Surrogate for My Brother-in-law - Chapter 74: Chapter 74

There was a brief discussion about Arthur's challenge. Technically, he'd challenged the council itself, and so one of them would have to fight. However, because he was challenging the loss of his territory, and Leo held that territory, the council proposed that Leo should be the alpha to answer the challenge.
Leo agreed. Looking at his face, I thought he was eager to fight Arthur and take him down a peg or two.
I assumed that Arthur would back down. After all, Leo was younger and stronger and motivated.
He didn’t. A wider circle was cleared in the middle of the barn. He and Leo were given a few minutes to prepare.
Leo shrugged off his shirt and handed it to Ethan.
“Watch him closely,” Ethan advised, “He’s not gonna fight fair.”
Leo nodded. He glanced at me.
“Not sure whether I should apologize for the beating I aim to give your father,” he said with a wry grin, “or offer to give him a couple good thumps for you.”
“Give him a couple solid whacks for my mother,” I said.
“Sounds good. I’ll do that.” He nodded at Ethan, and paused to speak to my mother.
“I’m sorry for putting you on the spot. It was my idea to have you testify.”
“I’m glad you did. I needed that,” Mom said. She wrapped an arm over my shoulder. “Now go kick his ass. I’ll be cheering you on.”
“Thank you.” Leo bowed.
He and Arthur stepped into the makeshift fighting ring. Arthur had removed his jacket and tie, but kept his neat button down shirt on. Leo had stripped down to his pants and removed his shoes.
Arthur dove at Leo before the archivist called for the fight to begin. He swung a wild punch for Leo’s face and threw a handful of grit at his eyes.
Leo dodged the dirty attack and kicked Arthur square in the gut. Arthur doubled over, coughing.
Leo took advantage of that and grabbed Arthur’s shirt, dragging him in and swinging a punch right for his face. Arthur yelped and staggered back.
Arthur growled and dove for Leo, hoping to use his greater weight to force the younger wolf to the ground. Leo twisted so that he landed on top, and landed several solid punches to his face and a knee to his chest.
Arthur rolled away before Leo could get a solid grapple on him. He staggered to his feet, visibly panting. He wiped a trickle of blood from his nose.
“No! Daddy!” Eva shrieked and ran into the circle.
She threw herself dramatically between the alphas. She spread her arms wide.
I narrowed my eyes. I don’t think I’d ever heard Eva call our father “Daddy” at any point in our lives. I was certain that was an act.
But what was the point of her sudden dramatic show of devotion?
I saw something shine in her left hand as she made a sudden move towards Leo, holding out her arms as if to embrace him.
I shouted a warning, but it was too late. Eva’s hand darted out, and she injected something into Leo’s bicep.
He shoved her roughly out of the circle.
“You have to call the match,” Ethan shouted, “She interfered!”
I tried to get into the circle, needing to heal whatever Eva had just done. Titian held me back.
“Combat is still active,” he said.
“She cheated,” I protested.
“She will be dealt with,’ Titian promised.
Eva was dragged out of the ring by Alphas Raine and Richard. She shouted curses as her arms were bound behind her back.
In the circle, Leo staggered and clutched his arm. Whatever was in that syringe acted fast. Why did Eva have something like that on her anyway? Had they planned to demand combat the whole time?
It really didn’t matter. Leo was poisoned, and Arthur had gained the advantage. He knocked Leo to the ground and kicked him, hard. I heard the snap of several ribs giving way.
I couldn’t stand by and let this happen. I would not let it happen.
I jerked free of Titian’s grip. I called on my wolf, and shifted. I needed the strength and power she offered. My wolf answered, eagerly.
I jumped in between Leo and Arthur. I growled up at my father, and he stopped trying to kick in Leo’s rib cage.
“Out of my way, Tessa,” Arthur ordered.
I snorted and pressed one paw to Leo’s chest. I needed to heal him quickly, before someone managed to drag me out of the circle.
I couldn’t touch Arthur. That would end the combat. Which wasn’t fair, because Eva’s attack on Leo hadn’t ended things. But I was used to things being unfair.
Arthur got a grip on the ruff of fur around my neck. He tugged, clearly meaning to toss me aside.
I set my stance and kept my paw in place. My wolf focused on healing Leo while I focused on not moving.
I saw shock in Arthur’s eyes. He’d expected to move me without effort. But my wolf was stronger than him. And now we both knew it.
My wolf howled triumph, and Leo rose to his feet. I staggered out of the ring and shifted back to human.
Alpha Titian approached me.
“Properly, healer, I must bind you for interfering,” he said.
I held out my wrists. Titian smiled, and wrapped a bit of string loosely around my wrists. He didn’t even bother to tie it.
Dr. Lee came over and put her shoulder under mine just before I would have collapsed.
“She’s fine,” she told my mother, who had rushed over. “Healing someone that quickly takes a lot out of her.”
I nodded, and twisted to watch the fight.
Leo’s attacks changed. Before, he had been professional, calm and controlled. After that, though, his strikes gained a level of ferocity.
He was still in control of his anger, but we could all see it. He chased Arthur around the ring, not letting him get his feet set under him.
Leo pressed Arthur hard, striking too fast for Arthur to block effectively, let alone think about hitting back.
It was painfully obvious that Leo had been holding back before. He wasn’t anymore. He threw everything into the fight, and Arthur didn’t stand a chance.
In a very short time, Arthur was on his knees, arms held over his head.
“I submit, I submit!” Arthur screamed. “Please, stop, I submit! You win!”
Leo cocked back his fist, clearly considering landing one more punch. He looked over at me.
Did I want him to do it? I kind of did, actually, but Leo was too good of person to take a cheap shot after his opponent surrendered. So I shook my head.
Leo dropped his arm, and stepped away.
The archivist stepped forward.
“Combat has ended. Alpha Leo is the victor.” He paused. “It is now his right to declare the fate of the loser.”
Leo nodded gravely. “It is my decision that the judgment of the council of alphas stands. Arthur is stripped of his title and holdings.” He paused, and added. “I want him gone. I don’t trust him not to hurt Tessa, or her mother, if he’s allowed to remain.”
“And so it is done,” Titian intoned. “Wolf Arthur, Wolf Annette, Wolf Eva, you are all hereby banished. Your names are stricken from the great archives. No pack will harbor you. No healer will offer you aid. You have until the moon sets behind the horizon to be gone from the holdings of any pack, on pain of death.”