Claire’s POV
Alpha King Benedict looked more than just nervous. The idea of fighting Richard seemed to absolutely terrify him, and probably for good reason. Everyone knew that Benedict didn’t fight publically anymore, so his abilities had been kept secret for years.
The man wasn’t getting any younger. Even by werewolf standards, he was pushing old age now. That didn’t mean he was weak, but against someone like Richard, who trained diligently every single day of his life, Benedict didn’t have much chance.
“Defeating me will not grant you the crown, even if those are the rules of combat,” Benedict said. “The pack Alphas would not simply bow down and comply with your rule.”
“They don’t need to bow,” Richard replied. “I will fight each and every one of them to bring them in line, if necess
