Bambi

Chapter 28

KAYDON'S POV:

I can't believe this shit. My mate had the audacity to put the council members in their place. She's stronger than the council members.

Our mate is so strong, Axle swooned in my head.

Be quiet, you damsel, I grumbled at him.

I glowered down at my feet shuffling in the leaves as I waited in the clearing, surrounded by my pack on one side and hers on the other, the atmosphere tense. It wasn't helping that her pack members were shooting me dirty looks every now and then.

Why can't she just accept that I'm not ready to accept her yet?

Axle huffed, have you not payed any attention? Our mate is a woman that wants what she wants, when she wants it.

I sighed, heavily. All of this was blown out of proportion. I looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching and watched Bambi walk into the clearing, following at a distance behind her was the council members and Lucy.

I sighed. I didn't want to fight my own mate, but if I don't she'll take over my pack.

Mates shouldn't even be fighting seriously, anyway, as foreplay, definitely, but this is wrong, and I hope you know that I blame you for our mate's anger, Axle said in an angry huff.

I ignored him as Bambi stepped into the ring.

"It's not to late to change your mind. Just accept me, we will take things slowly of course and we can talk over the details. I don't expect us to finish the mating process right away since you are already reluctant to accept me in the first place," she informed me.

I looked at my pack, the tense expressions on their faces, as they looked between us warily.

I looked back at my mate. The cold intense look on her face as she watched my every movement.

"I'm not ready to accept you yet. Why can't you wait? Why does it have to be me?"

She stayed silent before she sighed.

"I'll take that as your only answer." She gestured to the council members, where the head member stepped forward.

"Today marks the day of the challenge between the Moonstone Pack Alpha, Bambi Moonstone and the Riverstone Alpha, Kaydon Riverstone! The challenge is for the rights and territory of the Riverstone Pack and it's pack mates!"

A hush fell over my pack like they were holding their breath. From the corner of my eyes I could see them casting me worried glances and looking into the woods.

"Let this fight challenge commence and Moon Goddess be with you!" He stepped back, clearing the way for us to fight.

Immediately I shifted my fur breaking through my skin, my bones reshaping itself, my vision becoming sharper.

I crouched low to the ground ready to pounce as I focused on Bambi....who hadn't shifted?

My ears flicked toward her, confused. Why wasn't she shifting?

Axle sniffed in her direction, Maybe she doesn't want to fight anymore?

That's impossible, I retorted, she's the one who issued the challenge in the first place.

"You only have one choice and it's best you choose wisely," she said. I felt my ear flicker at the sound of her voice.

"Submit," she paused and with a flick of her finger a ring of blue fire blazed around my pack members, they screamed and huddled together trying not to touch the flickering flames, "or they die and I'll have you submit anyway."

I stared at her in horror.

What is wrong with her?! What is this?! She's gifted?!

"Don't look at me like that. You don't expect me to actually hurt my mate do you?"

I snapped my teeth at her angrily as I felt Axles shocked alarm running through my mind.

She may be his mate, but he was still an alpha wolf. He was responsible for his pack's protection. They relied on us.

"Kaydon," she called, her voice called, hard and cold, "you only have the two choices and their is only one choice to get us both what we want. You want to protect your pack, yes? Well, I want my mate and I will have you."

Their was only one choice that I could live with I instantly decided as I listened to the panicked cries from my pack members.

I shifted back to my human form and just as the last bone fell into place the fire seemed to move away from my pack, but only just a little.

I clenched my teeth, feeling that irritating sensation when you grind your teeth together, and you can't get the feeling out of your mouth.

I dropped to my knee before her and bowed my head.

"I, Kaydon Riverstone," I gritted out, " as the Head Council Members as my witness, submit my pack and my title to you, my mate, Bambi Moonstone."

I felt a tug on my hairline, my head was yanked back, and she was their suddenly. Blue eyes burning into mine, scalding my soul, marking itself in my mind as to never be forgotten.

It was her wolf and she was furious.

Azriella, my wolf said.

"And what of you, mate?" she demanded, "Who do you submit yourself to? Cause I don't care about your pack and if you suddenly decide that you want to sneak off, who's to say that I won't kill them in my fit of anger, anyway? They're just collateral damage after all."

If I didn't stop, my teeth were going to grind into dust.

"I submit to you."

Her lip curled into a grin and I was reminded of the Grinch who stole Christmas.

A scarier one as her teeth showed, revealing their sharpened edges.