CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Griff
Reiner let out a disbelieving bark of laughter. “You cannot possibly be serious. You can barely stand.”
“Then you won’t have any trouble defeating me, will you?” Griff’s muscles were screaming in agony at the effort of standing upright on his backward-bent legs, but he refused to show any sign of weakness. “I challenge you for your pride, Reiner Ljonsson. Face me like a lion.”
“Oath-brother, what are you doing?” John’s blue eyes were wide with shock. “You are in no condition to attempt this.”
Hayley too had gone pale. “Griff, no! He’ll kill you!”
Griff ignored them both, focused on Reiner. “Well, Reiner? Answer the challenge.”
Reiner hesitated, looking from Griff to the judge as if seeking higher intervention. “This is ridiculous. I’m not debasing myself by acknowledging a challenge from that twisted freak.”
The judge banged her gavel down, the sound echoing like a gunshot around the room. “Order! Mr. MacCormick, I will not have you disrupting my courtroom!”
Paucus leaped in to back up his client. “Your Honor, we petition to have Mr. MacCormick removed from court. His condition is clearly causing him to become irrational-”
“Mr. MacCormick’s mental state is of no relevance,” Michael interrupted. He shot Griff an I hope you know what you’re doing sort of look. “Alpha challenges are an inviolable right, protected by law and enshrined in lion tradition. With all due respect, Your Honor, you have no power to intervene.”
“Lions,” the judge muttered under her breath. She fixed Griff with a piercing stare. “Mr. MacCormick, as a wolf shifter myself, I must respect the sacredness of an alpha challenge. Nonetheless, I will ask you to reconsider. Even if you somehow defeat Mr. Ljonsson and become Daniel’s legal alpha, I will not change my ruling. Daniel needs the guidance of a true shifter, and a true pride. You cannot provide those things.”
He’d been expecting her to say something like that. “I understand, Your Honor.”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Furthermore, in the unlikely event that you kill Mr. Ljonsson during this challenge, I will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law. Accidental deaths during alpha challenges are protected. Deliberate murder is not.”
“Is that your plan, cripple?” Reiner clenched his fists, glaring suspiciously at Griff. “What is this, suicide by lion? You think you can entrap me into a murder charge?”
“Your Honor, my client has a valid concern,” Mr. Paucus interjected. “In Mr. MacCormick’s state, he is highly unlikely to survive the stress of an alpha challenge. Mr. Ljonsson cannot be held responsible for that.”
The judge sighed, rubbing her forehead. “Mr. MacCormick, Mr. Paucus is correct. Since you are the challenger, and seem fully cognizant of the risks you are taking, Mr. Ljonsson will not be held liable in the event of your death. For the last time, I ask you to reconsider. Will you withdraw your challenge?”
“I will not. My challenge stands.”
Hayley’s fingers dug into his arm. “Griff,” she whispered, for his ears only. “What are you doing?”
“Buying time,” he muttered back. “I’m going to die anyway. Let me make it mean something.”
He turned back to Reiner, who was still looking mortally offended by the entire situation. “Reiner, I repeat my challenge. What is your answer?”
“You’re deranged.” Reiner’s lip curled as his scornful gaze swept Griff from head to toe. “You don’t stand a chance. I refuse to take part in this mockery of lion tradition.”
“I’ll happily accept your surrender, if you’re too cowardly to fight.” Griff smiled at Reiner, aware that his bestial features turning the expression into a mocking snarl. “Get down on your belly. Show me your throat…beta.”
As Griff had intended, the taunt raised Reiner’s hackles. “I’m not frightened of you. I accept your cha
llenge!”
“In which case, court adjourned.” The judge rapped her gavel down again. “Gentlemen, you will settle this immediately. I am not having this farce drawn out any longer than necessary. Stewards, please prepare the arena.”
“Mr. Griff, Mr. Griff!” Danny broke free of his social worker at last as officials started clearing away chairs. Without the slightest sign of repugnance at Griff’s monstrous form, Danny wrapped his arms around his waist, burying his face in Griff’s side. “Don’t fight Daddy, please. He’ll hurt you.”
“It’ll be all right, lad.” Griff dropped down to his haunches to embrace the boy. He rubbed his furry cheek against Danny’s tear-streaked one in a leonine gesture of love and comfort. “Sometimes this is just the way lions have to settle things.”
“He’ll hurt you bad,” Danny sobbed. “And it will all be my fault.”
“No.” Griff put a flex of alpha power into his emphatic tone. “None of this is your fault. It’s mine and your da’s fault, because we can’t come to an agreement like grown-ups. Don’t ever, ever feel like this was your fault. Promise me that.”