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

this saved his life and her sister’s heart, it was worth it. Please let it be worth it .
    “You’ll be losing like a motherfucker, and that’s when I let you get me.” She swallowed hard. This part was going to be difficult. “I’ll let you have my throat. You understand what I’m saying? You clamp your teeth around my throat and you hold it. And you wait. Long enough for people to realize what’s happening. That I’ve lost. That you’ve got me at your mercy… and then you let go, and you run the hell away.”
    Raden’s eyes widened, and there was a long beat of silence. He was speechless. He threw his head back, staring at the sky. “Fucking hell,” he muttered.
    Avan let him think. She watched as he paced the space in front of her.
    “This will never work,” he rasped.
    “It keeps us both alive. It saves your pride.”
    He stopped pacing to stare at her. “How the hell does it do that if I don’t finish the job? If I run? Besides that, you still keep the pack.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry. I thought Seleka was more important than status. Do you fucking care about mating or not? That’s the question. If the answer is no, then I’m not sticking my neck out— literally —for you. My sister will just have to mourn you and move on.”
    “And what makes you think I won’t rip your throat out? You’re placing a hefty bet that I give a fuck about any of this.”
    “You do,” she said, tilting her chin at him. “Your eyes give you away. Besides…” She pulled back her shirt collar. “I’m mated. If you double-cross me, you’ll have him to deal with. And you know, a vengeful mate is hard to take down.”
    “Bullshit. Your mate is in Ravendale.”
    Avan froze. He could only know that if Mama or Seleka told him. Fuck, her sister was getting an earful when all this was over.
    Avan smiled, coldly. “Caught me. I have two mates. One chosen, one intended. So you’ll really be fucked if you cheat me.”
    His shoulders sank with his surprise.
    “Or just say the word, and we’ll do this the old-fashioned way. But Raden…” She stepped into his vision. “I won’t let you win. This pack is mine .”
    He paced some more, his boots eating the leaf covered ground as he stalked. He dragged his hands over his face, clearly frustrated with the whole conversation. “Arghhh.” His growl sent a chill up her spine.
    He turned to her, furious, and shaking his head. “I can’t. I can’t go out like that.” He pressed his lips into a thin line, his brow furrowing. “I have to be strong. Follow my instinct, and my instinct is to take this pack and make it my own. The rest will come later. I’ll win your sister just like I win everything else I put my mind to.”
    Avan’s heart crashed.
    So that was it. She was going to have to kill her sister’s mate or die herself. And since she had a pack to protect from this foolish, foolish wolf, her sister was going to end up the one hurting.
    Being an alpha meant making tough choices. She knew that from the beginning.
    She pushed through the dread hammering her chest. Time to alpha up.
    “Right. Then I’ll see you at the ring. Make sure you say your goodbyes to Seleka.”
    He scowled. “You do the same.”

Chapter Twelve
    Lexar was a nervous wreck. He hadn’t seen Avan since she practically ran from the cabin. She had a plan. He was supposed to trust her. Well, okay. Sure. But his instinct to protect what was his was already kicking in.
    He stalked toward the fighting ring in the middle of the camp. It was just a large, empty circular area roughly cordoned off by ropes. No one was allowed to cross the ropes during a fight. If they did, it would forfeit the fight for whichever side breeched the barrier. So far, Lexar hadn’t been tempted to jump in. But that was because Avan was fierce. She’d taken blows, had a few scars to prove it, but never did he think she might lose.
    What would happen tonight? When winning meant there would be a rift forever between her and