Chapter 18: Brother’s Challenge  

**Enzo’s POV**

I walked away from Noah, my lips still tingling from that kiss. A smile crept onto my face, the first real one I’d felt in years. Me, smiling over a human? The thought was ridiculous. I hated humans—weak, fragile, useless. But Noah, my mate, was different. That pull in my chest, the mate bond, was stronger every time I saw him. I couldn’t shake it, no matter how much I tried. My boots echoed in the hallway, and I tried to push the feeling down, but it clung to me, warm and heavy.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, snapping me out of it. I pulled it out, and my mood soured when I saw the caller ID: Dean. My brother. I growled, low in my throat, but answered anyway. “What do you want?” I said, my voice sharp.

Dean’s laugh came through, smooth and mocking. “Chill, Enzo,” he said. “Just thought we could grab a drink tonight. You free? Or is that human keeping you too busy?”

I clenched my jaw, my fingers tightening around the phone. “Meet at eight,” I said, keeping it short. “Don’t be late.” I hung up before he could say more, my blood already boiling. Dean always knew how to push my buttons, and mentioning Noah was a low blow.

I called for Ren, and he appeared in a second, his scarred face blank but his eyes sharp. “What’s the issue, Alpha?” he asked, his voice steady.

“Get the car ready,” I said, pacing the hallway. “I’m meeting Dean tonight.”

Ren nodded, but he didn’t move. “You okay?” he asked, his head tilting. “You look… off.”

I stopped, glaring at him. Only Ren could talk to me like that without losing his head. “I’m fine,” I snapped. “Just do it.”

He didn’t flinch, just raised an eyebrow. “You gonna tell the pack about him?” he asked. “About Noah? That he’s your mate? A human?”

I froze, my chest tight. Moses, my wolf, growled in my head, pushing me to claim Noah, to make it official. “You think a human mate would be welcome in our world?” I asked, my voice low, almost a growl. “An Alpha with a human? They’d laugh me out of the pack.”

Ren laughed, a rare sound that made me blink. “They’d accept it if you made them,” he said. “You’re the Alpha, Enzo. You command, they follow. Doesn’t matter if he’s human.”

I stared at him, my jaw tight. “You make it sound easy,” I said. “It’s not. He’s… he’s weak. Humans are weak.”

Ren leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “Is that you talking, or Moses?” he asked. “’Cause I see how you look at Noah. You hated humans your whole life, but this one? You can’t stay away. Is it the mate bond, or something else?”

I didn’t answer, my hands clenching into fists. He was right, and I hated it. Noah was in my head, in my chest, all the time. “He doesn’t know,” I said finally, my voice low. “About me, about the pack, about any of it. And the full moon’s in two days. If I don’t…” I stopped, my throat tight. If I didn’t bond with Noah, he’d suffer. The mate bond would tear him apart, human or not.

Ren’s eyes softened, just a little. “You can’t keep it from him forever,” he said. “He’s gonna find out what you are. And when he does, you’ll have to explain. You want him to hate you for lying?”

“Enough,” I snapped, my voice sharp. “I’m handling it.”

Ren shrugged, stepping back. “If you’re not comfortable meeting Dean, I can go instead,” he said. “He’s your brother, but he’s trouble. Always has been.”

“No,” I said, my voice hard. “I’ll deal with him. Drive.”

Ren nodded, and we headed to the car. The ride was quiet at first, the city lights blurring past. I stared out the window, my mind on Noah, on the kiss, on the full moon. Moses was restless, growling low, urging me to go back to Noah, to claim him. I pushed him down, my hands shaking.

We pulled up to the club, and Ren opened the door. I stepped out, the music loud, the air thick with smoke and sweat. We spotted Dean at a corner table, making out with a guy on his lap—Stan, his human boyfriend. Dean saw me and smirked, pulling away from Stan. “Well, damn,” he said, his voice loud over the music. “Didn’t think you’d actually show, Enzo.”

I sat across from him, my jaw tight. “I don’t back down,” I said. “Especially not for family.”

Dean laughed, leaning back. “Family, huh?” he said. “That’s rich.” He waved Stan off, and Stan slid to the opposite side of the table, watching us with a quiet smirk. Dean leaned forward, his eyes glinting. “You think I’m stupid, Enzo?”

I raised an eyebrow, keeping my voice calm. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He chuckled, sipping his drink. “I know,” he said, his voice low. “I know you’ve got a human mate. Noah, right? That kid you’re so protective of.”

My blood ran hot, and Moses growled, loud and angry. I lunged across the table, grabbing Dean’s shirt, pulling him close. “Stay away from Noah,” I said, my voice a growl. “I don’t care if you’re my brother. Touch him, and you’re dead.”

Dean just laughed, not even flinching. “Relax, big brother,” he said, prying my hand off. “I’m just pointing out the obvious. You’re all twisted up over a human.”

I shoved him back, standing. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said, my voice shaking. “And don’t forget—your precious Stan was human too, until you turned him.”

Dean stood, his smile gone. “At least Stan’s not weak like your Noah,” he said, stepping closer. “You’re pathetic, Enzo. An Alpha, tied to a human who can’t even fight.”

Moses roared in my head, my eyes flashing red. I felt my claws itch, ready to rip into him, but Ren grabbed my arm. “Calm down, Alpha,” he said, his voice low but firm. “He’s not worth it.”

I glared at Dean, my chest heaving. “This isn’t over,” I said, my voice cold. I turned and walked away, the club’s noise fading behind me.