A very big, very huge thank you to sleeplessgurl for offering to edit, and for telling me like it is! Thank you to ~L for proofreading for me.
I want to take a second to say thank you for the comments and emails on chapter 1. Plus a very grateful thank you to JazCullen for what she did, also. I hope everyone enjoys chapter 2! And I want to apologize for the delay with this chapter; everything that could go wrong... well, it did. I'm hoping now that things have been straightened out there won't be such a delay again.
I'll update my bio page when chapters are coming, also.
This is a copyrighted work of fiction by the author durablue. All rights reserved.
Chapter 2
"My name is Daylon..."
The whispers were gaining in strength as Ivy struggled with what was happening around her. Who was this male that could bring everything to a stand-still like this; who inspired such fear in the others? Finally the name that was being whispered so fearfully penetrated Ivy's mind...
"I'm the Alpha of the Wolfland Pact."
That was the last thing Ivy heard as darkness swept over her.
* * * *
Moving swiftly, Daylon caught Ivy as she collapsed. Concerned, Daylon wondered briefly if Ivy was afraid of him. Was she overwhelmed by the things she had possibly heard about him? For once Daylon wished his reputation wasn't quite so... dark. Their one encounter left him with the impression she was strong and spirited, so why had she passed out?
Cradling her against his chest he vowed that she would come to know
him
, the real person. Her pack cleared out quickly, rushing to get away from the notorious Alpha of the Wolfland Pact, leaving only warriors and Ivy's mom in the Inner Chambers. Sam and Holland stood near Daylon, ready to defend their Alpha's back.
Daylon knew that each man was battle ready, but Sam seemed more... tense, more controlled than usual. Ivy's father, snarling in anger, remained along with several others. Every line of his body showed his anger at Daylon's interruption of the mating ceremony. Tension, thick as a low hanging fog, air hung in the air.
"I deny your claim," Dolmas shouted, causing Daylon's warriors to tense. "I call death challenge!"
Dolmas didn't have the
right
to deny anything. Nothing stopped a wolf from claiming his mate, nothing... except death. And Daylon had no intention of dying in a challenge, especially to such an ass like Dolmas O'Farrell. He'd warned the old man, had hoped he would listen, but apparently his own self-serving purposes ruled his mind.
"You old fool," Daylon said quietly, his voice all the more frightening for its softness.
"Dolmas, let it be," Mary pleaded, her face stripped of all color.
"Out with you, woman!" Dolmas growled. "This is men's business."
"Please, Husband," she begged, "
please
, stop this."
"Get. Out. Now." Dolmas, his anger saturating the room, snarled. "I'll deal with your disobedience later."
Daylon was amazed at how Dolmas spoke to his mate, but was even more amazed at the low growl that came from Sam. Women of his pack would have skinned their mates for such blatant disrespect. The males of his pack were dominant, true, but never would they speak thusly to a woman. His own mother would have smacked his father's ears if he spoke to her in such a way, publicly or privately. Hell, she popped his a few times, too.
"Kern, my eldest, will be my Champion," Dolmas growled, interrupting Daylon's musings.
Disgusted, Daylon realized Dolmas didn't intend to fight the challenge; he planned to use his eldest son in his stead. Out of the corner of his eye Daylon saw the fearful look that passed over the other man's face.
Once nominated as Champion Kern
had
to fight or lose all standing in his pack. Dread made his movements slow as he stripped off his clothes. Kern took a deep breath, and began the transformation process. Shaking his head, Daylon shifted Ivy's limp body to Holland.
"Guard her well," Daylon said to Holland.
Quickly he shed his clothes. His body surged with power as Daylon dropped to his hands and knees as the change roared through him. Thick, coarse hair covered his body as man gave way to beast. His mouth elongated into a muzzle that held sharp, deadly teeth. Daylon shuddered as power flowed through his body from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail.
His bones snapped and popped, rearranging to support the frame of his wolf. Within seconds a huge, muscular black wolf waited where the man once stood. Bright yellow eyes, with a black outer ring, narrowed as he watched the other wolf ready itself to attack. Kern circled Daylon, snarling, snapping, and putting on quite a show.
Unimpressed, Daylon watched... waited. Focused on his opponent, Daylon looked for weaknesses. Watching Kern's eyes, he searched for a sign that would betray... ah, there it was; a quick look down toward Daylon's front legs. Quick as a lightning strike, Kern lunged, his massive jaw aiming for Daylon's forepaw. Reading his intent clearly Daylon surged forward, head butting Kern, making him stagger back.
Loud, horrible growls echoed around the room from both packs as Daylon leaped at the other wolf. Teeth slashed as both their muzzles collided again and again. Daylon used his superior strength to test Kern's abilities, temperament, and control. Within minutes, Daylon knew that this could end up a bloody mess if he wanted. Kern, in desperation, was taking chances that left him open and vulnerable. A slight tickle at the back of his neck indicted that Sam was linking with him mentally.
Jesus, Daylon, our youngest pups fight better than him. What the hell kind of training do they put their youngster's through?
Moving quickly Daylon used his weight to push Kern on his back.
Thank you Captain Obvious.
Using his larger body, Daylon pinned Kern on the ground. Head whipping back and forth, Kern snarled in frustration, unable to dislodge Daylon as they fought.
Oh for god's sakes. Stop playing around with him. He's no match for you, Daylon. You're just screwing around now.
Using his paws, Kern attempted to push Daylon off him, which resulted in a deafening scream of loud growls, harsh barks, and sharp nips.
Sam, in case you failed to notice I'm in the middle of a death challenge. Go bug someone else for Christ's sake and get the hell out of my head!
On his back, unable to regain his footing, Kern was trapped by Daylon's weight and strength. A sharp whine sounded from Kern as Daylon stood over him. When the other wolf struggled, Daylon snarled and used his teeth to nip the other wolf, drawing more blood, and cowing him back down.
After several minutes of squirming, snapping, and snarling, Daylon had had enough. If Kern had submitted, Daylon would have ended the fight. As the winner it was his choice to let his opponent live, or not. But the more Kern struggled, the shorter Daylon's temper became. Then Kern managed to get lucky. He jerked his paw up aiming at Daylon's chest, intending to push him away.
His paw missed and swiped Daylon's muzzle. The sharp claw cut into the skin, narrowly missing his eye. Deep scratches dripped blood down Daylon's muzzle and a red haze exploded in his mind. Baring his teeth, Daylon lunged forward, burying them in the throat of his enemy. Kern froze under Daylon, his cry high pitched and fearful.
Daylon snarled, low and fierce, shaking his head with his teeth embedded in Kern's throat. A loud, frantic yip from the other wolf signaled he submitted. The need to kill, to crush his enemy's windpipe bloomed in Daylon as blood seeped into his mouth. He bit down harder, enlisting a frightened whimper from the other wolf.
"Daylon, my Alpha, let him go," Holland spoke softly. "You won. You defeated him and he's submitted. Your mate needs you, Daylon."
The words of his second in command penetrated his mind, backing him off his blood lust. Daylon didn't want to begin his mated life with the death of her brother between Ivy and him. He released the other wolf and howled in victory, his warriors picking up the call. Muzzle bloody, eyes narrow, he stalked to Dolmas and snarled. A flash of blinding light consumed him and the man was once again in control.
"I have given your son his life, Dolmas. Cross me again, and I won't be so generous. Ivy is the
