Argent POV

I'm sorry, you want to do what to my mate?"

I must have heard Jemma incorrectly because I'm sure she just came out of the bathroom and said she wants to give Aida an electric shock! James and I stare at the two girls in front of us. Aida looks confused, and Jemma looks like a maniac on a mission.

I narrow my eyes. "Explain to me what just happened in there to make you think shocking Aida is a good plan."

She smiles a determined and evil little smile and takes a deep breath. She is about to sales pitch me. "Well, like I explained a little to Aida, at Strand we believe in being prepared for any and all situations. One of those we trained specifically for is, uh, being forced to shift."

I look at her in absolute horror. It must be etched on my features because Aida scoots around the booth and comes to squeeze onto my lap, and James takes a deep breath and assesses his crazy ass mate. Being forced to shift is an abomination. We all know it.

James hesitates before speaking, "Jem, hun, what exactly are you suggesting here? He approaches the subject in a gentle manner.

He is a fuck load more patient than me.

"Jemma please explain what the actual fuck you're on about. We only have a few hours before my best friend challenges a psycho for a pack that isn't his own and now you want to add something else equally if not crazier to the mix?"

She gives me a disgruntled look and continues, "I'm trying to explain, but you keep interrupting me! As I was saying, we act out different scenarios so that we're ready at all times for things that may pop up in battle. One that we always train hard on and take very seriously is being captured and tortured into shifting to or from our wolf form because believe me, the vamps have done this before."

I see Aida sneak a look at James's face, but he is still staring with a puzzled look at Jemma.

"What? Why do we not know of this and just how does this relate to Aida?" I demand her. It's fucked up if that's really happening, and we can deal with it later if it is, but it seems nuts to think about doing this to Aida.

Jemma shrugs. "Well, she needs to shift, and this would do it. Maybe."

"Maybe?" I growl, starting to lose control of my temper. "You want to do something like this on a 'maybe'?"

She must be out of her crazy ass mind.

I shake my head. No way. No freaking way are we attempting something like this, something that I have never heard of before, on my mate just because we would be safer having her in wolf form. Or would we? She's never even shifted before. It's odd at first. All the sensations. All the extra senses. Not to mention that we would be in a hostile environment.

No. No, no, no.

"And what if it helps?" Aida's small voice speaks out over my internal rant.

I cut her a glare. "And what if it doesn't? And you get electrocuted?"

She purses her lips. "Well, I would just heal, wouldn't I?" She is either extremely brave or really mentally unstable to even consider this.

"You would heal, yes, but that's not the point."

She pauses to mull over my answer, a cute little frown building on her perfect face.

Jemma sits down next to James, giving him puppy-dog eyes, and my face darkens. "James, please tell them they're crazy for even thinking about this!" I beg him. He is the voice of reason I really need right now.

He hesitantly nods. He takes a deep breath in, steadying himself for something. Crap ... does he agree with them? Have they collectively lost their shit today? He admits, "I don't know. Maybe my brain is fried ... but could it actually work? I mean, maybe she just needs a little help?"

I can't believe what I'm hearing. He wants to shock her? His sister?

Aida shivers a little on my lap, and I shake my head at him. "What?" I put my arms around her and grip them at her front. What do I do? I don't even know how to process this. "Jemma, tell me exactly what happens. The whole process from start to finish. Before we agree to anything as mental as this, I need all the info."

Aida turns to face me and plants a small, chaste kiss on my lips. That helps. A little. I return the kiss and place an extra one on her nose.

I must be out of my mind if I even consider this, right?

I add, "James, before we even think about this, you need to call Elroy and formally challenge him. That will buy us another 24 hours to sort shit out."

He nods and gets out his phone.

Challenges are so old school. Maybe he won't even accept by phone, but we can't risk going there at this point in time.

He dials Kane while we all wait impatiently. Jemma places her hand over James's hand, trying to calm his shaking.

Kane's voice answers over speaker. "Hello? James? Jem? Please tell me you're okay and safely at Lunar."

"Not exactly, Kane. We have another plan."

"Oh goddess, what has she talked you into?"

Ha. He knows his daughter well. Jemma rolls her eyes in response to his comment and my smug grin in her direction. I reply, "We have decided, together, to challenge Elroy, in George's place."

The silence on the line is palpable.

Then Kane sputters, "What the hell are you two on about? No. No, you cannot let her do this. Wait ... she can't anyway. I love your desire to help, honey, but you can't. The law states—"

Jemma interrupts, "We know, Dad. That's why James is taking my place. He will challenge Elroy for Alpha."

Kane is silent again. We all eyeball the phone like he's going to jump through it somehow. Finally, he asks, "James, are you sure? Even if you lose, you may have to give up your place at your own pack unless Argos agrees to let it slide. But even if he does, the challenge is your formal decision to leave your pack."

I catch a small frown on James's face. That part hurts. "I know. But we just can't sit by and let Elroy enact his insane plan. You know all too well about his ideas of superiority," James retorts.

Kane sighs. "Yes, I do. It's worse here already. He has been gaining support. Forcing it if he has to." There is silence again, followed by a long, drawn-out sigh on the phone line. "James, are you sure?"

James grins. "No. We are sure."

"And Argent, does he know? Does Argos know?"

I quickly answer, "I know, sir. And my father will soon. We'll call him next."

There's a pause before Kane asks, "Argent are you both okay?" There's a concerned edge to his voice.

"We're all okay. For now," I add for affect. No one laughs.

Kane sighs. "Do you support this decision?"

I look at James. My best friend. My beta. I know he can win. And I know this means losing my Beta. But I also know that he'll do anything that he believes is right. He is good—nothing but the best. And I know he'll be an amazing Alpha.

"If James believes it is the right thing to do, then it is."

He looks at me with the purest look of respect I have ever seen. We don't need to say any more about it. The silent acceptance between us is enough.

"Okay, then I will do what I can to help. What do you need?"

I take over the call, taking the phone from James. "Two things. First, we need to extend the challenge to Elroy to buy us some time."

"Okay, I'll make the announcement at the gathering that we have planned in half an hour."

"Do you think George will accept the step down?"

"Honestly? Yes, I do. He's done. I've never seen him so low. I know he will trust you to take care of the pack, James. I know I do."

James looks down at his hands. He has never taken compliments well. But he deserves it all.

I continue, "Okay. Second, we need to talk to someone about your somewhat questionable training tactics. Specifically the one where you shock people in to shifting."

Silence again.

Kane's voice is livid when he asks, "Jemma, can you hear me?"

She looks sheepish. Something tells me she was not supposed to divulge that information to other packs. It's really not acceptable.

"Yes, Dad, and before you start, I had to. We need Aida to learn to shift to keep her safe. I thought this might be the answer."

Kane exhales, and I can almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose. "Hmm. Perhaps. Argent, please know we do not do these things lightly. We had to upgrade training when the vamps attacked and forced a number of us to turn during torture. We had to know the process ourselves in order to try to stop it from occurring."

"I understand. Sort of. We can discuss it with my father later, if you like. Or not at all. It creeps me out, to be honest. But for now, I need to know if this could help Aida or if it is just too dangerous."

"Let me ask our pack trainer. He'd know better than I would. We can trust him. I'll call you back in one hour."

The line goes flat, and we sit and stare at the phone for a few seconds. No one moves.

Things are about to change in so many ways.

While we wait for Kane to call back, the phone rings and we all stare at the name on the screen.

Alpha Argos flashes as the ringtone sings away. So boring, James. It's just the stock standard tone that comes first on the list of ringtones. James hands the phone to me, and I know that I must face the music sooner rather than later.

I press the answer button and listen to my father's greeting.

"Hello, James. Have you heard from my son?" His voice is loud and already set in a tone of urgency.

I sheepishly reply, "You mean your one and only precious son that you would never harm. One who you would let explain why he ran away from home suddenly?"

"Just what in the world were you thinking, Argent Lake? Taking off, not a word to me, your father and Alpha? Do you have any idea the danger we're all facing?"

Aida squishes her body as close to me as she can. James and Jemma sit still as statues, drawn to the drama, and James shoots me a sympathetic look.

"Father, I'm sorry. I just couldn't let them test Aida for their own selfish reasons. As soon as they arrived, I just felt like something else was going on and it just didn't sit right with me. So, I'm sorry. I'm sorry we left, and I'm sorry I left Amalie."

Nothing. Just silence and a breathing sound here and there.

Finally, Father says, "Amalie is safe. But you and Aida are not."

"What do you mean? Dad, what do you mean?"

He continues, "I felt the same way when they arrived. I was already planning to have Amalie sent away and trying to organise to get you two out when I realised you had gone."

What the hell?

"Where is Mali, Dad?"

"She's safe. I had Emerson sedate her and take her to her home the night before you left."

Wow. My father has gone against the council. We're in deep shit.

"Shit. Dad, what happens now? Are the council guards still there?"

"They left today. I received an angry call from the regent, and I face the judiciary tomorrow, but I'm more concerned for you and your mate. Argent, they want her. I don't know why or what for, but they were more interested in where Aida was than anything else."

She starts to shake a little in my arms. "We're okay. For now, at least. We made it as far as Strand, but then you know what's happening there."

My father sighs. "Yes. The challenge. I can't reach George or Kane. I can't believe this is all happening at once."

"Well, there is a new development there." I look to James, and he nods, giving me the silent approval to tell Father the plan.

"Yes?" He sounds impatient.

"James and Jemma are challenging Elroy for Alpha in place of George. It's an ancient ruling."

"I see."

"Alpha?" James speaks now. He has a forlorn look on his face. The respect he has for his Alpha is paramount. "Sir, I'm sorry to disappoint you. I just feel—we feel—that we cannot let this injustice stand. Elroy has evil plans for the pack, sir. For all the packs. And I cannot allow it to continue."

"James, you could never do anything to disappoint me. Ever. I'm proud of you like a father would be every day. I'm just sorry to lose you as our Beta, but I know you will make a wonderful Alpha. You have my support."

James wipes a solitary tear from his cheek. Big old softy. I look down and notice Aida do the same. Soft seems to run in this family.

Father asks, "Argent, I assume you're going with him?"

"Yes, sir," I immediately reply.

"Okay. Send me the plan. We'll meet you there."

"Yes, Father."

James stares at me in disbelief. "Thank you, Alpha."

I press the end button and look at the three faces of my little group. Things will be completely differently this time tomorrow.

Shit is getting real.

The phone rings again, and we all jump.

"Argent? It's Kane. I have our trainer, Konami, here."

There's a pause before we hear another male voice. "Argent? Kane tells me you want to know about the shock treatment. Can I ask why?"

I explain the situation to Konami, and he listens without saying a word. When I finish, I wait for him to tell me it's too dangerous and that we shouldn't attempt it.

But he doesn't.

Instead, he says, "Yes, it will work. But it's going to be her first time. And sudden. You will need to be prepared, and ensure that you are in an open, secluded space. You will also need to be in wolf form to support your mate when she shifts, and you need to be ready. She may act out, as her senses will overload her. This is going to be extreme; I warn you. Once she has settled, you will need to help her shift back or else you will need to shock her again. . But Argent, you need to follow it exactly, otherwise she could be seriously injured."

He sends an instant message and hands the phone back to Kane.

Kane speaks, "James, your challenge has been accepted by Elroy, and George formally stepped down from the challenge. Whomever wins tomorrow can decide whether he is exiled. The challenge will take place this time tomorrow. And James, thank you."

We end the call of all calls, and I put my head on the booth table.

"Everyone, let's take this back to the room, shall we?" Jemma proposes, standing and beckoning us to follow her.

Aida slides off my lap and rubs my head, slowly stroking my hair.

"It'll be okay, babe, I know it. Because you'll make sure. If I know anything about you, it's that you always make sure I'm okay."

I look up at her flawless face.

This time, I just don't know anything. None of this seems okay.