Page 40 of Cats and Dogs

“Very well. You do know that each challenge for Alpha is a fight to the death, don’t you, son?” He snarled the last word.

“It will be my pleasure to sink my teeth into your throat, after hearing that you killed my sister.”

The Alpha said nothing to defend himself. He stared at his son for a long moment before pulling a gun out of his belt.

“Yeah, I killed your spiteful bitch of a sister, for fucking a goddamn jaguar. A jaguar, Jason. And, as if that wasn’t enough, she gave birth to a goddamn hybrid. Do you know what they are?”

“Powerful. That’s what they are. And that's what scares you. You kill what you’re afraid of before they’re old enough to fight against you. Isn’t that why you execute submissives? Because you’rescared of being controlled by an Omega?”

That made a lot of fucking sense.

More wolves came; the Alpha and the Beta weren’t exactly being quiet. People whispered to each other.

“I kill them because they’re a weak disease that infects our pure bloodline.”

“You’re afraid,” Jason repeated. “Just like you’re scared of me. Or you wouldn’t have a gun pointed at me. You’d take the challenge if you were a real alpha.”

Christine truly believed that no one was dumb enough to fall for that macho man crap, but the shifter lowered his weapon.

“Right. You want a challenge. A challenge, you shall get. And when I kill you, I’ll hunt down your brother, too. I guess the first try didn’t work out. I’ll get myself another set of heirs.”

That only made sense when you were a complete and utter piece of crap who needed to be put down.

Arthur walked towards his son. Once he was a couple of yards away, he turned to someone in the crowd. “Go get the Elders and my enforcers. They’ll be my witnesses.” Then he turned to Jason and smiled cruelly. “Good luck finding anyone here to support your claim.”

Jason didn’t let the fact that everyone was suddenly fascinated with their toes, and didn’t speak out in his defense, bother him.

Christine’s jaw dropped because she would have sworn that, a few seconds ago, the shifter had been right next to her, but a cat approached Jason.

An actual cat, just a little bigger than a house cat, with pretty markings and a familiar face.

The shifters stared at it, confused, until she shifted, much faster than any shifter was usually capable of. In its place, Aisling Wayland-Cross was standing there. All five-foot-nothing of her, entirely naked, her blazing blue mating marks bright. She smiled pleasantly.

“Ace Wayland-Cross,” she said, waving towards Arthur. “I believe you remember me. I’ll be your son’s witness this fine morning.”

While Arthur stared at her in shock, Rye left their hiding place, followed by Hunter, Daunte, Clari, Jas, and Christine.

The wolf looked like he wanted nothing more than to kill every last one of them, and he was within his rights to, given the fact that they were in his territory uninvited.

But there were three dozen pairs of eyes now, and killing those who’d declared themselves as witnesses to his son's challenge would have been seen as cowardice. A way to get rid of Jason’s supporters because he feared the outcome of the duel.

A confident Alpha would have let it run its course and killed them all once he won. He knew he had no choice.

Arthur spat on the ground angrily and growled.

“Rules.”

“No weapons. No tap out. This ends today.”

The Alpha laughed. “Yeah, it does.”

Then, without warning, he leaped forward and punched Jason in the teeth. The Beta didn’t even try to evade it, taking it without so much as a flinch. He grabbed his father’s outstretched arm and violently pulled him down on his knee. Christine heard the bone crack despite the distance. Arthur stumbled, and Jason’s leg hooked behind his neck, bringing it down to a level where he could kick the fuck out of him.

On the ground, Arthur started to shift. His hands went first, changing to claws, and then his mouth opened to allow fangs. While his body morphed, Jason remained in his human form.

That was stupid. Their animals were stronger and had some serious weapons at their disposal. Christine frowned, confused. Then Jason jumped on the half-beast, half-man’s back and snapped his neck.

Just like that. No flourish, no fanfare. This wasn’t about showing off. He’d waited for the second when the beast and man were both helpless, and he’d used it to execute him.

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