Wyatt shifted, and a large black wolf stood in the aisle. Everyone else rushed to the sides of the room, dragging their chairs out of the way, leaving it cleared.
Scott pushed Ted behind him. “Take him, Bobby. Keep him safe.”
Large, strong hands grabbed Ted by his arms and pulled him back to a safe distance. “No, wait! This can’t be happening. The vote was good.” Ted didn’t understand. They’d won.
What the hell was Wyatt doing?
“He’s challenged Scott, Ted.” Bobby’s whiskey voice sounded in Ted’s ear. “This is for pack leader, not for you. This one is all about Scott.”
Ted tried to break free again, but Bobby’s hold tightened like a vise on his arm. “Leave him be. If you get in there, you’ll distract him. Wyatt will use you to get to Scott.”
“He’ll be killed.” Ted wanted to close his eyes and wish this all away.
“Maybe.” Bobby nodded. “Maybe not. But Wyatt’s had this brewing for some time. It just broke tonight.”
Ted couldn’t believe it. He was going to have to watch the man he loved fight to the death for leadership of his pack.
Scott gave Ted a final look and a nod, then shifted.
The wolf standing in front of Ted was the same one that had come to his rescue the other night. Large, gray, and magnificent.
Wyatt’s wolf was big, but there was something about Scott that screamed alpha. Attitude and skills, right.
From what he could see in Scott’s wolf’s body, he had more than enough attitude. But did he have mad wolf skills?
The wolves circled each other, growling, thick fur standing on end.
The black wolf snarled, crouched, then lunged at Scott. Scott jumped aside, snapping at the black as he went by. Blood splattered on the linoleum floor from the wound he gave Wyatt’s side.
Wyatt spun around and attacked again, all bared teeth. Ted’s belly tightened at the sight of his massive incisors and what they might do to Scott. The sounds of the animals snarling and snapping blocked out all other sounds, except the pounding of his heart.
Scott circled, growling, low to the ground, his tail steady and down, never once looking at Ted, stalking his prey.
Ted understood the danger. He was a distraction. He stepped back. “Let me get behind you,” he whispered to Bobby.
“He can stand with me,” Mike said. He reached out and pulled Ted to his side.
Bobby grunted and stepped in to block Ted from Scott’s view. Ted could still peer between the two men and watch. Not that he wanted to watch his lover be torn to shreds, but he was unable to look away.
There was nothing he wanted more than to pull his gun and end this, but he didn’t have it with him. And something inside him told him that Wyatt’s death wouldn’t end this at all.
He glanced at Wyatt’s wife across the room. He felt so sorry for her, as she clasped hands with another of the women, her eyes red with tears, her mouth turned down. Grieving already.
Did she know Wyatt wouldn’t survive this?
Ted felt a flare of hope in her distress, and it was awful, but it was what it was. His wolf was out there fighting, and there could only be one winner.
“Come on, Scott,” he whispered. A small arm circled his waist, and he looked down at Scott’s mother.
“Maman,” he said. “I’m so sorry for—”
“Hush. This has been building for years. Wyatt always was jealous of Scott.” She patted him on the back. “It’ll be all right, you’ll see.”
Ted could only nod, as Scott crouched, growling, and leaped toward Wyatt.
Everything became a whirling blur of gray and black as the two wolves fought. Standing up on hind legs, clawing with their forearms and paws, biting with their razor-sharp teeth, they looked for a weakness in the other’s defenses.
Blood spotted the floor. More of it. He didn’t know if it was Wyatt or Scott. Both animals had blood-matted coats. Ted stared at the blood and saw the pool of blood Douglas had emptied onto the floor.
“Oh God,” Ted murmured. This couldn’t be happening again. He wanted to run, leave this place, let them fight without him to watch. He glanced to the side. If he moved quietly, he could fit between the wall and the crowd and sneak out.
He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave Scott. He had to be there, to hold him, to let him know someone loved him. Just in case.
Ted stood his ground. He’d watch as Scott fought for the right to lead this pack of men and women. And him. Ted was a part of the pack now.
If Scott died, what would that make him?
Alone.
∙•∙
Scott hadn’t seen his mate or heard him since the fight began. Had he left? The thought of being abandoned made him stagger.
Wyatt lunged and bit Scott’s leg, tearing a deep gash. He pulled free, but it bled, and he cried from the pain.
“Get him, Scott!” Ted yelled. “Take him down!”
That voice rose above the others and gave Scott hope that what he was doing was right. His mate stood for him in this contest for control of the pack.
Scott flew across the narrow space and hit Wyatt so hard the other wolf fell on his side. Scott went for Wyatt’s throat and locked down on it.
Wyatt, trapped under Scott, whimpered as Scott stood over him, sharp black claws poised over his belly, ready to rip it open and disembowel him.
Scott waited.
Bobby said, “That’s enough, son.”
Ted pushed his way through the men. “Scott, let him go.”
Wyatt shifted back to a man, with Scott’s wolf’s jaws still on his neck. “I submit, I submit,” he cried.
“Don’t kill him, Sheriff. I know he’s been an asshole, but we’ve got kids.” Wyatt’s wife stepped forward to speak for him. “Please.”
Scott shifted back and stood over Wyatt.
“The pack says you live.” Scott moved away. “So you live, but the decision is up to me if you stay in the pack.”
Wyatt’s wife went to her husband, to help him up and tend his wounds. Ted watched as the bleeding stopped on Wyatt’s punctures, and they began to heal.
He turned to Scott. He’d been bitten and scratched also. But there were no signs of the wounds.
“Scott!” Ted pushed past Bobby.
Scott met him halfway, and they wrapped their arms around each other and held on.
“Oh God, please tell me it’s over,” Ted asked.
Scott patted him on the back. “It’s over, babe.”
A few men helped Wyatt to his feet to face Scott.
Scott moved to the podium. “Wyatt, they say the punishment for a failed attempt is worse than death. Exile is a hard thing for a wolf. To lose your pack, your extended family.” Scott shook his head.
“I’ll leave.” Wyatt rubbed his chest. “But I’d like my wife and kids to stay. No reason they should leave. My boys will need the pack when they get of age.”
Wyatt’s wife cried, burying her hands in her face.
“Wyatt, you’re staying. You’re on probation.”
“Probation?” Wyatt stared at Scott. “What’s that mean?”
“It means if you step out of line, I’ll sentence you to the exile you earned today.”
Wyatt’s wife looked up. “We’ll take it,” she said. “I’ll vouch for him, Sheriff Dupree. He’ll stay out of trouble with the pack. He’ll never challenge you again. I swear.”
Her husband stared at her, mouth open. When she stared at him, one eyebrow raised, he closed his mouth and nodded. “Thank you, Scott.”
Scott nodded. “Show’s over. Move along. Go on, everyone, go home.” He waved his hands, and the other deputies joined him in clearing the room.
Just before Billy Trosclair left, Scott went over to him. “Thanks for your support, Billy. You didn’t have to out yourself. Not for me.”
“I did it for me and maybe some of the others too afraid to come out of the closet. I hope it doesn’t change how you feel about me as an officer.” Billy held out his hand.
Scott shook it. “Don’t sweat it. You’re one of my best men, gay or not.”
“Thanks, Sheriff.” Billy saluted and left.
Ted, Scott, his mother, Mike and Sharie, and Bobby were left in the room.
“Guess we’d better get the mops and clean that up,” Scott’s mom said.
Sharie nodded, and together they went to the back.
“That was a good move, son.” Bobby slapped Scott on the back.
“I’d a killed him.” Mike snorted.
“I’m just glad this is over.” Ted exhaled. “I’m not sure I can survive all the drama here. And I thought it was bad in the Quarter.” He wrapped an arm around Scott, and Scott held Ted around the waist.
“What now?” Bobby asked.
“Home.” Scott gave him a nod and pulled Ted along with him. “Here, Mike.” He tossed Mike the keys to the place. “After the ladies finish, lock up and set the alarm, will you?”
“Sure, boss.” Mike winked. “Gonna go claim you some mate?”
Scott and Ted turned around. Before Scott could say anything, Ted said, “Gonna go claim me some wolf.” He winked back, and everyone laughed.
Scott blushed. “Ho-ly shit, babe. Did you have to say that?” He dragged Ted away before the man said anything else.
Ted swatted him on the ass. “Fine as you are? They knew I was thinking about it.”
“I think that boner in your pants gave it away.” Scott pointed to Ted’s crotch. They got into the truck and shut the doors.
“You mean the one that matches yours?” Ted snorted. “Wolf, you got a hard-on for your mate?”
Scott growled. “Just wait until I get you home.”
“Home. I like the way that sounds.” Ted sighed. “You scared the shit out of me tonight.”
“Sorry.”
“The blood on the linoleum. Took me right back to that night with Douglas.” He shivered.
Scott pulled Ted to his side. “No more, babe. I’m fine. I’m alive.”
Ted nuzzled his lover, inhaling his scent. He licked a line up Scott’s throat, making his lover purr, if wolves can purr.
“Alive and horny.” Scott shifted in his seat, letting Ted get a glimpse of the outline of his cock.
“Well, shut up and drive, and I’ll see what I can do about this.” Ted popped the button on Scott’s jeans and undid his zipper.
Scott moaned and had to force himself to pay attention to the road and not the world-class handjob he received from his mate.