Nate

The drive to the training grounds was eerily quiet; filled with a different type of nervous energy than from earlier this afternoon. I reached out and placed my hand on Neo's that was attached to the gearshift. I felt him relax beneath my touch only for him to tense up again once he turned onto what looked like a private road; I removed my hand without him saying anything, his dad was close by. I could almost sense the impending hostility, the challenge sat unspoken between us, we both knew that when it came down to it, Neo would challenge his father.

Neo parked, but didn't move to turn off the engine or unbuckle. In fact, he didn't move at all...he looked like he was hyping himself up for whatever was going to happen. His father couldn't be that hostile, could he? He signed an ally treaty with Alpha Jefferson, and he had transferred my family here. Alpha Jefferson wouldn't endanger my family like that. My phone buzzed, making me jump. I had forgotten about it being my birthday, or that I even had a phone to begin with when Neo had gotten that call from his dad; 

Happy Birthday! Try not to be so dramatic today!  JK Love you, Little Bro

I couldn't help but to smile at my sister's message. I sent her a quick reply before sending an update to my parents. Telling them I was at the training grounds with Neo and the Alpha. Mom sent me back a worried text, telling me to be careful; while dad said he was already there. Knowing that my dad would be present made it better. Even if my dad couldn't go against the Alpha, his presence always made me feel better...if the Alpha decided to see what I was made of, and decided to use deadly force if he caught on to what my relationship with Neo really was; the only one that could intercede was Neo himself.

Finally, Neo moved; but not to get out of the vehicle, instead he took my hand again. Squeezing tightly he made no sounds, and after what felt like hours, he released my hand and hopped out of the car. He waited for me by the front tire and together we made our way to the arena. When we arrived, the familiar sounds of wolves fighting met my ears, along with the grunts of the human forms sparring. I recognized my dad observing from the sidelines, no doubt building up a mental repertoire of what everyone could do to improve. 

It didn't take me long to figure out who Neo's father was. He wasn't much taller than Neo, and was still a few inches shorter than me. He spotted us almost instantly, he wasn't tall; but he was all muscle. A scar decorated the skin above his left eyebrow, and his eyes, while the same color as Neo's weren't as bright. They didn't hold the same kindness that his son's did. Neo must've taken after his mother in his coloring; his dad had ginger hair and a matching beard, the jade of his eyes was the only thing he seemed to share with Neo.

"Noah, where the hell have you been? It has been longer than fifteen minutes."

"Sorry sir." Neo seemed to have done a 180, he wasn't bashful; or easy to tease, he was serious and confident.

He had put on the mask he wore around his dad to protect himself. It was kind of hot if I was going to be honest with myself. The Alpha turned his malicious stare to me, and I didn't flinch. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching me bow my head in submission. The only Alpha I would bow to, was Neo.

"Jefferson said you were respectful. Was he lying?"

I bristled at the accusation, but smirked. If he was going to challenge me to a match; I might as well have some fun. Neo was probably going to have a panic attack...oh well,

"I'm respectful to those who deserve it."

The silence that resounded in the arena would've been comical if I didn't have angry Alpha claws around my throat. He threw me into the center, and I noticed Neo from the corner of my eye. His green eyes were now bronze, his wolf was fighting for control. Seeing one's mate in danger was a sure fire way to make a werewolf lose control. Alas, this guy didn't know he had just detonated a bomb in the form of his son. I shot a look at my dad, but he wasn't worried. Alpha Jefferson was formidable in battle, and he had helped teach me everything I knew. I was confident I could challenge this subpar Alpha and win, but I didn't want to take this pack away from Neo like that.

I stood, and beckoned the angry Alpha forward. He came rushing towards me, his anger blinding him to rational thought. This would be easy. He swiped at my right side, and I dodged and kicked his feet from under him. I moved with a grace uncommon amongst werewolves, and I thanked my years of dance, swimming, and martial arts. His moves were sloppy and unrefined in his anger, or maybe he was just really bad at this. He was on his feet again, his bronze eyes were cold and calculating as he went for my abdomen, another easy dodge. This was starting to get boring. I glanced at Neo, and saw he was more than ready to step in. I took that as a sign to make my move; I moved with practiced ease and put the angry wolf in a headlock, kneed him in the back of the legs until he was on the ground, and pinned him there.

"You're going to relax now, so you can think coherently. Neo has something to say."

Neo

Watching Nate face off with my dad was surreal. Here was this monster that I had built up in my head all these years, getting his ass handed to him by my mate. Nate moved with the grace of a wild cat, his muscles and limbs seemed to move before the rest of him did, and his eyes were wide, unblinking as he took in everything my father was doing. It looked almost like Nate was toying with dad, letting him get close, only to dodge at the last second. Nate was a beautiful dancer, dangerous like a wildcat, while my dad was sloppy, enraged by how easily an eighteen year old was showing him up. I saw Nate look at me, his face slack with boredom and then his eyes lit up and he moved with such speed I could barely see him. He had my dad's head between his arms, and then my dad was on the ground, and Nate was pinning him.

That was the hottest motherfucking thing I had ever seen. Nate leaned down and whispered something in my dad's ear, my dad continued to struggle until he stopped and relaxed. Nate let him up and my dad jumped up and gave Nate the dirtiest look he could muster. Nate beckoned me to his side; and I didn't hesitate. I went to my mate's side and looked my dad in the eyes. Something I had never done before, I had just watched Nate vanquish my monster like it was nothing. He couldn't scare me anymore.

"Nathan said you had something to say."

I swallowed my nerves and looked at Nate one last time, this was it. Nate had proven he could take care of himself, so be what may; I was going to come out to my dad today...and then challenge him for Alpha. 

"Dad, this is my mate." I took Nate's hand to further my point, and if I thought dad was angry when Nate talked back to him; I was sorely mistaken.

My father's eyes blazed with a fury I had never seen before; it made him seem larger than he truly was and I fought down the urge to cower and run away with my tail between my legs. I witnessed how easily Nate had taken on my father. Granted, Nate had been fighting at a whole different level than I had been. If anything, Nate should be the one challenging my dad but I knew he thought I could do this, and I would.

"You didn't reject him the moment you knew? Have you forgotten everything I've taught you?!"

"No. I just don't agree. If it was so unnatural, an abomination to our nature; why would our Moon Goddess pair same sex mates to begin with?! You just use our Goddess as an excuse to spread your intolerance and hate and I won't be a part of it anymore. I refuse to be like you. I refuse to rule over my pack as a monster that parents warn their pups about. So, with that in mind--I, Noah Kit Lennox challenge Joseph Lennox for the position of Alpha of the Pacifica Pack!"

A collective gasp rang out around the arena. No one had dared to challenge my father for his title since before I was born. The warriors all waited with bated breath, all eyes on my father who looked absolutely livid. He closed his eyes momentarily before they reopened and were the eyes I had inherited once more.

"Fine. I accept your challenge."

Nate squeezed my hand and kissed my temple before going to join his father, or I assumed it was his father. They were spitting images of one another. Except the older O'Rourke was built like a tank and looked like he could snap the younger in half like a toothpick. I could hear them exchange words and I couldn't help but to laugh;

"I told you to learn to like it here. I didn't say, "restructure” the pack."

"I took some creative freedom."

I barked out a laugh at his choice of words, being with Nate was incredibly freeing. I was going to do whatever I had to do to protect that new found freedom...even if it meant killing my father. My father looked at me, with actual hatred in his eyes; I didn't even recognize him anymore. He had half transformed into his wolf--and the creature within him regarded me with just as much contempt as his human counterpart. I too decided to do a partial transformation, and called Deaton to the forefront of my mind. 

"I'm not going to kill you boy. I'm going to break your limbs and force you to watch as I disembowel your supposed mate, and then I'm going to dissolve the treaty between us and Purple Moon and attack them for being weaklings and supporting such abominations; and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it."

I knew he wasn't bluffing, but the scary imagery didn't deter me from wanting to end him; if anything it had the opposite affect of what my father was going for. The image of Nate bleeding out, with me helpless to save him was enough incentive for me to end this quickly.

"Big words for someone who failed to get a single punch in."

Probably not the smartest thing to say to an already enraged Alpha, but if he was enraged to the point of blindness, it would work in my favor. It worked, because my father lunged for me without another word, his clawed hand coming close to my neck before I deftly dodged, Deaton was skilled at observing another person's style of fighting and adopting it for himself, and he had been observing Nate fight my father. Each sloppy punch towards me, and Deaton easily dodged, swooping out of the way and swiping his leg so my father was knocked off his feet. Deaton didn't hesitate to take advantage of our enemy on the ground. He straddled him and began his assault. Punch after punch, I could hear the crunch of bone as my father's face broke. Deaton was enraged, probably more than my father; he had taken over pushing me forcefully to the back of my consciousness... I was powerless as I watched Deaton continue his barbaric assault. This was the reason we hid who we were. Why we weren’t confident in our abilities. Why we had almost lost the best thing that could've happened to us. Why my little sisters were afraid to sleep in the dark. Why my mom was just a shell of who she once was. This monster was the reason hunters wanted our race dead.

Deaton continued to rain down punches; until I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder. Deaton, now in full control, spun around, snarling at whoever thought it was a good idea to interrupt him with his prey. He calmed and gave back control when he saw it was Nate. A worried gleam in his pretty eyes, I glanced down at my hands; they were covered in blood, I turned and looked at what remained of my father's face. It looked like minced meat, there was nothing left. Even his eyes had exploded due to the sheer force Deaton had used. Joseph Lennox was unrecognizable. I had vanquished the monster of my story. I was free. The pack was free. Tears sprang to my eyes, and they fell before I could stop them. Why was I crying? Was I happy? Was I sad? Maybe it was from relief...or maybe I was just overwhelmed with what had just happened.

I had just killed my father.

I was the Alpha now.

It was becoming hard to breathe, my lungs felt like concrete; how did breathing work? Was it automatic? Did I need to tell my lungs to inhale oxygen or did they just do it? Black dots began peppering my vision and I struggled to find something, anything to focus on...my eyes frantically scanned my surroundings before I felt hands on my cheeks, Nate forced my head to look straight, but my eyes still weren't focusing.

"Baby, look at me; listen to my voice okay? I need you to pick three things to focus on okay? Something you can feel, something you can see, and something you can hear. Can you do that?"

I nodded, I didn't think I was able to speak at that moment. How did he know what to do? What was happening to me?

"You're having a panic attack. It's going to be okay. Alright, something you feel. Focus on it."

I closed my eyes and focused on the feeling of Nate's hands on my face. The roughness of his skin told me he was hardworking, he used his hands a lot. They were strong and reassuring. I leaned into his touch, my breathing already starting to even out,

"Okay, now something you can see."

That was easy. I opened my eyes and forced them to focus on Nate's face. Making them commit all the details to memory. From the beauty mark just below the corner of his right eye, to the many facets of color in his irises or the fact that there was an emerald green ring around the otherwise golden honey iris...how his freckles made constellations across his face, or how his lips were just the right shade to compliment his other golden features, and how they were so plump and kissable, which made me remember how they felt on mine,

"Okay last one, focus on something you can hear."

Another easy one, I could focus on Nate's voice.

"Sing to him Nate. That always helped Beckham."

I struggled to remember who Beckham was, but if he had heard my mate sing I was jealous. Irrational maybe, but it was how I felt.

"Strange light revolves around you/You float across the room/Your touch is made of something/Heaven can't hold a candle to/You're made of something new..."

If Nate wasn't perfect before, he definitely was now. His voice was so beautiful, I could listen to him sing for all eternity. I didn't know the song he had chosen but the lyrics were so pretty. It was enough to pull me the rest of the way out of my panic attack. I was so tired though, I fell forward into Nate's waiting embrace and let myself fall into the black void of sleep.

Song choice is "Heaven" by Niall Horan

Go give it a listen, it's so pretty!