The Mating Rules

Caden’s POV

Jamie-Lee’s father rushes out of the ring, standing at the edge, watching both of us as we slowly circle each other, neither of us seeming eager to be the first to strike.

My father feigns a punch, sneering when I put my hands up in defence.

‘Still a scared little boy’ my father mutters under his breath, so only I can hear him because we are too far away from the pack members for them to overhear us.

‘At least I didn’t sell out someone I was supposed to protect’ I snarl back, not bothering to keep my voice down as anger simmers inside of me.

‘You have no proof of anything so keep your lying mouth shut’ my father spits.

‘How about you stop trying to tell me what to do, and actually show me if you can still hold your own old man’ I goad him, watching his every move, not trusting him at all.

My father scoffs, ‘you’ve never got me on the mat boy, today won’t be any different. It will be such a shame when I have to kick my best warrior out of my pack though because his boyfriend was weak, I always thought Carrington had what it takes to be a leader.’

A flicker of surprise must register on my face as my father’s grin widens, ‘don’t think I didn’t notice that second mark you are sporting, and I thought you couldn’t be any more disappointing.’ He continues to move around the circle talking quietly so only I can here him, his voice thick with venom as he spews his vitriol.

‘I think I’ll keep the little Spirit wolf though, after all, her father is my best friend, it’s the least I could do’ he adds with a smirk.

I snarl angrily, my claws extending as my dad’s smile widens, ‘always had an issue with your temper didn’t you boy’ he sneers. ‘That’s why it was always so easy to take you down, you could never hide what you were about to do from your opponent.’

I lunge for him, my dad grabbing my wrists as I move forward, gripping them tightly as he pushes them downward using my own momentum against me as his shoulder hits my stomach and I flip over his body landing on my back with a thud.

Instead of attacking, my father steps back, allowing me to scramble to my feet, his eyes sparkling with cruel amusement, the same sparkle I’ve seen over the years each time he dragged me from my bed for ‘training’.

‘Try again pup’ my dad coaxes, beckoning me toward him, ‘come on, show the pack what you are offering them in terms of protection.’

‘Caden, stay calm, he’s trying to goad you into showing yourself up’ comes Hadley’s voice in my head. I startle at the sound as the warrior never mind links me unless it’s for pack business or recently, about Jamie-lee. I glance over my shoulder quickly, finding the Warrior watching me, a small frown on his face as he nods imperceptibly at me.

‘Keep your cool, wait for your chance’ Hadley continues. ‘Remember when we fought, how you’d keep yourself calm, trying to ruffle me with your confidence.’

He’s right, I need to push aside my anger, focus on the fight and winning.

‘Are you coming Alpha?’ my father taunts, drawing out the word Alpha as though I’m not worthy of the title.

‘Why the rush?’ I respond, ‘do you have somewhere to be? Someone to meet maybe? Because if it’s your last business partner, he’s indisposed.’

I smirk at the scowl that replaces my dad’s sarcastic expression, tilting my head slightly to the side as if I’m silently asking him why he’s not making a move on me.

My father turns suddenly on the spot, lifting his leg and kicking me straight in the stomach, catching me off guard. I grunt in pain, staggering back a couple of paces but keep my footing. Dropping to the ground I sweep my own leg around to try and take his legs out from under him, but the old man jumps over me easily. I roll out of the way instinctively which was a good call as my dad’s claws land in the ground exactly where I was crouched seconds later.

‘Daddy Stop!’ I hear my sister scream out but I can’t even spare her a glance, my gaze fixated on my dad who doesn’t even flinch over his daughter’s pleas.

I swing a fist toward dad’s face, bringing up my other fist and catching him in the ribs as he dodges out of the way of the first punch.

I smother the smile that tugs at my lips at his look of surprise that I manged to tag him.

‘Why you little . . ‘ he snarls, his eyes darkening, a flicker of gold coming through as his wolf surfaces.

I dance back quickly as Cobalt pushes forward, there is as much love between him and his father as there is between me and mine, neither of them thought we were good enough.

My father lowers his shoulders and charges at me, his arms curling around my body as he throws us both to the floor, my back slamming into the dirt whilst fists rain down on me. I lift my hands in front of my face protectively, deflecting the blows with my arms as I try to figure out what to do to get out from under the man.

‘Use your legs!’ Hadley’s voice growls in my mind, ‘like you did on me when we fought over Jamie-lee, get your legs around his waist and force him backward.’

I quickly follow the warrior’s instructions, bucking off the ground to force my father up my chest until my h**s are free and I can lift my legs up wrapping them around my dad’s waist, locking my feet together across his chest and pulling them back down with everything I have. My father topples backwards between my thighs, onto his back, and I quickly unravel myself from him so I can scramble up and pin him with my legs as I sit on top of him, punching his face over and over as b***d covers my knuckles.

My father extends his claws, slicing across my chest as I pummel him making me snarl loudly, flinching back as red drips from the wounds that immediately start to heal again.

My hesitance costs me and dad uses the moment to throw me sideways off of him, the two of us climbing to our feet and charging together, claws slicing at the other. My father is the first to shift, his huge black wolf tearing through his shorts until Kyanite is growling in front of me. Cobalt growls loudly, forcing himself forward as my own bones snap, fur sprouting over my body as my hands turn to paws.

Snarling angrily, the two wolves circle each other, my father and I no longer in the drivers seats of this match. Cobalt’s hackles are up, the aura of both Alphas causing the crowd around us to whimper.

My wolf lashes out at the other, grazing him across the snout, Kyanite snaps at the paw, missing it by a whisper but follows up quickly with a s***h of his own across our chest.

Cobalt flinches from the pain but refuses to back down, both wolves rearing up on their hind legs as they come together, clawing and biting each other’s bodies, fur being ripped out in the aggressiveness of the fight.

Kyanite gets his head under Cobalt’s front paws, shoving at his chest and knocking him backward, my wolf rolling over, unable to keep his footing. The older wolf is on us, clawing at our chest as Cobalt howls out, trying to get his own claws into our father’s wolf whilst fending off the attack.

Eight claws sink deeply into our chest, piercing out lungs as my father’s wolf looms over us, hatred in his eyes before I feel his teeth sink into my neck.

‘No! Stop it, stop!’ I can hear my sister’s devastation and feel the pain of both my mates through our bonds as Cobalt whimpers. We lost, just like always, we lost, I can’t beat him.

‘Caden!’ Hadley’s voice fills my head again, stern, unapologetic, ‘are you really giving up? He hurt Jamie-Lee! He’s going to keep hurting her if he wins.’

I close my eyes for a second, trying to breath as my own dad slowly crushes my windpipe. ‘I can’t beat him’ I whisper back, ‘I’m sorry, he’s right, I’m not as strong as you. You should have been his son, he was always proud of you.’

Hadley growls loudly, and my eyes snap open searching him out to my right as he shakes his head angrily. ‘You are his son’ he snarls, ‘not me, you are the Alpha, Caden and you can damn well beat him.’

‘But I’m not . .’ I mutter feeling b***d filling my throat as my father digs deeper into my neck, preparing to rip my throat out.

‘Bullshit!’ the warrior snaps back, ‘you are, Star. You are strong enough, dammit, you are the strongest wolf I know! No one else would have cut their own bond to their mate to save her from pain, no one!’

I blink tiredly, how does he know about that?

Hadley laughs harshly, ‘you think our mate didn’t tell me what you did? She was pissed man! Now pull on what you used in that damn room and fight back!’

A growl sounds in my chest as Cobalt slowly pulls in his paws, wriggling them under my father’s chest before shoving upward with every last bit of strength he can muster.

My dad’s wolf is flung from us, taking some of my neck with him but I can still breathe. I help my wolf stand, joining our strength together as we stumble after my father’s skidding wolf and jump on his back, digging our claws in as deeply as we can. Kyanite howls, shaking himself to try and dislodge us but Cobalt digs deeper, refusing to be moved.

My father’s wolf turns his head, trying to snap at us before rolling over to crush us underneath his weight. Cobalt is ready for the move though, he drags out his claws as we roll, pushing upward so our father rolls underneath us, exposing his underbelly to our claws. My wolf sinks down into his flesh, anchoring our body to his, gripping tightly as he grabs my Kyanite’s neck and starts to crush it between his jaws.

The older wolf snaps and snarls, trying to throw us off, but Cobalt keeps pressing his teeth together, slowly severing through the muscle around Kyanite’s neck until he reaches his windpipe.

I glare down at my dad through my wolf’s eyes, watching as he realises he lost. ‘Enjoy hell’ I mind link him, ‘say hello to your friend Avrilak when you get there.’

My dad’s wolf gurgles, b***d dripping from between his lips just as Cobalt’s teeth crush together and he yanks upward, tearing out my father’s neck and throwing it to the side.

The crowd is silent as my wolf releases the body of our father’s wolf, stepping back so I can shift into my human form.

Straighening up, I look around the open mouthed pack, taking in my sobbing sister who is gripping my mother who has passed out, two warriors trying to help her.

‘That man was no Alpha’ I roar out to the pack, pointing at my father’s human form as it shifts back automatically in death. ‘He sold out my mate to an enemy, helped the warlock kidnap Hadley Carrington and imprison him. He fed information about myself, Hadley and Jamie-lee and even offered us all up as a bargaining chip for his own gain.’

I glare in the eyes of each wolf around me, ‘I have the right under werewolf law to challenge anyone who tries to harm my mate. I am also entitled to kill any wolf who threatens the life of the future Luna. Alpha Scott is guilty of both of those things and I have done what is necessary to protect my mate and our pack.’

I take a deep breath, preparing myself as I speak firmly, ‘I hereby claim the title of Alpha as the victor in the challenge for leadership. If there is anyone who wishes to challenge me for the position, step forward now and I will be happy to accept.’ I stop speaking, waiting in the centre of the circle as no one moves. Slowly, the warriors around the circle kneel, baring their necks in submission. The crowd follow one by one as each murmurs the word ‘Alpha.’

I glance at Hadley and Jamie-Lee, both of whom are kneeling, necks bared to me. My gaze moves to my sister who is still beside our mother, but her eyes lock with mine and she nods, showing she accepts me.

Finally, there is only Jamie-Lee’s father left, and he stares at me before walking toward me, breaking the circle as everyone gasps. He reaches me, studying me as I raise an eyebrow. ‘You want to challenge me Mr Sparks?’ I ask quietly.

Jamie-Lee’s father takes a deep breath, ‘Scott offered up my daughter?’ he asks, pain in his voice. I nod quickly, not taking my eyes from his as he clenches his fists by his side.

Slowly he kneels in front of me, neck bared, ‘Alpha Caden’ he says loudly, ‘I pledge my allegiance to you as the rightful Alpha of Diamond Star pack.’

I grip his shoulder, squeezing it tightly before releasing him as he stands again.

‘You are a good man’ Beta Gregory says in a low voice as he extends his hand toward me, ‘and a good mate. I’m proud that you are my daughter’s fated mate Caden, and proud to call you my son.

I nod, my throat drying up as I take his hand, shaking it curtly, ‘she’ll always be safe with me’ I murmur, making the older man smile.

‘I know son, I know’ he replies before turning to the pack and lifting my arm, ‘the victor!’ he yells as the whole pack howls loudly, welcoming me as their new leader.