Capítulo 50

"Jace!"

Jason paused, turning as William hurried to catch up to him. Jason nodded to his friend. After breakfast, he assumed William would disappear with his mate again, but Phoebe invited Lily to the spa day his mother and sister planned, along with a handful of other Lunas she had become close to. Surprisingly, Lily agreed. So now they were both on their own.

Jason certainly couldn't blame his friend for wanting to spend every moment with his mate. When William showed up with Camilla, Jason had been worried about the path his friend was on. It was a slippery slope, as his father attested to. He still had concerns, but so far, Camilla hadn't made any trouble.

"So... haven't seen you in a while," Jason smirked.

William cleared his throat and had enough sense to be sheepish. Jason chuckled, although he was one to talk. After finding Phoebe and bringing her home, Luke practically had to beg him to get back to his Alpha duties.

"So, I've been meaning to catch up with you about the Alpha meeting," Jason said as they started walking again.

"Ah, yeah, about that silver cure you have, right?" William nodded.

Jason raised a brow.

"Lily mentioned it after talking to her brother," William shrugged.

Jason nodded. That made sense. Lily was one of many experts in Harvest Moon, so it made sense Reed would consult with her.

"It's pretty big news," William said, "did Phoebe really come up with it?"

"Her and her friend," Jason nodded with a smile. "They didn't even know the prospects of what they came up with. I dread to think what would have happened if that idiot Alpha of theirs figured it out."

"You mean her first mate?"

Jason growled, his eyes flashing amber.

"Easy! Easy!" William held up his hands, feeling Jason's aura rise. He had never feared his friend, but he was now very much aware of how dangerous he truly was.

Jason breathed deep, willing himself to be calm. Lobo whimpered with longing. Norah and Lucille dragged Phoebe away almost as soon as breakfast was finished so they could begin their spa day free of male drama. He wanted to protest, preferring Phoebe to remain protected within the safety of the pack. However, Phoebe smiled and gave him a gentle kiss that had him ready to agree to anything. Jason was regretting it now, as he was always calmer when she was near. His nerves were fraying with so many other Alphas present, so he was headed to the training grounds to work some of it off. No doubt the other Alphas were all thinking the same thing, so it was going to be crowded, but it was still a good idea.

"Where are you headed?" William asked, as if he couldn't guess by the direction of their path.

"The training grounds."

"What a coincidence, me too," William smiled. "There's someone I have to mind to tear into."

Jason grinned, knowing full well who William referred to. Lily managed to calm him some before she joined the others for their spa day, but now William was in the same boat as Jason. Without their Lunas to soothe them, they were getting anxious. Jason had always prided himself on his self-control and patience, but now it seemed nothing more than an act. Was he really allowing worry to cloud his judgment? Why was he so anxious?

Blue Moon's training grounds consisted of an outdoor arena as well as a gym complete with a weight room and indoor running track. With so many Alphas around, being able to work out aggression in a controlled atmosphere was imperative. Because of that, the grounds remained open throughout the day.

Reaching them, they found most had taken up space in the outdoor arena. Some were running laps in human or wolf form. Others, including a number of Lunas, were lounging on the bleachers, watching and conversing. The majority, however, were sparring, testing themselves against the Blue Moon warriors. Though the visiting Alphas and Betas had the advantage of rank, the pack warriors had extensive training.

Though Jason didn't announce himself, the others immediately sensed him. The Blue Moon warriors bared their necks in submission, waiting for a nod before returning to their activities. Jason acknowledged the other Alphas with a nod as well. William, however, was preoccupied. He scanned the crowd until his eyes settled on the object of his search.

Jason trailed a step behind as he made his way to the seats where the newly arrived Alpha was posing for some younger she-wolves, no doubt there to ogle the pack warriors. He was probably hoping to make a better impression than the one he started with at breakfast. Standing beside him was his escort and bodyguard. Neither dared approach Jason after breakfast, and they seemed oblivious to him now. But this was William's show.

William quickly closed the distance. Reaching the warrior, he trapped him on the shoulder. The moment the other turned, William hit him with a right hook that sent him spinning before he collapsed on the ground.

"Get up," William sneered. "Time we settled up, pup."

Grabbing the other by the collar, William dragged him to the nearest sparring arena. The others quickly vacated it to join the onlookers. He tossed the warrior into the arena before stepping in and quickly yanking off his own shirt. The other Alphas looked to Jason to see him watching with a rather amused expression. Some relaxed, and others became more nervous.

"Hey, wait," Liam moved to protest, only to have Jason's hand settle on his shoulder.

"I advise you to sit this one out," Jason said. "It's between them."

"I don't understand."

"I don't expect you to, pup," Jason said, sounding remarkably calm. Lobo stopped pacing and was content to watch the match play out.

"What is that supposed to mean? You can't let them fight. He's an Alpha."

"And he's a trained warrior."

"But... why does he want to fight?"

"An Alpha is very territorial about their Luna," Jason said. "They do not tolerate anyone coming between them."

"...I would never come between you and your Luna," Liam said.

Jason growled, "As if you could. But this isn't about my Luna. It's about his."

He looked to William, who was stretching, waiting for the other to pick himself up. The other was taking his time, as if expecting someone to intervene.

"I don't understand."

"Your warrior rejected his fated mate," Jason said. "Will is her second-chance mate and he's eager to settle the score."

"Wait... you mean..." Liam looked to William, who was now ready and growing impatient.

"Get up!" William snarled. "Stop stalling, you coward."

"Getting a little serious, don't you think?" the warrior winced. "I never touched her. She's a twig."

A roar erupted from William, and silence fell over the arena. Everyone turned their attention to the pair. If they weren't already aware of the match, they were now.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" the warrior asked, finally getting to his feet, only for William to drop him with a left cross.

"Get up," William growled. "You better start taking this seriously if you expect to be breathing by the end."

"Okay, then," the warrior huffed, getting back to his feet. He tossed aside his shirt before they slowly started circling one another. The warrior stood almost a half-foot taller, but there was no hesitation in the Alpha. He was used to fighting against taller opponents, and if they shifted, that slim advantage would be lost, as a wolf's size was largely determined by rank and aura.

Everyone gathered as the pair squared off, William going on the attack. His speed seemed to surprise his opponent as he rained punches like a prizefighter. William practically bounced on his heels, connecting with the other's jaw, and sent him spinning. With a snarl, the warrior lunged on the attack, swinging wildly, but managed to land a blow to William's ribs. He hardly seemed aware of it, countering with another jab to the other's jaw.

This wasn't the first time someone underestimated William because of his height. The first time Jason sparred with William, he made the same mistake, though their match ended in a draw. For every strike the warrior managed, William countered with two or three. His opponent staggered back after another trading of blows, slowly coming to the realization that it was a losing fight. In desperation, he shifted into a rather large brown wolf.

William snarled, as if waiting for this moment, and shifted into his mottled tan-gray wolf. A sharp breath went through the observers, immediately seeing the difference. William was a true Alpha. His wolf was just as bulky as his human form and easily as tall as other Alphas. The warrior, on the other hand, was on the smaller side. No doubt it was the result of rejecting his fated mate. At least, that was Jason's conclusion as he eyed the pair slowly circling each other.

This time, the warrior attacked first, but William was just as quick in this form as his other. He twisted clear before whipping his head around to sink his teeth into the other's shoulder. Shaking him, William tossed the other to the ground. They heard a sharp snap, but the warrior clawed his way back onto his paws. William wasn't giving him a moment to rest, pouncing on him again and tossing him like a rag.

"Stop it! Make them stop!" Liam demanded, even as Jason held him back. "He's going to kill him!"

"Maybe," Jason agreed.

"But you can't let him!"

"You would try commanding another Alpha?" Jason asked. "One that is protecting his Luna?"

"You can make them stop, right?" Liam asked, looking to Jason, then to Reed as he joined them.

Reed glanced at him, "This is Blue Moon, so Jason holds authority. But I'd just as soon let them continue."

"Why?" Liam scoffed.

"Because the mate he rejected was my sister. If I did stop them, it is only so I can have my crack at him."

Liam stared at him in disbelief before looking to Jason again. But he found no sympathy there either. A sharp cry made him jerk back to the arena as his escort was tossed again, rolling to a stop just inside the boundary of the area. It was no accident. Had the wolf been thrown out, the match would be over, but William was in no mood to allow that.

He stalked closer to the prone form, snarling. The warrior was slow to stir. He tried to rise, but his left forelimb gave out under him and he collapsed. Whimpering, he looked to William for mercy, but the Alpha bared his teeth, covered in the other's blood. William opened his mouth, eager for the kill. With a whine, the warrior desperately offered his neck in submission and waited for the final blow.

When the attack didn't come, he dared open his eyes to see William standing over him, teeth still bared. The warrior immediately averted his gaze. William batted the warrior's face with a paw before turning away. He walked with his tail held high. A Blue Moon warrior met him as he shifted back, offering a towel and a pair of shorts.

"W-why?" Liam stepped forward. "What was the point of that?"

"You'll understand, pup," William spared him a glance. "When you find your mate, and her honor is on the line."

"Get him to the hospital," Jason ordered as the warrior managed to shift back. "Make sure he's fit to see the ceremony. Attendance is mandatory."