“That’s ridiculous. If you know they’re causing trouble and it’s putting the pack at risk, they need to answer for it,” she huffs.

“I look forward to the day I can put an end to it.” I exhale roughly, caressing her cheek with my knuckles. “But tonight, after I’ve announced our mating to the pack, he’ll know he’s gone too far. He fucked up by daring to touch you. I’ll strip his rank back to nothing for that.”

My wolf paces restlessly, ready to unleash his rage on my cousin.

Liam stands at attention when I nod. He herds the pack into order, gathering them for me. I kiss Avery, then stride to the front of the group. My gaze sweeps over them as they quiet. The majority show deference quickly. I don’t like how many take longer to do the same.

“Before tonight’s full moon run, there are two important matters to bring before the pack.” My booming announcement washes over the commons. “Avery.”

I hold my hand to her in invitation. She hesitates before joining me, taking her rightful place and slipping her fingers into my waiting palm. Several murmurs spread through the crowd. She wears my mating bite proudly, eroding any question that she’s mine.

“Avery Morgan is my mate. I claim her before you as mine.”

Reverence carries in my words. A fervent glow fills me from our bond, her happiness echoing with my own.

The pack breaks out in applause and happy cheers.

Tobin cups his hands around his mouth. “Congratulations, Alpha!”

She laughs airily, leaning into my side when I draw her into my embrace. I drop a kiss on the top of her head.

“Thank you,” I say.

Avery returns to stand with her sisters, accepting a hug from Alisha and more well-wishes from Alma. She tucks Lena against her front. Beatrix and Callie are at her side. Taryn on the other. Gabe and Ford position themselves near them, guarding them.

“Liam.”

He makes his way through the pack with Hodge and Tobin, the three of them bringing the five culprits before me. The two on the end shift their weight nervously, glancing at Lorne. He’s unbothered, amused by my stony expression.

“Kneel.”

Two collapse to the floor immediately. Dane goes next, fighting the Alpha command with a grimace. A thundering growl builds in my throat.

“Why have I called you five before me?”

Lorne bares his teeth, fighting my power pinning down his will, demanding his submission. His legs shake. My chest vibrates, anger pricking my patience. His knees give out and he falls to the grass with a miffed grunt.

“Alpha Blackburn asked you a question.” Liam clamps Lorne’s nape, forcing his head to bow until it’s shoved into the grass for his brazen display of disrespect. “Answer him.”

“We messed with Avery. She’s a traitor,” the weakest of the group blurts.

My scowl swings to him. “My mate is no traitor. Watch your fucking tongue.”

He cowers, emitting a terrified whine. A pittling sound drums the ground, followed by the stink of piss. He’s from one of the smaller family lines. A Dunlop. His family transferred from Crescent Valley Pack seeking better opportunities after they lost everything they had.

“Fighting five against one isn’t messing with someone, is it?” I bite out. He doesn’t answer. “Is it?”

“No, Alpha,” he shrieks.

I turn to Avery at the front of the crowd. “Did he hurt you?”

She shakes her head. “He tried to. My wolf took a chunk out of his thigh before he ran off with those two right behind him.”

That’s my girl. I stroke the bond with praise and she ducks her face to hide a blush.

“She attacked first,” one of the ones who keeps looking at Lorne says.

“Unprovoked?” I press harshly.

He opens his mouth. Closes it. Glances at the male beside him for help. The other one shakes his head.

“Take these three to the patrol cabin,” I order. “They’ll be put on probational work rotation.”

Tobin and Hodge cart them off. I study the remaining two Blackburn brothers with distaste. I feel no connection to my cousins whatsoever. My uncle made sure of that when he raised them to be just like him.

“Dane. Didn’t you learn from the last lesson I gave you? I’ll beat you again if it didn’t stick in that thick head of yours.”

He nods, then shakes his head.

“Which is it?”

“Yes, Alpha. I knew better.”

“And you still thought going after a female—my mate—was a good idea.” I glance at Avery, silently asking if he caused her pain. She shakes her head. “Ford. Solitary for two weeks, then assign him to maintenance crew until I think the lesson’s really sunk in.”

Dane’s eyes bug out as he’s dragged away. That leaves Lorne. There’s no point in dragging this out.

Signaling Liam to stand down, I drop to a knee, wrenching Lorne to me by a punishing grip on his hair.

“Apologize to her,” I growl. “Or I’ll kill you the way my wolf is begging me to.”

He huffs with a smirk. “You expect me to lick your boots, too? It’s a disgrace to see you losing yourself over that little traitor.”

I bare my teeth and deck him. He goes down hard, catching himself on his palms. He spits blood.

“I expect you to do as your alpha commands.” At the mutinous scrunch of his features, I serve him a hard look. “You challenge your alpha, then?”

Lorne’s gaze darts to his father watching this unfold from a seat at one of the picnic tables. Fury dances in his eyes. Lorne backs down, shaking his head.

“No, Alpha. I don’t,” he grits out.

Without a formal challenge, he holds no power to defy me. I’m taking his chances at claiming this pack for himself out of his reach. He loves waving the name of our bloodline around. I’m taking it from him because it’s the thing he values the most—his rank.

“You’ve been dropped from your rank. I revoke your name by birthright. You’re not recognized as a Blackburn anymore.”

Lorne jerks at the ancient shifter magic passed from Alpha to Alpha infused in my decree, fingers lengthening to claws that dig into the ground. Liam holds him for me.

“You’re nothing. You’re at the bottom of this pack and your job will reflect it. You’re forbidden from full moon runs with the pack beginning immediately. You’re to move out of your current quarters and will be assigned a spot in the dormitories with the other unmated males. Your place in this pack will remain on probation until you’ve proved your loyalty.”

My uncle slams his fist on the picnic table with a gnashing growl. I stare him down, hoping he’ll lose his composure so I can nail them both at once.

“Would you like to join him in his stripped rank, Uncle?”

He stills, waiting me out for a long stretch. At last, he shakes his head. My jaw works. I nod to Liam, watching him escort Lorne from the commons to pack up his shit in my uncle’s compound.

Avery comes back over of her own accord, not needing to wait for my permission or summons. Pride expands in my chest when she lifts her head, my regal Alpha female.

“Anyone who attacks my mate is an attack on me,” I declare with an underlying oath of vengeance for anyone who defies me. “Anyone who attacks their packmate is challenging me. This isn’t how we do things in Silver Falls Pack.”

Assent sounds through the clearing. Avery squeezes my hand.

“Good. Now let’s put this behind us and enjoy tonight’s run.” I wave an arm to the tree line in invitation.

Taryn whoops, the first to peel out of her clothes and go to fur. Callie’s right behind her and others join in until the crowd dwindles, packmates taking to the woods as their wolves. Avery returns to her sisters, giving them each a hug.

“Will you two be okay here?”

“Of course. We get to eat as much as we want,” Beatrix says.

They aren’t the only ones remaining at the bonfire. Some of our oldest shifters barely make the transformation, content to sit around the bonfire and smoke pipes. Some dams have stayed behind to chat while their pups toddle in the grass. Others not of age yet tuck into another plate of meat.