The Last Royal Luna
(Book 3) – Chapter 25

The top warriors stood in a line gasping for breath. The different exercises Alistair and Andrew put them through was brutal but we all knew it was so I would pick the best one. It did help seeing them in action but now was the point where I needed to decide if brute strength was the only thing that would make them a great champion. I didn’t but Samuel and Blake didn’t agree with that assessment.

“Thank you all for putting yourself to the test and not snapping at the guys when they asked you to do something multiple times the same way,” I said glancing back at the guys who wouldn’t look over at us. They knew they did it to be jerks. “I think I need to replace out some of the ways you think and your core beliefs. Everyone is different and some of us hide who we really are. I need someone who can kick some booty but can also ‘sniff’ out the bad per say by using your wit, your senses, and your wolf.”

“Awe, Come on. Ryder, if they can win the fight why does it matter?” Alistair laughed and walked up behind the warrior we all knew was his pick. He was a huge guy who talked so slow and was about as exciting as glue drying. “Everyone else agrees with me, right?”

Melissa walked up next to me with her daughter and just shook her head at her mate. “Hell no. How do they know they even have the right to fight the Alpha if they can’t figure out if he is worthy. Not everything can be fixed or figured out by brute force. s**t, if that was the case Ryder here may have hurt or killed a few of her mates as soon as she met them.”

Totally true. Two were the biggest bullies I had in high school, another was a vampire who thought his wolf was dead, the twins walked out on me when they found out I had several mates, and the last would have been killed for protecting his brother who rejected me before eventually trying to kill me. Geez I get all the drama filled guys but they were all hot as sin and cared in their own way. Icing on the cake was the way they are with our twins who currently were being held by Koda and Edgar. I could hear the guys doing sweet talk to them and the babies talking their baby talk back. Ugh, I am ready to go home and distress with my family.

“I agree with Alistair,” Blake said as he stepped closer to the warriors. “I think all of the Alphas should have to go through the champion before coming to you. It would mean less fights for you and less worry for the rest of us. We have enough of that as it is.”

‘He loves us. He loves us. He loves us.’ I state to Blue on repeat every time he is allowed to talk. ‘I need to ask his parents if he was dropped on his head or has he always thought he knew better.’

‘He means well. His wolf and him both remind me of cavemen. Sometimes we gotta take the good with the bad.’ She replied with a bit of sadness.

‘Are you saying we should just live with it? Where is my independent, she wolf?’ I huffed staring down Blake. I blame his booty for this.

‘Oh, I am not saying that at all. He needs to be taken down a peg or two. Eventually he will learn to stop jumping pegs.’ She growled at me before turning around to lay down.

“..her wolf likes to talk a lot. Give her a minute.” Melissa teased beside me.

I chomp my teeth at her before looking back at the warriors. “Well, the decision is mine so ignore these knuckle heads on what we need in MY champion. I have a few questions for you to ask.”

Blake and Alistair walked back over to stand by me. Neither looked too happy but they could deal with it. Now what questions to ask to get a feel of their personality.

“When an uninvited Alpha shows up at our gate what is the first thing you do?” I asked since this has happened a few times since I called the fake queen out.

The first two are guys who fit what Andrew and Alistair want go first. They both answered with them attacking the Alpha and their pack without even asking any questions or telling them to turn back without talking to them. Wrong… It was when the second guy answered I heard someone’s face meet their hand and a loud sigh in agitation happen.

The third to go is the only female in the group. She had placed third in all the drills and fights they had done the past few hours. There was a few times where I thought she was going to lose it and want to leave but she toughed it out. She showed why she was in the top five in ranking with her only starting training when I took over the pack.

“I would ask him his pack name, where they were located, and what other packs they have had dealings with. Once I had gathered that information I would have my second call those packs to confirm a few things while I went over our pack laws. I would only let them go as far as the pack house to meet with Alpha Sandra if she was ok with it.” She answered with a smile. “Even if they turn out to be liars or the enemy we can still kill all of them before they would even meet ten percent of the pack.”

“Perfect answer. Thank you.” I nodded at her with a smile. I was leaning toward her even if she hadn’t beaten the first two in anything but this and the speed trials.

The last two had similar answers but with the way they spoke they didn’t have confidence in that scenario. They were both pretty young and I already knew I wouldn’t be choosing them.

“We are picking the girl, right?” Melissa whispered in my ear. “I need her to whip some cocky, sexist Alpha a*s.”

I laughed and nodded at her. I told the last two it wasn’t going to be them and that I was proud of how well they did. I respected all the hard work they put in to become part of the top five and I couldn’t wait to see them kicking some a*s in the war. They both gave a panty dropping smirk before heading out.

“I knew you chose the right warrior for the job,” Alistair mocked stepping closer to Melissa and their baby girl.

I just ignored him. “Thank you all for showing us so many of your skills and I couldn’t be more impressed. My choice for my champion is going to be….Kailey.”

I could feel all the eyes on me and some of them with shock mixed with some anger. The two guys had their mouths open so far I was afraid a bug would fly in and take up residence. Alistair was glaring at me making me want to choose a new Beta which I let him know would happen if he didn’t zip his trap and accept my decision.

“Me? Really?” Kailey asked, looking like she was ready to do some jumping and dancing in happiness. “I won’t let you regret it. I will kick some undeserving alpha a*s!”

She ran up and gave me a hug. She was taller than me so my face was almost suffocated by her boobs. I was caught off guard, so I just weakly patted her back. I heard some snickers come from behind me. I flipped them off without turning my head. She smelled good and gave a pretty good hug. I think I found a new friend within the pack.

I stepped back and saw that the two guys had left. I couldn’t focus on that now or that I felt bad for not being able to chose everyone. I grabbed Kailey’s hand and pulled her to walk with me.

“Ok, so it is time to jump in with both feet,” I said. She nodded in agreement without even asking what I meant by that. “The group at the front was a rag tag group pushed together by an Alpha Ian. It is a pack of almost feral Rogues and some questionable vampires. You are fighting him in the morning and then the next afternoon you will be fighting Richard.”

She stopped and gulped keeping her eyes in front of her. “Like Richard, Richard from this pack?”

“Yup, that going to be a problem?” I heard my mates following me. Melissa took baby girl and baby mate back home for a nap. We were headed to show the leaders my choice.

“Nope. He used the fact that he found me training in private against me for two years. I will be glad to show him I got better with age and an actual trainer.”

I knew I was going to like her. Richard just got another strike against him for being an even bigger d**k. I hope she tore him up and made sure to play with him a bit. I like weaker prey.