Chapter Five
Caine
It was time. For seven years now, he'd felt his leopard's desire to challenge their Alpha. He'd worked out and trained every day. He'd pushed himself past his endurance levels in order to build up his speed, stamina, and strength. He'd bulked up so that, at twenty-two, he was broad shouldered with clearly defined muscles.
Once he felt he was physically ready to challenge Zachary, he turned his attention to the financial side of things. It would take more than brute strength to lead the Pard out of the poverty Zachary had allowed it to sink into. For the last four years he'd been slowly building his financial portfolio so that, when the time came, he would have the financial stability to do just that.
Each year that had passed with Zachary Eitenne buying himself lavish gifts and spending money on his whores, money that should have gone to help the less fortunate members of the Pard, Caine found his rage increasing. No more. The Pard deserved better, and by gods, tonight he would make that happen.
It was late evening, the fading sun stained the sky in crimson, pink, and orange hues. Cicadas sang in the trees, the croaking of bullfrogs echoed across the bayou, and every now and then the hiss of a gator could be heard. Spanish moss, which hung heavily on the trees, swayed in the light breeze. It all seemed a fitting backdrop for what was to come.
Many of the Pard were out enjoying the evening breeze after the sweltering heat of a late September day. Their gazes followed Caine as he made his way toward their Alpha's home. Those who were brave enough to follow, or let their curiosity override their fear, trailed behind him in a meandering line.
“What's dis?” Zachary was lounging on his porch with one of his whores draped across his lap.
“Zachary Eitenne, I, Caine Bordeaux, challenge you for your position of Alpha of the Black Water Pard.”
Zachary laughed. “Dis is a joke, yeah?” He couldn't believe anyone had the gall to challenge him. “You're practically a kit. You really tink you can defeat me?”
Caine just looked at him. If Zachary thought he could intimidate him, he was sorely mistaken. “I don't just tink so, I know so. You've been lax too long, old man. You tink yourself unable to be defeated?” He scoffed at the older man. “While you have done no'ting but lie around for years bein' lazy and gettin' fat, I have been trainin' every day for nearly a decade for dis moment. Are you too afraid to accept my challenge?” His tone was mocking.
Zachary snarled. “I accept your challenge, kit. I'm goin' to teach you a lesson.”
Caine didn't bother with stripping before he shifted. The action shredded his clothes but that was why he was wearing a pair of old cut-off shorts and a tank top.
Zachary, however, was a little slower. “You might wanna go on inside da house,” he told the woman before he began to undress. His clothes were expensive and he didn't want to ruin them. The woman watched everything with interest. She was among the select few humans who really knew about the Pard and their compound. For a man who disliked humans, in general, Zachary sure had an affinity for them when he had a sexual itch to scratch.
Word of Caine's challenge spread quickly through the compound and soon the entire Pard was gathered to watch. Whatever happened here tonight would have a ripple effect that would be felt for years to come.
Caine immediately went on the offense. He wanted the fight over quickly. He wasn't worried he couldn't win otherwise; he just didn't want to drag the fight out any longer than necessary. His leopard wasn't as large as Zachary's but the older cat moved slower. With Caine's speed, he overpowered Zachary within minutes. His jaws clamped around Zachary's throat and he bit down while his claws raked the Alpha's side.
Zachary believed he would be the victor. It had been years since he'd been challenged by anyone. The last real fight he'd been in was nearly two decades ago. As a result, he was cocky and self-assured. He realized, a little too late, just how wrong he was. His claws raked at the smaller leopard when he felt Caine's jaws clamp around his throat. He struggled and fought for his life. A snarl tried to escape but it was cut off when his throat was crushed.
Caine held onto the other leopard until he was certain Zachary was dead. He felt a modicum of remorse over the other leopard's death because life, all life, was precious to him, but his overall emotion was one of relief. Relief that it was finally over. Relief that now the Pard could begin to rebuild. Relief that now the Pard could be brought out of squalor.
“Build da pyre. We will pay our respects as is fittin.” Caine's voice echoed in the silence. His gaze went to Remy Delacroix and Beau Lafluer, both of whom stood closest to him. “Pick out a couple of people to help you get da wood needed.”
Remy didn't even blink in surprise. “You got it, Alpha.” He shared a glance with Beau before he motioned for several Pard members to follow them.
“Your mama would be mighty proud of you, if she were here.”
Caine's attention was drawn to Eliza Lafluer. She'd been best friends with his mama. “Thank you for dat, Ms. Eliza. I like to tink she'd be glad to see da Pard comin' under better leadership.”
“So you tink you'll do a better job?”
“I know I will. Da Pard won't be sufferin' in poverty anymore. I've got da means to make it better and I plan to see it happen.”
Eliza approached him before she inclined her head submissively. “She'd be real proud of da man you've become, Caine. I know your papa made you feel like it was your fault she died, but your mama, she loved you. She didn't care if it put her in risk, she wanted to hold her babe in her arms, and she did. None of us is guaranteed tomorrow, your mama knew dat, and she lived her life da best she could and tried to make ever'one around her happy.”
Eulalie Rousseau, Eliza's aunt, overheard them talking and moved to them. “You listen to her, cher. She knew your mama better den anyone. Her, your mama, and my Adelaide, dey were nigh inseparable when dey were girls.” Her voice hitched when she mentioned her daughter. Adelaide had left years ago, when she was a teenager, and she'd not been heard from since.
“I'll remember dat, Mamere Eulalie.” Everyone called her 'Mamere' even if she wasn't their grandmother.
Eulalie patted his cheek. “You're a good boy, Caine Bordeaux. You'll do right by da Pard.” With that she made her way to her home. She would return once the bonfire started.
Caine nodded as members of the Pard came forward to congratulate him or greet him as the new Alpha. It would take time to repair all the houses that needed to be fixed, but already he was planning out which ones needed attention the most. There was a lot to do but he was confident that he could achieve his goal with the aid of members of the Pard like Remy and Beau. leopards who were young and strong and not afraid of the hard work.
Mia
Mia was helping Adele and Auguste with their homework when news of the challenge reached them. As one, the Lafluer clan went to watch, each hoping that the younger leopard succeeded. There was no love lost with their Alpha because of the way he mistreated the Pard.
Her mama was six months pregnant with her eighth child. She'd been having some trouble with this babe so Mia carried her four year old brother, Dempsey, so her mama didn't have to fuss over him. Dempsey rested his curly, carrot top head on her shoulder and sucked on his thumb. It was a habit they were trying to break him from. Among the Lafluer children, Mia, Julius, and Dempsey were the only ones to get their papa's red hair. The others had their mama's darker locks.
“Do you tink Caine will win?” Auguste asked in a whisper as they got close to the Alpha's house.
“I don't know but I sure hope so,” Mia admitted. Her gaze went around the circle of Pard members gathered there and her heart ached a little when she spotted Gage. Since the day after the Homecoming dance he'd been more distant than ever. With a soft sigh she forced herself to stop thinking about him. She needed to pay attention.
“Do we gotta watch?” Dempsey asked as he wiggled in his sister's arms.
“Yes, we gotta. Now be still. If you want me to put you down, you know how to ask. You'll still have to hold my hand.”
The little boy pouted then gave a sigh that made it sound like it was such a bother. “Please put me down.” Once he was on his feet he bounced in place but he kept hold of his sister's hand. “I can't see,” he grumbled after a minute.
Gage
When word reached him and Remy that Caine challenged the Alpha, Gage stopped working on the table he was making and headed for the Alpha's house. This he had to see. Remy had told him that Caine was going to do it, eventually. If he'd known it was going to happen today he wouldn't have started on the table. He'd only recently realized he loved carpentry work and wood-crafting. He could carve the most intricate details into a piece of wood and the table he was working on was a birthday gift for his mama.
Out of the corner of his eye, Gage saw a splash of red and his gaze was drawn to it. Mia. Fuck. Ever since he saw her in that dress he couldn't get her out of his mind. He'd tired. He kept his distance, he focused on his wood-crafting, he even tried to get her out of his mind with sex and nothing worked. He wasn't sure what was wrong with him.
While Caine issued his challenge and the fight began, he made his way to Mia's side. He heard Dempsey's complaint and scooped him up to sit him on his shoulders. “How's dat? Better?”
“Yeah!” Dempsey practically squealed with excitement.
Gage chuckled then turned his attention to Mia. “Hi. Dis little guy givin' you a hard time, huh?”
Mia shook her head. “No more den Adele, or Auguste, or Constance did at his age. Mama's been a bit tired lately so I didn't want her wearin' herself out carryin' him like she always does.”
“She should be restin', not standin' out here. Caine would understand.”
Mia rolled her eyes. “You know my mama isn't gonna go do dat when challenge has been made. We've all been waiting for dis day. We didn't know it would be Caine, but someone had to do it.”
“True. Your mama's stubborn. Did she have to pass dat on to you?” he teased. He wanted to distract her from the fight.
Again Mia rolled her eyes. “Better stubborn den a pushover who lets ever'one walk all over dem.” The sound of a dying snarl drew her attention to the center of the yard. When it was clear that Caine was the victor there was silence. Everyone was stunned and relieved that Zachary Eitenne's reign was over.
“Dere will be a party after the pyre. Save me a dance,” Gage said and winked at her before he set Dempsey back on his feet and went to help collect wood for the fire. He didn't know if she would or if she'd find an excuse to not be there, but he was damn sure going to try to get a dance out of her.
An hour later, the sun was set, the fire burned bright, and music filled the air. Gage was a leopard on a mission. He nodded at Pard members he passed but his sole focus was Mia Lafluer. She was perched on a tree stump, heels kicking against the faded bark, while her head bobbed to the music. “I'm surprised you didn't go hide.” There was a teasing tone in his voice and a grin split his face.
Mia flashed him a wicked grin. “I thought about it,” she admitted. “But knowin' you, you'd have hunted me down and dragged me back so I decided to save you da trouble.”
Gage's laughter filled his face with joy. “You're right, I would have. Dance wit' me.” He held a hand out to her and waited for her to slip her hand in his. Once she did he tugged her to where others were already dancing and pulled her close. “We haven't seen much of each other since da dance. How's your paintin' goin'?”
“Okay. It's not like it's a big deal. It's just...someting to do.”
“Bullshit. You're good, Mia. You could sell your paintin's, easy.”
“You're biased. I know where you sleep and I've been known to retaliate when someone makes me mad.” She wasn't being completely serious but she was known to get someone back when they made her mad.
Gage shook his head. “No, cher, I'm not biased. Well, okay, maybe I am about some tings, but not about dis. You're good.”
Mia ducked her head a little. “Thanks.” Her gaze went to where her younger siblings were and she sighed. “I need to go. I need to get Dempsey and Constance into bed for mama.”
“A'right. Thanks for dancin' wit' me, Mia.” He reluctantly let her go and watched her as she got the two youngest members of her family and ushered them off to their home. He made a mental note to try and make some time to sit down with his papa and ask him about the way he was feeling every time Mia was around.