Scum (Book 1)

33. Challenge

Chey’s POV

I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t want to cause a scene, so I follow the organizer to a table so far in the back that my brows furrow.

“This seat has been prepared specially for you.” Jenna didn’t mention that we would be sitting at separate tables, but after just a few minutes of cold stares, I realize that there’s more to this ‘arrangement’ than what meets the eye.

I could barely see Phoebe when she took the stage, and because I was one of a handful of people who actually clapped for the woman, I’m sure she didn’t receive a warm welcome, bringing to mind Jenna's words about the temperament of Alpha females.

What I’m seeing is just petty, and, in my opinion, this type of animosity could probably be settled with a good and fair fight.

Time seems to drag on forever, but eventually people start to stand and mingle, giving me the opportunity to find Jenna. She texted me just as Phoebe finished speaking, wondering where I was, and when I told her, she was ready to come find me.

I actually preferred to sit at the back because I don’t know the etiquette for these sorts of events, and watching from the rear gave me a perfect vantage.

Some women secretly texted while Phoebe was speaking, others held their own conversations, and some even mocked the points she was making, but their words kind of came off as jealousy to me.

Phoebe was making great points in my opinion. Alpha females have a much greater burden, as they have to choose between leading their pack and starting their families.

She told a story about an alpha female who was forced into hiding while pregnant because the threat of a challenge from her very own beta was looming, and she didn’t want to risk her unborn child’s life, so she fled with her mate, and returned nearly two years later to reclaim her pack, which had been misled into ruin.

Phoebe told another story about an alpha female who ran away from her family and abandoned her title because her parents wanted her to reject her fated partner. That woman was never found, but Phoebe reminded everyone in the room that she could have been any one of us.

Those things don’t happen to men, and oddly enough, there are no laws against it. There are very few women on the council, likely because of the same reasons, so women’s issues seldom get heard until something drastic happens.

“Watch where the f*ck you’re going omega.” I barely touched the woman I was trying to walk around, but she’s clearly starting trouble on purpose.

“Helen dear, why are you shouting? What’s wrong?” A man’s voice resounds from behind the crowd of people who gathered.

He steps in front of me, and at the same time, Jenna stands beside me.

“Sorry sir, my companion is a Luna’s escort in training, it was my idea to bring her here.”

“There are no ‘Luna’s’ here,” the man mocks, glaring at me in disgust before the girl, who I assume is Helen, speaks up again.

“Father, she’s an omega. I thought there were rules to these events. Surely Uncle Felix didn’t mean to invite such a person.”

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t invited, and now that I know what this event’s all about, you won’t have to worry about seeing me in the future.” I glance toward Jenna, hoping to communicate to her that I’m ready to go, but she looks conflicted, so I try to drag her away myself, only to have my arm roughly grabbed by the putrid excuse of a ‘father.’

“How dare an omega speak so freely?”

“Sir, with all due respect, I am a pack helper, not an omega.”

“That's just another way to say you're rankless.”

“And PROUD!” I counter, snatching my arm away from the man in irritation.

There is now a large crowd around us, but I hear annoyed shrills coming from a specific direction, and my posture relaxes when I see that it’s Liam and Royce.

“What seems to be the problem sir?” The fact that Liam is addressing the man before me with such respect means that he isn’t as simple as his mind, so I take note, not wanting to cause more trouble than I already have.

“Young Alpha, have you any idea who the woman behind you is?”

“Yes, she’s my girlfriend, and plus one at this event. Is that a problem sir? Who I’m permitted to invite wasn’t specified on the invitation.” The alpha snarls, clearly annoyed.

“Surely, we don’t have to specify that omegas like her are not welcome.” I was about to ask the man if it were betas and gammas cooking their food and cleaning their tables, but Morgan’s voice calls out as soon as I open my mouth.

“I spoke with her earlier; she claimed to be a top female fighter. If that’s true, then, technically, she isn’t rankless.” I narrow my eyes in Morgan’s direction, but then I remember Jenna’s warning at the beginning of the night.

“Hmph… Top female fighter? Young alpha, care to confirm?”

“It’s the truth.”

“Then the Alpine pack must be weaker than it lets on.”

“What did you say?” I growl at the same time as Liam, stepping forward menacingly. “If you don’t believe in our pack's strength, then why not put it to the test?” The man before me sneers, then snaps his fingers, and a woman the same size as Dallas steps forward, making me take a step back to get out of striking distance.

“This is Leanne, my beta’s daughter. She is the top female fighter in our pack, and since the challenge has already been issued, I fully accept.” I smirk at the man, who clearly thinks that this battle has been won, but I earned my position, I didn’t inherit it.

“Name the place,” I smugly reply.

Liam’s POV

I have no idea what’s going on, but the mind-link from my sister was panicked, so Royce and I came running over like madmen.

We knew that Chey’s status would cause trouble, but the amount of attention she’s gained makes no sense unless someone is deliberately targeting her.

When I finally reach her side, she’s standing in front of Alpha Arlon, a member of the werewolf council, and a main sponsor of the event.

What I told Riker about Chey not knowing how to back down is true, but I have to tread carefully because the council is known to take revenge for one of their own, and I’m not entirely sure how much sway Alpha Arlon has.

Before I know what’s happening, Chey has issued a challenge, and the woman who showed up to accept is a female Dallas. I’m immediately terrified for the girl, who I noticed took a few steps back, likely in fear.

“Liam, pull her out of this…” Jenna is extremely frightened. I can tell by how much emotion came through with her link, but I’m left helpless when Chey coldly invites the man to choose the time and place.

Once a location is chosen, Chey claps excitedly, but I’m still reeling from the commotion.

“It’s a good thing I brought those gym clothes.” I’m not sure the girl understands that she could die, but I can’t bring myself to say anything, knowing that like me, she was extremely offended by Alpha Arlon’s comments about the pack.

Honestly, I was sort of stunned by how personally she took his words, but then again, Chey’s father risked his life for the future of the Alpine pack, so the jab must have been mocking her in a more personal way.

Less than an hour later, we’re standing in an arena large enough to house spectators, and as I’m mentally considering how I’ll tell Chey’s parents that she was maimed or killed on my watch, Riker grabs my arm so roughly that I retaliate with a shove.

“What are you thinking?”

“I DON’T KNOW!” I shout; because that is the truth. “You want me to force her to withdraw?” Riker suddenly understands my predicament, but unlike me, he has the courage to start approaching Chey, who’s calmly stretching not too far away from us.

I thought he was going to try and talk some sense into the girl, but he simply sits on the sideline, making me kick his leg in irritation.

“Coward.”

“Idiot.” I stand next to the man, and after speaking to the ref, Chey spots and waves me over, smiling as though she’s not about to fight until ‘incapacitated.’

“Can you link Royce?” My chest feels funny, but when my beta arrives, Chey doesn’t dismiss me. “Alpha, you promised me 4k, right?”

“Yes…” My chest burns with the thought of Chey asking me to pass that money onto her family, but that never happens.

“Beta Royce, I want you to bet that entire amount on me.”

“Chey, that’s a lot of money.” I didn’t mean to give the woman the wrong impression, but fortunately, I’m saved from her resentful gaze by my beta.

“I got you bro.” The pair bump fists as Royce goes to do as asked, but I feel like I need to explain.

“Chey, what if you lose?”

“Either way the money is mine, right?” That is true, so I don’t argue with the girl, and instead move to sit next to Riker, the coward.

“What did you say? She looked like she was ready to bite your head off.”

“Shut up,” I hiss, slightly embarrassed by my own actions.

Eventually Royce also sits beside me, holding a yellow ticket in his hands, implying that he made a very large bet.

Sport fighting is common among our species, and since this is technically a council sanctioned event, the bets are formal, and the payout is guaranteed.

“Jenna still won’t come in?”

“Nope, and I prefer it that way. There are way too many men here.” My sister is sitting in the car, riddled with guilt because she thinks that this is all her fault, and in a way it is.

Had she told me that Chey was being isolated, I would have left the event, regardless of if I finished my speech or not.

To me, Chey’s safety is much more important than my fifteen minutes of lecturing other alpha males about the consequences of sexism on a pack’s overall health.

“It’s about to start.” Riker and Royce grab my arms, making me frown because this is extremely awkward, although I understand their anxiety.

Chey’s opponent is huge, and it’s very intimidating, even to me.

“What will you do if she dies?” Riker questions, setting my heart ablaze because, I don’t know.