“Houston, we have a problem.”

Jaylon Ross turned toward the door, but the humor on his lips faded the moment he met his father’s eyes. “What happened?”

“The council cancelled the run tonight.” Wyatt Ross met his son’s disbelief and shrugged.

“Why? This was planned months ago, since the Wolf Moon, when we knew the lunar cycle would be perfectly aligned with the tides.”

“I know,” Wyatt replied with a sigh.

“Then what’s the problem?” Jaylon closed his files and leaned on the end of his desk.

His father exhaled, lifting one hand. “Not enough interest among the young ones.”

Jay stood, incredulous. “There are at least twenty half-bloods old enough to coax their first shift.”

“That’s the reason in a nutshell, son. Half-bloods. They aren’t full shifters, and you know as well as I that coaxing a shift is hard on them. The moon doesn’t have the same pull on them as it does on full shifters. It’s work. It’s hard to pull their animal forth, and when have you ever known a teenager who wants to do something the hard way?” Wyatt looked at his son. “Besides, there’s some concert at the beach they’d rather attend.”

“I’m at a loss.” Jaylon lifted a hand and let it drop. “A lot went into planning this important rite of passage.”

“The half-bloods don’t see it that way.” Wyatt reached into his pocket for a folded note. “Matheus asked me to give this to you. He’s downstairs by the fire.”

Jaylon took the gold stamped stationary from his father’s hand and glanced at the looping script before folding it again and putting it in his pocket. “C’mon. I have a few questions for the old man, like when did it become common practice for him or any of the other elders to overrule the Alpha.”

Wyatt put a staying hand on his son’s arm. “He didn’t overrule me. I’m stepping down, Jaylon. I promised myself I would resign my role as Alpha the moment I no longer understood my pack. After this, I knew that moment had come.”

Jay stared at his father. “That’s ridiculous.”

Wyatt exhaled, giving Jaylon’s arm a squeeze. “This business with the half-bloods is my fault. I encouraged us to assimilate. Too much so. No one can deny we’ve lost the tie to what makes us unique from humankind.”

“Shifters can’t stop being shifters, Dad.” He opened the door and the two headed downstairs to the shifter’s lounge.

“Perhaps, but the younger generations don’t see that, especially not from a sick old man like me.”

“Being a shifter is not an all or nothing thing,” Jay replied. “Don’t they realize that? They can have the best of both worlds. It’s why we’re called dual-natured.”

“Exactly.” Wyatt stopped at the entrance to the drawing room. “They need someone to show them that.”

Jaylon nodded. “And they do. You’re our Alpha.”

His father pressed his lips together. “Not anymore. I’ve named you as my successor.”

Stunned, Jaylon didn’t say a word as he followed his father inside.

“Good. We’ve been expecting you,” Matheus said as the two walked toward the fireplace. “—and I can see by the look on Jaylon’s face that you explained.” The old man’s eyes crinkled in his wrinkled face.

Looking from his father to the elder shifter, Jaylon shook his head. “No.”

“No, your father didn’t explain, or no, you’d rather not?” the elder asked, his head cocked to the side.

“It’s done, son.” Wyatt spread both hands. “You are our new Alpha.”

“This is wrong. My father may be ill, but until his death, he’s the rightful Alpha.” Jay looked between the two men.

“Your loyalty does you credit, son, but we’re all in agreement. This is for the best,” Wyatt replied, shutting down any further argument.

The shifter’s lounge was usually a cozy place, but now it seemed claustrophobic. Jaylon scanned the others in the room, his eyes falling on a few of the men and their unpleasant glares.

“Congratulations, Jay.”

At the feminine lilt, he turned to find Giselle and her usual crew hanging by the bar. She leaned back on her barstool and ran a hand through her hair, her pert breasts high and round as if offered on a plate.

The woman was as indiscreet as she was vain. Still, she gave the best head he’d had to date, but that’s all it was, a physical release.

Her eyes gave him the once over and she licked her bottom lip. The invitation was clear, as was the greed in her eyes. It wasn’t just Giselle, though. The title Alpha sent ripples through the entire pack, and suddenly his senses were buffeted by estrogen and heat. No wonder the other males were sullen.

Jaylon dismissed the promise of easy sex and focused on Matheus and his father. “Why now?” he asked both men.

“You hit the nail on the head yourself. The half-bloods need someone to show them the true meaning of being dual-natured. Not one or the other,” his father replied.

“Your father’s right.” Matheus nodded. “You are to be our example, Jaylon. The one who can bring shifter pride back to our pack.”

Jaylon laughed. “And how do you expect me to do that?”

Matheus exchanged a glance with Wyatt and then raised one hand, placing it on the book of rites in his lap. “A scenting ceremony followed by a mating rite with a shifter woman of our choice.”

“What?” Jaylon roared and his wolf rose to just beneath the surface. “No!”

“Are you refusing the council, then?” Matheus questioned.

“I’ll do it,” a male called out. “I’ll take one for the team, easy. Make me Alpha and I’ll mount whatever shifter bitch you point my way.”

Matheus’s eyes narrowed at the man. “We can’t simply appoint someone Alpha and you all know it. However, if Jaylon is too proud to put the needs of the pack ahead of his own, then that constitutes grounds for a blood challenge, should any of you be inclined.”

“You never mentioned that as a possibility, Matheus! I won’t allow it!” Wyatt clenched his fists, ignoring the tittering laughter.

Jaylon eyed the old council member. “You do realize you’re giving me no choice.”

Matheus templed his fingers, his elbows on the arms of his chair with the gold leaf along the spine of the book of rites glinting in the fire light. “You have a choice, Jaylon. It may not be one you like, but it is a choice, nonetheless.”

“Cut the bullshit, Matheus. You know I’m not going to bow to your provisos nor am I going to submit to a needless blood challenge.”

“Jaylon—” Wyatt’s tone warned.

Jay raised one hand. The motion acknowledged his father, but he still continued. “Since this is my father’s wish and as he is ill, I will step up and do my duty to our pack, but I demand the right to choose my own mate.”

Matheus nodded. “Very well. You have thirty days to find an acceptable mate. If by that time you haven’t done so, you will submit to our choice or face a blood challenge.”

Jaylon’s jaw tightened. Matheus was a shrewd old dog. Somehow he allowed the old wolf to corner him. He had no choice. Not a real one, anyway.

“Thirty days. Done.” Jaylon nodded once and then turned on his heel and stormed out.

He stalked across the wide lawn into the dark and headed over the planked walkway toward the sand and the beach beyond. Standing in the wind, he ran a hand through his hair.

“And I was having such a good day,” he muttered at the sound of his father’s approach.

“I’m sorry, son. I didn’t anticipate Matheus’s curve ball. You’d think I’d know by now not to underestimate the old mutt.”

“How the hell am I going to find a mate in one month? Especially on Long Island.”

His father reached into the breast pocket of his jacket. “Maybe you need to cast your net wider.”

“And how do you suggest I do that?”

Wyatt held out the business card in his hand. “Here’s your answer.”