Mated

Chapter 10

“You said at two” Nicolai barked. His anger burning throughout his body. He forced his fist to his side to avoid striking James.

“Duel?” He heard Selene ask. Both men turned to look at her.

Before he could answer her James spoke “Selene? What are you doing here? This is a great surprise” he walked toward her.

“You know him?” Nicolai asked her, pulling James away from Selene.

“We…met, yes” she answered “look it doesn’t matter if I know him or not, I want to know what this is about a duel”

“I have challenged him to fight for the position of alpha on this pack” James spoke again before Nicolai could.

Gasps were heard, and Nicolai turned to see everyone looking out from the kitchen entrance. He clenched his teeth. He looked deeply into Selene’s eyes, there was worry and fear in them.

“Go outside James, the fight will soon start” Nicolai said without taking his gaze away from Selene.

James went out of the house, and Nicolai turned to follow.

“Nicolai!” Selene called him. Concern evident in her voice.

He sighed. He knew what her concern was about. This wasn’t any duel, this was for the position as alpha, and this was a battle to the death.

* * * * * *

Selene looked as Nicolai and James stood outside facing each other. The whole pack was gathered around to see the fight. She tensed as both Nicolai and James took their wolf forms, clothes ripping. James took form of a grey wolf with white stripes under his eyes. Nicolai shifted into a black wolf, his fur shining as the sun hit it, and his blue eyes fixed on James. The battle began.

James launched himself at Nicolai, Nicolai dodged to the left jumping on top of James as he landed and bit his back. James whined in pain, blood staining his fur and spilling on the floor, he then turned over, smashing Nicolai’s head into the ground. James quickly stood up, but Nicolai’s legs wobbled as he tried to get rid of the cloudy sensation that seemed to consume him. James leaped on top of Nicolai, preventing him from getting up. Anxiety was felt throughout the whole crowd.

James ready himself to give the last blow, but before he could lean over to bite Nicolai’s jugular, Nicolai pushed him off himself landing on top of James. Now he was in control. James tried to struggle out from him, but to no avail. It was Nicolai’s turn to finish James off. Everyone cheered on his alpha, some howled, others shouted. Selene did neither, as she watched in horror.

Then Nicolai surprised everyone by getting off and stride away from James. The cheer stopped. Cameron appeared next to Nicolai bringing a robe. Nicolai shifted back to his human form and put on the robe. Cameron blocked him from everybody. All dressed, Nicolai turned to look at the crown, anger and superiority spring from him.

“We are not animals!” he yelled, “We have advanced in many ways; we have survived and adapted to our surroundings. The world has moved forward and so have we!” He turned to look at James, who was still on the ground, then turned to look at the crowd again. “I will not kill him! This is callous and inhumane! This is the ways of our ancestors, not ours. I will not kill him! I refuse to kill him!”