Page 34 of Their Marked Mate

“Fuck you!” one of the birds shouted. “If Gabriel had business with you, he’d be here to let you in.”

Move into position, but don’t attack, Alex sent out the order with an urgent telepathic push. They get one chance to cooperate, then we take our women back.

Excitement rippled across the link he shared with the other alphas, but none responded with specific thoughts. The hunters were clearly spoiling for a fight.

Alex heard running feet and muffled voices from inside the wall. The guards turned and spoke with whoever just approached the gate.

“Have the eagle brothers finally arrived?” Alex called out, sarcasm snapping through each syllable.

Gabriel appeared in one of the small towers, his features twisted with anger. “You had me convinced you were better than your predecessor. I should have known better than trusting a wolf.”

“I want only what we’re due,” Alex insisted. “There are roughly three hundred females. I’ve captured twenty-five. That means these attacks will continue until my wolves have secured the other seventy-five.”

“All of the women in Eagle Village have already been claimed by birds,” Gabriel claimed.

It was utter nonsense. Alex had spies in all the other villages. “Your brother claimed one. Three are being courted. Send out the others and I’ll be on my way. There’s no need for bloodshed. Zion will give you more females. We both know he’d tell me to go fuck myself.”

Without another word, Gabriel spun around and moved out of sight. Was he finished talking or was he coming out? The moments ticked by and tension mounted.

Nate looked at him questioningly. “Does this mean we attack?”

The groaning of wood disrupted the night as the gate was heaved open. Gabriel rushed out of the village and stormed over to Alex. Alex was deciding how to greet him when the bird pulled back his fist and punched Alex in the face.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!” Gabriel shouted.

Shocked and confused by the blindside, Alex stumbled backward but recovered quickly. He shook off the pain and growled out a warning as he folded his hands into fists. Gabriel might have landed one sucker punch, but the rest was going to cost him. Alex swung at the bird, determined to return the favor.

Gabriel dodged the blow and responded with a vicious jab.

Anticipating the aggression this time, Alex twisted out of the way. Gabriel’s next swing caught Alex in the eye. Pain burst within his skull and Alex let out an enraged snarl. Legitimately angry now, Alex swept Gabriel’s legs out from under him with a practiced kick then dove on top of the smaller male.

They twisted and bucked, kneed and punched, as they rolled across the forest floor. Alex heard shouts of encouragement and laughter as the wolves gathered around the combatants. The fucking bird was fast as lightning and hit surprisingly hard. Alex was stronger and bigger, but Gabriel had righteous indignation on his side.

They rolled one way and then the other. Gabriel landed several intensely painful punches and Alex decided to end the fight. He pinned the bird to the ground and demanded, “Had enough?”

“You’re a lying sonofabitch.” Gabriel twisted and bucked, determined to dislodge Alex. “I defended you. I trusted you. Get the fuck off me!”

Alex struggled to his feet and offered his hand to the bird.

Gabriel sneered at him and climbed to his feet unassisted. He swiped his nose with the back of his hand, inadvertently smearing blood across his face.

Alex rubbed his throbbing jaw and chuckled. “You’ve got a mean left hook.”

Gabriel glared at him. “I compromised the safety of my village because you promised you wouldn’t attack!”

Forming a smirk he no longer felt, Alex said, “I haven’t attacked.” He shoved Gabriel out of his way as he continued, “And I never promised you anything. I told you I had no plans to attack and at that point the statement was true.”

“You just changed your fucking mind?” Gabriel snarled.

Alex waited for him to say more, but he just shook his head and stared off into the distance. “I don’t want to fight with you. You’re the only one who doesn’t have their head shoved up their ass. But I don’t have a choice. Zion owes me more females and you’re going to figure out how to get them for me.”

“I don’t respond well to threats,” Gabriel snapped, narrowing his eyes.

Alex stood at a crossroads. He could launch the attack and follow in Elias’ footsteps or drag his village kicking and screaming down a less violent path. Attacking the birds felt wrong. He genuinely liked Gabriel and the females wouldn’t do his pack any good until Luna finished with the transformation formula. Still, he had to make some sort of progress, or the pack alphas would rebel.

“It won’t be a threat next time,” he warned. “You have one week to deliver my third of the females.” He turned and strode back into the forest, allowing the darkness to conceal his exact path.

With me, he commanded the wolves, infusing the telepathic words with compulsion. The alphas were not going to like this, but they needed to obey. The birds have a week to comply.