fear freezing it there as I forgot the most basic of my bodily needs.
Gwyar was leaning over him, snarling madly, his red hair slicked away from his forehead as he reached for his throat and, like that, my father let out a wet rasp of laughter that restarted my heart. “Step away from my father,” I ordered, pushing through the crowd of wolves, ignoring their glares and snaps as I made room for Fillian to get to my father.
“You can’t heal him,” Gwyar objected as Fillian reached out a hand, diving in front of him. “I’ve already issued the challenge for the rights to Lupine Hollow.” The words were smug as he and Shaw smirked at me with hatred in their eyes.
Nausea rolled in my stomach, but I merely shrugged a shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. The challenge isn’t going forward.” Everyone froze as Fillian clapped a hand onto my father’s, his eyes beginning to glow bronze as those gathered fought through the utter shock of my statement. Movement in the corner of my room caught my eye, and I took in the only anomaly in the sea of red-haired wolves—a portly, gray-haired male who was rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet as he chewed on his fingernails as though he was waiting to dart from the room at the slightest provocation.
The wolves from Starlight Woods all began to yell at the same time, screaming obscenities at me as Chann, Zev, and Shannon came through the door surrounding Pixie, who still held Luna in her arms. The room had gone from tight to claustrophobic at this point, with voices raised so loudly that I couldn’t believe we hadn’t drawn a crowd. Pixie carefully handed Luna over to Shannon and went to join Fillian when Shaw made a grab for her. Pixie snarled, striking out at the other female.
“You don’t touch me,” she spat.
“You can’t heal him,” Shaw insisted. “Fillian, back away. You know the laws as well as anyone. A challenged alpha is not entitled to healing. He must fight, and he must do so now, or he dies by forfeit immediately.” Pixie’s eyes glowed as bright as embers, and I knew she wanted to tear the smug smirk off the older female’s face.
“What the hell is going on here?” The roar from behind us had everyone whirling to face the doorway. I had met Alpha Due on a number of occasions, but I realized I had never seen the older male angry. Movement behind me had me shifting, and I realized that Pixie had taken advantage of the distraction, diving forward to join Fillian to press healing energy into my father. Alpha Due’s chest was heaving, his silver hair mussed as though he’d been hauled from his bed, and his eyes tracked over the scene in front of them. “Raff?” he gasped, as he took in my father lying on the bed beneath two frantic healers.
Gwyar had gone from snarling to slimy as he slid his hands wide in a congenial gesture. “Alpha Due. How nice to see you.”
“Fuck off, Gwyar,” Due snapped. “Why the hell are the hierarchies for two packs in my territory without my authorization? And why is Raff at fucking death’s door?” His eyes scanned the room again, and he hissed when they landed on the gray-haired wolf. “Syaoran, I assume this shield work is your doing.”
Well, that explained why we hadn’t drawn a crowd. The damned wolf was a shield. He would have been blocking anything that happened in this room—maybe even this floor—and been able to conceal Gwyar murdering my father and eating his heart.
“Alpha Due, my apologies,” Gwyar began again. “I was returning from the convention when a friend told me that Alpha Raff was here visiting with his own allies. When he invited me to stop for a chat, I assumed he’d gotten permission from you for my entrance, of course. I hadn’t wanted to bother you or your mate, as I had presumed you were still in Washington.” That part was said through slightly gritted teeth. “Things grew a bit heated between us, and unfortunately a challenge had to be issued.” Gwyar shrugged as though it was of no issue. “I know the timing is not ideal, but some insults just cannot stand, you see. The pups burst in here and are trying to forgo the laws of challenge by healing their alpha. While I understand their hearts are in the right place, the law is the law.”