I wonder how long the fight lasted. It felt like hours. The entire crowd is silent as Nash stares at Jeffrey’s broken, bleeding body.
He shifts back to human and that’s when I know it’s for real.
He’s dead.
And I’m finally safe.
Nash turns and his eyes search the crowd for a moment until he locks onto mine. Germaine releases me as I go to him. I step into the center circle, ignoring the blood that covers the entire area. Nash looks weak, tired, and pained. He shifts back as I reach him and he practically falls into my arms.
“You’re hurt,” I murmur, and he just shakes his head.
“It’s nothing,” he insists.
“Can we get some help? Some help for your new Alpha? Anybody? Come on, people.” I call out, doing my best impression of Grandma. What would she do in this situation? She’d kick some ass. That’s what she’d do. My words are enough to get a few people running and soon there’s a doctor of some sort looking at Nash and stitching him up and another person is washing his body and someone else is checking for broken bones.
And I’m holding him.
He did it.
He’s the Alpha now and he’s mine.
21.
Nash
Everything hurts as Ryder helps me stand.
He pulls me in for a hug and murmurs in my ear, “That was too close.”
I nod, knowing he’s right. For a moment, we all thought I was lost. For a moment, Jeffrey got too close. Now I stand and look out over the crowd. My pack stands here, waiting for me to make a speech. They’re staring at their new Alpha. Some are hopeful, some are pained. Some look like they’re hurting. Some probably want me to leave.
A few look like they’ve been waiting for this day.
We all have.
A few guys begin to move Jeffrey’s corpse and I know they’ll handle burial. He was evil, but they don’t need to deal with that right now. Most of them know. What the pack needs now is a new chance. What they need is hope. What they need is the understanding that I’m going to get them through whatever we have to face.
“The Silent Canines has been my family for as long as I can remember,” I say, standing up straight. There’s still a bit of blood oozing out of my arm and I’ve been stitched up the middle, but I can stand. Sort of. I just never thought I’d be giving this speech naked.
Like magic, Aunt Germaine appears and wraps a blanket around me. I kiss her cheek softly.
“Thank you, Auntie,” I murmur. She’s always looked after me. Now it’s time for me to look after her. She steps back to the crowd, next to Red, and I continue speaking, knowing all eyes are on me.
Perhaps for the first time, I don’t feel nervous at all.
This is exactly where I’m supposed to be: leading my pack.
“Things have been hard for a long time, and I’ll be the first to say I haven’t always been perfect. Most of you remember many of my unfortunate mistakes growing up.” A giggle spreads throughout the crowd, and I know I’ve got their attention.
“But things are different now and I’m not a little pup anymore. I can’t blame my mistakes on youthful ignorance or simply as part of growing up. I need to own them, so hear this now: I should have challenged Jeffrey a long time ago.
“When Elise died,” a hush falls. They all loved her just as much as I did. “I should have stepped up. I should have challenged the Alpha. I should have stood up for what was right, but I didn’t. Why not? I was scared. I was scared and I was sad and I was hurting, but that time has passed. The time for mourning is over.
“It’s a new day, Silent Canines. The threat of Jeffrey leading us to war against Nightfall, one of our longest friends, is over. The threat of being killed for disagreeing is over. The threat of pain is gone. Things will be different now. I am the Alpha. I am your leader. I will not always be perfect, but I will guide you, help you, and protect you. Hear me now.”
I throw the blanket off and shift into my wolf form. I let out a long, high-pitched howl. Around me, other members of the pack are stripping, shifting, and howling. Even the cubs shift. Soon, only Red is standing, watching us with curiosity, and if I’m not mistaken, she’s looking at me with a whole lot of pride.
Oh yeah, that’s my girl.