I tensed when my office door opened and Calib entered.

"Have you traced the scents?" I questioned when he said nothing.

Calib cleared his throat. "Yes, Alpha. We've located them."

"Who attacked them?"

I caught his hesitation. The silence continued to stretch between us. I finished the sentence I was writing, lowered the pen and slowly leaned back in the chair. My eyes instantly located him leaning against the wall next to the door. His hands were clutched in front of him and his eyes lowered to the floor.

A grim smile slid onto my face. "Your silence is starting to get on my nerve Beta."

His body snapped up and his hands fell to his side. I heard him swallow before he raised his eyes to mine.

"We have traced the scent, Alpha. The ones who attacked your brother and his mate are from our own pack."

"Including your brother," I added.

His eyes widened as he paled. "He's just a kid. You know how easily the young ones get influenced by—"

"It's not an excuse," I interrupted him.

"He's just a kid," he repeated softly.

Silas was just a kid when he started getting in trouble. From fighting to stealing and everything else he wanted to do. Our parents didn't step in when the troubles started. They thought that it was just something he was going through and that he would get over it, but it didn't stop. It got worse and worse and by the time they realized it, it was already too late to change a thing.

"I want everyone who attacked them to be at the podium in half an hour."

"Ethan—"

"It's not up for debate!" I yelled. "I can't be lenient with him just because he's your brother. He made a choice by going along with them. They will all be punished; including your little brother."

Pain flashed through his eyes. Calib opened his mouth and then closed it again. He gave me a stiff nod, spun around and stormed out of the room. I winced when the door slammed shut loudly behind him. Any other time I would've been furious with his show of disrespect towards me, but not at the moment.

I had somewhere to be before I handed out their punishments.

I stood and walked out of my office. My feet carried me over to the staircase. I hesitated with a foot on the bottom step. My mother was upstairs with Lara; I could hear them talking but not what they were saying.

It was a relief to know that she had managed to talk Lara into coming home to eat and rest. The paleness of her skin and her rabid weight lose was starting to worry me. I knew I fucked up when I bit her and I deeply regretted losing control. But there was no taking back what I did.

A door closed softly from upstairs. I listened to the soft footsteps across the landing and then glanced up when they stopped. My mother stared down at me with a frown. I hated the disappointment I saw in her eyes.

"Is she sleeping?" I asked softly.

My mother hesitated and then nodded. "She was climbing into bed when I left."

"Good." I turned; ready to walk away, but her soft voice halted me.

"You can't avoid her forever. One day you're going to have to live up to what you'd done and face her. Running away from your problems never solved them, Ethan."

I swallowed. "It's not the right time."

I walked away, ignoring her as she called my name. Talking to Lara was the last thing I wanted to do right now. I forced all thoughts from my mind as I followed the path that led to the town. Members greeted me as they passed. I caught the eyes of a few of them who stood talking in groups. They were gossiping about our family—or more specifically, my brother and his mate.

My hearing picked up some harsh whispering as I neared the podium. I kept out of sight and I crept closer. It took me all but a few seconds to recognize the voices. One belonged to Calib and the other to his little brother.

"How could you be so fucking stupid?" Calib questioned harshly.

"I didn't know!" The boy sucked in a sharp breath. "He said we were going for a run. We were running but then something changed. Kyle smelled something and they changed direction. I followed them. I didn't know what they were planning until I saw Silas and that woman."

"Did you attack with them?"

The boy sniffed and shuffled from foot to foot. "No."

I stepped out from behind the tree. Neither of them had noticed me yet. Calib was clutching his brother's shoulders. He was bent towards him and staring him right in the eyes.

"I didn't attack with them, Calib. Please believe me."

"You just stood by and watched." Both men spun to face me. "You could've called for help. You could've run for help. You could've helped my brother protect his mate."

"Alpha—"

"My brother is in a fucking coma," I growled.

"Ethan—"

"They could've fucking killed her."

"I'm sorry!" the boy started to sob.

I tensed when he dropped to his knees and clutched his hands underneath his chin. His eyes begged me to understand. He might not have joined them but he was still there. He could've prevented a lot of things from happening but he hadn't. Squaring my shoulders, I spun around and walked over to the group of men a few feet away.

They stood in a circle close together with their heads bent. One of them glanced up and spotted me. He instantly paled. I watched as he elbowed the man next to him. One for one they turned to face me. Kyle was the last to turn around. Unlike the others he kept his head held high and his eyes focused on mine. I growled and watched in satisfaction as his gaze waivered.

None of them were going to get away with what they had done.

"Calib?"

"A-Alpha?"

"Fetch me my whip."

"You have no right to whip us!" Kyle said.

"I have every right to decide your punishment. You attacked a member of this pack—"

"Silas has never been a member of this pack and he never will be!"

I snarled. Before I could utter another word again, Kyle puffed out his chest and stepped forward. He flashed sharp teeth at me.

"You are not fit to be our leader," he snarled. "I challenge you for the title of Alpha."

I heard the other men gasp in shock. One of them stepped forwards and clasped Kyle's shoulder but he shook it off. He moved closer until we were chest to chest. A growl rumbled from my lips but he didn't even flinch. It was laughable how he thought he would be able to take my title from me.

"Fine." I smirked at him. "I'll let the Elders know."

"Now," he growled. "I want to fight you now. I'm not letting you talk your way out of this."

My smirk widened. "Fine. Your challenge has been accepted."

***

"I'm going to kill you," Kyle snarled for the fifth time as we circled each other.

He was limping badly and favouring his left arm. Blood dripped from the side of his head. The right side of his face was already bruised and swollen. I'm surprised by the fact that he was still talking because I was sure that his jaw was broken.

The elders has been around for years, but the only thing they've done right so far was the fact that they had forbidden us to shift when we fight for a title. We had to proof ourselves worthy of the title without losing our skin.

"I'm going to kill you."

"So you've said," I muttered. "If you want to kill me, just do it already. I'm getting tired of playing ring-a-ring-a-Rosie."

Kyle growled and then moved. I dodged his hits with ease. He managed to get a few punches in but not enough to injure me badly. With every hit I dodged, his anger rose. Kyle made a mistake because he was allowing his anger to get the best of him.

My fathers' had taught me never to fight with my emotions. I only wished Silas had listened to them. Most of the fights he had started were caused out of anger. It was why he ended up in the hospital more times than I could count. He had a lot of scars which was probably why he got that tattoo on his chest—to cover them.

A howl of pain fell from my lips when Kyle's claws dug into my back inches from my spine. I dislodged myself from his hold before he could do more damage. When I spun around to face him I was surprised to find him half shifted. He was about to change and when he did his challenge would be none and void. Even if he won, no one would acknowledge him as Alpha.

"Ethan, your father has been alerted of the challenge. He's on his way," Calib called.

I nodded to let him know that I had heard him. Once he arrived our fight would be over. He would put a stop to it and then demand that we take it to the elders. There was no way I was going to allow Kyle to go unpunished after what he had done to my brother and my mate.

My mate.

Shock tore through me as the thought flashed through my mind. I've never accepted it even though I've thought of it. They couldn't be right.

Pain shot through my ribs when he landed a hard punch there. I waited for him to storm at me again before I reacted. My hand shot out and wrapped around his neck. I squeezed until he started struggling to breath. His hands clawed at my wrist but I didn't pay any attention to it.

Rage filled me. Kyle could've killed Lara. He could've killed my brother. Instead my brother was in a coma and my mate in a state.

"Don't kill him!"

I ignored my father's words and allowed my claws to slide out from my fingertips. It dug into his skin, making him whimper. Loosening my hold, I walked around him and kicked the back of his legs so he could drop to his knees.

"I'm not going to kill you," I whispered in his ear, "because it's not my right to kill you. When my brother wakes up and he demands a challenge, I'll allow it. I'll stand and watch him kill you because it'll be his right."

My hand gripped his wrist. I tightened my hold until I heard the satisfying sound of bone snapping. His screams filled the air as I snapped his bones—one for one.

"That's enough, Ethan."

I glanced up when Devon stepped forward. His eyes narrowed in warning. It wasn't nearly enough but I had to be satisfied for now.