Alpha’s Challenge

by Lauren Dane

  “Oh, Tiny, that’s the first real laugh I’ve had since these dumb tools decided to take Warren up on the whole Challenge thing. And, these donuts are preferable to the chocolate ones. But if I have a puppy I’m gonna hunt you down.”

  Grace leaned over and touched Nina’s knee. “I will be there when the baby comes. Unless you go very fast and early that is. I’ll fly out before the due date and deliver her or him myself. I wouldn’t miss that you know.”

  “Oh now you’re going to make me cry.” Nina shoved a donut into her mouth and Megan hugged her and handed her a handkerchief.

  “We’re nearly there, ladies. I came back to make sure you were all belted in and ready to land.” Cade kissed Grace and she reached up to touch his face.

  He took her hand and kissed her fingertips. “It’s going to be all right.”

  Once he’d made sure everyone was belted in, he went back up with Lex, and Grace tried to force down her nervousness. But it lay in her gut along with the nausea she’d been feeling for the past week.

  Cade held back, waiting for everyone to get off the plane so he could escort Grace himself. She held her back straight, he knew she wasn’t feeling her best, chalked it up to worry. And yet, in her elegant black trousers and the blood-red blouse, she looked like a queen.

  She took his hand and looked up at him. “I love you,” she said before they left the plane.

  They were blessedly alone for the moment and he dipped down to steal a kiss. “I love you too.”

  “Good. Because I’m pregnant. So you really can’t die now.”

  He blinked and fell to his knees, putting his arms around her, burying his face in her chest. “Are you serious?”

  She caressed his neck and he looked into her face. “Yeah. I found out this morning before we left. I had a feeling but I kept thinking that after the attack, I’d have lost it. But apparently not.”

  “Are you all right? Is the baby all right?”

  “I’m fine. Nauseated but not too bad. I measured my hormone levels and they looked really good. I’ll do some more tests but I have no reason to be worried.”

  “Holy shit, you’re having our baby. You’re so amazing.”

  “Meh, it’s not that big a deal you know. Sperm meets egg, there you go.” She grinned and he felt her joy through their bond.

  “You’re a miracle to me, Grace.”

  Her eyes filled with tears and her smile wobbled a bit. “I never thought I’d have anything like this, like you.”

  He stood, kissing her again and then laughing. “You do know that if you thought I was overprotective before, I’m going to be insufferable now?”

  “It’s another reason for you to win tomorrow, Cade. Now, come on, people are waiting.”

  He swept her up into his arms but the look of outrage on her face was enough to put her down before they hit the stairs to the tarmac of the small, private airport. “Sorry, got carried away.”

  “Wait until you get a room for that stuff, tough guy.” Nina pretended to tap her toe. Cade just grinned. He wanted to share the news then but he knew it was better to share in relative privacy instead of in public.

  “Good God, she did blow you didn’t she?” Nina took in his look and Grace threw her hands up.

  “Let’s go, my fragile flower.” Lex took Nina’s arm and guided her to the waiting car while Cade and Grace, flanked by guards, did the same.

  While she’d seen many werewolf females through pregnancy, Grace hadn’t been prepared for the exhaustion of the first six weeks. She didn’t have to worry like Nina did—natural wolves were a hearty bunch and even though it was difficult for many to get pregnant to begin with, once they were, problems were rare. Still, after four hours of endless protocol, she was ready to take a nap.

  Cade looked at her after hour four had long passed and must have seen through her calm facade.

  “I think it’s time for a meal and some rest. Templeton, Carla, thank you for your hospitality.” He stood and bowed deeply toward the retiring Alpha couple. Grace had been shocked to see how much older Templeton looked in the wake of his poisoning. He’d recover, but never quite regain his vitality as it had been before.

  Her in-laws stood, along with Nina and Lex and a gazillion other Nationally Aligned wolves, all in painstaking order of rank.

  “We’ll send a car for you in the morning. We won’t know the location until half an hour before. You and Warren will be taken first, at sunup, to the site and sequestered until it’s time for the Challenge. Representatives of the Argent Pack will handle all the details. You may each take one guard. As Lex will be taking your place as Alpha of Cascadia, I offer Jack, as he’s your Enforcer once you take my place.”

  Jack stepped forward. “It would be my honor to stand as your guard, Cade.”

  Cade shook his hand. “Accepted. And Jack, I’m going to win so keep your paws off my wife.” He winked but the words held an edge.

  Part of the reason she’d told him that day instead of waiting until after the Challenge was male wolves grew even more protective and violent when their mates were pregnant. Which gave him even more of an edge in the ring tomorrow. She’d given him the vaccine the week before and she hoped like hell it would be all right. At that point, they didn’t know exactly what Warren would have or even how Cade’s system would synthesize the virus and vaccine when and if Warren used it. And he would, she was certain of it. But Cade would bite his ass and infect him and Grace wouldn’t shed one damned tear for Warren.

  After they finally escaped to Gabe’s condo, Grace took her shoes off with a sigh.

  “Sit your butt down, Grace. Dinner will be ready shortly, the whole family will be here and you’ll need the energy. Can I tell them?”

  He looked so sweet she couldn’t have refused him anything. “Go on. I figured you would.”

  He practically skipped and she laughed. It didn’t take long for Wardens by birth and their mates to begin to trail in. Layla and Sid, Tracy, Gabe and Nick were staying there with them so all they had to do was come downstairs. Beth and Henri were next door with Lex and Nina along with Megan. Dave was with Grace and Tegan entered with Ben. “Wow this is some big gathering. Dang, Mom, you sure had a lot of kids.” Lex winked at his mother who rolled her eyes.

  “It’d be nice if it didn’t take a Challenge to the death to get you all together like this. Now let’s sit. Gabe’s former personal assistant had this catered and it smells fabulous!” Beth shooed everyone to the huge table that’d been set out in the large dining area.

  Before long, everyone was eating and chattering and Grace just watched the people who’d become her family. They all made her smile.

  “Oh, so one thing I forgot to tell you all,” Cade began and everyone quieted, turning to him. “Grace is pregnant.” He turned to his mother, who was already crying. “You’re going to have grandchildren coming out your ears, Mom.”

  “Just the way I like it.” Beth put her hand on Grace’s. “This is wonderful news. A good omen. I know their grandmother will agree.” Cade’s grandmother had a terrible fear of flying and they hadn’t wanted to risk her taking a train so she was back in Seattle holding down the fort.

  “How long have you known?” Nina asked, a huge smile on her face.

  “Just since this morning. I had a feeling and so I did a few quick blood tests. I’ll still come to deliver the baby. You’re almost two months ahead of me so we’ll be fine.”

  “Well, it sucks that we can’t be knocked up at the same time in the same house. Imagine the hormone-induced chaos we could have created.”

  “Yeah, gosh, I’ll be sorry to miss that.” Cade snorted and put another pork chop on Grace’s plate. Her caloric intake would have to go way, way up so she just shrugged and started to eat it.

  More pregnancy talk seemed to take the focus off the Challe
nge and in a way, Grace was glad. She really didn’t want to think about it.

  The family didn’t stay overly late but there was a sense of expectancy. Everything was changing. After the Challenge, Cade would take on a huge new office, they’d move, Lex would ascend, babies, new houses, so much change, a lot of it good, especially the end of the war part.

  Cade walked everyone out but asked Lex to wait. He and his brother went up to the roof garden and sat.

  “If something happens to me tomorrow, I know you’ll be able to hold Pellini off and keep Cascadia lands. But, look after Grace for me. She’ll go to Jack, that’s only normal and he’ll do right by her. But my child, I want my child to know he or she is a Warden.”

  Lex looked up at the sky. “Of course.”

  “My will is in order. My belongings will go to Grace and I’m sure she’ll make sure the family gets what it needs. I’ve deeded my share of the house to you and Nina. You’ll find it in the desk drawer when you get back. Don’t argue. It’s a house you designed and you’re the Alpha now.”

  Lex sighed, annoyed, but held his tongue.

  “I love you and trust you with my life, my wife, my child, my Pack. You’ll do me proud, you’ll do Cascadia proud and there’s no one I can imagine who’ll lead better. Let Nina help, not like you’ll have any choice in that. But she’ll help you open the doors, modernize and make changes that’ll better Cascadia.”

  “Cade, no one could ask for a better best friend, brother and Alpha than you’ve been. I’ll be proud to watch you triumph tomorrow. Together we’re going to lead wolves into a new world. Safer. More open. Don’t hesitate tomorrow. No mercy, Cade. Because he has none and he will do whatever he has to, to win. If he tries to infect you, you bite him, do you hear me? Before you kill him, I want him to die knowing his fucked up handiwork is what ended him.” Lex turned to him, vehemence in his features.

  Cade nodded and together they went to find some sleep in the arms of their wives. Grace lay in bed, her eyes drooping but still awake. When he came in she simply held her hand to him and he went.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Grace got up when he did. Stood with him as he shaved, scrubbed shampoo into his hair and washed his back.

  She never looked from his face when he made love to her, the water pounding down on them both. He held her reverently, gently and yet, took what he needed and gave back in kind.

  He pulled on loose-fitting pants, a long-sleeved shirt and sneakers and they waited for the escort together.

  First Jack arrived, bringing coffee and bagels, something Grace appreciated even as her rioting emotions did not want her to eat.

  “You’ll wait and drive in with Templeton and Carla, understand? That’s your place and you’ll be safest. Be sure Dave never leaves your side.” Cade kissed her when the escort arrived.

  Dave, who’d been quietly reading the paper just across the room and giving them a bit of privacy simply nodded.

  She wouldn’t cry. She wanted to. She was scared for him. For them and the baby she carried. But he was strong and they had a secret weapon in the vaccine. Only Lex and Jack knew. Grace liked to believe Warren would find some way to fight fairly but she knew otherwise and had accepted that as she accepted his death.

  “Be careful, Cade. I love you. I’ll see you in a few hours and remember, if you die, I will be sorely pissed off and my pregnant butt will have to heave into the ring and kill Warren myself.”

  Jack jerked back and she realized they hadn’t told him yet. She also realized that once they took Templeton’s place, he’d be there just as Cade had with Lex and Nina. It would be a challenge but still, nice to know someone else she could count on was near.

  “I promise. No dying. At least not me.”

  She watched as he left and Dave approached, hugging her and she let herself cry.

  * * *

  “Pregnant? You don’t waste any time.” Jack snorted. They’d been driven to a warehouse in South Boston. French wolves guarded the entire place with semiautomatic weapons and no-nonsense looks.

  “It’s the best damned thing I ever heard, Jack. My beautiful mate is carrying our child. She’s amazing.” Cade stretched and ate the meal they’d been provided. He’d need the calories and energy. Most likely he’d need to shift back and forth at least once and shifting took strength. He knew Warren would be taxed because he wasn’t nearly as strong and nothing but birth, genetics or the position of your sire if you were made, created an Alpha. Warren Pellini was a strong wolf, but he wasn’t an Alpha.

  “You’re a lucky man, Cade. Grace is everything a man would want in a mate. Smart, feminine, strong, brave and she adores you. Now, today you will kill this trash and walk away into a bright new future and I’ll serve at your side. I hope I can do as well as Lex.”

  Cade laughed. “Lex will now have to deal with what a pain in the ass an Enforcer can be and I’ll have to get used to problem solving with an Enforcer who won’t think it’s normal to get into a fist fight in the yard to resolve tension.”

  Jack grinned. “That’s what you think. I have an older brother too.”

  “Grace is going to lose her mind with us,” Cade said with a smile. “She’s little, but certainly a handful.”

  They small talked for the next hours as Cade tried not to think too hard and to just let his wolf take care of business. He was born to do it and he would. Hell, just to keep Jack from snapping Grace up if he died. But he wanted to see Grace’s face every day until they both got very old and had great-grandchildren.

  He knew when Grace entered the building. Her energy, calming and soothing even as she was anxious, filled their link.

  “They’re all filing in.”

  One of the French wolves came in and checked Cade over. It was bare knuckles, hand to hand and they provided him with a thin pair of tight-fitting shorts and watched him put them on.

  “You ready?”

  He took a deep breath. “As I’ll ever be.”

  “Kick ass, take names and be my Alpha.” Jack bowed low and let him pass.

  Grace saw him walk out and his eyes immediately searched until they found her. Once they’d locked gazes, she relaxed a bit. He looked totally hot in next to nothing, all hard and muscled. She blew him a kiss and mouthed I love you and he grinned in return and put a hand over his heart as he bowed in her direction.

  “Holy cow, he’s like, a hunk!” Nina said. “Not like I’m looking or anything.” She snickered and Grace gave her the evil eye.

  Lex took Grace’s hand and she squeezed. Henri and Beth sat on her other side and her father-in-law took her other hand.

  And then she saw her parents sit down on the other side of the roped-off fighting area. They wouldn’t even look at her.

  “Those your parents?” Lex asked quietly and she nodded. “They’re going down after this. Are you all right with that?”

  “They tried to have me killed. They’ve been aiding my brother in this whole insane biological warfare thing—yes, yes I’m all right with it.”

  Her father-in-law kissed her cheek. “You have real family now.”

  “You are both going to make me cry and I’ll have to blame it on pregnancy hormones.”

  Lex laughed.

  Warren entered. He’d lost some weight since she’d seen him last but even a stranger would have scented the fear pouring off him.

  A wolf she didn’t recognize but figured was the French envoy stood at the center of the ring. The gathered wolves shifted as the scent of bloodlust rose.

  “The match will go on until one of the wolves in this ring is dead. Bare hands. The Challengers may transform back and forth between forms as many times as they are able. If anyone outside this ring seeks to intervene before the match is declared over, they will be executed by one of the numerous snipers up on the second floor.
They are armed with silver shot.”

  Grace’s heart sped as he walked out of the roped-off ring and Cade stood, easy and seemingly relaxed until the whistle blew and he immediately transformed and sprang at Warren.

  Lex’s hand tightened around hers but he stayed stock still otherwise, which gave her some confidence.

  Warren’s panicked face morphed into a wolf but much slower than would save him from the force of Cade’s beast, from those razor-sharp teeth and nails.

  A spray of scarlet arced through the air as Warren changed and they rolled a bit, teeth gnashing, the sound of flesh ripping, growling and yelping. Thank goodness she knew the sound of Cade’s wolf and knew whose sound of pain it was.

  It went on for the next ten minutes until Cade changed back again and jumped on Warren’s back, wrapping his arm around Warren’s throat.

  And Warren changed, but it was slow. He struggled and that’s when she saw him reach up and claw Cade.

  Through their link, Grace knew instantly he’d been infected. “He did it,” she hissed at Lex, who growled low and menacing.

  Cade’s system struggled and Grace counted time in her head. Cade staggered off and her eyes widened as he fell to his knees. Warren stood, a sneer on his face, thinking he’d gotten away with something. Grace held her breath, hoping he was wrong.

  And suddenly, Cade’s eyes cleared and he transformed into a wolf and leapt at Warren, catching him off guard and slicing his teeth into the other man’s shoulder. Warren couldn’t transform, he was already too tired and by the looks of it, the virus had taken over.

  Cade slipped his fur and stood there, naked, furious and covered in blood and sweat as Warren fell.

  His breath heaved as he and Warren held a long gaze, full of understanding. Cade wanted him to know what he died of. And then Cade moved to him, bent and snapped his neck.

  The tears came then. Once she knew he’d live. Once she knew it was truly safe she opened up and began to weep, letting go of the fear she’d held for the weeks since the Challenge had been called.