Chapter 94
Jason nodded, keeping Phoebe close and marshalling his control.
Luke nodded, “You are on speaker, Prince Nolan. Go ahead.”
“Alpha
Jason?”
“Your highness,” Jason answered.
“Elder Ansel?”
“I’m here,” the Elder answered alerting them they were in fact on a conference call. “Alpha Jason, greetings.”
“Elder Ansel,” Jason frowned wondering what game the prince was playing. It certainly wasn’t his usual style.
“Good, then we are all here,” Prince Nolan sighed. “I am…issuing an official challenge to Alpha Jason for the right to lead Blue Moon.”
“What?” Jason repeated. “Your Highness I don’t think you know what you are doing and I can assure you it is not going to end well for you.”
“I assure you…I know exactly what I was doing,” Nolan replied.
“Do you accept this challenge, Alpha Jason?” Ansel asked. “You may accept or forfeit your position.”
Jason growled. His mind raced, trying to reason why Nolan would make such a challenge. The second prince had always seemed a reasonable wolf, not prone to the drama of his siblings. He also seemed well aware of his own strength. There wasn’t any way he actually thought he stood a chance in this fight, not in a fair duel.
“Alpha Jason, your answer?”
“Prince Nolan, you understand this will be a duel between the two of us. You will fight with your own strength, no proxies.” “…I understand and I would have it no other way.”
“Alpha Jason?” Ansel prompted again.
“I accept.”
“Very well,” Ansel sighed, “as this is a duel among alphas an arena on neutral ground shall be arranged. You both have a week to prepare yourselves. An elder shall be sent to you in three days so that you are aware of the rules.”
“Fine,” Alpha Jason agreed, “Prince Nolan, you best make your peace with the Goddess before we meet.” “As should you.”
“I’m sorry it came to this,” Ansel said before disconnecting.
Luke picked up the receiver and set it back on the cradle, massaging his temple. This was certainly not a turn of events he could have predicted.
“Sooo,” Ben hesitated, “that just happened. What’s the plan?”
Jason breathed in slowly shoving away his doubts. His questions would solve nothing when there were things to do and tasks they needed to accomplish.
“I want you to increase patrols and surveillance. Recall non-essential pack members to seek shelter in designated safe houses.”
“Right,” Luke nodded before he and Ben departed.
For years they had developed emergency plans in case the pack was attacked. Never in a million years did they imagine ever enacting them but now was definitely the time. They had allowed the pack to continue as is despite the threat because they didn’t want to raise alarm but now it was time for all to prepare to protect their Luna.
“Jason, why is this happening?” Phoebe shivered. “Is it because I’m a silver wolf? It is, isn’t it? Am I not even allowed to be happy?”
“Phoebe, shh-shh,” Jason gathered her into his arms and quickly settled on the couch to hold and sooth her. “Shh, shh-shh, angel.”
She shivered in his arms. The feeling through the bond was one of devastation and fear. Her unknown destiny was crushing her under its weight.
“Let me tell you something, angel. You deserve all the happiness life can give you,” Jason intoned. “And I’m going to make sure you have every moment you are entitled to.”
“But if it weren’t for me..”
“If it weren’t for you I’d never known happiness or the joy of being complete, of being a father. You brought all of this to me. And to my pack.”
“But…I’ve put them all in danger.”
“No. You haven’t. Do you know how many of them have found their fated mate because of you? Noah, Shannon, Cam, your friends Bridget and Dash. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Have you forgotten Will and Lily?”
Jason stroked her cheeks wiping away tears.
“That’s what you do. You bring wolves together. And anyone who can’t see that is a fool. I won’t allow anyone to disrupt your mission or our family. I will keep you safe.”
“But this duel…”
“I don’t know what Nolan is thinking. He knows he can’t win,” Jason shook his head. “Not in a fair duel.”
“I don’t understand,” Phoebe shook her head, snuggling into his chest.
“I’m stronger than him, a lot stronger. I promise you, he can’t win this fight.”
“Really?”
“I already stipulated no proxies, which means he has to fight on his own. The ledges will ensure a fair duel, probably line the arena with silver so we can’t receive help from outside. We will monitor security to ensure no one can interfere. I promise you, there is no scenario in which I don’t win.”
Phoebe huddled against him slowly calming under his caresses and surrounded by his scent. Jason sighed. He wasn’t sure what the royal family was thinking, picking a fight they had no chance at winning. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on -.-___-.-. Visit -.-___-.- to read the complete s for free. Regardless of how they felt about silver wolves they had to know they were heading down the path of destruction by challenging him and his pack. At the very least, he thought Prince Nolan was smarter than that.
“Jason?” Phoebe asked, sensing his wandering thoughts.
“I just wish I knew what the prince was thinking. He knows he can’t win. I always thought he was smarter than his brother. This challenge isn’t like him.”
“It isn’t?”
“No. Nolan has always been straightforward. He doesn’t like playing games. That’s usually his brother’s purview. This challenge stinks of Achan.”
In fact, the more he thought about it the more it felt like the first prince had taken control of the chessboard. Right now he was arranging his pieces and preparing his attack.
“Achan likes games but he also hates direct confrontation. He prefers to stab you in the back and he hates getting his hands dirty,” Jason explained. “He probably put Nolan up to this somehow, maybe forcing his hand.”
Phoebe frowned. She didn’t know much about the royal family and what she did know left much to be desired.
“This could also be a distraction,” Jason said, “a smoke screen to keep us busy while he does something else.” “What else could he do?” Phoebe asked.
Jason growled holding her tight as the rumors swirling around the first prince ran through his mind. It was well-known no one survived a night with him and the condition of the remains of those same unfortunates was a thing of nightmares. Just imaging Phoebe’s body so mangled that it was unrecognizable cause his aura to spike. He would not allow such a depraved soul anywhere near her.
“Jason?” Phoebe stroked his cheek hoping to calm his wave of possessiveness swirling around them. She knew it was from fear of losing her but she hated to see him in such a worked up state. “Jason?”
“Sorry angel,” Jason sighed, trying to marshal his control. He hugged her close and breathed in her scent to chase away the phantom images in his mind.
Phoebe leaned against him, stroking his cheek with her fingers.
“Promise me, you won’t take any chances and you won’t go anywhere alone,” Jason said.
“I promise.”
“Good. I don’t know what the royal family is planning but I will protect you.”
“I know you will.”