West’s heart started a staccato rhythm ever since Dave ushered him to the front of the pack.
Two huge wolves clawed and raked at each other. West remained gagged and bound as Cam shifted. He noticed that half of the pack began murmuring to themselves. Most wanted to know what the fuck was going on.
Some cast Cam’s group dark looks, but no one stepped up to help West although clearly, he was a prisoner. No one wanted to mess with Cam, he guessed.
When Cam came at Joe and Zack, he cried out in alarm, but the sound was muffled by the gag. Joe finally saw them. By then Dave, held him in a chokehold. The bastard pressed one clawed hand against West’s racing pulse.
He saw hesitation in Joe’s eyes.
“That’s right, fucker. Daddy ain’t here to help you now.” Dave sneered.
Keep talking. Every muscle in West’s body tensed.
Joe growled in his throat, abandoning the fight altogether to pad towards their direction.
“What are you going to do, Joe?” Dave taunted.
Clearly, his captor got his rocks off tormenting Joe. Dave’s ego would end him, West thought grimly. If the asshole thought he would play the good captive, Dave had another thing coming.
Dave loosened his hold, not a lot but enough. There was a half-inch between Dave’s claw and his neck.
Dave had forgotten the fact that West could still use his legs. Taylor wanted to tie up his ankles, but they decided West needed two legs to walk.
They assumed an Omega who had no place to run, wouldn’t even think of running with so many powerful dominant wolves around.
Joe halted. Dave let out a laugh that curdled his insides. Pissed, West stomped on the big man’s shoe. Dave faltered. West didn’t waste another second.
It was time he put the self-defense lessons Ray taught him to good use. He elbowed Dave in the groin. His captor cried out, lunging for him, but West ran out of his way.
With a snarl, Joe went for Dave, bringing the werewolf to the ground.
It happened so fast.
One moment, Dave struggled and West could see Dave beginning to shift. It was no use. Joe tore out his throat.
“Get the fucking Omega,” hissed Taylor
A blond bulky werewolf stepped in front of West, surprising all of them.
Joe quickly went to his side. More younger members crowded around Joe now.
“Joe, we’re with you. This fight is a mockery of our pack ways,” said the blond guy.
Joe padded up to West. West finally worked the gag off his mouth. Oh, he had plenty of things to say to his Alpha. Not now though, West might have his pride but they were standing on dangerous ground.
“Help me out with this, won’t you?” West asked, turning to show Joe his bound hands.
He felt Joe’s canines on the rope seconds later. The bindings fell away. A shifter who possessed poor control would have hurt him, but Joe freed him without drawing blood or breaking skin.
That was the kind of man Joe was—fierce and protective of those he loved. Hell would burn if Joe ever hurt him.
Once freed, he pulled Joe into a tight hug.
“Baby, you’ve got one last thing to handle,” he told the Alpha.
Joe licked at his cheek.
“Joe, we’ll guard your Omega,” said the blond guy.
Joe considered him for a second.
West knelt and pressed his face against Joe’s fur.
“Go,” West whispered. “Show them who’s the rightful Alpha. I’ll be here when you come back.”
He watched Joe run back to the circle, apprehensive. Cam had Zack’s neck in his throat, not seeing Joe. His mate was a blur of speed.
Joe rammed into Cam like a freight truck. With a growl, Cam released Zack. The two fought each other.
West knew how hard it must be for Joe. Cam had been one of Joe’s enforcers.
The blond guy and the other wolves were talking among themselves, although West could see the werewolf kept an eye on him.
“Will he win?” asked a female werewolf.
“He has to, but it will be hard. Cam’s like a second dad to him,” said the blond wolf.
He glanced around the pack. Cam’s guys hadn’t interrupted the fight, even Taylor stood back, glaring at the younger wolves who watched him.
The younger pack members outnumbered the old, West guessed. The vets didn’t interrupt either. None of the wolves there wanted unnecessary slaughter. Maybe there was hope for them yet.
“I know he will,” West told them. “Joe will win.”
The blond finally looked at him for the first time. “So you’re the Omega Joe ran off with?”
West let out a laugh. “My name’s West and Joe didn’t run with me. He collapsed in my store, bleeding to death.”
The blond frowned. “I see. Cam’s fed us lies. That’s not a surprise.”
West had no time for this. The other wolves moved aside to give him a good view of the fight. For a second, his heart nearly gave out when Cam went for Joe’s throat again.
His Alpha danced away, feinted and closed in. Cam couldn’t avoid Joe’s attack. Joe hooked his claws into Cam’s body. Snarling, muzzle foaming, Cam bit back. Ignoring the pain, Joe sunk his canines into Cam’s throat.
The veteran wolf didn’t make it easy. Cam fought and buckled, but Joe held him in a death grip.
Eventually, Cam stopped struggling. Joe released the corpse and threw his head back. A loud and rumbling howl tore out from Joe’s throat.
Dead silence.
West wasn’t part of their pack, but he could sense the energy of the other wolves. Despite his limp, Zack reached Joe. West thought Joe had another guy to fight, but Zack merely offered his throat—a sign of submission and acceptance that Joe was the rightful Alpha.
The other wolves followed. First, the younger ones, then the vets. Even Taylor and the rest of Cam’s crew acknowledged Joe’s leadership.
They wouldn’t stop, he realized. Oh, they’ll bow and kiss Joe’s ass...for awhile anyway. That was how pack politics worked. Taylor and the others would challenge Joe for the position.
West let out a huff. It didn’t matter, because his mate would win every single time someone challenged him.
“Go to him, Omega. The Alpha’s searching for you,” the blond guy said.
West made a mental note to thank him later. Not caring everyone watched him, he sprinted to his mate. By the time he reached Joe, his Alpha tradedfur for his human skin. Joe reached for him, pulling him close for a bone-breaking hug.
The first thing his mate did was inhale his scent. West did the same. This was the spot, caged in Joe’s arms. Heaven. Joe smelled of sweat and blood, but he didn’t care.
“I knew you’d come back for me,” West whispered.
“Did you? Never doubted me for a second?” Joe teased.
West had a witty remark ready, but Joe got the better of him. Clasping the back of his neck, Joe pulled him for a staggering and earth-shattering kiss that left him speechless and gasping for air afterwards.
A grin spread across Joe’s face. “You promised to never leave me.”
“I did?”
“Yeah. I get you’re mad, but you can’t go back on your promise.” The Alpha reminded him.
West returned his smile. “Baby, all my life I’ve been searching for answers. I never felt like I belonged with my old pack. Now I know.”
“What do you know?”
“That my place is with you.”