Chapter 80: Or What, You’ll Click At Me?

"My mate versus your mate in a game of chicken," Sebastian announced. "Hot springs later. Loser buys drinks."

Sierra looked down at her Gamma with the expression of a woman who had been voluntold for combat and was evaluating her options, which were zero.

"I didn’t agree to this," Sierra stated.

"You agreed to being my mate. Chicken fights were in the fine print."

"Done," Derek said.

Nova blinked down at him. He grinned up at her shamelessly.

"If we win, I’ll get you a Lightning Nectar," he offered.

Nova knew exactly what he was referring to. One of those glowing blue drinks that everyone was having the other night, but Astra had confiscated hers.

"We’ll win then," Nova said with zero hesitation.

They would be winning at all costs.

Derek looked at Sebastian. "My mate said we are going to win. Sebastian, buddy, I’m going to be honest with you. I’m the one on the bottom and I’m the one who’s scared."

Tavian looked over his shoulder. Then again. Then a third time, because the first two takes couldn’t possibly be real.

Maria was off the ground before he finished his third take. Maria flew higher than Nova and Sierra and did not look like she appreciated it one bit. She twisted mid-air and landed on his shoulder because apparently this was a contest.

"Tav!"

Maria gave a resigned sigh. She shot Nova a knowing look from across the formation that said here we go again.

"RELEASE THE KRAKEN!" he roared as he ran forward like a bowling ball aimed at Derek and Sebastian. Both men squared up with the posture of wolves who had been challenged and the challenge was their entire personality.

Meanwhile, all three women screamed at the exact same time, at the exact same pitch, with the exact same conviction that their mates had lost their minds.

This was probably annoying to anyone watching. No, it was definitely annoying.

"Three-way chicken fight in the hot springs," Tavian stated, like he had thought of the idea first.

Maria, who had been furious thirty seconds ago, was now laughing so hard that Tavian’s grip was the only thing keeping her from falling off him entirely. Her head was thrown back, red hair spilling over his arm, tears forming at the corners of her eyes that were a different species than the ones that had been there a minute ago.

Nova was holding onto Derek’s head like it was a life raft. Sierra was doing the same thing.

Sierra stopped laughing and stiffened. Nova immediately stiffened with her. Then Maria’s laugh died so fast it left an echo. Alpha Thunderfang and Celeste were both glaring at them.

The three men below them were still grinning, blissfully unaware that the fun had been pronounced dead.

"I SAID BACK OF THE LINE, 7709," Celeste barked.

Derek stilled under her. Nova moved to slide off him. Derek took this as an opportunity to throw her higher and catch her by her thighs again.

"Derek, can you put me down?" she whispered. "Please."

Derek reluctantly put her down, but he did not let go.

"NOW. I won’t ask again," Celeste yelled. 𝑓𝑟ℯℴ𝓂

"My mate is staying with me, Princess. She is not anywhere near you," he called up to her, apparently done behaving.

"You have no authority over my slave," she fired back.

"I have two hundred and fifty million reasons that say otherwise."

"Money doesn’t buy rank, Thunderfang."

"No. But it bought her. And last time I checked, one of us has rank in Thunderfang and it isn’t you."

"Move to the end with her. Now."

"No."

"Excuse me?"

"I said no."

"I am the future Luna of this pack. You will respect my authority."

"I don’t give a flying fuck what you are," Derek replied. "I’m on my best behavior because Nova asked me to be. But while we’re on the topic, let me be clear: if you grab my mate like that ever again, you and I are going to have a big problem."

"Is that a threat?"

"It’s a promise."

Celeste whipped towards Alpha Thunderfang. "Landon. Your brother just threatened your future Luna. Are you going to do something about that or should I handle everything in this pack myself?"

Alpha Thunderfang glanced at her with zero warmth.

"Derek," he called.

"Landon," Derek replied in the exact same tone.

That was it. That was the intervention. Celeste looked between the two brothers and realized she had just witnessed the full extent of Thunderfang conflict resolution.

"YOU’RE JOKING," she scoffed.

"Your spot is behind me, Derek. Get in it. I didn’t approve any of this," Alpha Thunderfang said without looking away from Celeste.

"I’m aware, Brother. I’m also not sending my mate to the back of the line to walk alone."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Alpha Thunderfang snapped.

Nova blinked, confused. Wasn’t Alpha Thunderfang right there when Celeste sent her to the back?

"The Starborne princess decided my mate doesn’t belong up there with you," Derek explained, voice light.

Alpha Thunderfang tore his gaze away from Celeste to meet his brother’s eyes. "Behind me. Now. Both of you. The Starborne princess oversteps."

Next to them, Tavian exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for the entire argument. Maria mouthed "oh my gods" to Nova.

Derek’s face went blank, which was his version of shock, because Derek Thunderfang always had an expression and the absence of one meant his brother had genuinely surprised him.

Celeste’s nostrils flared. Her fists clenched at her sides hard enough that her knuckles went white. Her eyes turned full wolf-gold, narrowed on Nova.

Derek’s arm looped around Nova’s waist and he led her to the front.

The second they stepped behind Alpha Thunderfang, Celeste decided she wasn’t done.

"Your brother has a secret, Alpha," Celeste said casually. "His slave removed her cuffs. That’s the death penalty under Helix law. He’s been hiding her from me so you wouldn’t find out."

Alpha Thunderfang remained facing forward and did not respond.

Derek gave Nova’s hand a squeeze and answered.

"Thunderfang doesn’t do the whole silver thing, Sunshine. Have you ever considered touching grass? You might feel better."

"Call me Sunshine one more time."

"Or what? You’ll click at me?"

"You are going to regret this."

"Oh, I am so scared. Somebody help me. However will I survive."

"You will learn respect," Celeste snapped. "A bastard with no rank speaking to me like we’re equals. The audacity."

Derek shrugged. "That sounds like a you problem."

Celeste shot Alpha Thunderfang a look worth a thousand words. Alpha Thunderfang faced forward and did not spare her a glance.

No one spoke.

"PROCESSION BEGINS IN THIRTY SECONDS," a voice announced from rune speakers.