Chapter 252

Aidan’s POV

I wasn’t upset about the competition’s end. It had been a nightmare to watch, worried about my sister so much. I still thought Cara was being reckless. Just because Eamon and Alaric had given her support didn’t mean any of us had to like the danger she had been putting herself in.

Thank the gods that her wolf returned. I didn’t want to think what might have happened otherwise.

Yet, now that it was over, I was starting to panic.

Charlotte Claw was a beautiful tall, blonde, bear shifter. She was strong, capable, and honest too. Gods, it was as if she walked straight out of a fantasy made just for me.

Now that things were settling down, she and her sister were planning on moving on, returning back to their bear clan. They were princesses, after all, beloved and strong. Any pack would miss them. Ours would be less for their leaving.

And… I might miss them, Charlotte specifically. My brother Ryan would miss Claudia just as fiercely.

Too soon, the day came when Ryan and I were meant to say goodbye to Claudia and Charlotte. We had agreed to drive them to the train station, but they’d requested to come over to the house first. Ryan and I were powerless to deny them anything they wanted, especially if it meant we would get to spend more time with them.

When the doorbell rang, Ryan and I tripped over ourselves in our race to the door. We might have been twins, but I was the one who began a racecar driver, so I won out, arriving to the door before he could. I pulled it open, eager to see Charlotte.

When I did, I couldn’t help but smile, even with the cresting sadness of the day. She smiled too.

“Aidan,” Charlotte said, grinning.

“Hey, Lottie.”

The nickname made her giggle, which sent my heart flying high.

“Get out of the way,” Ryan said and pushed his way past me. Claudia immediately opened her arms for him and he fell into them. The Claw Sisters were nearly as tall as we were, so they were perfect size for hugging.

I wanted to hug Charlotte but I didn’t want her to stop giggling.

As Ryan stepped back, he said, “Where are your suitcases?”

Charlotte and Claudia glanced at each other. Charlotte giggled again. Claudia looked back to Ryan.

“We have a question for you both,” she said. “But know, if you choose to accept, you might not succeed, and it could be dangerous.”

“What’s the question?” I asked.

Charlotte looked at me. “Will you undergo the necessary challenge to become my mate?”

Claudia asked Ryan the same question, an echo of Charlotte’s question to me.

My heart took flight. “Yes,” I said. I’d dated a lot, so many women over the years, but none of them had ever made me feel the way I felt for Charlotte. If I could keep her here with me, making her my mate, I would do whatever she asked.

It took a long moment before I realized there was more to the question.

Ryan noticed first. “What challenge?” he asked.

“A challenge of strength,” Claudia answered. “To prove you are worthy of being our mates.”

“We’re ready,” I said eagerly. “Whatever it is, we will do it.”

“Your eagerness is… flattering,” Charlotte said, blushing slightly. “But maybe you’d like to know what the challenge is before you agree?”

“It doesn’t matter what it is,” Ryan said. “We will succeed.”

Claudia looked at my brother with the same kind of fondness that Charlotte was looking at me with.

“Very well. I will call him at once, then,” Charlotte said and pulled her phone from her pocket.

“Uh… him?” Ryan asked.

“Our brother Clyde,” Claudia explained. “The challenge is you must defeat him to win either of us as your bride.”

“Your… brother…?” I gulped.

Charlotte and Claudia were already very tall and broad. I could only imagine what their brother must look like.

“He’s already in town,” Charlotte said. “He was just waiting for the challenge to be accepted.”

My worst fears were proved true when the mysterious brother Clyde showed up at the door. I kept looking up and up and up. Clyde had to be 7 feet tall.

I showed him in and led him to the back patio where the Claw sisters and Ryan had been waiting. When Ryan saw Clyde, his expression mirrored what mine must have been, paling.

“These are the ones?” Clyde asked, looking between Ryan and me. “Wolves are so small.”

“They are good men,” Claudia said. “We have chosen well. You will see.”

“They are the ones for us, brother,” Charlotte said.

Gods, I hoped we didn’t disappoint them.

Clyde shrugged. “Very well. It’s time for the challenge then.”

Clyde was so tall and broad, I had no idea how I was going to manage to win against him in combat. I had to try though, Charlotte was worth it, and I would do whatever I needed to, to have her as my own.

Looking between Ryan and me, Clyde’s brow drew together. “Why the serious faces, boys? Don’t you want to marry my sisters?”

“It’s because we do that we are being serious,” Ryan said.

Clyde smiled. He looked at Charlotte. “Prepare the challenge, Charlotte.”

Her brows went up. “You are allowing me to pick?”

“Yes. These two have good souls, I can see it just by looking at them. And the way they are looking at you tells me they will make you great husbands.”

“Then I pick a game of tag,” Charlotte said.

“Tag it is,” Clyde said. “Aidan. Ryan. If you can take the hand of your beloved before I do, then they will be your brides. Are you ready?”

“Uh…” I looked at Ryan, who looked back at me. “I guess?”

“Begin!” Clyde said. But he didn’t move.

Charlotte held her hand out for me, and Claudia held hers for Ryan. It took no effort at all for either of us to walk to our beloveds and take their hands. Clyde didn’t even move.

Charlotte smiled wide and kissed me. I was thrilled, but thoroughly confused.

“What just happened?” I asked.

“The challenge is a tradition, which is something we honor,” Clyde explained, “But it is not one we put much weight in. Our princesses are free to marry whoever they wish.”

“So the challenge…?” Ryan asked.

“You were always going to win,” Claudia said. “Because we wanted you to.”

“Treat my sisters well you two,” Clyde said. “And welcome to the family.”

This time, I laughed as I kissed Charlotte back. I couldn’t remember a time I’d ever been happier.

I’d been in many races, but this was the best challenge I’d ever won.

Lilia’s POV

The guards only let me out of the cell once per day, and even when they did, they limited who I was allowed to talk to. All of the guards had been warned about me, it seemed. They don’t listen when I speak or beg or cry. Too quickly, that crying turned to rage.

I hated being ignored, and this place was my worst nightmare, filled with people who ignored me.

I had a single cell, but the woman across the hall from me was in a single cell too.

I thought, maybe I could convince her to see my side of things. Maybe she could help me, and I could use her to get some messages out of here.

Melinda hadn’t been answering my calls anymore.

The woman across the hall had a crescent moon tattoo on her arm. She was an older woman with a hard edge, but I thought maybe she could be the motherly type if I presented myself as the weak-willed daughter.

I decided to start small, telling her, “They took everything from me.” I thought we could commiserate.

Yet, the woman just looked at me and laughed and laughed.

“Whatever manipulations worked for you out there won’t work in here, sweetheart,” the woman said. “You are small potatoes compared to the schemers in here. Keep dreaming though.”

From then on, every time she looked at me, she laughed at me.

“What do you know,” I snapped and turned away from her, deciding it was better to be ignored.