The Alpha Can’t Sense His Mate

ZADOK

“Are you just going to stand there and watch all day?” Azriel said a few meters away from me.

We were on training grounds. The air reeked with sweat, determination and blood. Just the way I liked it.

“You are doing a good job,” I commented, examining the wolves as they sparred. “However, there is room for improvement. I taught you better than this.”

“This is just the first round, Alpha. I promise it gets rough with time.” Azriel said, now standing beside me.

“All I hear is excuses.” I tutted, “take a look at the female wolf’s end. Athaliah is doing a better job. Perhaps I should watch them instead?”

Athaliah was the strongest female wolf in the bloodMoon pack, she was capable of training other females. Ths was as a result of the alpha blood that flowed through her veins, and the impressive skills she’s built over the years.

I hear excited screams from the other end where the females trained and I realize they were all listening in on our conversation.

I turned to Azriel with a smirk, “I think the girls will like that too.”

An arm came around my shoulder, and a familiar voice said into my ears.

“It’ll be our pleasure, Alpha.”

That was Athaliah. We hadn’t spoken since the last time and I could tell this was her way of ‘making up’ to me.

I untangled herself from her embrace and addressed her, “Maybe someday you’ll need to teach the males how to put up a good fight. Azriel’s growing old.” I teased,

That got to the people and laughter erupted in the training ground. This was a routine for me, whenever I was chanced to watch them train, I made it a point of duty to always appreciate their efforts.

Sometimes with little jokes to lighten the area, or a sumptuous meal after the day’s work. Today however, I chose to crack a joke at my beta’s expense.

“You know what’s better than having Athaliah teach the males?” Azriel said with an equal smirk, “teaching them yourself.”

I didn’t know what he was getting at, but I played along. “As much as I’d love to, I don’t have as much time on my hands to teach them how to win a good fight.”

Nodding his head, he said, “I figured. But maybe if you showed them what winning a good fight looked like, they’ll pick up much faster. I mean, we are all dying to see Alpha Zadok do what he knows best.”

Upon hearing the words of Azriel, the entire wolves were charged with excitement. Roars of ‘Yes!” Chorused through the training ground.

“Are you challenging me to a fight, beta?” I asked after a few seconds, taking off my shirt and standing in a battle stance.

“You know I am.” He replied, pulling off his shirt too.

“Oh this is gonna be good, been a while since we saw you both go at it!” Athaliah said and the crowd mirrored her excitement.

“Fight!”

“Fight!”

“Fight!”

The choruses continued and the wolves formed a circle around us, giving us enough room to fight.

“Last chance, Azriel. Unless you want to get your ass beat up again in public, back out now.” I said, feigning concern, and feeding off the excitement of my people.

“There’s a first time for everything, alpha. I’m not the same wolf I used to be.” He spoke with confidence, getting into a battle stance too.

I laughed at what he insinuated. From a very young age, I and Azriel trained together, and every single time we were placed in for a match, I always won.

Although it frustrated him that he was unable to win me, with time, he came to understand that it wasn’t because he wasn’t good enough.

He pegged it to be as a result of my alpha blood. Which was partly true. Another reason why he couldn’t ever defeat me was because I’d mastered his game and I knew his weakness.

“You already know what will be happening here today, Azriel.” I taunted, hoping to get into his head. “They all know.”

Within a split second, Azriel came at me with a punch that nearly sent me down my knees. I must admit, his punch was a lot stronger than what it used to be.

“Is that all you can offer? No wonder the wolves seem like a sloppy second of you.” I instigated.

Azriel was a good fighter, he had every qualifications to be my beta and was honestly the best warrior I was privileged to spar with.

The only thing about him was he was easily aggravated. All I had to do was aggravate him and his moves become predictable.

Too predictable that I could easily make a mess of him.

Azriel continued with offense while I blocked every hit with precision, frustrating him the more.

“Tut, tut, Azriel. Do better.” I said, not even breaking a sweat.

Azriel on the other hand, was breathing heavily. The more I dodged him, and sent powerful unforeseen successful hits his way, the more he got angry and desperate to get a shot on me.

And guess what followed an angry Azriel? An utterly predictable Azriel. Bingo.

Without wasting any more time, I switched from defense to offense. Raining blows on his face and making a wreck of it.

One thing about Azriel, he didn’t know when to give up. Even though all hope seemed lost, he was one to fight till the very end. And that’s what he did.

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like letting him get a shot in, instead, I pummeled his guts and everything else my fists came in contact with.

“Pathetic.” I spat when he was visibly weakened, “I didn’t know you to be so weak… and predictable.”

It seemed like a lightbulb went off in his head because immediately, he stopped fighting, and stared at me like I stole from him.

“I didn’t know you to be one who played dirty, alpha.” He said with gritted teeth.

There and then, I knew he’d caught on my game.

“It’s not my fault you are so easy to aggravate, Azriel.” I said with a smirk, “and there were no set rules, I couldn’t resist messing with you.”

Getting up his feet, Azriel took a deep breath and said, “Nice one, I’ll take it as a loss. But I want a rematch. Now.”Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.