the other loose and ready.

Then, glory be, Doug not only swaggered forward, he leaned over Tad to gloat.

“You really are pathetic—”

Tad kicked him. He used the Alaskan High Kick method, pressing down into the

ground with his extended arm while he forced his free foot up as hard and as fast

as he could. Tad drilled the bastard right smack in the middle of his face. Okay,

Tad cheated a little by not hanging on to one foot, but he figured the boys at the

gym would forgive him for the slight error in technique.

Doug struck the ground four feet back from where he’d started. Blood poured

from his nose and mouth, and he casually wiped his hand through it. Staring down

at his bloody fingers, he cackled, a wild and maniacal sound.

“Well. I’ll admit it. You’re a stronger man than I am. I don’t know if I would beat

you if we continued for much longer.” He rolled to his hands and knees, and sat

back on his haunches for a minute. “It’s been interesting but I’ve had enough

playing. Missy’s mine and you can die knowing I’m going to make her life hell.”

Doug shifted.

His human body wasn’t very impressive, but his wolf more than made up for it.

Here was why the man was Alpha. He was huge. He was also a dirty brown, one of

the few brown werewolves Tad had ever seen. Tad leapt to his feet, grabbed his

coat and got it swinging, the heavy knot whistling through the air.

Doug lunged and Tad whirled aside, smacking the coat onto Doug’s head. There

was no use in bashing him anywhere else on his body with the thick fur protecting

him. Besides, if Tad thumped his brains often enough the ass might get knocked

unconscious.

Tad danced toward the edge of the arena, wanting something at his back. Doug

could strike too far and too fast, and if Tad got stuck in the middle of the space it

would be like tossing a marshmallow into a fire.

Doug’s teeth snagged the coat and his claws scrambled over Tad’s leg. He forced

himself to remain standing on a limb that burned with pain while with the other

he kicked at Doug’s groin, trying to slow the monstrous beast a little. Blood

dripped as they backed away from each other, Doug favouring his hind left leg,

Tad limping as well.

A silly little thing caused the turning point of the fight. Tad wore the clothes he’d

borrowed from Shaun’s room, and they all fit loosely. Doug snapped at him,

captured a pant leg in sharp teeth and shook like he had a rabbit in a death grip.

The motion pulled Tad’s pants over his hips and trapped his legs so he couldn’t

escape. Doug let go and watched with a wolfy grin as Tad scrambled backward

crablike toward the very edge of the arena.

This was not the way it was supposed to happen. Dying with your pants around

your ankles was a joke, for heaven’s sake. Tad hesitated for a sheer second and

Doug was on top of him, forcing him to the ground. Fiery darts shot through Tad’s

body as razor-sharp teeth fastened on his upper arm and snapped it in two. He

screamed in pain and anger, watching the wolf retreat to the middle of the arena

to gloat.

Sweat ran into Tad’s eyes, stinging, and he gasped in air.

“It’s time, sweetie.”

A wash of cool flowed around him, numbing his arm and clearing his mind.

Missy’s touch was assuring and comforting. She was still confident he knew what

he was doing.

Holy crap, he hoped he knew what he was doing.

It wouldn’t be pretty but he had to try. He kicked off his shoes and dragged

himself to his feet, letting his pants fall to the ground. He paced the perimeter of

the arena, his gaze tracking Doug as the wolf snarled and stalked toward him. Tad

leaned back on the tree nearest where Keil and Heath had left the arena and

prayed the message had gotten through.

“Kill the lights now.”

The lights blacked to nothing, leaving ghostly auroras on his retinas. Reaching