Amira winked at Lovel then glanced back at Morlie.“What’s the plan for today?”
Morlie met their gaze and declared, “I’m going to fight, Minsi.”
Forty minutes later, Morlie stepped into the center of the clearing of the Pack meeting ground.
A few people had followed Morlie and her small band as they spotted them moving with haste through town, more curious about what they were up to.
Her friends took their positions on the front bench before her.They were there for support, but Morlie had asked them not to get involved.Rudie and Amira had quickly agreed, but Lovel had promised that if things went wrong, she’d step in before she allowed Minsi to take lethal actions.Because as Lovel put it, ‘The Alpha won’t have my ass because I let you die.’
However, Morlie had to believe that it would not come to that.That neither she nor Minsi would die today.
Morlie rotated her shoulders back as she saw Reika and Conan enter.
Reika was the only other person Morlie had asked Rudie to radio.
Chanin’s mother and father climbed the bleachers to the center of the top row where Rieka stood, arms folded and her back against the half wall.She offered a sharp gaze and a subtle nod to Morlie, which told Morlie to ‘finish it.’End what Minsi had started.
“Minsi!”Morlie bellowed.
Morlie tipped her head back and allowed her wolf to howl through her.
The sharp, piercing call brought wolves and shifters out from various corners of the territory, and they began to move toward the clearing.Among the multitude was Boris, Raul, and the Fang Warriors, who seemed to spread themselves out at certain points around the clearing—defense or general security, Morlie wasn’t sure.
She just hoped they wouldn’t step in or that none of them would call Chanin until it was over.
However, the others filling in the bleachers, Morlie knew it was inquisitiveness that brought them out, not because they supported her leadership over them as their Alpha’s claimed mate.
No.She’d yet to prove herself worthy.Lupine only respected hegemony through a show of dominance and force.Period.Morlie could understand the Pack way and planned to uphold their practices.
“Minsi!Minsi!”Morlie continued to call the other she-wolf out as the crowd gathered became dense.
As minutes went by with no sign of Minsi, Morlie began to wonder if the other female would even show.If her absence was a way of spitting in Morlie’s eye, denying Morlie’s authority to call her forth.
“Why the fuck are you screaming my name?”Then Minsi was there.
Morlie turned toward the woods to the side of the clearing and watched the athletically slim female, dressed in tiny, form-fitting shorts and a tank top, with her long, straight black hair flipping in the breeze, as Minsi strutted from the trees toward her.
Faolan came out behind Minsi, proof of where he’d gone after he’d spoken to Morlie.However, when he didn’t move any further into the clearing, Morlie exhaled.
The Fang Warrior leaned his back against a tree as if the outcome of this battle was of no consequence to him.
Yet, Morlie knew the Lupine Warrior had to be feeling something.Minsi was his mate, but at the same time, the male understood pack order.
She focused on Minsi.
“Who do you think you are to summon me?”Minsi glanced toward the crowd and scoffed loudly.“You think because the Alpha’s not here, you have the right to lead this pack?You’re nothing!”
“Except to the Alpha, I’m everything.”Morlie allowed that to sit in the space between them for a moment before continuing, “Besides, if I was nothing, why have you been stalking me?”Morlie kept her body relaxed as she shrugged as if Minsi’s response didn’t matter.“I think it's time we settle this.”
Minsi snarled and moved closer.
“Fine.How about we let our wolves out to play?”Minsi jeered with her hands on her hips.
Morlie’s beast growled and scratched at her core, wanting to be let out to tear into Minsi.But this was Morlie’s fight.
Morlie shifted her body slightly away from Minsi’s and glanced at her hands as if considering the other female’s words while watching Minsi draw closer in her peripheral vision.“I don’t think that’s necessary.This issue is between you and—”
Instead of finishing her statement, Morlie kicked out her right foot and connected the heel of her boot with Minsi’s right side at the lowest section of her ribs.
