“As my mother you have certain rights. And more as the head of the family,” Evan conceded.
“Yes, of course.”
“Then I challenge you,” Evan said, “for the leadership of this family.”
My knees went weak.
I’d thought he planned to make up with his mother and call out Middleston for Lisa’s hand. If he’d defeated Jake or Eddie it’d have gone a long way for him to assert his adulthood and allow him to claim Lisa for his wife. Mary could object but the men in her circle would see Evan’s move as that of an adult male taking charge of his life—something she couldn’t deny.
I hadn’t even guessed he’d try to take over the family. It was a fast shortcut to getting everything he wanted.
It was also a dangerous one.
Mary put her hands on her hips and laughed. “Silly boy. You’re just head-over-heels in love. I’ve seen it before, sweet things wagging their tails in front of young boys and they fall in line begging for a chance to sniff her feet.” Her tone shifted. “Seriously, don’t be a fool. We’ll work out something so you can see her, maybe in a few months. This isn’t the time or place to do something stupid.” She gestured toward the other Felis. “Don’t make a fuss.”
Evan didn’t flinch. He looked past her at McCallister. “You heard my challenge?”
The tone wasn’t that of a child.
It was that of an adult.
The thin man glanced at Mary then back at Evan. “Yes.” The disbelief in his voice was clear. He hadn’t seen this either.
Red stepped up behind Evan, leaving Lisa and me behind. His voice boomed out, clear and low.
“Seems to me you’ve got a decision to make.” He pointed at Mary. “Either you accept the challenge and fight your son or you decline it and lose your position. Them’s the rules.”
Mary looked at Red as if he were roadkill. “And who the fuck are you?”
“His second.” He puffed his chest out. “They call me Red.”
“This is insane.” Mary put her hands on her hips. “You can’t challenge me. I’m your mother. Hell, you’re not even an adult yet by law.” She looked at her elder son. “Dale, go bring your brother to me.”
The young man took a hesitant step forward. I could see the confusion in his eyes—obeying his mother or obeying Felis law. It wasn’t an easy decision to make.
Red held up his hand, stopping the Chandler son in his tracks. “Unless I recall different it don’t make no difference what age someone is if they want to challenge for leadership of the family.” He eyed Dale. “You just need to be able to beat the leader.”
I sucked in my breath. The idea of a younger kit taking out an older, more seasoned fighter was more an adolescent wish than reality. The family bond was too strong, the devotion of children to their parents part of the Felis legacy.
Most families never worried about this sort of thing anyway—at some point a parent would relinquish leadership anyway, handing it over to the next in line. The position was more ceremonial than practical, useless for most families and nothing more than a tradition. It had no home in present-day Felis business.
Except in a family feud that had lasted generations.
Dale’s attention flickered from Evan to Red, from Red to Lisa and me standing behind them. The confusion in his eyes was evident, his mouth hanging slightly open as he wheezed through his broken nose.
Evan made the decision for him by striding forward with short, measured steps.
He strode up to his brother and stared at him.
Evan had maybe ten pounds more on him than Dale. Side by side I would have put my money on Evan—the ease with which I’d taken Dale out told me his older brother spent more time in front of the television set than exercising. He might be the eldest but Mary had done a piss-poor job in training him to deal with challenges both inside the family and out.
The standoff lasted less than a minute. Dale lowered his eyes and stepped to the side, submitting to Evan’s authority.
One down.
Mary huffed. She Changed in a flash, her off-white fur obscuring her features. “I can’t believe you want to do this. My flesh and blood.” She pounded her chest, claws tearing at the thin blue fabric. “You dishonor not only me but your grandmother. The woman the Middlestons killed.”
Evan rolled his shoulders back. “I can’t change the past. What went on between Laura Chandler and Maureen Middleston was between them. But I can change our family’s future.” He assumed a general fighting stance, claws at the ready.
The other Felis moved around the two, forming a rough circle in the aisle. I spotted another young woman staying to the side, Mary’s sister from the looks of it. Next to her was a young boy, maybe about ten, his eyes saucer-wide as he watched the proceedings. She clutched the kit to her.
The numbers were too small; this couldn’t be the entire Chandler clan. I suspected Mary hadn’t wanted many of her family to know the problem she was having with Evan. It’d start tongues wagging about her ability to lead. If she’d brought all of her family and supporters the barn would be full.
Small blessings. At least we weren’t facing a large group of pissed-off Felis.
But there were just enough to make me nervous, given the way McCallister kept licking his lips and glancing at me. If the situation deteriorated into a full-fledged brawl he’d be charging at me first and hang the consequences.
Evan didn’t move, frozen in place. His charcoal fur shone in the dim light as he waited.
Lisa bit down on her lower lip and gripped Red’s arm.
Mary charged first.
She lowered her head and screeched as she ran at her son, claws out. It was a high shriek of a roar, tearing at my ears like nails on a blackboard.
There wasn’t any room to maneuver so Evan met her head-on—literally. He ducked under her right-handed swing with ease and stepped in to slam his forehead into hers with a sickening thud.
The headbutt sent Mary staggering back out of range, the inch-long gash in her forehead spurting blood. She staggered to one side before straightening up. Her chest rose and fell, the pained panting from the initial rush filling the air.
Evan’s head was bleeding as well but not with as much vigor, the trickle running down the side of his nose.
It wasn’t a classic attack but a street fighter move, well-executed.
I wondered if he’d learned that from Red.
Mary shook her head and went at him again with both hands outstretched, claws out and swinging. It wasn’t a focused attack, it was an angry swipe at someone who had betrayed her.
He easily sidestepped it and drove his left fist into her belly, his own claws pulled back to deliver the non-lethal attack.
I winced. She could have been disemboweled if he’d used his claws. In my mind’s eye I remembered Carson charging at Bran, trying to tear his belly open.
Mary fell to her knees, gasping for air. Blood flowed freely down her face, staining her off-white fur and obscuring her vision. It dripped off her chin and splattered on the dirt floor, a few yellowed strands of hay soaking up the crimson spots.
Evan didn’t waste any time; he moved behind her and grabbed her long black ponytail with his left hand. He yanked her head back and put his right hand, claws out, to her exposed neck.
I held my breath. Beside me Lisa let out something akin to a squeak.
Red cleared his throat.
Evan’s lips drew back and he snarled, a dominant male growl that reverberated around the circle.
Mary sobbed, the tears running down her face to mix with the bloodied fur. She hadn’t been ready for this fight and she’d practically conceded the minute she’d offered such feeble attacks.
She couldn’t fight her son. She loved him too much.
Now she’d lost both her son and her legacy.