Taki was, as usual, all business and no emotion. "Why are you here?"

The alpha werewolf stood up as if she hadn't just been kicked and surveyed the area approvingly, hands on her hips. "This is a nice place, bug. Nicer than any of the woods for miles and miles. Plenty of food, water and shelter, it even comes with an unclaimed man," she noted and Licked her lips as she appeared to ogle him.

Carter gulped, it now fully hitting him how close he came to being played with by the whole group, and perhaps most unsettled by how the idea was not entirely unappealing to him. He could actually feel the bestial Lust emanating from the women, enough to stir his own Loins.

“He is mine," Taki stated with finality.

Carter was taken aback at the claim of ownership but the alpha wolf just snorted. "He barely has any of your scent or energy on him, let alone inside him. As far as I'm concerned he's fair game, along with this territory, unless you plan to do something about it."

Taki didn't flinch. "This Land will one day provide for my progeny, I can't Let you endanger that. If you require food then I will allow you to stay and hunt here for a short time, but you must move on after that. Or we may fight for the land, one on one."

“What's to stop us from just driving you out?" the alpha replied.

“You are not a man seeking to master one of us. This is a matter of my pack needing a good territory, so why should we listen to you?"

Her words turned even icier. "Yes, but I am better than you in the trees and I know every inch of these woods. If you drive me out by force of numbers then I will become a forest assassin to you. I will harass and hunt you without mercy until all of you or I am dead. Do you truly want to risk that? I may not be a man, but your kind are partial to duels in general are you not? If you will not Leave by request then

I am willing to fight your strongest member for the right to this territory. If you win then you may have it all, including the man, and

I will Live alongside you in peace.”

Carter was surprised at how intimidating such a stoic voice could be.

She had also just said a lot more at once than usual, something he realized must have meant she was taking this confrontation very seriously.

For a time they stared at each other, only for the silence to be broken by the alpha's raucous laughter as she motioned for the rest of the pack to back away. "You got some moxie bug girl. Just forcing you out wouldn't feel right to me anyway. You got a deal. We fight, one on one until one of us gives up or can't fight any Longer. Don't think it will be easy though.”

Taki was fully aware of that. Werewolves were strong in general but an alpha was on a whole other level. They still varied but in general Taki knew to expect bones too strong to cut through, strength that would break her own bones if she received an unblocked hit, and flesh that healed fast enough that it was almost impossible for her to bleed to death regardless of the severity of the wound.

The alpha flexed and stretched, “I'll try not to kill ya, but I'm not exactly good at holding back."

"That is fine. You may begin when ready."

She bared her teeth in an excited smirk.

“When it comes to fighting I was born ready! My name's Adira, alpha of the Southern Timber pack!”

“Taki, of the Viridian Mantis clan."