Chapter 16 Turning Tides
Sage woke before dawn wrapped in Kade’s arms and for a moment she let herself pretend this was normal. That they were just a regular couple waking up together. That today wasn’t the day he might die.
Then reality crashed back in and she felt sick.
“You’re awake,” Kade said against her hair.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Me neither.” He didn’t move. Just held her tighter. “What time is it?”
She checked the clock. “Four thirty. We have three hours.”
Three hours until the challenge. Three hours until everything changed.
They got up slowly. Sage made coffee while Kade showered. When he came out dressed in clothes that would tear away easily when he shifted, she had to look away.
“I need you to do something for me,” he said.
“What?”
“Stay at the clinic during the challenge. Don’t come to pack territory.”
“No.”
“Sage…”
“I’m going to be there. We already discussed this.” She handed him coffee. “I’m your mate. I witness the challenge.”
“It’s going to be brutal. I don’t want you to see…”
“I’ve seen violence before. I watched my father die, remember?” She set her cup down. “I’m going to be there. End of discussion.”
He looked like he wanted to argue but Cole knocked on the door before he could.
“We’ve got a problem,” Cole said when Kade let him in. “Three of our supporters are missing. Haven’t been seen since yesterday evening.”
“Missing how?” Kade asked.
“Their families reported them gone. No calls. No messages. Just vanished.” Cole looked grim. “I think Marcus took them.”
“To even the numbers,” Sage said. “Make it ninety-five on each side.”
“Or worse.” Riley came in behind Cole. “Marcus might have killed them. Send a message.”
Kade’s jaw tightened. “Do we know where they are?”
“No. We’ve been searching since midnight. No trace.” Cole rubbed his face. “Even if we find them, we can’t prove Marcus took them without starting a fight before the challenge.”
“So we’re down three votes,” Kade said.
“And Marcus knows it.” Riley dropped onto the couch. “He’s probably celebrating.”
Sage’s phone rang. Unknown number. She almost didn’t answer but something made her pick up.
“Hello?”
“Dr. Monroe. This is Janet Howard. We met two days ago when you showed me the evidence about Marcus.”
Janet was one of the undecided wolves who’d chosen to stay neutral. Mid-forties. Quiet. Hadn’t seemed interested in taking sides.
“I remember,” Sage said.
“I heard about the missing wolves. The ones loyal to Kade.” Janet’s voice was low like she was afraid someone would hear. “Marcus is bragging about it to his inner circle. Says he took care of loose ends.”
“Are they alive?”
“I don’t know. But I wanted you to know that I’ve changed my mind.” Janet paused. “I’m supporting Kade in the challenge. What Marcus did, making wolves disappear, that’s not leadership. That’s tyranny.”
“Thank you,” Sage said. “That means a lot.”
“There are others too. Four more who were staying neutral. We talked last night after hearing about the disappearances. We’re all supporting Kade now.”
Sage felt hope flicker. “You’re sure?”
“Yes. We’ll be at the challenge. We’ll stand with Kade’s supporters.” Janet hesitated. “He’s going to win, isn’t he?”
“He has to.”
After Janet hung up, Sage told the others.
“Five more supporters,” Cole said. “That puts us at one hundred. Marcus is at ninety-seven with three missing.”
“It’s not enough,” Riley said. “We need overwhelming support. Make Marcus’s people doubt him.”
“We need to find the missing wolves,” Kade said. “Before the challenge. Prove Marcus took them.”
“We have two hours,” Beth said from the doorway. She’d arrived with a dozen other wolves who’d been searching all night. “That’s not enough time to search the whole city.”
Sage thought about the holding cells where Marcus had kept prisoners. “What if he put them in the same place he put me? The cells three blocks from here.”
“We already checked there,” Cole said. “Empty.”
“Does Marcus have any other properties? Places he could hide people?”
Riley pulled out his phone and started searching. “He’s got a storage unit across town. Rented under a shell company name.”
“That’s it,” Kade said. “Cole, take five wolves and check it out. You have ninety minutes. If you find them, bring them to pack territory.”
Cole and his group left immediately. The rest of them prepared to leave for the challenge.
Sage changed into clothes she could move in. Jeans and a t-shirt. Boots. She tied her hair back and caught Kade watching her.
“What?” she asked.
“You look like you’re going to war.”
“I am.” She checked her medical bag making sure she had supplies. “I’m coming prepared.”
They left the penthouse at six. The drive to pack territory took forty minutes. The sun was just starting to rise when they arrived at the clearing.
Wolves were already gathering. More than Sage had seen at the pack meeting. Everyone was required to witness a challenge. Even wolves who rarely participated in pack business had come.
She stayed close to Kade as they walked to the edge of the clearing. His supporters formed a group on one side. Marcus’s supporters on the other. The neutral wolves stood in the middle looking uncomfortable.
Marcus was already there with Vanessa beside him. He looked fresh and confident. Well rested and ready.
Kade looked tired. The poison treatment had taken a toll even if his levels were normal now. He wasn’t at full strength and everyone could see it.
“Worried?” Marcus called across the clearing. “You should be.”
“Just eager to finish this,” Kade said.
“Oh it’ll be finished. One way or another.” Marcus smiled. “Where are your missing supporters? The ones who vanished last night?”
“You tell me. Since you’re the one who took them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Marcus spread his hands innocently. “If wolves are choosing to leave your side, that’s not my fault.”
Janet Howard stepped forward from the neutral group. “I’m supporting Kade.”
Four other wolves joined her. All the ones who’d been neutral.
Marcus’s smile faltered. “Traitors. All of you.”
“No,” Janet said. “Just wolves who want a real Alpha. Not a murderer.”
More murmuring through the crowd. Kade’s show of support was growing. Marcus’s people looked less certain.
Then Cole’s group arrived at the clearing dragging three wolves with them. The missing supporters. They were beaten but alive.
“Found them in Marcus’s storage unit,” Cole announced. “Locked in cages. Left to die.”
The clearing erupted. Wolves shouting. Marcus’s supporters backing away from him. Even some of his inner circle looked shocked.
“Those wolves were arrested for treason,” Marcus said. “I was holding them for trial.”
“You were killing them to even the numbers,” Kade said. “Just like you’ve been killing anyone who got in your way.”
“Lies!”
“Truth.” Kade’s voice carried across the clearing. “And everyone here knows it now.”
The pack elder stepped forward. Old wolf with gray hair. He’d been silent until now.
“The challenge will proceed as scheduled,” the elder said. “But let the record show that Marcus Webb stands accused of murder and kidnapping in addition to his other crimes. The winner of this challenge will decide his punishment.”
Marcus’s face went red. “I’m going to kill you, Kade. Slowly. And then I’m going to enjoy killing your mate.”
Sage felt Kade’s hand squeeze hers once. Then he let go and walked to the center of the clearing.
Marcus followed.
The elder spoke the challenge rules. Fight until submission or death. No interference. Shifting allowed.
Both Alphas stripped.
Sage’s heart was pounding so hard she thought everyone could hear it.
This was it.
Everything came down to the next few minutes.
Kade and Marcus shifted to wolf form.
The challenge began.