Page 92 of Challenged Mate
Dozens of eyes watch me weave my path to the males. When Asher and Chase noticed, they stopped walking.
I reached them and stared at Asher. Surprise jolted through me when I noted the open affection in his gaze. The warmth from last night hadn’t faded for him.
The acknowledgement rendered me speechless.
I barely heard Chase mutter an excuse to leave before he ducked away.
“You look nice.” Asher smiled softly.
I looked down at my casual attire and scoffed. “I didn’t know this was a fancy affair.”
“You look beautiful in everything,” he replied.
His compliment warmed my chest, but my smile fell when I realized there wasn’t a silencing barrier around us.
My cheeks heated as I cast a pointed look at the curious shifters around us. “Can I have a word outside?”
Before Asher could respond, a voice boomed, “About time you arrived.”
I, and everyone else under the tent, turned to look at Stanley. The massive shifter wore an expensive gray suit. He stood at the table directly behind Axel’s—a position of respect for the alpha’s kin.
Asher’s back stiffened when he looked at his cousin. “Pardon my tardiness, Cousin. My beta and I were investigating the cause of the breach that occurred within the boundariesyouwere assigned to protect.”
The muscles in Stanley’s jaw ticked. “Why investigate? Garret and I already gave our report. It’s almost like you don’t trust us.”
“Not almost, Stanley. I don’t trust you.”
A collective gasp traveled through the tent.
My heart thudded. Did Asher really think Stanley let the breach happen? Did he suspect him of working with the attackers?
Fury flared across Stanley’s features. “Do you have something to accuse me of, Ash? Or is this posturing for the pack’s benefit.”
Chase walked back from wherever he’d run off to and positioned himself in the middle of the two males. His features were hard as he looked between them. “Enough. Now is not the time or place for this conversation. Have a seat. Both of you.”
Asher grumbled low in his chest while Stanley’s responding growl filled the tent. “Actually, this is the perfect time for this conversation.”
Before I could wonder what Stanley meant, he continued, “I challenge for the position of alpha and the right to mate Blair Hemmings.”
“What!?” My cry was drowned out by similar shouts of disbelief from the other shifters under the tent.
Several pack members had leapt to their feet at Stanley’s declaration. Others sat in shock.
Beside me, Asher was as rigid as stone. His expression was just as hard. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.
My eyes flew to Axel’s to gauge his reaction. He remained in his seat. He looked unsurprised.
I remembered the conversation I’d walked in on outside. It wasn’t Asher who would challenge Axel… it was Stanley.
Axel and the elders had known. Somehow, they’d known.
Stanley might’ve acted decent the night we danced together, but I remembered his behavior when we first met. And I saw him now. Entitlement and anger rolled off him. He was not a male who would respect my bond with Asher. If he beat Axel in a fight and became the Wilds alpha, he would hold me to my agreement in the Alpha Games.
My stomach rolled.
For Stanley to win, Axel would have to die. Stanley would have to murder his cousin.
I could only imagine the tumultuous relationship they must have for it to even be an option.
