Page 26 of Knocked Up By My Fated Alpha
Ivy’s smile widened, and nothing could have prepared me for the next words she said.
“I, Ivy Nightbane, challenge you, Raven Nightbane, alpha heir of the Ivory Moon Pack, to a death duel.”
Chapter Nine
Raven
Death duels were a near-obsolete tradition that was used in the Ivory Moon Pack for resolving disputes over the inheritance of the alpha heir position in situations where the previous alpha hadn’t officially named an heir before their death.
After the issuance of the dueling notices, which couldn’t be refused once the challenge was given, the eligible contenders fought to their deaths, leaving a survivor who would take over the alpha position of the pack. While my parents hadn’t officially named me alpha heir before passing, Ivy still had no basis for her claim.
“You can’t challenge me,” I refuted fiercely. “You aren’t an eligible contender for the alpha heir position. Only a sibling of mine can be a contender.”
Ivy’s taunting smile was as sharp as knives.
“I became an eligible contender the moment you abandoned your pack.”
My heart thudded in my chest, my vision swimming as the realization hit me late. Of course. There was that tidy little subsection of the law that covered special situations where death duels could be invokedby blood relatives so long as the eligible contender proved disloyal to the pack.
Oh, Goddess. That was it. It explained why Ivy had gone through the trouble of spreading those rumors about me abandoning my pack. It hadn’t just been malicious but premeditated. I’d been so preoccupied with evading capture that I’d completely missed what was right in front of me.
“I never abandoned my pack,” I shook my head, refusing to accept my dawning reality.
Ivy regarded me with what seemed to be genuine curiosity.
“And who is going to believe that, cousin?”
No one. The only people who knew the intricacies of the events leading up to my departure were Ivy and Elder Dawson’s people, none of whom would testify in my favor. Not that it mattered anymore.
With the dueling notice already issued, my death was all but certain. The ancient laws didn’t allow for the refusal of the death duel challenge, and without a wolf, I didn’t stand a chance against Ivy. She wouldn’t even need to transform to rip me apart in mere seconds.
As though in sync with my thoughts, Ivy took a step towards me, dark eyes flashing with primal satisfaction.
“I almost feel bad for you,” Ivy tutted patronizingly. “We suspected you’d approach Elias eventually for help, but this was plain stupid even for you. Did you really expose yourself here, thinking you’d follow Elias to this party and beg him to take you back?”
With the debilitating shock I was going through, it took me a moment to understand what Ivy was saying. And when I did, I almost scoffed in disbelief. Ivy thought I’d snuck into this party for Elias’s sake?
Behind her, Elias stared ahead, completely ignoring me, his gaze seemingly bored as though this was all a strenuous endeavor he couldn’t be bothered with. Even though I’d long accepted his treachery, his indifference stung. How had I so thoroughly failed to see Elias for what he truly was in those years we’d been together?
Gutted, I met Ivy’s gaze, unable to keep the pain out of my voice.
“You’ve already taken everything from me. My inheritance, my fiancé, and pretty much my entire life. Why are you doing any of this?”
Ivy’s face morphed into such a bitter expression that I was momentarily taken aback.
“All of those things should have been mine to begin with,” Ivy’s tone hissed maliciously, and then her tone lightened with dark humor. “You really should have gotten mated to Alpha Winston when you had the chance, cousin. At least you’d have kept your life for a few more years.”
All around me, it felt like a pile of dominoes was falling. Every plan I’d made seemed to have come apart. I realized I was going to die. My hand drifted to my lower abdomen reflexively, and to the baby I’d only just decided to have. But I’d failed already, and tears gathered in my eyes. They were going to die with me, I realized.
“Aww, don’t cry, cousin,” Ivy’s thoroughly delighted expression contrasted with the soft, pitiful tones her words held. “Look, I’m not completely unreasonable. If you go on your knees now and beg me to spare your life, you won’t have to die during the duel.”
My thought process halted. It was rare, but there was a precedent for it. One or two death duels had ended with serious maiming for the defeated contender, but they had escaped with their lives.
If seeing me humiliated would let Ivy spare my child, then…My knees hit the ground, or at least they would have if Elias hadn’t caught me, coming between Ivy and me.
“Enough, Ivy,” He snapped in a harsh but low voice, and Ivy stared at him with disbelief and building fury.
“Are you seriously taking her side right now?” Ivy snarled, her eyes shifting between Elias and me. “Do you still have feelings for her?”
