The Supreme Alpha

Author's note: This is from Serina's point of view

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Duke and his wolf were back on their respective chairs and the silent glaring competition resumed.

I realized that if I don't speak up first, no one will. How should I start? Or maybe it's better to pick with WHOM I will start.

I decided to start with Duke, believing that I can get through him first. "You wanted your wolf. The procedure was a success…"

Duke's wolf growled, interrupting my next words. "He wanted a wolf? No, no. The young master wanted a power boost."

He was not wrong, but there was more to it. 

"You were dormant, so you don't know.", I said to Duke's wolf. "When Mateo was a child, he was poisoned, and that poison impacted you. Mateo grew up without knowing what happened or what he truly is. From the moment Mateo found out about his heritage, he started numerous procedures in order to wake you up."

Duke's wolf sneered. "Should I thank him?"

I was confused by his condescending attitude. "Aren't you happy to be awake?"

"I will be. The moment I make him understand that I'm in charge."

Duke tensed next to me, and I quickly put my hand over his, silently telling him to let me do the talking.

"The two of you are sharing the body. You…"

"Sharing the body?", Duke's wolf cut me off with his eyes glued to my hand that was holding Duke's. "How I see this, for a quarter of a century he was using this body that's supposed to be OURS. Now it's my turn. Twenty-five years from now he will get the right to negotiate conditions with me."

This didn't sound good, and it seems that my gesture of holding Duke's hand added oil to the fire.

What was I doing? I thought that I might be the common thing between Duke and his wolf, but it seems that I'm the one increasing the rift between them.

I steeled my resolve and slowly reached to my right.

Eyes of Duke's wolf flashed with something unfathomable when I put my hand over his. He didn't seem delighted by this contact, but he didn't pull his hand away either.

Duke's wolf was looking at our connected hands like he was examining something silently and I wondered if he can feel the sparks of the bond. I didn't feel anything, but maybe he did. Tessa told me that the sparks are like a small electric current, magnificent and addictive.

Will this handholding be able to simmer down his explosive nature? I surely hoped so.

"It's not Mateo's fault for the state you were in.", I said to Duke's wolf and gave his hand a little squeeze. "I understand that you are angry, but don't direct it at him. The two of you are equal and you need to work together."

Both Duke and his wolf snorted in disapproval of my words.

Well, at least they agreed on something.

…

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Duke's wolf broke the silence. "You said that I shouldn't be angry at him. Tell me… what should I do? How should I live my life? As his slave or yours? Or should I go back to sleep?"

I had no idea why he was so dramatic. "No one is expecting you to serve Mateo or anyone else."

"That's not what I heard.", Duke's wolf said stiffly.

"What did you hear?"

"I heard him say how the only reason he wants me awake is so that he can protect you and the life the two of you created. He doesn't care about werewolves or about forming a pack. He doesn't care about investigating who destroyed our pack and killed our parents. He left his past behind and decided to ignore it. His life is mapped out without me in it. You said that he wanted his wolf, but I know that the only thing he wanted was the power that comes with it, to use it as a tool so that he can continue his life, with you, and without me."

Everything he said was right, but it was not fair.

"How can Mateo include you in his plans when he was not aware of your existence? For most of his life, he grew up believing that he is a human and he didn't even know about werewolves. After he found out about his heritage, there were no guarantees that the procedure will be successful. But now you are here, and no one will dismiss you. I'm sure we can work it out."

Duke's wolf narrowed his eyes at me. "What do you suggest?"

"It's obvious that you know what Mateo's intentions were so far. However, he doesn't know what you want. I suggest that the two of you have an honest conversation where you will find what works for both of you."

I gave Duke's hand a squeeze while talking to his wolf. "Now that you are here, Mateo won't exclude or ignore you, and I hope you will do the same. Tell him what you want. You probably won't find a perfect solution right away, but it will be a start. Identify things you can agree on and leave the rest for later."

I didn't know if two dominant males can compromise, but I hoped that their interaction will make them get to know each other, and hopefully they can become friends, partners, or at least coexist in peace.

"I want things he decided to ignore.", Duke's wolf said and then he looked at me. "And I want you."

I could feel ripples of rage from Duke that translated into a violent gust of wind that swept the meadow where we were sitting.

"Serina is mine!", Duke squeezed through his teeth, and he got up, pulling me to stand by his side.

Duke's wolf jumped on his feet. "You don't deserve her."

"You are not the one who will decide what I deserve."

"You want to live like a coward.", Duke's wolf growled.

"There is no point in digging the old graves to find killers from a decade ago. No one will come back to life, but it will put targets on our backs."

"And you think that Serina should live with you, hiding?"

"Better hiding than dead.", Duke spat back.

The weather changed drastically. Winds howled, clouds gathered, and a massive lightning bolt hit a nearby tree, charring it instantly. Well, this explained the scenery I found when I entered Duke's subconsciousness.

At some point, I took a few steps away from them.

I wanted to stop their bickering, but I also wanted them to get it out of their system. Maybe this was their way of communicating.

The weather darkened and the harsh wind picked up. The table and chairs were long gone.

I heard Duke shouting over the wind.

"You want to form a pack? Why? So that you have people kneeling in front of you? Serving you? Is it giving you pleasure to degrade others!?"

"It's not degrading to serve an Alpha. They are doing it willingly."

Duke sneered. "Willingly!? How about you don't use that aura of yours and see how many followers will stay on their knees and how many will jump to rip you into pieces? You are a dictator! Suppressing others and always hungry for more! When is enough? When everyone submits to you?"

"Right now, I don't need everyone. You getting on your knees will be enough."

"In your dreams."

"Dreams that will become a reality once I take over this body. Watch me take everything that you have, Serina included."

Duke's eyes flashed with madness. I knew I was his bottom line.

"Bastard!", Duke shouted and jumped on his wolf at an inhuman speed, landing a solid punch in the latter's jaw.

With a ferocious growl, Duke's wolf returned the punch, and Duke was not the one to be at a disadvantage.

If the weather was bad so far, now it was catastrophic, reflecting the tempest of their raging emotions.

I was horrified. They were back to hostile, but at least now I knew what was going on.

This was not a competition between fists. It was a competition between two wills and my heart tightened because Duke had to go through this.

Was it worth it? Was any of this worth it?

Why does he need to struggle so much?

Since the moment we met, on the first day of high school, nothing was easy or straightforward for us. We faced uncertainty, malicious people, unfavorable conditions, and our insecurities. No matter how much we loved each other, it didn't work out.

I believed it will be different this time. Both Duke and I are grownups, independent, financially stable, and crazy in love with each other. Do we need anything else to be together and just… happy?

I thought that setting arrays and protective boundaries around our home will be enough to ensure that we are safe, and I never thought that Duke's biggest adversary will come from within.

Am I wrong for cheering for Duke and not for his wolf? Technically, his wolf wants to find out what happened, get justice, and gather werewolves that are scattered after the fall of the Bluemoon pack.

I didn't have the right to judge his nature to have others submit to him, but I couldn't support him either because that meant going against Duke.

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