You’re an asshole. An absolute idiot. What the hell were you thinking? My inner voice hadn’t shut up for the last two days and my balls were most definitely a beautiful shade of sapphire. Okay, they probably weren’t, but they sure felt like it. Meanwhile, Tahlia was walking around with the biggest, and smuggest, grin on her face.

Zara had almost choked when she’d figured it out and Marc had shaken his head, but I knew what I was doing. I couldn’t stay away from Tahlia, but if I allowed myself to sink into her body, I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from claiming her as mine. She was my fated mate and everything that made me the male that I was commanded that I make her mine. I shouldn’t have even mentioned it to the pair of them, but Zara had managed to wheedle it out of me … somehow.

So, yup, no nookie for this cookie, to borrow one of the phrases Tahlia had thrown at me last night. Though she had been teasing, trying to break through my control, and she’d almost managed it. When her hand had landed on my crotch and—

“Alpha!”

Following the sound of the voice, I sprinted across the courtyard, shouldering my way through the crowd. In the middle, two men were laying into each other, fists flying and claws shredding skin. The hard thwack of bone meeting flesh echoed along with grunts and growls, the men barely holding onto their human form.

In fucking daylight. With Tahlia around.

“Enough!” I roared, grabbing hold of that thread of power that bound me to my pack and yanking it tight. I barely used it, hadn’t needed to, but something inside me snapped and this needed to end now. Around me, people dropped to their knees, bowing their heads. But it was the two troublemakers that I had in my sights. They flinched, hands clenched and dropped to their knees with a sickening crunch, their claws immediately receding and the odd tuft of fur flowing back into their skin. Because I had fucking told them to.

I pulled the power back into me and around me people let out the breath they’d been holding, all but two who, right about now, were looking more than a little worried.

Closing the gap, I glowered at them. “What the hell do you think you were doing?” We had rules. No shifting in daylight. No fighting outside of the basement. No disputes settled outside of a challenge. We were civilized, dammit!

Their eyes slid away and I growled, towering over them. “Someone better start talking.”

A scuffle behind me, then Zara joined me at my side. “This isn’t unusual.” The way she said it, offhand and with a hint of challenge, had my growl deepening.

“What … do … you … mean?”

She opened her mouth, then snapped it shut again. Hopefully biting off the witty comeback she’d been about to spit out. Side-eyeing the crowd, she eventually found her voice, “There have been quite a few fights recently.”

I gritted my teeth. “How recent?”

“For the last year or so.” Her words came out in a rush and she avoided my eyes.

Basically, since I’d stopped giving a shit. I’d thought the threat of my wrath would have kept them in line, but it appeared that I actually needed to be present to fulfill that promise. “It stops now, do you understand?” I met both male’s eyes and they nodded. “If you have a grievance, challenge each other in a fair fight. Tonight, in the ring.” It was in our blood to fight, a natural instinct that came from our wolves. We lived and loved hard, it was the way of the pack. A challenge cleared the air and settled the pecking order, calming the wolf inside that automatically deferred to dominance.

Taking a deep breath, I swallowed my pride. “It is I who has failed you, all of you. I didn’t lead by example and therefore I can’t judge you on your actions over the last few months.” Every eye was on me, the entire area silent. “But this stops now. I will be here for you, but you need to be there for each other.” With that, I turned and strode away.

“Nick!” Tahlia jogged over with Alex. Stopping in front of me, she eyed the crowd behind me with concern. “Is something wrong?”

I could feel everyone’s attention on us, like a living presence searing into my back. Escorting her out of view, I picked Alex up, then shook my head. “Everything’s fine. Just guys acting with hot heads.” A quick check confirmed no one was watching, so I stole a kiss, laughing when Alex wrinkled his nose then eyed us with suspicion.

Her eyes glowed with affection as she took my hand and squeezed it. “Gotta be hard being the king all the time.”

“It was easier being a solider,” I muttered, but it was the truth. At least then it had only been my life hanging in the balance.

“Nick?” Zara called from behind me.

Shooting Tahlia a wry grin, I handed Alex back to her, stealing another swift kiss. “Duty calls, min älskling.”

* * *

The basement was packed, everyone having a good time and music blaring. As well as being the place where we settled our differences, this also served as a clubhouse of sorts, a place for everyone to let their hair down and be themselves. The room stretched underneath the entire palace, but it was divided in two, the second room used for surveillance and a bunker of sorts. Still, that meant there was enough space for a dance floor, an impressive bar, numerous couches scattered around, and, of course, the fighting ring. Really, it was just a circle marked out on the floor, but it did the job.

The raucous noise dialed back a notch as I made my way down the stairs, my combat boots thudding heavily on the bare cement steps. Every eye in the room turned to me, then lowered, some tilting their bottles in silent welcome.

“See? This is what I was talking about,” Zara hissed under her breath, following behind me. “You’ve distanced yourself.” Gritting my teeth, I glared at her, and she held her hands up. I was well aware of how things were and what needed to be done. It was why I was here tonight and not with Tahlia, though I planned to track her down later and make up for my absence.

Moving through the throng of people, I accepted a beer from the male manning the bar, handing another to Zara, who grimaced, then took a tiny sip. “Insipid filth.”

Taking a long swallow, I chuckled. “Tastes fine to me.” Clinking my bottle against hers, I winked. “You need to learn how to relax and enjoy yourself.”

She snorted. “Says you.”

“I plan on it.”

It was as if the ice had been broken, the whole room letting out the breath they’d been holding, and the party kicked back into full swing. Bodies ground together and hands flailed to the rhythmic beat pouring out of the speakers. In the ring, people sparred, more for fun than anything else, the crowd cheering their own favorite on and ribbing each other in the way that family does. Balls cracked together on a pool table, money was passed from hand to hand in friendly bets. Couples made out on couches, friends huddled and played board games, and older children darted in and out, chasing each other in a never-ending game of tag or dare.

I turned to Marc who had settled against the bar to my right, his elbows braced and eyes tracking the crowd. A wolfish grin curled his lips as he brought his glass to his lips and took a sip.

Zara leaned around me, jabbing her finger in the air. “Is that whiskey?” She sounded mortally offended.

“Sure is.” He took another slow swallow.

I drained my beer, setting it down and took the barely touched bottle out of her hand, mentally counting down. Three … two … one.

Her hand snaked out and plucked the drink from his hand.

“Hey!” Marc raised an eyebrow.

She tossed it back and slammed the glass down. Sliding past me, she gripped the front of his shirt and dragged him closer, tilting her head. Pursing her lips, she widened her eyes. “Sorry, was that yours?”

Marc’s grin widened. “You can repay me with a dance, sweetheart.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her off, not giving her the chance to refuse. I heard her string of curses, but I knew Zara. If she hadn’t wanted to dance, she wouldn’t be. This was foreplay for her.

Enjoying my beer, I chatted with the occasional person who found themselves next to me at the bar and didn’t want to risk offense by not engaging in conversation. As the night wore on, people started to forget and barriers began to fall. The crowd around me thickened and I was no longer an island on my own.

I was just planning my exit, deciding my job here was done, when Marc’s voice rang out over the crowd. “Hey, Alpha!” He lifted his drink, then knocked it back. “Been a long time since I’ve seen you fight. You gone soft?”

Everyone froze, even the children picked up on the tension humming through the room, skidding to a halt and turning their eyes to me.

Setting my bottle down with deliberate care, I let out a growl, my wolf flooding to the surface and reaching my eyes. Setting my now silvery gaze on him, I pushed through the crowd, until we were chest to chest. His grin flickered, uncertainty creeping in and bravado failing. He swallowed, a muscle in his cheek jumping.

I flexed my hands, forming them into fists. “I can kick your ass any day of the week, asshole.” I let the smirk out I’d been holding back, thumping him on the shoulder. “Should have seen your face,” I muttered under my breath, slinging my arm around his shoulder.

He grimaced, then gave me a love tap in the stomach. “Want to show these fuckers how it’s done?”

My grin widened, until it was more teeth than lips. “Definitely.”

A cheer went up as we stalked toward the ring, money passing hands and people crowding the circle. Excitement flowed through the air as we both shucked off our shirts. “Claws and fists only,” I grunted, rolling my shoulders to loosen them up.

“Still gonna kick your ass,” he replied, bouncing around like a boxer about to enter the ring.

Shaking my head, I pointed at him. “Shit, man, you going to dance or are we going to fight?” Spending time with Tahlia had rubbed off on me, and my attempt at American smack talk sounded pretty good, even if I said so myself.

“You’re going down, motherfucker,” he growled, but it was purely for show. All of this was, but it didn’t mean I wasn’t going to enjoy myself. It had been a while since I’d had chance to let off some steam.

We circled each other, getting in a few jabs, then all hell broke loose as we crashed into each other, grunting and punching, legs sweeping out and blood flying.

“Not bad for a king,” Marc grunted, avoiding an uppercut and planting his fist in my stomach. His fist connected against hard muscle and he winced, pulling his arm back before he broke his wrist.

I stepped into him, sweeping my leg out and hooking my arm around his neck. “Does that mean I should stop holding back now?” I growled in his ear.