“They respect strength,” Larissa said automatically, then stopped herself.It sounded defensive even to her own ears.
“They respect more than that,” Anders said quietly.“Just like they respect more than strategy.”
Larissa gave him a sharp glance, but Anders’s expression revealed nothing.Before she could respond, Nick cleared his throat, drawing everyone’s attention back to him and Sarah.
“Some interesting suggestions here,” Nick said, holding up a large glass jar filled with the folded slips of paper.“Some…creative ones as well.”His lips twitched, and Larissa wondered what outlandish challenges had been proposed.
A cool breeze swept across the mesa, pushing before it the scent of sage, ponderosa pine, and creosote bush.Larissa breathed it in, letting the usual smells steady her nerves.
This was her territory, her home.She might not have realized it until recently, but she had trained her whole life to lead this pack, to protect these wolves.Whatever challenges lay ahead, she would face them with the same careful precision she brought to everything else.
But as her gaze drifted once more to Malcolm, now standing tall and alert as they waited for Nick’s next words, an unfamiliar flutter butterflied through Larissa’s chest.
This competition would change everything—she just wasn’t sure how.
“Ready for this?”Anders murmured beside her.
Larissa lifted her chin.“Sure,” she replied, though her wolf stirred restlessly beneath her skin.
Nick was still speaking.“Before we draw the competition categories, I want to say something.”He paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled pack.“What I see here today—this joy, this sense of community—this is what being a pack is all about.We’ve been through hell, but we’ve come out the other side.And no matter who ends up as alpha, I know that spirit will carry us forward.”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.Emotion swelled in her chest.This is what we’re fighting for, she realized.The chance to nurture this sense of belonging.
“Now,” Nick continued, shaking the jar, “it’s time to draw the categories that will form our competition.”
The pack fell silent, the only sound the rustling of the breeze through the sparse vegetation.Larissa held her breath as Nick reached into the jar.
“Our first category is…” Nick unfolded the slip of paper.“A hunt!”
Excited whispers broke out.Larissa’s mind immediately began strategizing.A hunt requires a combination of physical prowess and mental acuity.It’s a good, balanced challenge.
“Second category,” Nick announced, drawing another slip.“Pack knowledge.”
Larissa couldn’t suppress a small smile.She’d spent years studying pack history, laws, and customs.This category played to her strengths.
“Third category,” Nick’s voice cut through her thoughts.“Combat skills.”
This time, Larissa couldn’t stop her gaze from flicking to Malcolm.He stood tall and confident, a small smirk playing at the corners of his mouth.The sunlight caught the planes of his face, highlighting his strong jawline.Larissa wondered what it would feel like to run her fingers along that jaw, to feel the scratch of stubble against her palm…
What is wrong with you?She snapped her attention back to Nick, her cheeks burning.This is not the time for…whatever that was.
“Fourth category,” Nick said, reaching into the jar again.His eyebrows rose slightly.“Interesting.The fourth category is…diplomatic relations.”
A surprised murmur ran through the crowd.Larissa’s mind raced.Diplomatic relations wasn’t a traditional category for alpha competitions, but it made sense given both their pack’s recent history and the arguments she’d made for expanding their connections with other packs.This could be an opportunity, she thought.A chance to showcase a different kind of leadership.
“And finally,” Nick said, “our tiebreaker category.”This time when he unfolded the paper, he snorted.“Hide-and-seek.Noses only.”He glanced at a group of younger wolves snickering.“Traditionally, we call that ‘tracking,’ kids.”
Sarah shook her head, but she was smiling.“Still better than the ‘fur styling’ suggestion.”
This time, the young wolves laughed aloud.
As Nick began to outline the rules and timeline for the competition, Larissa found her attention divided.Part of her was absorbing every word, already formulating strategies and identifying potential challenges.But another part, a part she was trying desperately to ignore, kept being drawn to Malcolm.
He stood with his arms crossed, his expression intent as he listened to Nick.The sunlight cast shadows that emphasized the strong lines of his body, and Larissa admired the way his shirt stretched across his broad shoulders, the fabric barely containing the power beneath.
He’s certainly got the physical presence of an alpha, she admitted to herself.But it takes more than strength to lead a pack.Strategy, foresight, diplomacy—these are just as important.
She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost missed it when Nick dismissed everyone to prepare for the competition, which he set to begin in just a few days.
