Luna Layla sneered at Alpha Edward. "Oh, it's possible. On the first day I arrived here, I spiked your drink with drugs that made you infertile."
Alpha Edward was raging now. "LIES! TELL ME YOU ARE LYING!" His Alpha aura was flaring uncontrollably, but his mark on Luna Layla's neck made her feel like just a breeze was caressing her skin.
She looked at him sadly. "You knew I had a mate, and you still went with the deal and forced your mark on me the moment I reached eighteen years old. Did you really think I submitted to you? I vowed that your bloodline would end with you. The only pleasure I had while staying here was draining your treasury while buying useless luxuries."
Alpha Edward moved toward Luna Layla in slow motion as possessed. "Marcy and James… who is their father?" His eyes moved randomly, and they flashed dangerously when it dawned on him. "Chester. Your fated mate."
Luna Layla smirked. "I made sure to go to him the moment I felt the first signs of heat. Every. Time. You thought I'm a whore like you? For me, there was only him. You, I endured. Chester, I loved, and I still do."
Luna Layla turned to James. "I have no hope that you and your sister will forgive me. I failed you, and I can't take it back. I sent her away as a child, hoping to protect her from this monster you call father, but he still brought her back and… In my defense, I did what I had to do to survive. I was a horrible mother, but it gives me comfort to know you found your path and that Edward Redmayne can't harm you."
James stared at his mother. He suspected that Alpha Edward was not his father and that their relationship was complex, but this… he was not sure what to think. Who the hell was Chester?
Luna Layla looked at Alpha Edward. "Edward Redmayne, I reject you as my mate and as my Alpha, and I denounce the Red Moon pack."
Alpha Edward fell to his knees, and he gasped for air. He heard that breaking the bond was torturous and could kill the wolf, but this was not so bad. Was it because they were not fated mates? Or because his wolf was stronger than others? It didn't matter.
He had no intention of accepting the rejection. He will keep her with this half-ass bond forever and use it to track her and punish her, just like all others that dared to turn against him!
Alpha Edward didn't look up as Luna Layla walked away. No one stopped her.
After Luna Layla's footsteps faded, the only sound was the rustling of the leaves under the night's breeze.
'PAK!'
Damon clapped loudly, and several figures jolted.
"Now that we got that out of the way, how about we go back to the challenge?"
Alpha Edward looked at Damon. "You want to hit me while I'm down?"
Damon stuffed his hands into his pant pockets. "You are the one who issued the challenge, Alpha Edward. I don't remember you asking me if I had any family issues that might impact my state of mind. I came for a birthday party and ended up with a challenge on my hands. You don't hear me complaining. As Alphas, we deal with whatever comes. The moment we agreed to the conditions, the challenge began. So, how about it? Will you fight, or do you forfeit? We have so many esteemed Alphas to bear witness to what's happening tonight. Even the reporters from the WW Magazine are here."
Alpha Edward shuddered. Why was this evening getting worse by the minute? "You want us to fight?"
Damon shrugged. "Someone should fight to settle this challenge. You can pick another man to represent you, and feel free to choose if you will go against my Champion or against me."
"Damon!" Tony called with a warning in his voice, and Damon raised his hand.
"I know what you are going to say," Damon said. "Commander George is not an Alpha. However, he is a capable warrior, and the rules state that one won't use weapons the other doesn't have, which means that Alpha Edward won't use his Alpha aura. I trust that Alpha Edward will follow those rules, and I trust that Commander George won't go easy on him just because he belongs to the Red Moon pack."
People looked at Damon like he had lost his marbles. Since when was Alpha Edward following rules? And how can a Commander fight against his Alpha?
But it was Damon's fight, and George was in the fighting area, and it was not theirs to meddle.
Of course, Damon knew that Alpha Edward would use anything available to secure a win, cheating included, but Damon also knew that George was an Alpha, motivated by the thirst to avenge his parents.
Alpha Edward pressed his lips into a line while thinking about the best course of action. Sure, his wolf got a few blows with Owen, James, and Luna Layla leaving the pack, and Luna Layla rejecting the bond, but it was not hopeless. He was the Alpha of the Red Moon pack, and George was not. George was a member of the Red Moon pack, which meant that Alpha Edward had authority over him.
If he defeats George, isn't that like defeating Alpha Damon?
With this, Alpha Edward's spirit soared.
Yes, yes. He will defeat George, and then he will punish Owen, James, and that traitorous woman (aka Luna Layla). Who cares about a little setback? What matters is who will stand at the top last, and that will be him. With Alpha Damon defeated, the Red Moon pack will be the largest in North America. He will snatch Zina and Dawn, and even Alpha Natalia will admire him. Maybe Alpha Natalia comes to comfort him because of Luna Layla's betrayal?
The more he thought about it, the better it sounded.
Alpha Edward pushed himself to stand. "I accept. Me against George. The fight ends with death or when one side accepts defeat. The winner will decide if he will show mercy."
Damon didn't need to look at George to know that the latter was barely containing his Alpha aura from bursting with bloodlust.
"One thing, first!" Damon exclaimed.
Alpha Edward balled his hands into fists impatiently. "Now what?"
"Let's not forget body search for weapons," Damon said. "Just in case. My men will search Alpha Edward and you…" Damon gestured toward Alpha Edward, "… can pick who will search Commander George."
Keith and Owen were quick to go to Alpha Edward and pat his clothes. Keith found a gun, and Owen found a knife.
George moved to the side to give his shirt to Dawn.
Alpha Richard patted George, and he found George's cell phone; Dawn was quick to snatch it from Alpha Richard's hand. It had racy text messages between the two, and Dawn didn't want to risk anyone seeing those. Those were private.
George looked at Dawn, and he regretted not having a mind-link.
"Be careful," Dawn said.
George's jaw ticked. To hell with secrets and everything. After this fight, he will come out as a victor or loser. In any case, there will be no need to hide.
George was confident that Damon and Talia would protect Dawn if the worst happened. With that, George made two quick steps to Dawn and wrapped his arms around her as his lips crashed on hers with urgency.
"Watch me win, my love," George said, his voice barely above a whisper.
"I will," Dawn responded. "Your parents will be watching too."
