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Bennett will remain in the centre of the circle. When you accept him as your alpha, and he
accepts you as part of our pack, you will pass through to the other side of the circle. Then,
and only then, you may come out of limbo. Understand?
 And if he fails the challenge? Alfred asked.
 Tradition states that he will find his true place in the pack when he finds which
wolves offer him their submission, Marsdon said coldly, willing to be damned before he
said there was any possibility that Bennett s rightful place in the pack was anything other
than leading it at his side. He turned back to Bennett and offered his mate a somewhat forced
smile.  Ready?
Bennett nodded, staring straight back at him, meeting his eyes without hesitation.
Marsdon stepped into the circle. He held the other alpha s gaze as he walked across
the trampled down grass. When he stood directly in front of Bennett, he leant forward and
brushed their lips together.
 My mate. My alpha. My pack. He smiled and walked across to the other side of the
circle.
 But  Alfred began behind him.
 Bennett has nothing to prove to me, Marsdon bit out. He took his position on the
other side of the circle, waiting for the other members of his new pack to see sense and join
him.
Steffan would be first. Marsdon had no doubt about that. Alfred talked a good game,
but he wouldn t have the balls to step forward until he knew Bennett was exhausted after his
fights with the other wolves.
THE MARK OF AN ALPHA Kim Dare
66
They all stood there, waiting for another wolf to make his move first, until Steffan
finally stepped into the circle to face Bennett. The two wolves slowly began to circle each
other, assessing each other for any sign of weakness.
Without warning, Steffan lunged. Bennett side stepped him. Marsdon could see in
Bennett s eyes that his mate wasn t going to rush into anything. He had more patience than
Marsdon would have had, more understanding of strategy.
Steffan lunged again, then feinted and changed direction at the last moment. Bennett
wasn t quite able to dodge out of his way. The first blow landed on his temple. Falling to the
ground, he rolled as he landed and was back up on his feet in seconds.
Marsdon s hand clenched into a fist at his side as the fight began in earnest. He knew
Bennett hadn t needed to be told that he needed to take care with his pack but he had
needed to know that Marsdon believed he was strong enough to hurt them if he didn t hold
back. Marsdon took a deep breath. It had been the only thing he d had to offer Bennett.
And now Bennett was doing exactly as his master said, holding back, taking blows
when he couldn t deflect them without doing the other wolf injury. Bennett minded his own
actions, waiting and hurting until a chance came to take his opponent down safely. Forever
passed before, in a rush of limbs and a sweeping kick, Steffan fell. Bennett dropped on top of
him, pinning him down as he twisted one arm up behind Steffan s back and used that
leverage to hold the larger man in place.
 Accept, Steffan gasped, when it became obvious that there was no way he could get
out of the hold. Bennett instantly released him. Stepping back, he held out his hand and
helped the newest member of his pack to his feet as if he had no reason in the world to bear
the other man any ill will.
Bennett turned to Marsdon. His lip was bloodied, his temple bruised but pride shone
in his eyes. Marsdon nodded to Steffan echoing Bennett s acceptance of him and the gamma
crossed to Marsdon s side of the circle.
 Anything that won t heal? Marsdon asked, his gaze flickering quickly from Steffan
to Bennett as he tried to watch over his mate and look after his pack at the same time.
Steffan shook his head.
 Anything urgent?
Steffan shook his head again, keeping his eyes down.
THE MARK OF AN ALPHA Kim Dare
67
Marsdon forced himself to look away from Bennett for two seconds in a row. He
turned to his cousin and he saw the unease in the wolf who d never had cause to doubt his
acceptance before.
 Sit and rest while the other idiots find out that they are idiots, he ordered. As easily
as that, he saw something settle inside Steffan.
It was easy for a gamma wolf, even for one who had been marked out as the potential
beta for their pack. Steffan had his alphas and his pack and his orders. That was all it really
took to make everything well with his world. If only Marsdon could have said the same for
his mate. Bennett was good and quick, but if anything he was far too cautious with the other
wolves, far more worried about hurting them than himself. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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