Chapter Seventy-Four - Chase

The look of fury on Willow’s face grew as she walked toward Patch. I knew she wasn’t getting into any car without a fight. Not just from the look of protest on her face but because she was my Luna and she wasn’t getting punished for last night.

She'd been amazing. Her skill. Her power. Her speed. The force of that kick she took from Ian. I knew grown wolves that couldn't take a hit like that.

“I’m not coming anywhere,” Willow said, stopping inches in from of Patch. "We were ambushed. Was I supposed to sit there while they attacked my pack?"

Patch didn’t seem to be as accepting today as he had the first time I went to the courts. Especially with Willow threatening to go against him. Or maybe it was that we didn't listen to his warning the first time.

Patch slid his tongue over his teeth and reached for her, but she sidestepped him. Fire seemed to dance in his eyes. He wasn’t a regular wolf. The Alpha King, the royal blood, was stronger than most wolves. I didn’t know how that compared to Willow’s powers, and frankly, I didn’t want to find out. She'd handled herself so well the night before, against other wolves with powers. Something told me she could handle herself against the Alpha King and he may not like that very much.

Stepping before him, Willow stepped back and allowed me to take charge. After knowing what she was capable of, I was thankful for her restraint at the moment but I could feel it was brief.

“Chase,” Patch said, tilting his head toward mine. “I don’t want to hurt you or your Luna, but you know the rules. She-wolves can’t fight—,”

“Ian showed up with his pack. The man who killed her mother. You expected her to sit by while—,”

“While the warriors and the wolves fought them? Yes, that’s exactly what I want. I want you to obey the rules. You’re not special. Every alpha in our region must abide by the rules. You went against the rogues anyway and you knew Willow would fight. Did you allow her to do this?"

My first instinct was to tell him yes. Take all of the blame and put it on me because I could not stand the thought of Willow being punished. I couldn't be the mate I needed to be if I didn't protect Willow right or wrong.

“Yes.”

Willow grabbed my arm and pulled me around to face her. Her eyes were hard, and I felt her body crying at my confession. “That is not true,” she hissed. “He told me I did not have permission and I did it anyway. Do not listen to him."

I stared down at her perfect face. Those too-blue eyes and high cheekbones. The determination in her eyes and the fight were priceless. I’d never known a stronger she-wolf and I wouldn’t let Patch take that from her. Her strength and her power were hers to have.

If Patch took her to the courts or punished her, it would wear her down. Take away that strong sense of pride that I loved her for. Take away a part of Willow that made her Willow.

“I told her she could fight,” I said, turning my back to her.

Patch met my gaze and I knew he didn’t believe it. “You allowed her to fight, Chase? Why do I have a hard time believing that?”

I shrugged. “Believe what you want.”

Willow shoved me to the side and pointed a finger at my face. “This is my first time at the courts, Chase. It’s not yours. I won’t allow you to take a whipping or have your title stripped because of this. You didn’t hurt my mother or drive this knife into my heart. It was there long before you. I can’t stand here and let you take the blame for any of this.”

She turned and looked up at Patch with tears in her eyes. “I did this. He told me I didn’t have his blessing and I did it anyway. Because I wanted to see him dead. And I killed him for it. He’s dead because he’s the murderer and was never taken care of. I won’t say I’m sorry, and I won’t admit I was wrong. How can you tell someone who loves to fight that they can’t because they were born a girl? I deserved to see this justice through since no one else gave a damn!"

Patch’s hard eyes didn’t waver as she pleaded her case to him. I felt myself tilting on edge. I reached for Willow’s wrist and I pulled her back against me.

“She’s lying,” I said.

Willow shook her head. “I’m not. I know you believe me.”

Patch cursed under his breath as more wolves stepped out to witness the chaos. He grabbed Willow’s upper arm and began to haul her toward the backseat of his car.

My wolf broke free for mere seconds and I launched myself at Patch. Strong arms wrapped around my chest and pulled me back. I fought, kicking and screaming, making the wolf holding me cringe in pain.

“Let her go!” I shouted.

Patch ushered her into the backseat and looked over at me. “We’ll be back, Chase. I knew this battle was a bad idea. I didn't want any of this to happen."

He slid into the back of the car and the driver pulled him away from the courtyard.

I felt my life tilting on end. They couldn’t take her to the pack house alone. I couldn’t spend a night without her.

What if they hurt her? She was bruised from the fight.

They wouldn’t beat a she-wolf, would they? I maneuvered away from Regis who had me barricaded against his chest. “I have to go to the courts,” I said, sliding my palms down my face. “I can’t let her go and get beat because of this. It’s ridiculous—,”

“I agree with you,” Regis

I gave him a sheepish look. Regis hated the fact that Willow fought. “I’m serious,” he said, scratching his arm. “Willow kicked ass out there. She’s … strong. She deserves a chance.”

That didn’t help the situation. I walked toward the pack house but Keith caught me on the steps. “Sir, I don’t advise you to go to the courts. It’ll put you both in the doghouse and you could lose your alpha title—,”

I bent down inches from his face. “I. Don’t. Care. She is bruised and hurting. I can’t allow him to hurt her. I need to get there, protect her somehow—”

Panic began to climb my throat. There was one thing they taught you as alpha, not to panic.

I took a deep breath and attempted to calm myself. My wolf began to pace and mourn inside of me. The dread in my stomach weighed me down. How could I fix this? I pulled out my cell phone from my pocket and dialed Patch’s number.

Not that I expected him to answer.

It went to voicemail.

I texted him her condition and to consider those before assigning her any punishment.

Soft footsteps stopped near me, and a hand touched my upper arm. “Are you okay?” Lilly asked. "What was the commotion?"

I shook my head. “The Alpha King took Willow for fighting. It’s against our regional rules for she-wolves to fight.”

Lilly frowned. “Then we go get her back, right? I know I’m a rogue and have been raised without rules, but if someone takes our family, we help them.”

“The rules are in place to follow them,” Keith started.

“Rules are meant to be broken,” Lilly said, looking up at him. “Willow doesn’t deserve to be punished for fighting. She’s a warrior at heart. We have to go stand up for her.”

She was right. Right or wrong, we needed to stand up for her. “She asked me to start a petition to allow female she-wolves to battle. Maybe we get the entire pack’s signature and take it over there before they bring her before the courts.”

“That’s a ludicrous idea,” Keith mumbled.

“Yeah, but maybe it’s so ludicrous that it might work.”