CHAPTER SIX
Drakon, lead enforcer for the Rose Coven and Gabriel's commander, arrived at their hotel room just after six.
Gabriel had a day of splendor with his new beloved, learning about his likes and dislikes and getting an idea of his life in the pack, which was horrific and which Gabriel intended to rectify as soon as his sweet omega was safe and settled at the Coven.
They were just lowlife animals over at the Garmr Pack, treating their members like chattel, and had stood by while his beloved was mentally and emotionally brutalized. James was his first target, but the rest of the leadership was on his list as well.
He invited Drakon inside and offered him a drink, which he accepted.
He was there to deliver a message. He explained the contact between Alpha Garmr and Master Rose.
"His Beta, James Fowl, has made a formal request for a challenge regarding the mating that took place between you and Ben.
" Ben took a sharp intake of breath and gripped Gabriel's hand a little tighter.
"He has no right, there are no laws governing challenges between shifters and vampires. You don't have to accept." Ben turned and looked up at Gabriel.
"Oh, I accept," Gabriel stated with clarity and force. "Any time, any place.” His eyes burned with the anger he’d felt all day after hearing of the abuse his beloved had suffered.
“That’s what we figured.” Drakon gave a small grin. “The Master accepted on your behalf, and he will be accompanying you to the Pack Lands.” Drakon laughed. “He wouldn’t miss this.” Gabriel nodded.
"I'm glad he'll be there. I'll handle James, but who knows what the others might have planned." Gabriel was not a trusting man.
“Since James was the party to make the call, it will follow the protocol of the shifter challenge. Alpha Garmr insists it is all formal. I sent the particulars to your phone. It’s all straightforward hand-to-hand to the death."
Gabriel opened his phone and ran through the information. “What time?”
“The Master will collect you at eleven. The challenge begins at midnight.”
“I don’t want Ben there.” He stated when he noticed his presence was stated in the information Drakon had sent.
"He must be there; it's part of the protocol. I know you're worried about him, but the Master is with you, and he will not let anything happen to Ben." He didn't like it, but there was not much he could do, and Ben was giving him the stink eye for even suggesting he stay away.
After Drakon left, Ben had a lot to say. "Why do you have to do this?" He said, and Gabriel pulled him into his arms and held him tight against his body, letting him soak in Gabriel's peace and calm.
“You know why.”
"What if you get hurt?" That was touching, and Gabriel lifted his face up with a finger beneath his chin and gave him a soft kiss.
"I can handle myself, don't worry."
"I know it has to be done, but I don't have to like it."
"I can accept that and know that there is nothing I wouldn't do for you. I love you more than my life, and honestly, I am going to take great pleasure in this particular confrontation." Gabriel looked at this challenge as a gift because now he didn't have to hunt the man down and kill him.
***
They pulled up at the Pack House just before midnight. They were led to the prepared field where the challenge would be held. Ben felt nothing for this land and this pack. After bonding with his vampire mate, his loyalty, love, and commitment all belonged to Gabriel Jordan and the Rose Coven.
James was an idiot trying to save face or pretend superiority, but he was in for a harsh lesson.
Ben had been around both men, and Gabriel far exceeded James in every way that matters.
He watched Gabriel remove his coat and his shirt, leaving on only his dark jeans.
He was a handsome man, and as Ben looked around the people gathered there to watch, he felt his anger rising at the stares his mate was getting.
He wanted to make Gabriel put his coat back on, but that was being stupid.
He stopped looking around and kept his eyes on his mate.
The Master stood at the edge of the circle within which James and Gabriel would have to remain throughout the challenge.
Everyone thought that Alpha Leif would stand with James, but he did not.
James had Roland, one of the enforcers, stand with him.
Ben wasn't aware that James even knew Roland.
Gabriel walked over and pulled Ben close and kissed him hard for all to see, and then, without a word, turned and entered the circle.
He stood straight and tall as James, who was also wearing simply a pair of jeans, stepped into the circle.
He was haughty and proud, puffing out his chest and gazing at Gabriel as if he could intimidate a vampire guard. The man was delusional.
There was no shifting, no vampire surges, no weapons, and no magic allowed within the circle.
They were going to battle it out hand to hand using strength, speed, and skill.
Ben had observed James beating his subordinates, and he looked tough, but those men were not allowed to fight back in earnest. James was showy, but his actual substance was not clear.
Gabriel was something else he was not showy nor boastful, and Ben could see the smooth calculations and the subtle gameplay as his dark eyes observed and assessed his opponent. James was finally going to face a worthy opponent and not just a target.
Surprisingly, Anthony walked up to stand near Ben, and he no longer held that air of superiority; there was no sign of his usual arrogance. He moved slowly, and his face showed discomfort, physical discomfort.
“Are you alright?” Ben couldn’t help but ask since he looked so pained.
"I will be as soon as I watch your mate wipe the ground with that monster." He never looked at Ben he kept his gaze trained on the two men standing inside the circle.
"He wanted something from Graves the gamma," Anthony spoke, but it seemed like he was talking to himself. "James made a deal with him. He gave me to Graves and told him he could do anything he wanted with me. Graves is depraved; being with him made sex with James seem like light duty. I was locked in the basement with him for three hours.” Ben didn’t know what to say.
"Do you need a doctor?" He asked, and Anthony shook his head.
“All I need is to see that bastard die.” Anthony never took his eyes off of James.
Everyone backed up except for Master Rose and Roland, who remained at the edge of the circle on opposite sides.
Master Rose was a powerful leader, and his presence was felt, but he did not attempt to push his influence or interfere.
Ben wanted to get it over with, but he also didn't want it to start.
His nerves were ratcheting up as the minutes ticked by, and Alpha Leif stood at the north end of the circle.
He stood still and silent for just a beat, and then he slammed the end of his staff to the ground, signaling the beginning.
The battle would not end until one of them lay dead.
It started slowly, both men weighing and measuring, and then James struck out at Gabriel, attempting to catch him unexpectedly, but that wasn't the case.
Gabriel blocked the strike and followed with a firm and solid punch to James' midsection. It knocked him back a step. It took several tentative strikes before the battle truly engaged. It was violent and bloody, with bodies twisting and fists flying.
James was looking tired his breathing was labored, and his eyes were shifting between man and wolf. Would he be stupid enough to run afoul of the challenge and shift? Could Gabriel defeat a wolf the size of James? Ben shook his head and forced the unhelpful thoughts out of his head.
James had tried to catch Ben's gaze several times upon entering the circle, but Ben turned away, not wanting to ever look at that man again. He made his life in the pack a nightmare, and then just when Ben thought he was free, he inserted himself again, demanding a challenge for the claim.
James didn't want him, so why would he refuse to let go? Why did he have to make a spectacle? He hated that man more than he could begin to describe. He wanted him out of his life forever.
The battle continued, going slowly as James dodged and ran more than he fought. Gabriel stood still and waited. At the thirty-minute mark, a short spear was tossed to each man. This was probably what James was waiting for. He was better with weapons than with his hands.
***
Gabriel followed James with his eyes as the man moved side to side and circled the area, not making another strike after failing to land a punch squarely or attack successfully.
He was unbalanced and poorly trained. He had met other pack Betas, and they were formidable.
It was a position that demanded strength, command, and competence, and James Fowl had none of those things.
He was oafish in his moves, confused in his delivery, and overall chaotic.
He was not a sharply trained warrior as every Beta wolf must be.
He was a manic, angry, evil miscreant. James took his spear and came at Gabriel, thrusting it and catching Gabriel on the outer arm.
It was a scratch, but the man took great pleasure in the blood.
He rushed Gabriel, who was tired of dancing with this man, and as he came closer, Gabriel ducked his thrust and buried his own spear to the hilt in the center of James' chest.
The look on his face was shock, and then adrenaline had him wildly striking at Gabriel, but all attempts failed as Gabriel withdrew his spear sharply and thrust it into James' heart.
He left it there, holding the shaft and driving the spearhead through him completely.
James' eyes stared at Gabriel as they clouded over, and he fell to his knees and then dropped to his side on the ground.
Everyone remained silent, and Gabriel stepped back from the body.
Roland entered the circle, approached the body, and proclaimed him dead.
Shifters were tough and hard to kill, but a spear through the heart was a kill shot.
He could survive bullets, but ceremonial spears are made of iron, and they kill if they pierce the heart or the brain.
Alpha Garmr declared Gabriel the champion and pronounced the challenge complete.
Alpha Garmr stepped over to stand beside Master Rose, and they watched Ben run to Gabriel and embrace him with a mixture of panic and love.
Gabriel held him and carried him away from the circle and away from the carnage.
"You have a lot of problems in your pack, Alpha Garmr." Master Rose commented, and the Alpha nodded, not taking offense.
“Your man there just took care of one of our biggest problems."
Master Rose lifted one corner of his mouth and glanced over at the Alpha.
“Glad to have been of service.”
“We have a long way to go, but things will get better, life will get better.”
“Good luck.”
Gabriel carried his beloved back to the car, not wanting to wait for whatever proclamations were to be made or written. He claimed his omega and destroyed the man who dared to threaten him. He had no more time for pack wolves or their business.
Ben held him with desperation, his face buried in Gabriel's neck.
His breath was coming out in rapid pants, and his eyes were tightly closed.
"I was so scared you would get hurt. I knew you wouldn't, but I feared you might.
I thought it would be my fault for not dealing with James not getting away from him and bringing all that drama to you, my mate. "
"You didn't do anything wrong, baby. This is just life; things happen, and we deal with them.
James wouldn't have let you go, and you know that, so his end was inevitable it had nothing to do with you and everything to do with him.
" Gabriel assured, and he felt his beloved begin to relax as he channeled peace and calm.
They returned to the Coven, and Gabriel gave Ben a quick tour before introducing him to his quarters, which would be Ben's new home. He wasted no time getting Ben relaxed and naked and lying in his bed. Gabriel quickly stripped down and joined him.
Ben looked up at him as he lay there in Gabriel's arms and made a confession.
"I have to tell you something." He began, and Gabriel gave him his complete attention.
"I've never been able to do a complete shift. I can do a half shift, which is kind of freaky, to be honest, but only when I'm terrified. I don’t want you to think I’m defective or anything, but it is a common problem with omega wolves.
I feel my wolf, and it talks to me sometimes.
It really likes you, but it has never presented itself beyond claws and facial features. "
Gabriel smiled and kissed him softly. "I love your wolf.
I have seen him in your eyes and in your face when you come.
I've met him; he's magnificent, and you are in no way defective.
Nature treats us all differently, and she has her reasons.
You're a smart man, a beautiful man, with sharp instincts and a loving heart.
You're all that I want." He kissed him again. "I love you, Ben."
“I love you, Gabriel, and thank you for saving me," Ben said before smiling at Gabriel. "There is one thing an Omega Wolf can do that may be of interest to you."
Gabriel looked at his beloved questioningly as Ben placed a hand reverently over his own stomach. "I can give you a child."
Gabriel felt his mouth go dry, and his heart started to hammer. Ben can give him a family. A lineage.
Gabriel swept a laughing Ben into his arms.
"Then let's make some babies.”