by Young, S.
“I didn’t need to be cocky. I was awesome.”
She thought she saw a hint of a smile curling the corner of his mouth. “Well, be that as it may”—he turned to hand her a cup of coffee as he took a sip of his own—“enforced omega means that’s the official status Richard will have in his pack. It doesnae mean he loses the strength of a beta.”
“But I’m an alpha.”
“Aye, but many beta males have beaten alpha females in Challenges. It’s just a scientific fact, Thea, that many men are stronger than women. It’s not a deliberate attempt to keep females down in the ranks.”
Thea curbed the urge to growl. “Did I outrun you yesterday?”
“Aye.”
“Did I keep up when we were tussling?”
“Aye, but I was going easy on you.”
“Ugh, you just love the fact that you’re more powerful than me now.”
Conall gave her a chiding look. “A wolf is only as strong as his heart, and my heart belongs completely to you. So who really has the power here?”
She melted a little. “Okay, not fair sweet-talking me right now. Here’s the deal. You’re one of the strongest, fastest alphas I’ve ever encountered, Conall. And I’m faster than you. Not stronger, but faster. That’s what a woman needs in a fight against a stronger male. She needs to be fast and strategic and since I’ve been running for six years, fighting for my life, I’m both those things.” Feeling hurt twinge in her chest, she glared at him. “Becoming a wolf doesn’t wipe that out, and suddenly this isn’t just about making a statement to the pack, it’s about you. If you don’t think I can do this, we’ve got bigger problems.”
“Jesus fuck,” he snapped. “It’s not that I dinnae think you can do it, Thea, it’s that I just got you back after days of thinking I might have to bury you. And no matter how strong or fast you are, anything could go wrong in a Challenge. I dinnae want to lose you!”
It was like being bellowed at by your loving, pet bear.
A little intimidating, even though you knew he’d never hurt you.
Thea stared at him in silence, all her love for him in her eyes, but she refused to stand down. “You can’t swaddle me in bubble wrap, Conall. That’s not what the pack expects from us as the new alpha couple.”
“They’ll expect what I tell them to expect,” he grumbled.
Smirking at his adorable grumpiness, Thea set her coffee down and closed the distance between them, resting her hands on his chest as she leaned into him. He stubbornly didn’t touch her, which made her smile widen. “I’m a fighter. I didn’t start out that way and I didn’t want it … but it’s who I am now. And yes, I am looking forward to starting a life with you where I don’t have to run and where I don’t have to fight all the time. But I faced a man I spent six years running from and no matter the consequences of that, facing him changed me. I took back my power. I realized the importance of facing my fears. I’m a fighter. You made me believe that. Now Richard Canid did do all those things to you, but he took away my choices, Conall, when he attacked me. I deserve retribution for that.
“I deserve to make the choice to fight him.”
Her mate studied her for so long, she worried this argument would end badly. However, he put his coffee cup on the counter to free his hands. His arms slid around her waist and he sighed, long and deep. Bending his head, he rested his forehead against hers. “That was a pretty good speech.”
Hope bloomed. “Meaning?”
He raised his head to look into her eyes. “I willnae stand in your way if you want to take the Challenge to Richard, but he may not agree. He might choose to fight me instead. But if he does agree, you must promise to make it fast. Dinnae make me endure watching a long battle.”
She agreed.
And so did Richard.
The smug, cowardly, son of a bitch was obviously terrified of facing Conall because when they met at the Coach House to put Thea’s Challenge to the Canids, Richard had jumped all over it. Even if it was out of the ordinary for them to fight in human form.
He thought he would kick Thea’s ass.
Watching him stride onto the beach while Peter and Sienna Canid and their wolves took their spot next to Conall, Callie, and James, Thea sneered. Richard was looking at her like he was about to gobble her up. He strutted with arrogance as he walked back and forth in front of her, kicking up sand.
There was a niggle in the back of Thea’s head that had her wondering if she was overconfident in her abilities, considering this would be her first time fighting without her fae strength.
Yet, she knew she couldn’t let those doubts cloud her mind.
She had to believe she would put Richard on his ass.
After all, the pack had come out in force to see what she was capable of.
Last night in bed, after another torrid few hours of lovemaking, Conall had talked to her about her alpha aura. It was the energy she felt from Conall, and she had it too. He’d coached her through connecting to it and pushing it out into the room so it encapsulated everything around her.
Thea did it now, channeling it toward Richard and the pack. She felt it, like extended hands, pushing against all their shoulders, as if to force them to their knees. The pack trembled against her, but their excitement levels rose. Whereas Richard … well, Thea watched the smugness flicker out of his expression as he strained against her energy.
She smirked at him as if to say, “Yeah, I’m kind of a badass.”
He snarled.
As lead warrior, Callie strode forward. “Alpha and Pack MacLennan, Alpha and Pack Canid, we’re here to witness the Challenge between Thea, Alpha Female of Pack MacLennan, and Richard, Son of Alpha Canid. Richard Canid,” Callie spoke, keeping her expression impressively neutral, “Thea MacLennan charges you with assault, kidnap, and causing danger to Pack MacLennan’s safety. Do you answer the charge?”
“I do,” he bit out, glowering at Thea.
“Thea MacLennan”—Callie turned to her, her eyes now burning with pride—“you challenge Richard Canid to a fight of submission only, is this correct?”
“Yes.” Thea nodded at her.
Callie’s eyes said, “Then kick his arse,” but her mouth addressed the crowd. “Let the Challenge begin.”
She stepped out of the way just as Richard shot toward Thea.
He was not fast. Okay, he was faster than a human, but lumbering for a wolf.
Thea easily sidestepped his running punch.
Richard made a feral sound, whirling to face her, and then he did what all dishonorable bastards would do. He grabbed a handful of sand and flung it at her eyes. Blinking against the sting of the salt, Thea heard the crowd hiss seconds before she felt the blinding punch. Pain shot up her cheekbone as she landed on her back, and she had seconds to realize Conall had been right. She felt pain like she hadn’t felt it before. Her face was goddamn throbbing, and she was discombobulated.
Suddenly Richard was straddling her, his hands around her throat, his face dark with intention.
Fight to submission, my ass.
Rage flooded Thea as she grabbed one of his wrists and although it took a lot more from her than before, she still snapped that fucker. He bellowed in pain and fell off her into the sand, clutching his broken wrist to his chest. Thea kicked out with her legs and flipped up onto her feet with ease.
Yeah, she wasn’t fae but she was still epic. She had to believe that if she wanted to win this fight.
“That’s one of my favorite moves. I do enjoy a good wrist snap,” she said casually as Richard struggled to his feet, hatred blazing in his eyes. “Do you submit?”
He lowered his useless left hand. “I will make you pay for that, you mongrel bitch.”
Thea heard Conall make a primitive noise of warning behind her. “Sticks and stones, Canid.”
He came at her again and swung a punch with his good arm, but Thea ducked and spun so she was behind him. With agility and speed, she slammed her foot into the back of his knees. Rich
ard hit the sand on his bad wrist and growled before rolling up onto his feet.
Enjoying his frustration, Thea danced on her toes.
“Stop playing, Thea,” Conall demanded from the crowd. “And end it.”
She turned to smirk at her mate over her shoulder and sensed the shift in the air as Richard attacked while she wasn’t looking.
Thea may not be fae anymore, but her awareness of her surroundings was still otherworldly. It was the reason she knew exactly the moment Richard was within reach without even looking. Eyes on Conall, she shot out a hand, making purchase with Richard’s throat. She squeezed and turned to him. He’d momentarily frozen in shock at being caught when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.
“Do you submit?” she demanded.
Feeling the tension in his body, it took Thea less than a second to compute he was readying to attack again, so she twisted fully toward him, grabbed his head in her hands, and felt the burn in her muscles as she jerked his neck.
Everyone hushed at the resounding crack and watched the life flicker out of Richard’s eyes before his body hit the sand with a thump.
Inside, she was trembling, but when she spun to face the crowd, she kept her expression blank.
Until Conall stepped forward, his look chiding. “Now that was just showing off.”
Thea’s lips twitched. “I’m new at this, so does that”—she gestured to Richard’s temporary deadness—“count as submission?”
Her mate crossed his arms over his chest. “It does for me.”
Everyone looked at Peter, frowning at his son’s body. He lifted his eyes to Thea and nodded. “It counts.”
Callie stepped forward. “Then I declare this Challenge over and Thea MacLennan the winner. Are you satisfied, Thea?”
“I’m satisfied.” She strode over to Conall, who grasped her hand in his. Gazing beyond his look of pride, she felt the pack’s collective energy press in on her. And they seemed pleased, if those beaming grins were anything to go by.
“We’ll leave you to look after your son,” Callie said to Peter. “The rest of us will celebrate.”
Conall, still holding onto Thea, approached Peter. “I’m sorry it even came to this.”
“As am I.” He glanced between them. “Most alphas would have made this a challenge to the death. I’m grateful for your mercy.”
“I am too.” Sienna gave them both a tight smile. “Thank you.”
Thea wasn’t comfortable around Sienna Canid. It was irrational—she knew it—but it was hard to want to spend time with a woman who had been weeks away from marrying Conall.
“We’ll talk?” Conall asked Peter.
“Definitely.”
Conall led Thea through the congregated pack, and she smiled as they offered her congratulations and compliments. Many reached out to touch her in awe, as if she were a holy relic of some sort. It was a little disconcerting.
They climbed out of the sand dunes and up onto the single-track road where Conall had left his car. Everyone but the Canids and Callie and James had traveled on foot so as not to block the road.
Thea waved to Callie who was grinning wolfishly at her as she got in her Jeep with James, Grace, and Angus. Hopping into Conall’s Defender, Thea waited impatiently for her mate’s words of congratulations.
Instead, he was silent as he drove toward the Coach House where it was tradition to celebrate after a Challenge win. She wasn’t worried because he didn’t seem angry, but he was certainly something.
Then, as they blew past the Coach House entrance, Thea began to understand what she was sensing from her mate and a deep tug of need pulled low in her belly.
“Conall,” she whispered.
“We’ll join them later.” His voice was hoarse.
“But—”
“I need inside you.” He threw her a dark look of desire. “I’m not doing that in front of my pack.”
Thea’s heart raced, her smile smug. “Got you hot watching me fight, did it?”
“Got me hard watching you squash that wee arse like a bug.” Conall’s lusty expression now mingled with pride. “You are something to watch, lass. Now take off your jeans.”
That tingle of want between her legs intensified. “Now?”
“Right now.”
His tone brooked no argument, and Thea didn’t feel like arguing. She felt like burning her unspent energy with her mate whatever way he wanted to. Fingers shaking with excitement, she kicked off her shoes and unzipped her jeans. She felt Conall watching her as she pulled them off.
“Underwear too,” he grunted.
Excitement rippled through her and she knew when he scented her arousal because a rumbling, sexy growl vibrated up from his chest. Thea slipped off her underwear, her skin hot against the cool leather. She shot a look at Conall’s lap.
He was ready for her too.
The Defender swung left and raced down the drive to the house. It skidded to a halt with a squeal of tires and Conall cut the engine, pushed back his seat, and unzipped his jeans in one smooth move. Thea jumped him, kissing him hungrily as he fumbled to free himself from his jeans. She heard the crinkle of a condom wrapper, something Conall had started to use now that they could get pregnant.
And then she felt him throbbing between her legs.
Thea pushed down as Conall thrust up, their eyes locked, their gasps sounding against each other’s lips.
All control fled and soon the Defender, a vehicle used by the goddamn army, began to rock hard as Thea and Conall celebrated the Challenge by screwing each other within an inch of their lives.
When they eventually tumbled out of the car, it reeked of sex; they were both covered in scratch marks, and Thea’s legs were a little unsteady.
Conall solved that by swinging her up into his arms and carrying her into the house like a bride. He took them directly upstairs to his shower room where they undressed again. Washing each other soon turned to lovemaking and as Conall held her against the tiled wall, gliding in and out of her in slow, deep thrusts, Thea panted, “Do you think …ah!”
“Do I think what?” His grip on her tightened, his movements deliberately teasing.
“Will it stop?” She clutched his shoulders, her fingers biting into his skin. “Will this need ever stop?”
“Fuck, I hope not,” Conall admitted before crushing her mouth beneath his in a voracious kiss.
When Thea climaxed around him, her moan swallowed in his mouth, she heartily agreed.
If this mad passion lasted their entire lifetime together, she’d die a very satisfied werewolf.
Steam covered the mirror above the bathroom sink and Thea reached to wipe it clear. Compelled to look, she glanced over her shoulder at her naked back, taking in the complete lack of scars.
The thing was, the memories of how she got the scars were still there. Perhaps the memories would fade as time wore on, now that the scars were no longer there as a daily reminder. There was a small part of Thea that missed the scars. She never thought she’d ever miss them, but at some point, they had become part of her. They’d helped to carve her, quite literally, into who she was.
And maybe who she was, was someone pretty impressive after all.
Thea began to towel dry her body, getting used to the slight difference in her limbs. They didn’t feel as light anymore, as if she were carrying more weight in them. She hadn’t put on weight … it was just that ethereal strength of the fae was gone. All of her fae gifts were gone.
When Conall had taken her shopping in Inverness for a new wardrobe, she’d experimented by trying to manipulate a shop assistant and nada. Nothing. Her dastardly ability to manipulate human minds was no more.
Truthfully, Thea was glad to be rid of the gifts. They had made her feel like the bad guy, so much so that even after all she’d done for Conall and Callie, she still thought she was in hell. She hadn’t told Conall about believing the fever dreams of the transformation had been her afterlife. One, he didn’t need to know how much pain s
he’d been in; and two, he would be mad at her for thinking she deserved to end up in hell.
It was only now Thea realized how foolish that was.
Yes, she had killed people in self-defense.
She’d stolen from people.
But she’d also tried to do good where she could.
Her gifts never made her the bad guy. It was the choices she made with those gifts that determined that. Now that she was finally at peace, Thea could see she’d done her best in a terrible situation. She was learning to forgive herself for the moments she’d failed.
And if she could win the love and trust of Pack MacLennan, Thea guessed she couldn’t be all bad.
After the Challenge with Richard Canid, the pack seemed to revere her. Not only for her strength as a wolf but as the woman who made their alpha very happy. The only person she shared any awkwardness with was Grace. The older wolf had apologized profusely since Thea’s transformation and Challenge. Thea had accepted that apology. It didn’t mean she fully trusted Grace, but Callie, aware of the distance between them, was doing her best to forge a bridge there.
As for Callie MacLennan, Thea had formed an instant bond with her. She didn’t know if it resulted from the true mating—that the qualities she loved in Conall she saw in Callie too—or if the act of saving Callie’s life had created a special friendship between them.
They had different natures. Callie was loud and had no filter, whereas turning wolf hadn’t changed Thea’s personality. She was still somewhat reserved, dry-witted, and stubborn.
Moving through the bedroom she shared with Conall, Thea stood by the window as she dressed, staring out across the loch to the mountains beyond. It was a beautiful day and the clear skies had turned Loch Torridon a vibrant blue. Green from the hills danced into the water, turning it aquamarine. The placid loch wouldn’t have looked out of place in the Mediterranean.
Thea was still getting used to the many changing faces of the Highlands. Depending on the season, on the weather, Torridon could be chilly and atmospheric one day and then a peaceful paradise the next.