“Is it a challenge you seek?” Chris's voice boomed as Rosalie turned towards him. The council enforcers were surrounding him, and he was glaring at Martin. Rosalie held Alex's arm instinctively, holding him close and refusing to let him go.
She caught Chris's eyes and tried to search for the sweet boy she had fallen in love with, but she only saw anger and pride. He was too far gone to be redeemed.
It was obvious that she felt guilty about his state, but he had made his choice when he mated with Grace. To think that they had a chance together was preposterous. The council was still deciding over the punishment when Martin requested to challenge Chris. It was a wolf pack. A challenge was there to prove who was worthy of leading. The council had permitted them to fight till death. She sighed with defeat as she watched her brother and her former mate get ready to fight.
“It will be fine, love,” Alex said in her mind to reassure her anxiety.
The crowd gave them a circular space. Chris took his clothes off and stood in his naked glory.
Martin glared at the alpha as he ripped his clothes off. He wanted to prove himself worthy of loving Grace Anderson.
Both of them phased into their wolf forms. Chris was bigger, but Martin was more muscular and agile. It was hard to guess the winner.
The wolves lunged at each other; Martin gave a surprisingly good fight for a low rank.
Chris made a deft cut across his side with a swipe that he took at him. The cut was long and deep. Martin let out a painful yelp but managed to steady himself. They continued to snipe and bite at each other for the following several minutes in an effort to remove one of them from power. Martin was thrown to the ground by Chris. Martin then turned and successfully overcame Chris, causing him to tumble to the ground just as the attacker was about to sever his throat. He did it very swiftly, slamming his jaws together along his throat. Chris struggled and wriggled, but he was unable to free himself from Martin's hold on him. He was in so much pain that he couldn't even attempt to tackle Martin. Rosalie looked in shock as her eyes locked with Chris, and for a flickering second, she saw the ghost of that old, sweet Chris she loved. He looked at her with longing as life slipped out of his body. His eyes glazed over, and he was dead.
Rosalie's sob escaped her throat, and as Alex held her tightly in his arms, she completely lost control of her emotions and began crying.
“It's all over, love; don't cry.” He said it softly.
Rosalie couldn't help crying for Chris; he had done despicable things, yet he was her friend, her first love, her mate, and the gentle boy who had saved her on numerous occasions. She mourned his downfall and ultimate demise.
A scream pierced the crowd. Grace had collapsed, clutching her heart. The breaking of the mate bond had hit her like a bag of stones. She sobbed for her lost mate, the mate who had treated her worse than dirt. Sebastian clutched his sobbing daughter and carried her to her chamber. She was free now.
Rosalie smiled at the proud and bloody Martin, her brother, the new Alpha. Once her sobbing had subsided and Chris's body was taken away for the cremation, she looked at him with a mix of pride and disbelief. It was surreal. Their father, Scott, looked delighted, and Amelia cried while hugging her adopted son tightly.
Scott placed a firm hand on Martin's shoulder and said, "Be a good and just Alpha, son. Keep your pack safe."
Alex chuckled as he joined them with Rosalie and declared, "That turned out nicely."
An omega handed Martin a silk robe so that he could cover his nakedness. He put on the robe, but his thoughts were fixated on Grace the whole time. He had proven himself worthy of her, and now he could finally go to her.
"Where is Grace?" he asked, his voice full of urgency.
"She would be in her room, son," Scott replied. He was also shocked when Martin challenged Chris, and even more shocked when he found out that Martin was in love with Grace.
Martin nodded and turned to leave, but Rosalie grabbed his arm gently. "Martin," she said, her voice filled with curiosity and concern. "You and Grace... How…when did it happen?"
Martin took a deep breath and looked into his sister's eyes. "I don't know; I just started talking to her one day. I couldn't get her out of my mind after that. We started spending more time together, and I realised how much I cared for her. I guess it just happened."
"But Grace? Are you sure?" Rosalie's voice was tinged with concern as she studied Martin's determined expression.
Martin nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "I've never been more sure of anything in my life, Rosie. Grace is the one for me. I know she is."
Rosalie opened her mouth to respond, wanting to talk further, but Alex gently pulled her away.
"Let him go, Rosalie," he said softly. "He knows what he wants. We should support him in his decision."
With a sigh, Rosalie reluctantly agreed, watching Martin's retreating figure. She turned back to Alex, her face filled with worry. He led her away from the mayhem and into the empty back garden, where the evening air was cool and still.
Alex looked at her intently. "What's eating you, Rosie?"
Rosalie sighed, running a hand through her hair. "It's just… Martin is making a mistake. How could he fall for Grace? That conceited princess mistreated everyone."
Alex shook his head, his expression thoughtful. "Grace isn't so bad, Rosalie. She may not be as nice as you, but everyone has faults. And remember, she was the one who tracked Chris through her mate bond. Without her, I wouldn't have found him."
Rosalie frowned, mulling over his words. "I know, but... she's always been so difficult. I worry about Martin. He's so kind-hearted. What if she takes advantage of that?"
Alex took her hands in his, looking into her eyes. "Rosalie, Martin is stronger than you think. And people can change. Maybe Grace has changed too. Besides, love isn't always about finding someone perfect. It's about finding someone whose imperfections you can accept."
Rosalie sighed again, but this time, there was a hint of resignation in her eyes. "I just want him to be happy."
"And he will be," Alex assured her. "We all have to trust in his judgement. He's the new Alpha now. He can handle himself."
Rosalie nodded slowly, her worries easing slightly. "You're right. I just need to have faith in him."
"Exactly," Alex said with a smile. "Now, let's take a walk. You need to clear your head."
They walked hand in hand through the garden, the night air soothing Rosalie's troubled mind.
Rosalie nodded, leaning her head on Alex's shoulder. "I suppose you're right. I just need to give her a chance."
"That's the spirit," Alex said, wrapping an arm around her.