Baxter (7)

Packing my Luna and mate into a car with Roe was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. We had a firm promise of an upcoming dinner tomorrow; yes, I move quickly when my mate is involved. I just didn't want to scare her off. I needed her to love me so she could accept what I am and turn herself. I couldn't wait to meet her wolf once she was turned. Everything would fall into place once that happened.

"Focus, man, the fight is going to start soon," Max whispered at me. He was right; I needed to pay attention because I was reigning over this fight, and McCoy was acting on edge.

"I'll see what is happening," I wandered over to where McCoy was throwing practice punches. "don't waste your energy. You will need it. Andrew is not some new pup."

"how much longer? I feel ready to jump out of my skin." McCoy looked at me, his wolf in his eyes and Roe's sent all over him. When had they interacted

"What happened today? It has you on edge, and I need you to focus?" I asked, grabbing his arm from throwing another practice punch

"it was the witch."

"Roe, her name is Roe." he shivered at the sound of her name

"Never trust a witch." "you have known her for 2 seconds where you broke a glass, and you have determined she is evil based on her species? I'll have you know she is my..." I didn't get to finish that sentence because McCoy jumped at me, so I had to throw him in the dirt and hold him down. He was holding back even now, trying to reign in his wolf. If he wanted to, he could do some damage.

"she isn't your anything," McCoy screamed, and suddenly, it all made sense. I was too distracted to see it because of meeting my own mate. Still, Roe was McCoy's mate, which was terrible since witches were deadly vulnerable to wolf bites, meaning one nip and he could kill her.

"you are right; she is yours and only yours." The anger dissipated in his eyes, and he shook his head no.

"Never trust a witch. She is manipulating me somehow. This isn't possible, so it must be wrong."

"the goddess never makes mistakes."

"a witch and a wolf? Who has ever heard of something so ridiculous? She would be in constant danger with me, and I could never mark her." I paused. he was right. She would never bear his mark because it would kill her. That certainly complicated the matter. There may be a solution. If you two worked together, you could find it."

"and grow my attachment to her. No, it would destroy me if I loved her and then lost her. I must swiftly reject her and have her do the same to spare ourselves the heartache. I told her to return after the fight and that I would do it then. After I reject her, I will start the hunt for a choice mate so that the pack has a beta female that can do the job." he was acting so calculated; he must be suppressing his wolf again to gain control of his emotions. I pulled him back to his feet and issued an Alpha command.

"you will not reject her for at least two full moons. You will give her a chance before destroying both of your happiness." The command settled in, and he glared at me but nodded.

"why?"

"Because she is my friend, and you will soon be my beta, I can't immediately have you out of commission to recover from rejection. My pack will not understand rejecting her because of her species. We like witches in this pack, and finally, the goddess will want you two to be together, so that is what you should strive for. Now lower your wall, breathe in the scent of your mate still on your clothes, and go to the arena. It is time to fight," I stated and walked away. Was it the right thing to do to command him? Probably not. But he needed clear directives if he was going to survive this fight.

The whole pack was gathered in the area along the edges of the arena. They gave the fighters a wide birth as they entered the ring. McCoy gave me a nod of gratitude now that I had eliminated any choice he was considering after this fight. He could focus. His wall was partially down. I could see his wolf poking out through his eyes, sizing up his opponent. I called the crowd to be silent and explained the rules. McCoy and Andrew knew the rules, so they were not listening to me. Instead, Andrew was shooting barbs at McCoy. McCoy was calmly letting the barbs wash over him with no effect. I started the fight, and it was tense. Swings were taken, but they were testing the other, which was not designed to do damage. McCoy was smart. He was figuring out his reach and speed. But then Andrew made the biggest mistake I have seen a wolf make.

"I heard you have a witch as a mate," he called. I'm unsure how he even learned that information, "but I guess since you can't mark her, we can all have a go, right?"

"shift," I called as quickly as possible so that McCoy didn't break the rules of battle. His wolf ripped from his skin faster than Andrew could register what was happening. McCoy wasn't hunting for submission. He was hunting for pain. I thought he would land on his neck, but he didn't. McCoy pressed Andrew to the floor and clawed out his eyes. Then he backed off so that Andrew couldn't submit to him. The screams were horrible; after hearing the screams of all of Andrews's victims, I was still not prepared to listen to his screams. McCoy then ripped into his right leg, pulling out tendons and muscles. Then he walked around Andrew growling.

"you should stop this," Max whispered to me, pulling me out of my daze. McCoy had to have alpha blood. There was no way he could have taken down Andrew so quickly if he didn't. "look at the pack. They don't understand what is happening."

"Andrew hasn't submitted. I can't interfere, and all the males understand defending a mate. It isn't McCoy's fault Andrew threatened his mate," I explained. Andrew was striking out blindly at where the growls came from, but McCoy was too quick.

"I will kill your mate after I finish with you," Andrew screamed in the direction of McCoy, whose wolf did not take kindly to this threat. I was astounded by Andrews's continued resistance. "Then I'll kill the homos for helping you ascend so quickly, you cheater." Andrew did not continue speaking as McCoy dove at his groin and ripped away at the flesh. He was too weak to shift, and if he didn't submit soon, he would bleed out. Knowing that this was going to be a horribly slow death, I called out to McCoy.

"finish him." I declared this a fight to the death. Heads snapped to me from all directions. This was unheard of outside of alpha fights, but I knew this would be a mercy after what we witnessed. McCoy lunged for the throat and ripped it out. Killing my old beta and winning the challenge. Instead of cheers, silence lay down heavy as we listened to his breathing. Before he turned tail and ran.