“Look, Kolane,” Cassandra said, “if you give me back my son, I swear in front of every Creek and Boulder that I’ll never challenge you to a duel.” She tapped the spot over her heart as though to prove her sincerity. “I’ll let your pack go on. I’m willin’ to sign a treaty with you this very minute.”
A spark of hope ignited within me… within Liam. I felt the speeding up of his heart inside my own chest.
“I didn’t come here to challenge Alphas,” Cassandra said. “I came here to create alliances.”
“Says the wolf who just murdered a man,” Robbie interjected.
“I didn’t challenge your uncle!” Cassandra’s temper exploded all over her haggard face. She took a few steps back, a noticeable limp in her right leg. “He challenged me! And he lost.” She stopped backing up and jerked her arm toward Julian’s remains. “That’s what hubris does to men. It makes them feel like gods but act like fools.”
Liam studied her for a long moment. I prayed he was considering her terms.
“Take her deal,” I whispered, not that he could hear me. “Take it.”
Sarah glanced at me, conflict written all over her face.
“No!” Liam’s answer was like an explosion-terrifying. “You fight me right here. Right now.”
My blood became ice.
“Liam!” Lucas rushed the handrail so fast I worried he would break right through it.
Cassandra scrutinized Liam. “Trying to take advantage of my injuries, Kolane?”
“Do you accept?” Liam asked.
“Liam, no!” I yelled.
“Do. You. Accept?”
“Didn’t you listen to a word I just said about hubris?” she asked calmly.
“Are you afraid to face me?” Liam asked.
I willed her not to accept.
“You’ll need a Second,” she finally said.
Liam wheeled toward us and craned his neck. “Lucas-”
“Don’t fucking ask me to do this, man.” Lucas shook his head so fiercely his black hair flogged his sheet-white jaw. Liam must’ve said something else to him, this time through the mind link, because Lucas growled a loud, unflinching, “Absolutely not!”
Liam flung his gaze on Matt.
Matt jerked, and then, like Lucas, shook his head. “No.”
Liam’s eyes narrowed.
A smile lilted Lori’s lips. “Your pack doesn’t seem very confident in your abilities-”
“Rodrigo?” Annoyance chafed Liam’s tone.
Rodrigo’s face glistened with perspiration. “Take her deal, Liam.”
Have faith in me! His voice raged inside my skull.
I clapped my hands against my ears. I wasn’t alone in doing this.
I can defeat her! She is weak. I can do this! But I have to do it NOW.
A whimper escaped me.
Liam fastened his eyes on mine for a long moment. So much passed between us then. Regret, resentment, disappointment, affection.
Don’t do it, I mouthed.
Finally he spun back around. “I challenge you without a Second.”
Epilogue
Cassandra drummed her fingers against the bloodied bandage on her thigh. “Dueling without a Second is unheard of.”
“Unheard of but not unlawful,” Liam said, his voice taut with determination. “Besides, it puts me at a disadvantage. You should be jumping at the opportunity.”
Cassandra studied Liam. “I don’t jump. I calculate risks.”
I frantically scanned the faces of the Boulders surrounding me. Some had gone ghostly pale.
August’s gaze struck mine. “Liam-”
“Don’t even think about giving me advice, Watt,” Liam barked.
I sucked in air, but it seemed devoid of oxygen. I pulled in another breath, and it went down the wrong pipe. I began to cough so hard I thought I would hack out one of my lungs.
Perhaps Liam could defeat Cassandra, but what if he couldn’t?
Then… then she’d… she’d eat his heart.
Not for the first time today, bile shot up my throat. I was about to spin back around when my gaze landed on Alex’s. He was smiling as though he could taste his freedom, as though he sensed his mother wouldn’t walk away from the challenge, as though he knew she’d be victorious.
I flipped back around. Cassandra was stroking her narrow, bloody chin. Next to her, Lori and Aidan stood side by side, both relaxed and smiling as easily as Alex.
“I volunteer,” I shouted suddenly. “I’ll be his Second!”
“What?” Lucas roared, at the same time as August yelled, “Out of the question!”
Before anyone could stop me, I flew down the stairs and raced toward Liam.
His dark eyes were wide with shock.