Chapter 47: The Born Leader

Harper’s POV



I’m awake before the sun has risen. I wasn’t able to get much sleep the night before because I’m so anxious about the battle; wondering if at the end of the day I will take back the Alpha title or not.

I also laid awake staring at the roof thinking about Asher. I’m dying to know how mad he is at me and what our relationship will be like after today. At first, he was supportive of me wanting to be Alpha, but now things have changed. He’s concerned I’ll get hurt by Artemis, but I know how to handle myself.

Not having Asher by my side today is really going to hurt my chances of beating Artemis. If I had Asher’s pack behind me, it would be more than enough to overpower Artemis. Having only thirty people helping me is going to be one hell of a challenge.

I told the group to meet in the backyard at nine a.m. sharp. I don’t want to delay this battle more than it needs to be.

I take my time getting ready. It doesn’t matter what I wear because I will be shifting anyway, but I want to look like a fierce leader going into this. I was smart and brought khaki cargo pants, a black tank top and a camo jacket with me.

I slip on a pair of hiking boots and walk into the bathroom. Pulling my hair back into two braids down either of my head, I take a deep breath when I see my reflection in the mirror.

Hopefully, the person staring back at me will become Alpha in just a short period of time. I can feel my palms beginning to grow clammy because this is something I’ve always wanted and now that it’s here I’m worried something will go wrong and I’ll lose everything I worked so hard for.

When I check the clock, I see it’s just minutes before nine. I take a deep breath and march out of the room and down the hallway. There isn’t many people roaming the hallways, but when members do recognize me, they gasp in shock when I walk past. I hear a few people whispering about me, but I need to keep my head in the game.

As I’m approaching the backyard, I see the group waiting in a circle for me. When I’m close by I hear them cheer and shout for me, which makes me blush. I still can’t believe these people have been holding out hope I would return to save them. It warms my heart to know that I’ve made an impact on these people.

“Is everyone ready?” I ask, looking around the group, “Because Artemis isn’t going to back down without a fight, so I hope all of you are ready to go all the way to defeat him.”

Everyone erupts into a cheer, indicating they are on board with the plan. We haven’t decided on a specific strategy yet, but it’s for certain that Artemis will be left until the end because there’s no way he’s going to tire himself out early on. He’ll want to take me on when I’m exhausted, like the coward that he is.

We all turn to face the compound, shouting for Artemis to come out. We thought this would be a good way to surprise him because I never specified what time the battle would commence. By doing this I’m hoping he’ll be frazzled and thrown off guard, which will help us during the fight.

After a few minutes of shouting, I see the back door open. The group only gets louder, calling Artemis a coward and a loser. Ansel appears on the deck, his hands on his hips.

“What are you doing, Harper?” His voice is low and flat.

“We’re ready to fight,” I smirk, “So, go tell our dear brother to get his a** out here, now.”

“You don’t have to do this,” he says, a worried expression on his face.

I laugh, “He gave me no choice. He took what is mine, so I’m going to reclaim it.”

Ansel shakes his head, “I warned you. This is going to get ugly, and you will regret it.”

I stick my middle finger up at him, “Bring it on.”

Without another word, Ansel retreats inside and we continue to chant and shout. I can feel the nerves throughout my body but I’m excited for a battle. Nothing gets my blood pumping more than attacking someone in a fight.

Moments later, Artemis and Ansel walk through the back doors. Members of the pack appear behind them and walk around from the front yard. I try not to let the shock of seeing so many people show on my face. I knew this was going to be the case, so I need to put on a brave face for my group.

Artemis’s wolves form a barrier between Artemis and I while he stands on the deck, watching from afar. He looks smug up there in his fur coat, ready to watch the chaos unfold.

“Why don’t you come down here and fight me like a real man,” I shout, getting the attention of everyone around me.

Artemis chuckles, “I don’t hit women, but I will enjoy the show from here.”

“Don’t get too comfortable,” I say, “Because I will find my way to you.”

“You think you can make it through my wolves with that sad group of yours?” He laughs, “Ha! I’d like to see you try.”

I’m about to open my mouth, when a strong voice cuts me off.

“She’s going to kick you’re a**, you know that, right?”

I look over and see Asher walking towards us. I smile when I see his beautiful face and messy curls. He looks like he hasn’t slept in days, which makes me feel guilty.

I feel my heart burst with happiness when I see Asher’s pack following him from around the front. I’m beyond happy to know they came all this way to support me. I try not to let out a squeal when I see Amaris and Jack following close behind Asher.

Asher stands next to me, watching Artemis with careful eyes.

“Well, isn’t this cute,” Artemis is being sarcastic, “Your husband can’t save you, Harper. By the end of this you will be crawling back to wherever you came from.”

“I highly doubt that.” I say, smiling, “You’ll be eating your own words.”

Artemis looks pissed, “Watch yourself.”

“Watch your back,” I counter, cracking my knuckles, “Because you may not see me coming.”

Artemis turns to Ansel in a huff, ending the conversation. I turn to Asher, his blue eyes sparking.

“I’m still mad at you,” he say, placing a kiss on my head, “But, I missed you so much.”

I smile, “Me too. It means a lot to me that you’re here. I don’t think I could’ve done this without you.

“I’ve brought every member of the pack who can fight,” He says, looking around at everyone, “I want you to win this, Harper. I want you to become Alpha.”

I nod my head, “I’ll do my best.”

I lean in to place a swift kiss on Asher’s cheek. He smiles, taking my hand in his.

“Take him down, my wife,” He looks at Artemis who is shooting daggers, “Show him who’s boss.”