Mate!

ZACHARY

"Hello brother." 

The first time I heard those words, I was ten. 

My father had just brought me from outside of the woodlands after the death of my mother–and to his palace.

That day, I didn't need anyone to tell me I wasn't wanted there. 

I hid behind the safety of my father's back when he introduced me to the Luna–his true mate, and his son, Tybalt who was just about my age and of course my half brother. A fully marked child who deserved his father's throne.

The look of disdain and hatred in the Luna's eyes spoke volumes and as little as I was then, I knew what the look meant. It still gives me the shivers till this day

That day, I wanted to snatch myself away from my father and run far far away. But I couldn't. I had to resign to my awful fate. 

I thought I saw a glimmer of hope when Tybalt extended an arm of friendship. He had also waved at me from where he was standing behind his mother, when he said those words. 

"Hello brother."

I was young and naive and lonely. 

I needed a friend. I wanted one. It didn't take long for me to realize that Tybalt wasn't the friend I needed. On many occasions, the Luna would tear us apart from playing together. She'd tell Tybalt right in my face that I was an unmarked child. 

She called me a curse and told him to stay away from me. 

Her venomous words poisoned Tybalt, so much that our relationship took a drastic turn. Tybalt sees me as competition. One he must kick out of the way for him to reach the top. 

One he must fight to be known as the rightful son of our Father. 

it's what brought us here–apart from the norms and traditions of the werewolf folks. 

Tybalt stalked closer to me menacingly. Each of his step towards me was calculated and the roaring of the ceremony drums had already stopped. 

Everywhere was so quiet in contrast to the noisiness that took control of the surroundings before. The groundbreaking silence sickened me now as much as I love silence being around me. 

Tybalt finally stopped in front of me.

We stood head to head. Eye to eye. 

None towering over the other and none looking less muscly than the other. 

Anyone who didn't know the history of the Imperial pack Alpha's family wouldn't think twice before labelling us twins. 

Both our sharp resemblances to our Father made us look just the same too. We weren't taller than each other or bigger, or bulker... although the strength part could be the hitch I had. I might be equal in physical strength with Tybalt but my mental strength can't be compared to his. I am a mess inside of my head. 

The color of our eyes was the only thing that seemed different about us. Tybalt's own glowed in the brightest shade of brown ever seen. 

And so fighting each other, was like fighting our mirror images. It's what going to make this fight a tough one and everyone knows that.

"Do you know what surprises me so much about you?" 

He asked in a whisper. Just enough for both of us to hear. 

"What?" I countered. 

"Your confidence. I sniff fear and uncertainty around you brother, but you never show it. Does that help you sleep at night?" He said but then stopped as if something just popped in his head that made a smirk creep up his lips.

"Oh I forgot...you don't sleep." 

"This cheeky bastard... wait till I get my hands on you." 

Serge wanted out. I'm surprised he managed to keep mute for this long–since I shut him up in my room. 

But I should have known that Tybalt is the only person who triggers Serge–as gentle and calm as he was. 

"I don't see the point in trying when you're going to lose...but then again, it's an opportunity for me to show the pack that I am the one true son and also the rightful Alpha king." 

With that, Tybalt sauntered back to where his crew was

"It's about to begin Zach, what's the plan?" 

Serge sounded really worried. I began to pull off my cloak and the royal attire just as the bells began to ring and an announcer gave the cry that signaled the start of the Alpha Duel.

"There's no plan Serge. Just act as we've always trained together." 

Serge didn't like the sound of my words.

"You're not going to try, are you?" 

I shrugged and just took off the rest of my clothing. Leaving my chest bare but my lower parts covered. 

There's no point trying when I won't win. 

I had nothing else I wanted to fight for asides for my life. Father's throne could go to hell.

My goal is to survive. My fight today will be for survival–that I don't wind up dead from Tybalt's hands. 

From the corner of my eyes, I saw the Luna of the Imperial Pack, sitting amidst all other Alphas and Lunas of different packs who have come to watch the Alpha Duel. 

The first one in ages. 

"THE DUEL SHALL NOW BEGIN! THERE ARE ONLY TWO CHANCES TO HIT THE FLOOR BY EITHER OF THE TWO PRINCES. THE THIRD EQUALS LOSS AND THE LAST PRINCE STANDING WINS!" 

The rules of the game were yelled out, loud and clear. The crowd cheered while confetti were sprayed all over the space where the duel will take place.

After being properly groomed by maids and attendees, the bell resounded again. Kicking off the duel for real this time. 

"START!" 

The announcer's voice further confirmed it. 

Tybalt and I circled around each other with our arms spread out, ready to grab each other. The fight was one of might and body strength. 

No weapons.

And definitely no shifting. 

Which means we weren't allowed to shift into our wolf forms to fight. That's better anyway. No offence to Serge but he's too emotional for things like this no matter how tough he tries to sound or act. 

When it finally felt like forever, Tybalt charged towards me–my reflex was quick enough to move out of his way so he could just fall head on at the spot I was standing at before. 

But Tybalt's stamina was stronger than that because before I could even get away from him fully, his leg already connected with my ankle making me fall heavily on my back, to the ground, before I could stop myself. Pain seared through me and made me hiss out loud.

Loud cheers erupted from the crowd and the sound of drums celebrating Tybalt almost deafened me. 

Barely minute after we started, and Tybalt already had his first win. 

"You really have no plan! We're done for!" 

Serge exclaimed. I ignored him. The pain in my back went as swiftly as it came and so I stood to my feet.

"PRINCE TYBALT HAS THE FIRST WIN!!"

The cheers got louder. This must be such an entertainment for them. 

Tybalt basked in his first Victory as he glowered at me. 

"Give up brother...you stand no chance against me." 

The bells rang again, signaling the start of the Next round. 

This time, we both charged at each other. Our hold on each other tightened as we grounded our teeth. Tybalt's eyes were menacing and deadly as his hot breath hit my face since we were so close to each other. 

My muscles ached as I held on to him. Neither of us was letting go. I tried to make use of my legs to make him lose balance. 

Wrong move. 

As if he already calculated and expected that move from me, his legs caught my own leg that planned to sweep him off his feet, stopped it halfway and then quickly delivered a hard kick to the other leg that maintained my balance. 

I tumbled helplessly to the ground with the force of a thousand hits. 

The crowd went crazy. 

"We're doomed." 

Serge lamented. I laid on the ground and tried to catch my breath while the announcer announced another win in Tybalt's favor. 

Two wins in a row. 

I have no chance against him anymore.

"Common Zach. Common stand up. You don't have to be like this. Things could get better if you just fight back and change the world's perception of you"

"I don't need your damned pep talks!". I snapped at Serge. My irritation was clear. 

"God damn it Zach! It's not a pep talk. You're getting humiliated. You think you can be able to live with that for the rest of your life. Being unwanted and forbidden is bad enough!" 

I growled out loud for Serge to stop saying things in my head. 

But he didn't. He didn't even allow me to shut him out. His words were driving me crazy and I wanted to let out all the frustration. 

I was up in no time just as the bell rang for the next round. 

"You're about to meet your end." 

Tybalt snickered at me as we circled around each other again. As kids, I knew all of his weak points. Attacking his legs won't take me anywhere but a blow to his stomach will probably keep him incapacitated for seconds if not minutes. 

He charged for me but before he could reach me, I lowered myself to my knees and delivered a punch to his guts, causing him to tumble over me and to the ground–which his back hit with a loud this. 

The crowd roar wasn't as loud. And I expected it. 

Everyone was shocked and didn't expect such from me. Some probably thought I wouldn't even be able to land a single blow on Tybalt.

Tybalt was equally shocked. 

His shock morphed into anger that made him charge towards me like an angry bull before the bell for the next round sounded. 

I was quick to evade a punch he sent my way. He caught up and rained a few ones on me that I tried to block with my arms. One landed on my face and had me tumbling back, almost hitting the ground. 

Tybalt seeing this ran straight for me, to deliver the final blow but I was faster. I pulled both his hands behind his back and with a loud groan, I carried Tybalt in the air and sent him flying to the ground with a groundbreaking sound. 

The crowd was sent into a State of frenzy. Their cheers that was barely heard when I had my first win, turned into a loud uproar of admiration. 

"TWO ROUNDS FOR PRINCE TYBALT AND TWO ROUNDS FOR PRINCE ZACHARY.!"

"That's it! That's my boy!" 

Serge praised. Excitement coursed through me too. I couldn't believe what was happening.

Tybalt was still recovering when the bell rang again.

"FINAL ROUND!" 

The noise of the crowd died down. Tension for the last round hung in the air. It felt like time stopped from the way there was neither noise nor movement. It was as if everyone forgot to breathe. 

Tybalt was definitely enraged now. The rage made him come at me mindlessly. 

I swerved aside to escape his incoming blow. I kept moving from side to side in a bid to save myself from his hard blows.

"Argh!!! you bastard!" 

My evasiveness only caused his anger to boil hotter like Lava. He caught up with me before I could evade me again and landed a blow on my mouth. 

Blood spluttered from my busted lips before I could stop it. Tybalt grinned and charged at my face again, this time, his blow landed on my nose. The sound of cracking bone confirmed that he just broke my nose. 

I was disoriented for a second but regained my senses enough to stop the next blow by grabbing Tybalt's fist hard, that he couldn't withdraw it from me. 

I twisted his arm around his back making him release a sharp cry of pain. He tried to release my hold on him but I held on hard and tight. 

When I saw how incapacitated he already was. I knew it was my chance to finally bring him down and so I carried him off the floor with all my strength and watched as his eyes ran around in their sockets. 

I took one last look at him and was just about to send him falling to the floor when a sharp scent hit my nose–instantly, distracting my attention from the full grown man I carried in my arms and towards the crowd where the scent just came from. 

Serge growled around restlessly inside of me and tried to force his way out. Something was awfully wrong with me and it was taking full control of my entire being as well as driving Serge crazy

What... in the...

"MATE!!!"