The Mating Challenge

by Bonnie Vanak

  Alpha males from eight packs had been formally invited. Now the strongest two males remained. Of course one was Aiden. The fiend had been chasing her for years, warning her he’d eventually catch her and make her his.

  He’d bought the mortgage on her ranch to force her into declaring this challenge. Bastard. If she hadn’t hosted the challenge, he could have foreclosed on her property.

  And yet, as arrogant as Mitchell was, he still turned her on. Especially now.

  Nia’s heart raced as the two men fought. She was their prize, and the males fought in the most primitive of ancient Lupine rites. Then the guilt set in. Neither realized her big secret.

  They thought she was Nikita, the rightful alpha of the Blakemore pack. The males who wanted her didn’t know she was Nia, the younger twin, the one who’d assumed her sister’s identity from infancy.

  Her admiring gaze swept over Aiden as the alphas drew close to the throne and Aiden punched his rival. Sweat dampened his thick black hair, slicked his hard body and droplets clung to the dark hairs of his chest. His skin was golden and tanned, gleaming beneath the light of the twin crystal chandeliers. As fine as smooth, chiseled marble, his powerful body flexed as he danced around his opponent. The taut globes of his ass came into view as he spun around, using his long legs to kick Richard and throw him off balance.

  The males were driven by the instinctive need to mate and breed. It was basic biology, the dominating male werewolf’s drive to spread his seed and sire offspring to rule after him. In this rugged region of Montana, male werewolves outnumbered females. The Blakemore pack with its abundance of unmated and fertile females was a prize for these two virile males to claim.

  But first, she had to make sure the boys played by the rules.

  Nia’s sharpened gaze swept the assembled werewolves. A scowling Lupine in a green silk shirt leaned against a faded tapestry. Her eyes narrowed. Definitely hiding something behind his back.

  Nia removed the honed dagger hanging from the diamond-studded belt on her white velvet robes. The fight took the males closer to the crowd hovering by the west wall. Aiden punched Richard hard, sending the alpha male crashing down. As the leader of the Mitchell pack leaned over his opponent, Silk Shirt detached from the wall and raised his hand.

  Light caressed the gleaming steel blade he held over Aiden.

  She stood and flung her dagger. It sailed through the air and sank deep into Silk Shirt’s wrist, pinning him to the wall. He screamed and dropped the switchblade.

  She’d taught herself that move years ago, perfecting it to protect the pack females from lusty males.

  Richard stood, wiping blood streaming into his eyes. He growled at the offender, snapped his fingers. Two males rushed forward to obey.

  “Bring him outside and guard him. He’ll be dealt with later,” he ordered. “He knew the rules. No weapons. No assistance from pack.”

  Silk Shirt whimpered as Richard’s men pulled the dagger from his wrist and lifted him under the arms.

  “Wait,” Aiden ordered.

  He took Nia’s blade. The dagger arced, slicing the air and then the male’s throat. As the werewolf burbled his last gasp, Aiden used the dying man’s shirt to wipe the blade clean.

  No mercy on those ruthless features as Aiden twirled the blade.

  “Dealt with,” he said.

  Inside, Nia shivered at his ruthlessness, though she agreed with the action. Werewolves battling for power in this brutal challenge searched for any display of weakness. Aiden couldn’t ignore such a blatant insult by Richard’s pack. Nia returned to the throne and smoothed out her expression to show no trace of emotion. Nothing to incite the 200 plus assembled males from both packs to disregard the rules and engage in an all-out war they couldn’t afford.

  The Blakemore pack could barely defend themselves, a fact Nia had desperately hidden. They needed strong males to help protect their territory. And they were all going hungry, for the ranch had lost too much income in the past year. Even game in their forest was scarce.

  The fighting males thought they would win the Blakemore alpha female as a mate, the entire Blakemore pack to call their own, and the Blakemore Ranch as a nice bonus.

  They didn’t realize she wasn’t an alpha female, there were only females left in the Blakemore pack, and the ranch was stricken with disease that killed all males of shapeshifting age.

  Nia drew in a trembling breath, hoping the fight would end soon. The longer all these males remained on her land, the more nervous she became. Hurry up and finish. Then, please, go home and stay safe. This place is cursed.

  Roxanne Valmont, the Blakemore pack beta, retrieved the dagger as Richard’s men rushed the dead werewolf outside. Aiden nodded to Nia, touching his forehead in a gesture of respect, then resumed the battle with Richard.

  Nia didn’t know how the hell they’d resolve this mess. After she and her twin were born 25 years ago, their father had insisted there was only one living girl born to the Blakemore alpha pair. Nikita had been hidden, for it was prophesied in their family that the eldest girl twin born on the seventh day of the seventh month belonged to the Silver Wizard. He would come for her after she lived 25 years, and take her to his home in Tir Na-nog, the afterworld, to become his bride. And she would die, for no mortal being survived in the afterworld.

  The twins had traded places to let Nikita out once in a while, but only their aunt Mandy, close friend Roxanne and a few elder females in the pack realized they were twins.

  It was an effective ruse they’d managed to pull off up until now.

  Nia gripped the armrests as Aiden moved on the floor, his actions smooth and flowing as he ducked Richard’s punch. Richard was smooth arrogance, a blond charmer who came from wealth and privilege. Adding his lands to theirs would make his domain even more powerful.

  Sex with him would be bland and dutiful. Safe.

  Not so with dark-haired Aiden, with his wide shoulders and heavily-muscled body. Raw and untamed, he fought as if the idea of bedding her drove him to a mating frenzy. Sweat dripped down his temples as he slammed Richard against the wall.

  A very female part of her appreciated the flex of powerful biceps, the thick muscles dividing his back. Not an ounce of fat on him, not on the ripped abdomen, the narrow hips or his strong limbs.

  Her gaze darted down to the thick thatch of black hair at his groin. At rest, his penis was impressive. Big, like Aiden himself. The thought of taking all that male hardness into her untried body, feeling him move over her as they consummated their union…

  The flush of arousal filled her as she watched the powerful werewolf fight. She’d fantasized about the male in the dark night, wondering what he’d be like as a lover.

  Aiden fought for her sister’s hand, not hers. He fought to mate with the alpha of the Blakemore pack and technically, her older twin was the alpha.

  I am pretending to be someone I am not. A leader, an alpha like he is. My whole life has been based upon a lie to keep Niki hidden.

  But after masquerading as her twin for all these years, she wished someone could see her for herself. Love her as an individual, not as the Lupine they knew as Nikita Blakemore.

  The grunts and groans of the two sparring males echoed through the ballroom. Her peripheral vision caught sight of her aunt Mandy entering the ballroom. Nia’s heart pounded hard with every click of Mandy’s boot heels across the parquet floor.

  Upon reaching the throne, Mandy whispered into her ear. Nia stiffened.

  “Now?” Nia asked.

  Mandy nodded at the fighting men. “Now, before the fight is finished and one of them wins.”

  She released a sharp breath and followed her aunt out of the ballroom, away from the crescendo of male grunts and the crack of a fist slamming into muscle. Razor sharp fear surged. She wasn’t certain how much longer she and her twin could carry on this ruse.

  Things had dragged on far too long. And soon, she would have to pay the price.

  Naked, sweat dripping down
his temple, Aiden Mitchell watched in incredulous disbelief. She was leaving? He was getting his ass kicked, doing some fine ass kicking of his own, and the female leader of the Blakemore pack walked out, her heels clicking sharply on the floor.

  As if all this blood and violence bored her.

  Well, when all this fighting was over, he’d punish her for the insult. Again and again. Give her five orgasms worth of punishment so she’d never turn from him again. Keep her occupied in bed and Nikita wouldn’t walk away.

  His blood surged, testosterone racing through his system. He forced a calming breath. No good getting cranked up sexually when he needed his strength to win.

  Taking advantage of Aiden’s momentary stupor, Richard sprang to his feet and swung hard. His bruised fist connected with Aiden’s chin, sending him staggering backwards.

  Recovering, he tackled his opponent. Playtime was over. Richard fought because he wanted Nikita’s forest rich territory, and he thought she was cute.

  The stakes were much higher for Aiden. He needed the unmated, fertile females in her pack to breed with his pack’s strong, very lusty males. Every day brought them closer to the edge, bringing about more testosterone-driven fights to relieve their sexual frustration. They needed the soft, gentle influence of a woman, needed to breed and make the pack stronger.

  He craved Nikita like a junkie needing a fix. He lusted to have her. Soon, she would be his exclusively.

  He released the full fury of his 200 pounds of muscled strength, enough to let Richard know he meant business, but not enough to mortally wound.

  With a low grunt, Richard collapsed on the floor. Panting, Aiden stood over him, fists bloodied and bruised.

  Then he extended a hand to his rival. Bewilderment shone in Richard’s swollen and bruised eyes.

  “Nikita has left the room. I’m calling a formal time out until she returns.”

  He helped the other werewolf to his feet. Richard looked around. “We’re wasting time.”

  “Rules are rules. We can’t fight until she’s present.” Aiden rubbed his nape.

  “Fine. Then I’m shifting.”

  Startled he watched the man stretch out his arms and shapeshift into a large gray timber wolf.

  The hell with this. Aiden shifted into wolf too, more muscled and larger. He circled around his rival, watching him warily. Lupines healed faster in wolf form and Richard, the bastard, was taking unfair advantage of Nikita’s absence.

  Around them, the males in Aiden’s pack shifted as well, not wanting to leave their alpha vulnerable. But Richard’s pack did not, only looked nervously at their leader.

  Pacing the ballroom floor, Aiden studied the Blakemore pack females. Only females. Were the few remaining males, out of deference to their female leader, discreetly out of sight? Were there any males on this ranch?

  He didn’t trust Roxanne’s explanation. Too much testosterone already with the competition, she’d told him.

  He wondered.

  Aiden inhaled the delectable fragrance of soft skin and faint arousal. Some were in heat already, and the male Lupines, with their heightened sense of smell, knew it.

  Shit. He trotted over to his pack, issued a warning growl as a few males began stalking over to the females. The males stopped, watching their alpha in perfect obedience.

  On the sidelines, Darius, Aiden’s beta, paced restlessly in wolf form. Sam, his mate, remained the only female in the room who was not part of the Blakemore pack. As the rules dictated, she stood in a neutral area with the Blakemore females.

  Roxanne addressed the crowd. “Nikita has been delayed. She begs your patience while she attends to a matter of urgent pack business.”

  The males began moving around restlessly. One of Richard’s Lupines sauntered over to Sam. He braced a hand against the wall and leaned close to her.

  Savage fury arose in Aiden, but he tamped it down and glanced at Darius. Aiden gave a brief nod.

  In wolf form, Darius trotted over to Sam and rubbed his muzzle against her leg. She stroked Darius’ head almost absently. Then his second in command gave her hand a gentle nip, enough to mark the skin, but not tear it. She cried out, seemingly more surprised than pained.

  With a low growl, Darius thrust his nose between her legs. Sam ran her fingers through his fur. Then she looked up at the male who had tried to make the moves on her.

  “Go away,” she stated clearly.

  The male laughed. “He can’t do anything to me. House rules. No males other than the alphas in the challenge are allowed to touch each other.”

  Sam flicked out a hand. Sharp claws tipped each fingertip. “But I can. Now go away before I turn your pretty face into road kill.”

  Aiden gave an approving nod to Sam as the male scrambled away. Darius shifted back. During the Challenge, he wasn’t allowed to touch her in Skin form, only as Lupine. Then his beta turned, nodded at Aiden, and jogged back to join his pack.

  Darius had Sam. Soon as Aiden won the Challenge, Nikita would be his, and his males would finally select mates.

  Desire heated his blood as he envisioned the lovely Nikita female naked on all fours for the joining ceremony, her lush curves finally bared for him… For five years, he’d craved her. Other females had briefly sated his lust, but his passion for Nikita would not end. Until he claimed her in the flesh, Aiden would never be satisfied.

  All the more reason for him to fight harder for her hand.

  Tension knotted his spine as he prowled the ballroom. Where the hell was Nikita and why did his instincts warn trouble brewed ahead?

  Chapter 2

  Upstairs, Nia closed and locked the door to her private study. Nikita and Mandy stood near the French doors leading to the lodge’s wrap-around balcony. Beyond the balcony, gray morning mist layered the meadows stretching out to the jagged, white-capped mountain peaks ringing the valley. The Blakemore ranch boasted thousands of acres of fertile wilderness.

  And no longer a single adult male in the pack to tend them. All the men had died.

  Nia picked up an apple from the wood bowl on the side table, her fingers stroking the glossy surface. Hunger rumbled in her stomach. The pack had grabbed a hasty meal before all the males arrived for the competition, but as usual, Nia was last and didn’t even gulp down a single bite.

  Mandy looked at Nia and sighed.

  “No lunch, again? Are you ever going to take care of yourself?”

  Nia set the apple down, her stomach too tense to tolerate food. “Food doesn’t matter now. Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I can’t take this anymore, Nia. They have to know the truth about us,” her twin burst out.

  “No!”

  She went to her sister, and laced her fingers around her wrists. “Just a while longer, sweetie. You can fake it a while longer.”

  “And after? When Aiden wins? What then?” Nikita collapsed onto the sofa.

  Her long gold hair, as silky and luxurious as Nia’s, was swept up into a French braid. They had the same arresting blue eyes, plump figures and full breasts, and heart-shaped faces.

  There, the differences ended. Nikita was gentle and sweet, with a disposition that soothed her pack when she left her hiding place to walk among them.

  Nia could be an utter bitch to everyone, except for her twin. Everything she did, she did to keep her twin safe and hidden. Even after their beloved father died from the parvolupus disease and their two older brothers succumbed to it, she stayed strong. Five years after Pandora’s Chest was opened, releasing the disease, she stayed strong.

  Some days, she wished she had a little help. Gods, she was tired of being in charge and having everyone rely on her. Having a little help would be nice. But she had to keep it together, keep the pack surviving.

  Keep her twin hidden and safe.

  Mandy, their aunt, sat next to Nikita and stroked her hair. “It’s okay, Niki. Everything’s going to be okay.”

  But it wasn’t. “What’s going on, Mandy?”

  Mandy pointed at
the apple. “Eat, before you faint.”

  Another loud grumble from her empty stomach. The hell with it. Nia bit into the apple and perched on the edge of a nearby chair. She swallowed a few bites and studied her aunt.

  “Now, tell me what was so important you had to drag me out of there, in the middle of the challenge. What is it? The weather? Any reports of the Banshee Winds?”

  Anxiety churned in her stomach. The Banshee Winds were brutal, magick winds that destroyed their crops and killed Lupines. But the winds had not shown up in a long time, for they were brought about by young boys experiencing their first shift into wolf.

  “No winds. We’re safe for now. Good news. I know where Pandora’s Chest is hidden.”

  The apple tumbled from her hands to the carpet. Nikita leapt up at the same time Nia did. “Are you sure?” Nia asked.

  “I’m sure I know where the map is that shows where your father buried the chest, which is as good as finding the chest itself.”

  “Tell me,” Nia demanded.

  “I was patrolling near the pond and stumbled over the old well. And then I remember how your father filled in the well shortly after he got the chest. I’m sure he buried the map there. When we were growing up on the ranch, he used to bury his penny jars near the well. I needed to tell you this before the challenge ended and the winner formally took over the ranch.”

  “So close,” Nia cried out. “All these years we’ve searched and—”

  “It was right under our noses,” Nikita finished.

  The twins looked at each other and then hugged. Tears formed in Nikita’s eyes and a lump clogged Nia’s throat as her twin released her.

  “The boys will be saved now,” Nia whispered. “They’ll be safe.”

  So much strain and heartache these past few months. Nia had done all she could to save the boys. She’d travel to hell if it meant the pack’s remaining male children could be saved. She’d travel even further to save her twin.

  Ten years ago, Niki ate poisonous berries, fell ill and was close to death. Desperate to save her, their father had procured Pandora’s Chest from a wizard. The chest granted the dearest wishes of the person who opened it. Niki was saved, but the chest released a horrible plague they nicknamed parvolupus. It infected all adult male Lupines and killed them, including boys who reached puberty and experienced their first shift into wolf, while women remained immune and uninfected.