Bitten (Once Bitten, Twice Shy #1)(74)

“Why are you asking her?” Briggs quickly demanded.

“As if the girl would actually tell the truth,” Briggs’s wife muttered in disbelief.

Cain held a hand up, demanding silence and their protests immediately ceased. “Well?” he asked her.

Katherine licked her lips, having no problem implicating Rip. “Yes, it was justified. Rip cornered me at school. Whatever Bastian did to him – it was only to protect me.”

Cain gazed into her eyes for a good while, no doubt searching them for deception. “Very well,” he announced shortly. “Briggs,” he turned to the man in question, “I’m afraid that you have no proof Bastian was acting in anything other than defense of his pack when he went after your son. As such, there will be no retribution for his actions.”

Katherine’s shoulders sagged in relief, but she wasn’t immune to the smoldering glares sent her way by the Briggs and Wright families. She was just thankful that they didn’t dispute the head alpha’s quick decision. She really didn’t want to have to explain exactly why it was that Rip had cornered her at school – that he was the one with the demented crush.

Before she could completely relax, however, Cain continued speaking – and what he had to say this time was not what Katherine wanted to hear.

“Bastian,” he addressed the dark-haired man. “I’m afraid, however, that you’ve proven Rogue’s point about your lack of control valid when you launched yourself at him just now. Perhaps he’s also correct in implying that you have too many charges to care for. I wouldn’t protest if-”

He hadn’t even finished his sentence when Rogue, clasping the edges of the table with both his hands and leading into Bastian’s space, spoke. “I issue an alpha challenge. You and me, Bastian. Next full moon. For the girl.”

What in the world was an alpha challenge? And she had better not be the girl he was referring to… though realistically, who else could it be?

Bastian’s eyes narrowed, his mouth transforming into a hard line. “I don’t think-”

“As I was saying,” Cain interrupted, sending both men disapproving frowns, “I wouldn’t protest if someone else wished to take Katherine on.”

“You can’t be serious,” Bastian protested, taking the words straight from Katherine’s mouth and turning his baleful glare onto the head alpha – his uncle. The man remained unmoved.

“Fine!” Bastian spat before getting into Rogue’s face, enunciating his words thoroughly. “If you want a fight, you’ve got a fight. But I assure you that you will not win.”

“So mote it be,” Cain announced, a shrewd smile taking shape on his lips. “All you here are witnesses. An alpha fight between Bastian and Rogue will take place at the next moon gathering. The winner secures Katherine as a member of his pack.”

Wait. What?

Katherine tried desperately to keep the panic she could feel rising in her gut from showing on her face.

“Is that all then?” Bastian demanded of Cain, not bothering to disguise his rude tone. “Are we dismissed?”

The head alpha didn’t seem impressed with Bastian’s lack of respect. Nonetheless, he nodded. “Meeting adjourned.”

Not bothering to wait for further confirmation, Bastian pulled Katherine out the door. She could practically see the steam coming out of his ears as he marched her down the hallway towards the building’s only exit.

“Bastian! Hey Bastian, wait up!”

The sound of someone calling out Bastian’s name caused him to abruptly spot and spin around. “What?” he barked.

It was Agnes’s alpha – her long red hair in a bit of disarray as she struggled to catch up with them – who was attempting to get his attention.

“Is that any way to greet a friend?” she asked, feigning a huff. Katherine tried to recall her name. Atkins, she was fairly certain, was what Briggs had called her. Was it a last name?

When Bastian merely rolled his eyes at her question, she playfully punched him in the arm. “Quite a show you put on in there,” she commented. “Lord knows it’s the most entertainment I’ve had in a while.” She finally focused her gaze on Katherine. “Quite funny, wouldn’t you say?”

Katherine wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. Because, no. To be quite frank, she hadn’t found any part of the meeting funny. Confusing? Sure. Anxiety-inducing? Definitely. But funny? No.

And Katherine didn’t like the dynamic between Bastian and this woman either. Despite his surly attitude, it seemed like Bastian was familiar with her. They were friends, no doubt. Maybe even more.

Not that it was any of Katherine’s business. She didn’t care what – or rather who – Bastian did in his free time.

Still, she couldn’t help but think that the redhead was much too old for Bastian. She had to be pushing thirty. There was no way they were together together. Just no way.

Thankfully, Atkins didn’t appear to notice that Katherine hadn’t answered her question. Instead, she’d turned back toward Bastian. “Well,” she demanded, “Aren’t you going to introduce me?”

Bastian finally slipped his hand from Katherine’s – seemingly startled that they’d been holding hands in the first place – before loosely gesturing towards Atkins. The small brunette ignored the pang of irritation she felt.