The piercing alarm sounded right as the slow song came to an end. Everyone froze for a split-second right before Mikel’s powerful voice carried across the field. “Women and children inside now! Women and children!” Then there was pandemonium as the guards and enforcers made sure to get them to safety.

“Who’s coming?” Mikel asked after he made sure the vulnerable members of his pack were secured.

Four wolves came charging up – they were the ones that sounded the alarm – one shifted in mid-skid, stopping directly in front of Mikel. “This hit right next to my head on the tower. I sounded the alarm, jumped down and we ran. I’m so sorry, Alpha, but I didn’t know what this was.”

Justice took the dart from the young man’s hand while his alpha commended him for his fast action. It was identical to the one the Mother had showed him. It was beginning.

Wick scented the air. Turning around. “It’s a lot of them. Shifters… not humans.”

“How can you tell? I don’t smell them… they must be downwind, or shielding their scents,” The Sequoia alpha asked, all of them looking at Wick and Justice for answers.

“There’s no time for us to explain, but we will later. For now, let us do what we’re supposed to do,” Justice commanded. The other alphas nodded and let Wick instruct his two guards to scour the perimeter for any lurking threats. He ordered Captain Ramon to stay with him and Henry. Fact of the matter was they were five vampires alone in a forest full of shifters. Wick had to protect his men, too.

Justice and Wick looked at each other, both of them turning their heads in the opposite direction when almost fifty shifters burst through the trees, running full speed across the land. Justice shook his head at the disrespect. How dare they? During his and his mate’s celebration. Their defiance needed to end now. Justice hurried out of his clothes, telling his brothers and sister not to follow suit… yet. He didn’t want this war to be on Mikel’s land. He’d worked too hard to get it this beautiful.

Justice communicated to his mate, then turned and let his big animal tear free. Justice trotted forward to keep his pack behind him and growled at the oncoming mob, pushing enough power at them to shake the ground they ran on. Many of them lost their stamina, falling to the ground in a mess of whimpers and snarls. He hated to hurt them, but they choose their fates by turning against him. Justice bared his large teeth at the ones still coming.

“Again.” He felt his mate.

Justice took in a deep breath and released another bone-chilling growl, halting more of them. The alpha and his mate were in the front, leading the group. They were no longer running, instead they walked to within ten yards of Justice and stopped. The energy he’d pushed at them had been enough to deter any plans they had of ripping through his pack. They were winded and hurting, fighting through Justice’s strength.

The Ruby Dome alpha shifted. His voice was strong despite his labored breaths. “That was some display of power, Alpha.”

“Alpha Zenith, motherfucker!” Alek thundered, his own power mixing with Justice’s. It was a force strong enough to make half of the traitor’s pack roll over and present their bellies in submission.

The alpha turned and growled menacingly at his pack but they couldn’t help it. They were too weak, their auras devoid of the Mother’s presence. Brainwashed, and now outcasts because of their deceitful alpha and their horrible greed.

Justice shifted too, glaring down the few members still standing.

“If you submit now, I will not harm any of you. However, I cannot overlook your rebellion.” Justice stepped closer, his dark brows cast down and his lips tight from controlling his anger. “Submit. And you will be confined to a shifter facility for no less than eighteen months. After, you can petition to join an approved pack again.”

About a quarter of the remainders got down and surrendered. One of Mikel’s lead enforcers quickly rounded them up.

“I will not give you a second chance,” Justice barked at them. A couple more scurried away but there were still some that were staying loyal to their alpha.

“Leave my pack alone. I’m here to make a few demands.” The alpha glared at Justice. His voice was stern and steady despite the mental beating he’d just taken. He was about three inches taller than Justice, with wide shoulders and even wider thighs. A massive man that had an impressive animal. Too bad he was an ass. “I declare my pack free and clear of your rule. I’m only here to recruit… not steal. I’m here to release any who want to go from your oppressive laws and offer them something better. Something they deserve. Freedom.”

“Money,” Justice growled, correcting him. He stepped forward, surprised the alpha was holding his position and the eye contact… so was his fuckin’ wench of a mate. Ultimate disrespect. “No one here will join you, and if you think for one second you’re just gonna turn around and walk out of here, then you’ve lost your damn mind.”

The alpha snarled again then turned with his arms open wide, yelling across the large property so all men could hear him. He ignored Justice’s threat and homed in on what he thought was his trump card. “Yes, and money.” His bass-filled voice carried. “Better living. Better resources. We’ll take back our forest and our streets from the damn vamps, while your AZ makes you consort with them. Forces you to. I don’t want to rule you. You can rule your own home. Every man is an alpha at the Ruby Dome!”

Justice let the man see that he wouldn’t find any followers here.

“So you’ll stay with an alpha that’s mated to our enemy?! A damn male vampire! My true mate is real. A female born alpha. Look at her.” The traitorous alpha pointed at his Amazonian-looking mate. She stood just as tall as him, but fuck if she didn’t look like the ugly bastard as well.

“You sure she’s not your sister?” Mac snorted, standing with his feet shoulder width apart, waiting on Justice’s word to attack.

The alpha growled in Mac’s direction but his brother yawned and raised a nonchalant brow.

“Unless there’s something wrong with your nose, you can’t disprove my mating.” Justice didn’t have to verify shit to this fool. He was done talking.

No sooner than he prepared to shift and end this once and for all, the alpha’s mate stepped forward. “If your mate is truly yours, then he’s supreme. No one could touch him. All I see is a measly vampire, mated to a shifter. Unnatural. We are the superiors.” She turned her scrunched up face back to Justice and eyed him with every ounce of putrid hate she had in her. “Alpha Zenith. I challenge your mate.”