Unlike with Nate, my challenge didn't have a big crowd. That was good for me because of less pressure. It was just my boys and Cortez while Lincoln kept it small with his Beta and some of the high members of his pack. Will dad—Lincoln beta—looked unsure of this fight I noticed and I heard him try to convince Lincoln to just stop this. It was being done on his ranch, his land where he's gonna fight hard to protect.
Lincoln didn't, he was determine to prove he was still a strong Alpha.
Cortez grabbed my arm and turned me to face her, "That guy is pretty big, Miss. Vaughn. He is over six feet tall and you're only 5'4. He has strong body, how are you—"
I pulled away, "Thanks for the concern but I'll be fine." I turned to face Lincoln who was a few dozen feet away from me. We stared at each other for a moment before I turned to Killian and hugged him tightly. Just in case.
Just in case.
Just in case I might not make it out of this, he'll become Alpha of my small little pack. I kissed his cheek, "Don't do anything to stop it." I told him as I rubbed my fingers against his neck with my hand. "No matter what happened don't do anything to prevent it from happening. Understand?"
He frowned down at me but nodded and gave me a hard kiss on the lips, "You're gonna do it though."
I forced a stiff smile before I turned around and face Lincoln who started walking towards the middle of us. I followed over towards him, "Make you deal Lincoln—I'll stay in human form. Fair enough for being how wild I am?"
He breathed out heavily, "You just made this more interesting."
We paused seven feet away from each other and we both crouched down in front of each other. My hands rest down on the grass and my nails dug into the dirt as they sharpen. I watched as his eyes turned yellow and I stopped my from turning they badly wanted to do from feeling threaten.
We both lunged at each other the same time but when I was close I tricked him by sliding under the space of legs and behind him. I quickly jumped on his back and brought my nails up to his throat. He grabbed me by my hair and pulled me off him easily as he shifted into his dark brown large wolf. He jumped on top of me and I brought my hands up to his chest to hold him up.
My hands balled up into a fist and I quickly swung up to his muzzle. He yelp but didn't get off me. I brought my fist roughly across his face again as I growled and he was thrown off me. We both got up and crouched each other again.
Circling each other, threatening each other with our cold eyes I could feel mine turn Amber and Sapphire. He was a wolf, making him stronger than as a human. I was still in human skin, using the strength I had to fight. He lunged at me and knocked me on my back. His heavy paw went on my chest and a sharp breath escape my lips. He growled down at me showing dominance and trying to make me submit to him.
I brought my hand up to his arm and roughly twist it. I could hear the bones in his arm crack in my hold and he cried out as he lifted his paw. He whined as stepped back with his hurt arm off the ground. I quickly stood up from the ground chuckling at home as my muscles in my body stiffen, aching to shift and the wolf part of me wanting to come out. It was itching just to shift and tare out his throat. I brought my fist out and knocked him onto the ground.
He quickly stood up snapping at me but I grabbed him by his throat and those yellow eyes stared down at me pleading as his tail started to go between his legs in submission. He then growled at me and brought his legs up. He pushed me back and I fell back roughly on my side.
I propped myself up as I growled at him, the urge to shift more stronger but I made myself ignore the feeling as I got up. We both lunged at each other but I was stronger as I threw him down onto the ground. I grabbed him by his throat and I quickly felt his legs come up between us. He pressed them against my stomach and kicked me off him.
I flew back a few feet and I roughly hit the ground. My head hurt and I groaned, bring my hand up to my aching head. Lincoln ran over towards me and I quickly picked myself up. I grabbed him by his thick neck with a grunt and threw him down to the ground. He started to stand up and I brought my foot down to his face. Everytime he tried to get up, I hit him back down with a growl trying to make him submit.
Last punch was when I hit him on his jaw and help yelp in pain as he fell back on his back. He shifted to his human form, his whole face bloody and his eyes swollen. I growled at him as I quickly straddled him and wrapped my neck around his neck. My teeth itch ready to sink the flesh of his neck.
His arms suddenly spread out on the ground as he stared up me, "I submit." he breathed out. I heard the words, I really did but they just one through one ear and out the neck. Him submitting meant he was giving up and would hand Oregon over to me. The Wild Wolf in me didn't want a submit, she wanted a kill, and I think she was gonna do anything for it.
I felt my body lower down towards his shoulder and my sharp teeth sunk into his flesh. Warm hot blood spilled into my mouth and my teeth gripped onto his shoulder. He cried out in pain as he grabbed me by my shoulders and I growled for him to let go of me. I closed my eyes, trying to focus on just ending this quickly.
"Please not for me." he breathed out. "For Melinda."
When he said that, it snapped me back to Melinda pleading for me not to kill her father. The way she was crying and begging for the man she was estrange with, who was trying to kill her mother. Yet she still loved him even though she hasn't forgiven him. I let go of my grip of his shoulder and pulled my teeth away. Blood was coming out of his shoulder quickly but I think if I would have rip a chunk from his shoulder he would be dying much quicker.
He brought his hand up to his injured shoulder, blood soaking through his fingers, "I, Alpha Lincoln Michael Hanigan, in front of members of some of my pack members and Beta give Alpha Matilda Nicole Vaughn leadership and title of Alpha of Oregon."
I stared down at him for a moment in surprise because he just gave me Oregon. He actually just handed Oregon over to me in front of some of his pack members. It's offical. . .I'm Alpha of Oregon. I quickly got and stepped away, " I want you out of here soon and to never return." I said, not sure who but I didn't care anymore at the moment if he lived or die.
I turned to my neck target Cortez who looked pale at watch the fight between the two wolves. I walked over towards her with blood going down my mouth and chest making her even more pale. "This isn't something we do." I told her as she breathed out heavily. I stopped in front of her with a cold look in my eyes, "I never would have done this—but you don't gave me any other choice."
"Huh?" she questioned.
"An hour ago every evidence or record you had of my kind is destroyed. You're Hunter killed." I said, making her eyes widen with fear. "Anyone who possibly could have known be next. You lab destroyed and set on fire. You not only threatened me but every wolf in this world. We can't let this secret get out, Cortez."
She stepped back, looking at all of us with wide eyes, "This is why you brought me out here. To get me away from the lab and all the work—"
I grabbed her by her shoulder and pressed her against the wall, "The secret of my kind is important and we are gonna do anything to protect it. I'm sorry, I'll try to make this quick—"
I felt something press against my stomach and I heard a loud 'pop' sound. Something went into my stomach. Pain rushed through my mouth fell and pain rushed through me. It felt like fire burnt me as I looked down to see a small hand fun in her hand.
"Mat!" Killian yelled before running over towards me.
My arm was numb and fell off her shoulder. My legs gave out as I started to fall but Killian made it in time. Gavin and Brayden grabbed Cortez, taking the gun from her.
Killian held me in his arms, looking down at me with fear in those blue eyes. I whimpered as I looked down at my stomach and I brought a shaking hand up. I pressed my teeth together roughly as my fingers went in and I found the bullet. I took a deep breathe before I pulled it out quickly and I cried in pain. Breathing through the pain I felt the wound heal up and my head fell back as I looked up at Killian.
He breathed out, a small smile on his face of relief, "I forgot your healing ability was much stronger than ours."
Once the wound was all heal Killian helped me up as Cortez cursed at us in both English and Spanish so Gavin covered her mouth. My stomach still hurt but it was bearable enough. I started to go towards her but Killian grabbed my arms and I looked at him confused, "What? I need to do this."
"Maybe we should just stop the plan—"
"Keep the pack secret safe, that's our biggest rule Killian. This isn't gonna do our kind any good just to give soldiers some energy boost. Thousands of years of blending in just to be ruined. You know humans—humans like her—won't accept us." I reminded him and he sighed heavily as he stared at me for a moment. He then let go of my wrist and lowered his head. I turned back to Cortez and she squeezed her eyes in fear.
I brought my hand behind her neck and pulled her hair so her neck. My teeth itched, ready for it and I bit down into her throat. She cried out in pain and I tuned into my wild wolf to block out the cry so I wouldn't care. Human blood filled in my mouth and I realized I have never tasted human blood until this moment. Unlike wolf blood, human blood had this slightly sweet taste and it was strangely good. Going down my throat, it tasted so good like a delicious meal your eating after being hungry for so long.
I felt a pair of hands grabbed me and Killian wrapped his arms around me, "Let go, Mat." he said and I growled. He whispered softly in my ear, "Let go, don't give in to your wild side. I know you, you would never hurt a human no matter what. There are other ways, we don't have to resolve to this. I promise we'll find another way. I know you Mat and I know deep down you don't really want to do this. It's not the only way to end this. Just let go."
I didn't want to listen to him because this truly felt like the only way to make sure our secret stays safe but. . .my teeth pulled out of her throat.
Days Later
I walked into Cortez hospital room where she was awake staring blankly at the wall. When I came in though her eyes turned to look at me and I saw fear in them. I walked over towards her bed and pulled a chair over.
"Doctor told me you'll never able to talk again." I said with no emotion in my voice. Yes now that I'm more calm and better I knew trying to kill her was wrong but honestly—I have no guilty conscience or feel pity for her. These were hard decisions and keeping her alive was risky. She couldn't talk though, her throat damage and it's a miracle she's alive still says the doctors.
I pulled my chair close towards her, "As an Alpha—being a wolf I come to learn allot of things Doctor Cortez. Like you know, I wasn't raised in this world. I spent over seventeen years of my life thinking I was just some unfortunate human who parents left her an orphan. When I learned what I was, I refused to believe it and didn't want it. I was scared of it and didn't think it was fare. After my eighteenth birthday though I knew I was a wolf. Then the massacre happened and I saved all the wolves who were kidnapped by this crazy Wild Wolf name Ramses. I was granted the honor title of Alpha." I leaned towards her, "And what I learned as Alpha is you have to make hard decisions for your pack. You left me no other choice—I wasn't gonna let my kind secret get out but I knew it won't be doing any good. There's human like you wanting to use us. God knows what you would tested on me, I could have died."
I cleared my throat, "Destroying all evidence was the only way. So those were didn't promise to keep the mutation of my DNA a search was killed but the ones who did promise was left alive. The old me—the young naive loud mouth girl would never think she would be here this day giving you this choice. The same choice as the others. Promise to keep the secret to yourself for the rest of your life and you go back to your home in Mexico I'll walk out of here and you'll never see me again. If you want to continue to plan on the research—I'll have to kill you. I'm giving you this choice Cortez—Annaliese. But also know if you promise you you'll keep the secret and you lie—not only will members of my pack come for you but many others packs will. We all don't want our secret expose. Trust me, I already asked them."
I sat back in my seat as she looked at me with teary eyes but still not pity because I only thought of my pack. The safety of us and the future. "Blink once for you'll keep quiet and stay alive. Blank twice if you won't take the right road and rather die for your research."
She stared at me for a moment before she blinked but another one didn't follow after quickly. I stood up from the chair, "Good choice. Forget about the research and go spend your life doing something else." I said before walking out of the room.
*
Two guys picked me up and placed me on their shoulders as everyone cheered. I laughed excitedly as my pack cheered for me and I threw my arms up in the air. It was a day filled with allot of celebration. One for becoming Alpha of Oregon and second for me keeping out secret hidden from the humans. Nate clapped up at me with a big smile on his face and I held my hand down towards him. He shook my hands before two men grabbed him and lifted him up since I wasn't alone in this.
Oregon pack seemed to be happy with me becoming Alpha and found it worth celebrating. My pack in Texas quickly came and joined Oregon—we now have a name and territory. Oregon didn't argue, they welcomed my small pack with open arms. Everything Lincoln once own—I now owned and it was mine.
You can say it was a very big celebration since allot of Alphas from different packs showed up. Ones who once believed I would fail as an Alpha had big smiles on their faces and congratulated me. They all admitted they were wrong and told me they were proud to call me a 'sister'.
Killian walked passed the crowd of wolves over towards me with a big smile on his chest and the guys slid me down from their shoulders. I smiled at him before he hugged me tightly and kissed me, "Their almost here." he told me.
Like his promise, a car soon pulled up up to the ranch that was now mine. Devin came over beside me as we walked out of the crowd and Aeriela quickly ran over on my other side. I watched Clyde and Sofia set out of the car. A big smiled appeared on my face before we all ran over towards them and hugged them. With how much power I had now, it was easy to get them out of the Tennessee prison.
*
I hugged Killian waist tightly as we walked away from the celebration because he wanted to have some alone time. His arm was around my shoulder as we walked and he kissed the top of my head, "Can't believe we're here now. You're Alpha of Oregon, the secret kept, Ramses is gone, and everything finally perfect. Problems are all gone." he said.
I chuckled, "I know, it's amazing. Like a big relief."
He pulled me towards him into his chest and I grinned, wrapping my arms around him tighter. He leaned down towards my neck and kissed it before his mouth came up to my ear, "Marry me, Matilda." he said, using my full name so I knew he was serious.
I pulled away to see a big grin on his face and I chuckled as I brought my hands up to his shoulders, "Really wanna marry me, Killian Arkwright?"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful twist diamond ring, "Yes I am, Matilda. I would very much like that."
I grinned up at him widely because I was very happy with this, "I would like it very much to. Yes I will marry you." I said. I brought my left hand up and he slid the finger on my finger. It was so weird and bizarre to see an engagement ring on my ringer but I knew I wasn't taking it off ever.