Adam can't put this off--not when the pack is in this much turmoil.
If he does, he's liable to have worse than a formal fight on his hands--he'll have a rebellion." See, I grew up in a werewolf pack.
I know the dangers.
Not even fear of the Marrok can completely control the nature of the pack.
That's why an Alpha will do anything in his power to hide his weakness in front of the pack.
"Henry challenged you?" Mary Jo's voice was shocked.
"The Marrok will kill him, if you don't manage it first." "Almost right," said Adam.
"Paul is actually the one who challenged me.
Climbed in the window of the bedroom about four minutes ago and challenged me in front of Ben, Alec, and Henry.
Henry having volunteered to drive Ben to pick up some clothes for Mercy because Ben's hands are still too sore for him to drive easily and suggested Alec tag along." He paused, and said heavily, "Henry is helpful like that." Mary Jo nodded.
"And Alec is known as a neutral party.
Not one of your biggest fans, but not one of the hotheads either." Adam continued in a gentler voice.
"They must have had some signal so that he and Paul appeared in my bedroom at virtually the same moment when neither Warren nor Darryl was there to interfere.
Ben and Henry witnessed the challenge.
Henry was appalled that Paul would challenge me when I was hurt." "They set you up," said Mary Jo numbly.
"They used me to set you up." "That's what I was trying to tell you," I said, then added a question casually.
"Was it just you and Henry at the bowling alley, or did Paul help, too?" She nodded, not even noticing all the assumptions I'd made because she was too distracted by the realization that things might not have been as she'd thought they were.
"Paul, Henry, and I.
Paul suggested it to me.
`Can't have a coyote second in rank in a respectable pack.' " Mary Jo looked at Adam.
"He said she wasn't good enough for you--and I agreed.
Henry was pretty reluctant.
I had to talk him into it.
He set me up, didn't he? Both of them set me up." I felt sorry for her.
But I'd felt more sorry for her before I'd found out that the wolf who'd challenged Adam was Paul.
Henry was a good fighter--I'd seen him play fight a time or two--but he wasn't a tithe on Paul.
Paul .
.
.
Normally I wouldn't worry about Paul taking Adam either, but normally Adam's feet weren't oozing goo on the carpet, and his hands weren't swollen and raw.