CHP.26-Confrontation

**Zekes POV: (!!)**

I growled out softly as the warrior moved away from me. His words echoing in my mind, they're nearly here.

I moved from my position, stalking across the training ground. Wolves were quick to notice my presence and move quickly out of my way with bowed heads. I nodded at a few of them in acknowledgement as I walked across to where Dion was sparing with a younger warrior.

"Beta Dion," Dion immediately halted his sparring as he could sense the angst in my words, "go move the females. He's here." Dion nodded at me before moving into action. I turned to look at the warrior wolves whose attention was directed at me. All eyes looking at me in anticipation, awaiting my instruction.

"Go tell the others, and then get into the positions you have been allocated." Immediately every wolf sprung into action, running quickly to whatever post they had been placed at. While some ran toward the town to spread the word.

I looked back toward my house. Standing proudly on top of the highest point in town. I didn't care for the house. I only cared for the invaluable treasure that was located inside. Sending a silent prayer to the moon goddess to look after her I took off in the opposite direction.

My goal was to meet them as far away from the territory as possible. If something was to go wrong I'd send Diesel back to move the females.

It would at least give them the opportunity to run if we didn't manage to pull it off. But I was confident in my wolves and their abilities. I was just unconfident about what Titus would bring. The close I got to the territory border the more of my pack wolves seemed to appear. Gathering in their set positions while a large group formed behind my back. Dion pulling up to my right side as Diesel moved up quickly to my left.

We entered the large clearing I had mapped out to meet them. Our large group coming to a halt as we waited. My body tensing as I prowled out in front of the group. My wolfing moving in agitation within my mind. We would fight took and claw for this land. For my pack.

For my female.

Soon enough the sound of a group approaching grew. Numerous feet and paws hitting the ground at once. Almost causing the ground to shake as they poured out into the clearing. Immediately coming to a halt as they saw the large force that awaited them.

Titus made his way to the front. His eye crinkled in distaste as he gazed upon us.

"Come to offer your surrender big brother?" His voice broke the silence that had settled. My wolf immediately snarled, wanting to remind this wolf, our little brother, about his place. But I worked to calm him, appearing undifferent as I replied.

"Why would I surrounder when my pack outnumbers yours?" A few snarls were heard from behind me, my wolves supporting my point.

"But they don't. A few fellow packs have joined my cause. After all, 5 females is more than enough to share." His eyes glinted as I curled my lip up. His implication that he would share Cecil had my blood boiling and I couldn't prevent the gold from bleeding into my iris'. But I pushed my anger away, I needed to stick to the original plan.

"I don't see why we have to sacrifice our men. Let us settle this. Alpha against Alpha." Titus's confidence seemed to fizzle for a second. He knew to turn me away could possibly cause wolves to lose faith in him, their leader. But to fight me, would more than likely result in his loss anyway. A tricky ultimatum for him to be faced with.

His wolves seemed unsettled as he took his time to make his decision. They would want an Alpha who fought for them. Titus swallowed before he spoke,

"Then let's settle this. You and me." My wolf nearly howled with satisfaction, the idea of getting to put this wolf in his place excited him. I did not want to fight him. I had grown up with him, looked after him. He was my brother. If not by bond then by blood.

But I would have to kill him.

I snarled in agreement before my wolf surged forward. The change overcoming me quickly, my large black wolf taking place where I had just stood. I could feel the anxiety of the pack behind him as they took in my intimidating form.

Titus shifted as well. His wolf although large was not as large as mine. It's deep brown coat shaking out as it prowled.

My wolf launched itself forward, covering the distance between us in seconds as it leaped ontop of Titus' wolf. Titus was quick to dodge, but my teeth still managed to sink into the very tip of his tail, snaping down I felt the end dislodge. Leaving me with a chunk of his tail and blood in my mouth. My pack howled their approval. Egging me to continue my assault.

He snarled in pain as he spun around. His wolf coming to attack me, I sidestepped his jaws as my paws raised to slice into his front legs. Peeling open the layer of skin. But Titus was quick to respond, his teeth sinking into my rear end. Biting down firmly on my lower back.

I growled as I pulled my body away, effectively ripping the skin and muscle further as I dislodged his jaws. We circled each other further. Our ears pinned back as we growled at one another. He launched again. I counteracted his lunge, sinking my teeth into his side. His blood coating my mouth as it poured from the deep wound. I pulled my teeth away, re-biting his body closer to his neck.

I reared back to avoid his hind legs as he swung his sharp claws at me. I began pacing again, observing my handiwork. Titus was bleeding from multiple sources, His front right leg significantly weakened as he tried to avoid putting pressure onto it.

His stomach and neck were leaking copious amounts of blood. If he didn't heal quickly enough, he would most likely bleed out soon. However, his wolf still attempted to hold its ground. Snarling at me with ferociousness. I could feel the seed of guilt begin to settle deep within my stomach.

But I could not let it distract me yet.

Alpha challenges were to the death. I moved one more time to attack him only for my body to be thrown from the side. A large wolf, not from my pack, was positioned on top of me, his teeth about to sink into my neck before I could react. But his form was thrown off me.

I recognized Dion's wolf as it pinned the wolf to the floor. His teeth tearing into its throat. He had a right to kill him, the wolf interrupted an Alpha duel. The punishment was death.

My eyes were distracted by movement. A moving form to the right of Dion and the wolf. A stray wolf approaching Dion's distracted frame with intent. I howled out, attempting to pick myself up and move toward him. To stop the wolf. But I was knocked down by Titus' wolf who sank its teeth into the junction just below my shoulder. I could not find myself to care about the challenge as rolled my larger body on top of his.

Crushing him and causing his teeth to let go. I rose back to my feet, moving toward Dion. I howled out again, desperate to warn him, Dion's wolf raised it's head to look at me. Just at the enemy wolf collided with him from the side. It rolled him over and onto his back. I growled out as I made my way toward him in desperation.

It didn't seem to heed my warning as I watched it's teeth sink into his neck, ripping it open.

I watched in agony as Dion's wolf stopped its struggle, his stomach moved in short sharp breaths as he shifted back into human form. I sprinted over to him, barely noting my pack charging toward theirs in aggression. Diesel's wolf charged forward. Tearing into the wolf that had torn Dion's neck open.

I ran past Diesel and the wolf, sliding next to Dion, shifting into my human form I worked to keep the blood from flowing out through his throat. Pressing my hands to his neck in a desperate attempt to help him. His eyes looking up at me in mild panic as he began to choke on his own blood.

"You're okay. It's okay." I could barely whisper the words I knew weren't true. He wheezed out as he spoke softly in between coughs.

"Tell Cecil, I kept my promise." He half smiled, blood beginning to leak from the corners of his mouth, as he struggled to raise a hand to rest on mine. I smiled down at him, although unsure of what he was talking about.

He coughed again before his eyes glassed over. His hand falling from mine and onto the dirt. The breath leaving his body.

I howled out in agony. Dion had been my best friend since I was a young pup. We had experienced everything together, moved through the world together. He had been the rock in my life for such a long period. Titus may be brother by blood by Dion was more of a brother then he had ever been.

And he was gone.

I could start to see red blur my vision. My body beginning to shake in anger as I looked at his bloodied body. He was gone. And I knew I would kill every single member of the pack, that attacked these lands.

I would kill the Alpha who brought that pack here. I quickly shifted into my wolf. Releasing a menacing growl. The sound so loud it caused the wolves around me to whimper in submission. I looked across the clearing.

Titus's wolf had pinned another wolf down. His paw sitting on top of its chest. Slowly crushing it. My growl had drawn his attention as he raised his eyes to meet mine. The wolves in between us scattering apart, allowing for a direct pathway for me to move through.

My wolf surged forward, as did his, moving to meet me halfway. We both lifted ourselves up as we lunged at one another. I barely heard a shout before a small frame slid in between us as we collided.