Chapter 199: Both Of You Are Doing It Badly

Derek was pantsless, holding an unconscious woman, while his grandmother narrated. Landon was bleeding from the hands and trying to get to that woman.

Tavian was wondering if it was too early for Beta retirement. He pulled the Alpha’s chamber doors shut behind him, sealing the four of them in with whatever this was about to become.

Derek didn’t take his eyes off his brother. "Move away. I’m not moving."

The High Luna settled into an arm chair, observing, unimpressed.

"Watch now," she narrated, swirling her glass. "Landon’s going to feint towards the window side to pull Derek off the center, then cut back across the foot of the bed."

Landon’s weight shifted towards the window side.

"There it is."

He froze mid-step and shot his grandmother a look that could have shriveled every ding dong in the corridor including the guards’ but had no effect on the High Luna.

"And now he’s realized I’ve given it away, so he’ll pretend he was only adjusting his footing." She took a sip. "Which he is now doing. Predictable. Then he’ll try the right flank in about three seconds, because the left didn’t work."

Landon stepped right.

"If either of you had put this much energy into courting a woman properly, we wouldn’t be fighting over the same one in a chamber that smells like a brothel," the High Luna called over. "Landon is going to feint again."

"Gran." Landon’s jaw was tight. "Stop calling my moves."

"Then don’t flank left again, dear."

"Gran."

"He always goes back to the left. Even as a boy," the High Luna stated for the room at large. "Someone tell him to try a diagonal. He continues to try it with Derek because the Beta fell for it. But Derek is smarter than the Beta. We’ve been over this."

Tavian’s eyebrows climbed his forehead and stayed there, two refugees from a face that had been told it was dumb.

"GRAN," Landon called.

"Don’t look at me like that, Landon. I’m neutral." She waved him off, shooing a fly. "I’m neutral the way a woman at a very good play is neutral." She considered the standoff a moment longer, then nodded towards Derek. "Though I’ll admit I’m partial to Derek’s footwork at the present. He’s holding the center beautifully. The towel is a nice touch."

Derek adjusted the towel. The adjustment lost him a point.

"I’ve changed my mind. I’m rooting for whichever of you makes this last the longest, and I want that on the record. Landon’s patience is the superior strategy."

"Gran," Derek and Landon said at the same time.

"Oh, lovely, ganging up on their grandmother. How original." She swirled her glass. "You’re both doing this terribly, by the way. In my day, a man said she’s mine once. Once. With his chest out and his jaw set and his trousers on, Derek. You’ve both said mine so many times it sounds like a seagull. Mine. Mine. Mine. I feel like I’m at the harbor."

Neither brother responded to the review because responding to it meant acknowledging the commentary and acknowledging the commentary meant admitting their grandmother was running the room and she was.

"You’ll never know what I went through to be able to hold her." Derek shook his head. "You’re welcome, by the way."

The High Luna paused mid-sip. "Derek, your towel is slipping again. Tavian, stop looking."

Landon looked at Derek like he had lost his mind. "What in the hell are you—"

"Whatever you think you’re feeling, little brother." Derek’s voice dropped, the performance gone out of it entirely. "Trust me when I tell you I’m feeling it worse. I died fifty-one painful deaths to be standing here holding her. Fifty-one. You got a week. So don’t talk to me about who got there first. Fate gave me her. I carried her out of hell and burned alive for her. Repeatedly. One week makes you her nurse, Landon. We are not the same."

"Oh, you mean when you abducted her before the Moonfire?"

"Abducted. Right. I abducted a woman before the Moonfire. In front of security. In an arena full of wolves. That’s your theory? That’s what you’ve been working on while I was in a coma? Impressive detective work," Derek replied.

"I know when you’re lying, Derek." Landon’s voice had gone dangerously even. "And you just confirmed what I already suspected. So. Why did you abduct her?"

"I don’t know what you’re talking about."

"Yes, you do. Care to explain why were you missing for so much of the eliminations?" Landon took a step Derek didn’t block, because Derek had gone still. "And why did I find a breach kit on the hover yacht with Nova’s blood on a rag? Next to an ordnance kit? I have you on holo entering the yacht to remove both of them."

"Her cuffs were literal bombs, Landon." Derek’s answer came fast. "Remember? We pulled them off her together."

"No." Landon’s eyes narrowed. "I don’t."

The response landed on Derek’s defense like a wrecking ball on a sandcastle.

"What do you mean you ’don’t’?" Derek snapped.

"Exactly what I said. I don’t remember it. Now, put on goddamn pants, Derek."

Tavian’s head came around towards his Alpha, and an oh, shit expression moved across his face in slow motion.

The High Luna cleared her throat into the silence, pleasant as ever. "If I may offer some advice. Derek, dear, if you’d like to put trousers on without losing her, hand her to Tavian. He’s the only one in this room that neither of you will fight." She considered it. "Probably."

"Respectfully, I decline," Tavian said from the wall. "I prefer to keep all of my limbs and eyebrows if possible."

"Fine," the High Luna replied. "Landon, stop circling. Derek, stop flexing. Both of you smell like wet dog and testosterone and I would like to breathe through my nose at some point this evening."

"Did you know she has nightmares about that abduction?" Landon’s lip curled. "Because I do. I’ve woken up to them."

"She doesn’t have nightmares with me, Landon, because she’s my mate." Derek pulled Nova a fraction closer. "That’s a you problem."

"He has you there, Landon," the High Luna commented lightly. She considered it. "Although, Derek, sweetheart, you slept through an entire week of your brother falling in love with your mate, so forgive me if I don’t trust your awareness of what happens while you’re unconscious."

"You keep dodging it." Landon didn’t take his eyes off Derek. "You abducted her. Answer me. Yes or no."