Page 18 of Mortal Guardian (Shadow Shifter)

Colton grabbed her arm, stalling their motion. “Dammit, are you alright?”

Riley flexed her fingers as Darwin exited the forest, approaching them. “I think I have a hairline fracture in my wrist, but it’s healing. The pain is subsiding.”

Colton turned to Darwin. “Do you have an update on demon activities?”

Darwin’s jaw ticked. “No. I was hunting when I noticed your match. You hit your mate twice.”

Colton’s eyes flared. “I beg your pardon. Are you insinuating I hit her on purpose?”

Riley stepped between the men. “Darwin, it wasn’t like that. I stepped into his knee the first time, and he was blocking my blow the second.”

Darwin’s eyes remained on Colton. “He could easily have avoided those hits. He is an alpha; you are a fledgling. The form he uses is irrelevant.”

Black smoke whispered off Colton’s shoulders. “Would you like to take a turn in the ring yourself? Since you are so eager to teach me a lesson,” Colton asked.

Darwin nodded and backed away. His shadow warrior emerged with his black eyes locked on Colton.

The first few moves were tentative. They exchanged lunges and elbows, even a few punches before Darwin spun his foot in the air, catching Colton in the jaw. The crack was audible, but he didn’t slow down. He switched to his alpha warrior and began a series of blows that pushed Darwin back. While he didn’t use his claws, the loud thumps of fists on flesh, echoed in the early night.

“Colton!” Steele yelled as he approached the duo.

Colton shifted to his human form. “We’re done, Darwin.”

Steele glanced between the men. “What is going on here?”

Darwin resumed his human form, but blood stained his mouth. “Colton was too aggressive in his training with Riley. When I called him out on it, he challenged me.”

Steele looked at Colton as if he had lost his mind. “Darwin is not an alpha. You have no business using yours against him. What were you thinking?”

Colton’s eyes narrowed on his leader. “That I don’t like to be challenged for training my fledgling. Darwin had no right to question my methods.”

Steele’s lip twitched. “Do you think this behavior is fitting for the future leader of our clan? Darwin is an esteemed member with a gift few possess. Your actions were reckless and inexcusable.”

“I will not allow him or you to tell me how to train my mate. We are at war, and she must be ready.”

“I don’t disagree with your motives; I disagree with your actions. Pull yourself together or I will impose restrictions on you myself,” Steele said.

“No, you won’t,” Colton said.

Steele’s eyebrows arched. “Excuse me?”

Colton’s face remained like granite. “You heard me.”

“Are you challenging me?” Steele asked incredulously.

Colton shrugged. “Let’s just spar for now and see how things go.”

Steele backed away as his alpha merged. “You are allowing pride to affect your reasoning. I thought you were ready to lead this clan. Obviously, I was wrong.”

Clans were like small towns. Gossip traveled fast within the community. Within seconds of Colton and Steele’s alpha’s coming together, creating the clash of flesh and bone, dozens of clan members emerged from the tree line. They surrounded the alphas as they sparred. As the men gathered, Riley became concerned about the implications. She moved to Darwin’s side. “Why has everyone come to watch them spar?”

Darwin’s eyes remained locked on the fighting alphas. “If Colton pushes Steele’s alpha too far, this could turn into a death match for leadership.”

Riley sucked in a breath. “No.”

“Only Colton and Steele possess alphas. No clan member has the ability to stop this,” Darwin said.

She knew that wasn’t true, also that Colton’s actions were not completely his own. Anaisa warned there would be slight differences in his personality. Aggressive nature was the first sign. Still, Colton was fully aware of his actions, and she didn’t want him to do something he would regret.

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