A Mate's Submission: (Hot Paranormal Shifter Romance) (Ozark Mountain Shifters Book 4) by P. Jameson

“What am I supposed to do? Huh? Does he think he can use this to sway me into giving him the pack? Is that what this is?”
    “No,” Seleka cried. “It’s not like that. He made me swear not to tell you because he wants to win fair and square.”
    The hurt on Avan’s face cut Lexar. He wanted to run to her, hold her together.
    “ Win ?” she breathed. “Winning means I die, Seleka. Is that what you want?”
    “And if you win, he dies,” she screamed. “So I’m fucked either way.”
    Avan’s head snapped back and Lexar got the impression she’d never seen her sister so assertive.
    “What… what are you saying?” Avan’s voice was barely audible. “You want me to give him the pack?”
    A glimmer of hope rose in the younger wolf’s eyes. “I want you both to live. That’s all I want. I should have brought this to you sooner, but I couldn’t. Please understand.”
    Avan spun, staring out the window at the dark night. Her shoulders curled with despair. “He’d never take the pack without a fight. You said so yourself.”
    Lexar’s wolf paced. What was going through her mind? He knew how much she loved this pack and her position. But kill her sister’s intended to keep it? That would ruin her. Avan wasn’t a cold-hearted bitch.
    That left one other option. Merely thinking about it crippled Lexar.
    But as the moments ticked by in silence, it became clear that she was considering it. Leaving him. For the sake of sparing her sister pain.
    Mother of fuck, this couldn’t be happening. She wouldn’t leave Ozarka in the hands of a brutish stranger. She wouldn’t leave him alone, now that they’d finally found happiness.
    Fight, baby. Fight for us .
    ***
    Avan turned and looked at Lexar, careful to keep her face blank. “The fight is on. It’s too late, sister. I’ll fight Raden. It’s the only way.”
    Seleka shook her head, tears erupting to stream down her cheeks.
    “Avan—“
    “No Mama. This is a pack matter. Not a family matter. If Raden wants to mate Seleka, he needs to rescind his challenge and suffer those consequences. Otherwise, we fight.”
    Avan’s insides quaked with her decision. She had a plan. It was risky—so fucking risky—but if it worked, Seleka would get what she wanted. And if it didn’t… the pack would have a new leader.
    Shit. This had better work.
    “Now go,” she said quietly. “I need to get ready.”
    Seleka ran from the cabin, but Mama came forward with her arms spread. Avan let her wrap those arms around her. “I love you,” she murmured sadly.
    “I love you too, Mama.”
    She pulled back, chewing her lip. She gave a sad shake of her head and then left. Avan counted to five before she faced Lexar.
    His brow furrowed. “Are you okay?”
    She had to be honest with him right then, so she shook her head. “No. But now I’m going to ask you to trust me.”
    “I do.” His expression was so troubled, she wanted to go to him and kiss his mouth until that grim line it formed was soft.
    “I need to take care of some things. Will you meet me at the ring?”
    He shook his head, frowning. “What things? What are you going to do?”
    “Trust me,” she insisted. Damn it, she hoped this didn’t backfire.
    “Alpha…” He swallowed hard and she watched his throat bob with the motion. “You’re not going to let him win are you?”
    She shook her head. “Let him? No.” It was the truth. There wouldn’t be an honest winner if things worked out the way she hoped. “I have to go.”
    She turned, but in two huge strides, he stopped her. Grabbing her face with both hands, he kissed her, letting his feelings lay bare. He could do this a million times and she’d never tire of feeling him go all-in, no holds barred.
    He pulled back enough to look in her eyes. “Be careful. I can’t lose you.”
    She nodded, and then escaped out the door to find Raden.
    She found him chatting with a group of Ozarka wolves as if they were old friends. Lovely. He’d been playing the