ARE YOU CHALLENGING ME?

I walked up to the board and picked up the purple marker. The only one that hadn't been used all night.

"This point was in the first proposal. This one in both the first and second proposal." I marked the number 1 and 2 on every point. "We might as well just resubmit the previous proposals and save time writing a new one."

"Princess, there was a reason the previous proposals were rejected." Gamma Endo said.

"And what reason was that?" I asked.

"Lorent doesn't want to be number two." He answered.

"Then wouldn't he say the same thing again?" I asked.

It was late. And the look drawn on the faces of these old wolves just realizing the the meeting was not going to end was priceless.

"So..." Beta Lucas, "What do you propose, Sam."

Why was he asking me? They were the old and wise one.

Beta Gerald cleared his throat, "We are giving him everything we possibly can as it is."

I nodded. I looked at the offer of land.

"This is just my own opinion..." I started. I crossed out the land offer, "This is too much. We won't give this." Mine.

I looked at the rest of the board, "we need to choose from the rest. Not everything, maybe some...in a negotiable combination, but not all of it."

"And add something he wants." I finished.

"He wants to be number 1. How can we give him that? It's impossible!" Gamma Harry exclaimed from his seat.

"But why? And also what else could he want more?" I was thinking aloud now. What could Alpha James want? If I were him, I'd want the rogue attacks on his pack to stop. His pack was the new favorite target of surprisingly well equipped rogues lately.

But what would Alpha James want? His son back? But would he want Rebel more than being number one?

"Who knows what that Lorent Alpha wants?" Beta Lucas shook his head.

"It's not like anyone could go and ask him, "Hey Lorent, tell me what you want!"" Gamma Endo smirked at his own joke.

"I'll ask him." I decided.

"Well, asking is free." Beta Lucas said.

"Alpha Sam, had much success so far, I would recommend supporting her motion." Beta Gerald said.

"Tell us, how can we help you in this, Sam." Beta Lucas said.

"I need to meet him, but not call a meeting... Not yet. I just need to talk to him casually." I said.

"So we stage you a meeting?" Gamma Endo asked, "What are you planning to do?"

I had no idea.

"Maybe the Lorent Alpha has a taste for young girls." Gamma Endo suggested.

Harvey stood up, slamming the table with his palm. He growled coldly, "You are being disrespectful, Gamma."

"Harvey, you're like a love sick puppy following the princess around. Do you think there would be any future for you? One day, her alpha mate will show up, and he's not going to take kindly to his Luna's ex beta boyfriend."

Harvey pounce on the table in a dash to slam down the gamma. But Dad beat him to it, with a snarl and punch, Gamma Endo flew backwards against the glass board. It cracked.

"We just replaced the table, now this..." Gamma Harry exclaimed.

Dad was still in King Kong mode, "Nobody talks about my daughter like that." And then he turned to Harvey, "And nobody touches my daughter..."

I stood in front of Harvey even as Dad's fist flew forwards.

My hair flared up, snapping out of the the messy bun on my head. I caught my dad's fist in my hand. Ow ow ow... Dad's punch wasn't for show.

Dad stopped when he realized he had hit the wrong person.

"Stop. Listen first." I growled. I held my hand in the other. Still owie, Dad!

Dad stopped and straightened. He didn't speak, his wolf was on the surface.

"Harvey is my beta. He had never once crossed any lines. Neither had Alpha James, or Ben, or anyone else ever. You should know that, Dad." Dad seemed to realize this was true. He calmed visibly, but I really wished Mum was here.

Then I turned to Gamma Endo, "Gamma, that's strike one. Three strikes and you are out."

"You need me, Princess. What would Morning light be without me?" Gamma Endo snarled.

That's why he thought he could get away with disrespecting his future alpha?

"Yes, I would benefit from your help. Your contribution to Morning Light had been nothing short of extraordinary. Your love for your family and pack made you strong. But... I can and will replace you Gamma." I told him.

I would have to.

"I can take it if you had an objection to the plan or disagree with my ideas, I can take it if you choose to hate my guts. As long as you put your back into towing the line with the others, I can overlook your personal issues. But I will not tolerate baseless slander against me or those I work with. I am the future alpha, your future alpha. Harvey is one of your future betas. Show respect where it is due." I should have told him this from the beginning.

"Pretty words princess. Always with the pretty words." Gamma Endo said, "Betas? How many boyfriends does a princess need?"

I growled low at that. Gamma Endo straightened and wiped the blood from the side of his mouth with his sleeve, "Who will you replace me with?"

"Are you challenging me?" I asked.

Everyone was growling now, hackles were raised. But I don't think Gamma Endo knew how to back down.

"Brother, please stop." Edna said.

Of course Gamma Endo ignored her, "Are you going to ask your daddy to kill me? Or your pretty boyfriend here?"

"I can fight you myself." I said, "That's not a problem. The question is what will I get from fighting you?"

"What does the princess want?" Gamma Endo asked.

Good question. What do I want?

"I'll tell you when I win." I said.

"And if I win?" Gamma Endo asked.

"Don't worry about it, you won't." I said.

"Hm, then you won't mind stepping down as Alpha and playing the good little Luna role that your daddy should have put you in long ago." Gamma Endo sneered.

Why was Gamma Endo doing this? Could he not see that there was no good ending for him? He had crossed the line. Even if he did win, I don't think my dad was going to let him be anymore.

Why? Gamma Endo may be a lot of things, but he wasn't stupid.

"Tomorrow morning, Gamma. 4am. In front of the pack house. We fight." I decided.

"Harvey, make the announcement." I commanded. I knew Harvey didn't want this. I knew no one else in the room wanted this. I've just upset a lot of large male wolves with my decision. But the chorus of growling only fueled my Wolfie to fight.

"I will teach you your place, princess." Gamma Endo growled, "If it's the last thing I do."

And then I understood, Gamma Endo was sacrificing himself to put the wayward Luna in her place. He was protecting the pack, keeping it in order the only way he knew how, with his fists. In that way, we were alike.

"And I will show you my place. But don't worry Gamma, you'd do many more things still." I promised him.

If loyalty was a currency, Gamma Endo would be worth his weight in gold. I just need to get his gold to outweigh all the crap he throws at me.