CHAPTER TWO: I ACCEPT YOUR CHALLENGE

With the help of Nathaniel, I have become a great Alpha. Though I'm young and do not know how to lead like how Nathaniel does, I believe that one day, I'll become like him...or even better.

"I did not train a weakling!" Nathaniel insisted as he battled Jake on the training ground. Jake would always fall down to his face and never before had he pinned Nathaniel down.

"You're older than me.....stronger than me... How on Earth am I supposed to beat you?!" Jake retorted trying to avoid Nathaniel's punches. They continue fighting when Nathaniel eye colour changes to full black and he pinned Jake down while bringing out his fangs.

"That is not an excuse" Nathaniel said. Then he helped Jake up his feet and dusted the sands off him.

"So my boy, you are of the mating age. When will you pick one of these fine female wolves to be your Luna?" Nathaniel asked Jake as they wandered round the woods.

"No one here is fit to be my potential mate" Jake proclaimed.

"So you let the moon goddess choose for you, is that so?" Nathaniel asked.

"I will go against her will if she chooses one that does not suit"

"She created us, you'll do as she says. Am I understood?" Nathaniel asked. Jake didn't give a quick response.

"Am I understood?!" Nathaniel asked again this time he had Jake by the throat and forcefully leaned him against a tree. Jake assured him that he understood and pushes Nathaniel away. He then went to meet Celeste while Nathaniel met his mate; Anika.

Celeste was five years older than Jake but they saw each other as age mates. Plus, he was their Alpha and respect had to be given to him no matter the age. She was Jake's best friend and she kind of liked him, but she knew that Jake would only see her as his best friend.

"Okay....so it's either you had a bad day, or you had a bad day, honestly I can't really tell from all the bad days you've been having" Celeste jeered.

"It's Nathaniel, he's talking about marriage" Jake scorned.

"You've reached the mating age...it's about time Jake"

"And you? You've passed it by far and here you are"

"The moon goddess hasn't chosen anyone for me"

"You don't want her to make that decision for you, do you?"

"It's more of the guy I like might not like me back than the moon goddess hasn't chosen anyone for me" Celeste said ashamed.

"What's not to like in you. You're beautiful, talented, intelligent. That guy must be so stupid" Jake jeered.

"You have no idea" Celeste said as they both laughed.

Anika gave Nathaniel a massage as she and her mate conversed.

"So my love, I have been thinking about the future of this pack" Anika said as she moved her slowly down Nathaniel's back to help him relax.

"Anika don't stress yourself about it. Jake and I have got things covered"

"That's the problem Nathan....Jake. The boy doesn't know anything on how to be an Alpha. It's not you and Jake that keeps this pack alive, it's you"

"His father entrusted him to me, I'm doing right by my friend"

"Your friend abandoned us all for that human. If he had returned our daughter would have still been alive."

"Anika, stop" Nathaniel ordered almost pissed at the mention of his dead daughter.

"How many times have Jake beaten you in training? He has never beaten you. He's an abomination, an outcast. He was birthed by a human which is almost never possible. You need to take over for the sake of the pack.....for the sake our daughter"

"Stop!" Nathaniel ordered as he held Anika by her throat. She was scared and terrified.

"You've made your point.....I'll gather the pack" Nathaniel said making Anika smile sinisterly.

Nathaniel gathered the pack including Jake addressing them on the changes that need to be met in order for their pack to thrive.

"I have gathered us all here today to bear witness to great change. For years Alaric; Jake's father, have kept our pack thriving. Protected it from trespassing wolves who even declared war in order to claim our territory, and of recent hunters. But before he could save us from the hunters, a great deal of calamities came to play including the death of my daughter. Do you know why he delayed? He put a humans need before his responsibilities. And what became the product of his actions?..... Jake!"

Everyone including Jake was shocked at what Nathaniel was saying.

"I'm sure it was never my father's intention to let any of those things happen!" Jake insisted already pissed at what Nathaniel said.

"Need I remind you that you are the cause of your parents death. You're an outcast, an abomination. You killed your mother, you killed my friend; your father" Nathaniel said with the intention of making Jake feel bad.

"You raising me was a daily reminder" Jake retorted. There was a brief silence then Nathaniel continues.

"I gathered you all here because I care about this pack and I want us to thrive. What has Jake done other than to bear the title. I train with Jake and not for once has he ever beaten me. Jake once told me that I was stronger and older than him, that there was no way he'd ever be able to beat me. When opposition wolves attacks us who's to say that Jake won't use this exact same statement as an excuse. Gamma's, Delta's, Epilson's, Zeta's, Eta's, Theta's, lota's, Kappa's, Lambda's and Omega's, you all need an alpha that can save you from external threats, and with these I challenge Jake to a duel. Winner takes it all" Nathaniel declares.

Celeste warns Jake not to accept the challenge but Jake accepts it anyways seeing as how Nathaniel had insulted his family's legacy.

"I accept your challenge" Jake said as Nathaniel smirked.

The battle started and Jake was already loosing. Nathaniel kicked him to the ground laughing.

"Is this weakling your Alpha?!" Nathaniel asked disgusted. He lifted Jake up and spat on his face.

"I wonder what your friend would say about you" Jake said struggling to speak.

"Knock knock, who's there? Anyone but your father" Nathaniel jeered, then he flung Jake away. He turns to his wolf form with the intention of finishing him off but Celeste called him out.

"Nathaniel! Please don't kill him. Please I beg of you" she plead. He listens to her mad turns back to his human form.

"I will spare his life. But he shall become a rogue after the strike of twelve am. Setting foot on our territory would be trespassing and once caught his life will not be spared" Nathaniel ordered.

"But until then, say hello to your new Alpha!" Nathaniel said as some cheered him on while some pitied poor Jake.

Celeste took care of Jake like he was her mate. She asked one of the Theta's to heal Jake and they did. She explained to Jake all that had happened and the conditions Nathaniel had set in order to spare his life. Jake thanked Celeste for saving his life and then he looked at the time and it was already ten minutes to twelve. He insisted that he left the place and Celeste asked if she could come with him, but he disagrees telling her that Nathaniel might need her.

"And as for that guy that you love, don't let your beauty waste on a man that is too blind to see the beautiful, courageous girl I see" Jake said as hugged Celeste. They parted ways after all the goodbyes have been said.

I'll miss my best friend and of course the pack. But I have been shunned by my pack and sentenced to a life of a rogue. One day I'll be back to claim my birth right, even if it means Nathaniel won't see the next sun that rises.