Page 74 of Malcolm

“I’ll take her as my price,” Beliel insisted.

“What?” Robert stood, his eyes narrow with anger. “You dare?”

Beliel grinned. “What? I can’t?”

“You can, but,” one of the other men started, lifting a hand to stop Roberts's attempt to step forward.

Malcolm recognized him as a newer Alderman. The leather around his arm had yet to be dyed, and his tattoos had yet to be changed to the bright silver of the other Aldermen. Helooked like he’d have just turned 80. “It would be a dishonorable request.”

“This isn’t about honor,” Beliel corrected, wearing a cocky grin. “It’s about vengeance.”

Malcolm released a shaky sigh, his body trembling with rage. “Then, I will name my price.”

Looking forward again, Malcolm continued, “I want to know what you did with the woman and children on your land. The bodies of the males were still there, but everyone else was gone.” He kept his eyes lowered, his lips curling up into a smirk, “I wonder where our new Alpha Beliel sent them.”

The silence after his words stretched till it fairly froze the air.

“What do you mean by that?” Alderman Herlad demanded.

Malcolm had expected Beliel to show some form of nervousness. Instead, a slow smile spread across his face. “It would seem you’ve used your witch to learn more about me.”

Malcolm nodded. “Not really; I just had her send a few of my men for a visit.”

Beliel laughed, his eyes bright with something like mania-infused amusement. “Oh, is that so?”

Malcolm lost his tension when he saw anger in the others' eyes. It was exactly what he’d been aiming for. “It is.”

“I don’t know why it’s another’s business what another Alpha does. What I do with my people is my business,” Beliel said coolly.

“Alpha’s are given that title because our job is to protect the pack,” Malcolm said, “It doesn’t matter if that pack belongs to another; if their Alpha is mistreating them in any way, I’ll gladly cross the border and put him in his place.”’

“Like you did with Damon,” Beliel said.

“Alpha!”

“Malcolm!”

He hadn’t realized he was on his feet until Agun and Robert shouted his name. He stared into Beliel's gleeful eyes.

“Remember this,” he said threateningly, “the only reason you’re still breathing is because of these two.” He shoved the other man away.

Malcolm faced the rest of the Aldermen, “I’ll fight him. He wants the right of ‘Blood price,’ so be it. I accept his challenge. Will Alderman Herald judge it?”

Herald nodded. “First blood or death.”

“Death,” Beliel repeated as if tasting the word. His grin held an eagerness for violence that Malcolm knew all too well. “I would be letting my people down if I did not fight him with a sincere desire for his head.”

Herald looked at Malcolm, “Will you do this?”

Malcolm nodded; he’d expected something worse, but if the man wished to fight to death, he’d give him that. “I will.” He looked at the other male. “No weapons, as wolf kind.”

Beliel lightly bowed his head. “As wolf kind.”

Malcolm sent one more glare in his direction before he turned on his heel and left the tent. He would have to ensure that Eliza wasn’t around for the fight.

A howl ripped through the air; his eyes widened as he looked at the sky. The moon was full and big, and the gathering clans all would be on their prospective sacred lands preparing for the run. His blood heated as he felt the burn in his eyes.

He glanced down at his hands, his nails lengthening into claws.

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