Chapter 24
Nyah
My mind should be on the fact that daddy didn’t tear into Braxton and I for bonding before the official ceremony, but instead I focused on Corey’s betrayal and bullshit attempt to try and take over our Pack. Let’s be honest, if it weren’t for the Pack laws daddy would have let me strange the life out of him. The fact that he admitted to setting the fire and injuring Crown was enough for me to continue what I started, but once again Corey blocked us with another Pack law that prevented it.
If Corey didn’t prove he was a coward or asshole before, having Joaquin fight his battle is a new low for him. I wonder what empty promises he told Joaquin to even get him to agree to this. We’ve never had any issues with his Pack. His daddy and mine have respect for each other.
“So, what’s it going to be, Corey?” daddy asks with a smirk. “Do you accept Braxton as my proxy?”
“Accept it, Corey,” Joaquin tells him. He then points at Braxton. “If this is who the Alpha wants in his place, I have no problem with it. Whether it be the Alpha or this pup, I can defeat either one.”
“I guess that settles it then,” Corey says. “I accept your proxy.”
Curious, I ask Joaquin, “What did he offer you? You are an Alpha. How is it that you are siding with this Beta? Does your daddy know what you are doing?”
“Don’t you worry about that,” he answers. “Just know Corey and I have come to a mutual agreement that will benefit the both of us and our Packs. I’m not worried about my father since I will soon be the next Alpha.”
Laughing, I respond, “Well I know it can’t deal with anything monetary wise because Corey doesn’t have shit. If I were you, I’d rethink making an alliance with him. Not only will you never see any financial gain that he’s sworn to you, and it’s more than likely my mate won’t let you leave here in one piece. Your body parts will be sent back to your daddy in a wooden box.”
“I highly doubt that,” Joaquin boasts. “Your mate is no match for me.”
“Then, let’s see if you’re right about that,” Braxton says as he starts to remove his shirt.
A wild growl that I have never experienced before vibrates from me when Braxton bares his muscular chest. Daddy has to shake me a bit to remind me I’m still locked in his embrace.
“Contain yourself, Nyah. Braxton doesn’t need any distractions,” daddy states. “He’s going to need all of his attention on defeating Joaquin.”
“Yes, sir,” I barely whisper.
Damn this new mating bond. My wolf and I want to aid Braxton in taking Joaquin down with the quickness, so we can do naughty things to his wolf and him but being the one to control the both of us, I rein in those impulsions.
Joaquin has removed his shirt as well, showing off his detailed physique. Not going to lie, the bear shifter has at least one-hundred more pounds to Braxton’s. I can only hope Braxton uses the agility of our wolf to best this behemoth.
As our Pack along with Bryant’s men, and the four men who came with Joaquin form a circle around them, Kenia comes out of the barn.
“What the Hell is this?” she demands, making her way through the crowd, then stops when she sees Joaquin. “What are you doing here?”
He fans his arms out. “Isn’t it obvious? Corey has challenged your father to be the new Alpha of your Pack. I’m his proxy. I knew you had a thing for me, and even after Corey told me he was your destined mate and you turned him down, we thought it would be to our advantage if you and I mated...,” He shrugs his shoulders. “You know, for Pack appearances.”
If daggers could shoot from my sister’s eyes, Joaquin would have dropped dead where he stood. Kenia being more level headed than me, responds, “I did have a crush on you years ago, but over time it faded. Especially after I found out your little secret. So, you will never use me as your beard ,” she makes quotation marks with her fingers, “for Pack appearances. Plus, I know my mate is boiling over with the bullshit you just said.”
Joaquin looked pissed. I’m sure everyone has figured out what Kenia is alluding to about his little secret.
Corey, as if what Kenia said about Joaquin went over his head, dumbfoundedly says, “I’m not mad about what he said. I don’t want you and you don’t want me. So, Joaquin can have you.”
Kenia moves her head to the side, laughing. “I wasn’t talking about your trifling ass. I might have turned your sorry ass down, but that didn’t mean the Gods didn’t have another to treat me with respect and shower me with the love that I deserve. Not only that, but they also sent me someone who would never move onto my baby sister.” Corey looks rattled as Kenia requests, “Mate of mine, make your presence known.”
Throughout the circle are whispers and claps of approval.
Levi secures Kenia’s hand in his as they stood as a unit of solidarity.
I can see Corey’s whole display of superiority unravel around him. Not only did he have his destined mate, who denied him, she also has a new mate to replace him.
Not wanting the small number of members who are on his side to turn their backs on him, Corey declares, “That still doesn’t stop what has been started. When Joaquin sends this mutt back to the Gods, I will show favor to you and Nyah by making the two of you one of my concubines. Any children we bare will not be amongst my higher hierarchy. They will be servants to me and the mate I chose.”
Within a blink of an eye, Levi has tackled Corey to the ground like an NFL linebacker. They exchange blows. Beta against Beta. In the midst of their scuffle, Braxton attacks Joaquin after he lands a cheap shot to the back of Levi’s head.
The bear shifter is caught off guard as Braxton bombards him with jabs to his torso like Mike Tyson in his prime. Corey’s small following and Joaquin’s men attempt to step in but are thwarted when Braxton’s men and Bryant’s pull their guns.
“These will be a fair fight,” Bryant announces. “If any one of you tries to intervene, you will be shot. And by shot, I mean with deadly force. The choice is yours.”
One of Joaquin’s men, thinking Bryant is bluffing, charges forward only to receive a gunshot to his temple.
After watching the man’s body fall to the ground, Bryant addresses the others again, “Who’s next to find out? The way I’m feeling right now, I should give the order for them to kill you all.”
It’s amazing to see how men will cower and beg for their lives when put in this type of position. A minute ago, they had their chests stuck out, ready to show their loyalty. Now, they’re groveling idiots.
“Bitches,” I think to myself, putting my attention to where it needed to be...Braxton.
By this time, they were equally getting the best of each other, but one thing Joaquin didn’t anticipate is Braxton’s agility. He might have Braxton by the weight and muscle, but they are no match to Braxton’s speed and stamina. Braxton lands an uppercut to Joaquin’s chin, then follows with an elbow for extra measure. Joaquin stumbles back, shaking his head. Braxton sprints towards him and Joaquin catches him in a bear hug. Joaquin gives a bloody grin as he squeezes Braxton’s midsection like the jaws of life. Braxton yells in agony.
To hear my mate roar out in pain has me wanting to fight to get out of daddy’s clutches and help him, but I have to remember what Daddy told me earlier. It doesn’t stop me from being heated on the inside.
Braxton lets out a deep howl as he semi shifts, then slaps his palms flat against Joaquin’s ears hard enough to throw off his equilibrium. Joaquin immediately releases Braxton, cupping the sides of his head.
With Joaquin momentarily phased, Braxton fully shifts into his wolf. He swipes Joaquin’s chest, leaving deep gashes. As Joaquin falls to his knees, Braxton leaps over him and starts to attack his legs. This is a tactic wolves use to take down larger prey. If you can’t use your legs, you’re pretty much left defenseless.
Joaquin yells out in pain while shifting into his bear. With his bear’s strength, he kicks Braxton off of him. Braxton recovers, baring his teeth.
That’s right baby, stand your ground...
Joaquin lets out a mighty roar, showing every sharp tooth in his mouth.
The bear continues to roar as it stands on its legs. Blood covers his fur from Braxton’s claw marks. Braxton howls, taking off to him. The beasts lock up, biting and clawing at each other.
My hope of Braxton being the victor almost diminishes when Joaquin viciously latches onto Braxton’s shoulder and wildly shakes his head. The assault is enough for Braxton to lose his grip, leaving Joaquin to sling him to the side.
I fear the worst as Joaquin prematurely bellows victoriously to the onlookers before starting to circle around Braxton like a vulture. Braxton doesn’t lay still when Joaquin slaps him with his paw.
It takes every fiber in my bones to try to not disrespect my daddy and claw up his arms to get to my mate.
Showing encouragement, I yell, “Get up, Braxton! Get up!” My heart sinks when he doesn’t respond. I know he’s still alive by the way his chest rapidly rises and falls.
The bear whips his head in my direction, leaving his back turned towards my fallen mate. Joaquin huffs, then glances back at Braxton before looking back to me. He snaps his jaws to taunt me, but he really should have kept his attention on Braxton.
As Joaquin in his bear form puts on a show, he doesn’t see Braxton’s wolf rising behind him. My mate did an awesome job playing possum, settling my nerves that he wasn’t out of the game just yet. When Joaquin almost comes face to face with Braxton, Braxton leaps onto his back. Braxton bites down on the side of his neck while using his front legs and claws to shred into Joaquin’s sides. His hind legs dig into the bear skin.
The victorious bellows of Joaquin had been replaced with shrieks of suffering. Too bad a bear shifter can’t reach behind him like he could in human form.
Joaquin’s fight starts to ebb, but Braxton never lets up. With Braxton still attached and continuing to slice into him like Swiss cheese, Joaquin collapses into the fetal position.
Braxton’s wolf gives another strike before releasing Joaquin. As his wolf backs away, Braxton starts to shift. Once in his human form, Braxton chuckles, letting me know he wasn’t going down any time soon. Joaquin shifts back, in all of his natural glory, laying on his side with numerous wounds.
“Is that all you got?” Braxton taunts. “I bet you never thought a wolf shifter like me could stand against your bear.” Braxton walks over to Joaquin. “I’ll let you in on my family’s secret; of course, it’s nothing like yours, Mister on The Down Low. My family, the Hillard’s have a long lineage that goes back to the first ever known wolf shifter. “
Joaquin tries to speak, but Braxton cuts him off. “I don’t want to hear the bullshit you’re about to spew. You went with the enemy without doing your research. Since you didn’t, I’ll give you the summary...I’m Nyah’s mate...destined mate.”
Braxton fists Joaquin’s hair. He drags him into the circle the members formed. Joaquin tries to undo Braxton’s fingers with no avail.
Braxton drops Joaquin in the middle of the circle. If I had any sympathy, I would have felt bad for the state he’s in, but I don’t. Joaquin chose his side and whatever happens to him, is because of his decisions.
He makes a notion to Levi. He wraps his arm around Cory’s neck, only allowing him to jerk Corey’s head back. Corey fights into the air, begging to his daddy. “Help me, daddy. This isn’t a fair fight!”
Daddy glances at Horace, waiting to hear his response.
With eyes on him, knowing if he responded the wrong way, it would be a certain death or at the least banishment for him, Horace tells Corey, “Son, I don’t know what you were trying to accomplish by doing this, but it has been shown that you are not the one to be the next Alpha of the Midnight Pack. You need to learn when there is no fight left.”