THE LYCAN'S DUEL

Freya

I was furious at my beta, who was trembling like leaves. As I glanced at him, my eyes were filled with rage. I couldn't believe what he had just said.

What the hell does he think? Does he think he can just order me around here? I'm the pack's alpha, but my dumb beta isn't obeying my orders.

He is questioning my orders. If he does this again, I'll make him pay. I'd have had his head on a platter of gold if it hadn't been for the fact that I'm close to his mate. I don't want to injure my friend by killing him.

"If you dare try to question my order, I'll kill you, not minding if you are my friend's mate." "You should know your place in this pack." I screamed fiercely, and the maids in the area fled in terror, but I didn't care.

At that point, all I want to do is murder him. My wolf was going mad on me; she despised being questioned, and she also disliked the way I pardoned him after what he had just said.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. "I'm going to get it done now," he murmured as he dropped his head in dread before leaving me alone, and I marched angrily toward my room.

I puffed angrily as I sat on the bed, scowling around the room.

It had been years since I had looked for my mate, and I had scoured all other packs for him but couldn't find him.

Now I'm ready to search for smaller packs for him. The beta is attempting to test me by questioning my order. He doesn't want me to go to the smaller packs in search of my mate; instead, he wants me to stay here and control the pack by myself.

I knew he was saying it because he had discovered his mate in one of the packs when we went in quest of my mate. He was overjoyed and couldn't stop praising me, but he now wanted to turn against me. He wants me to be alone without my mate.

He has no idea how I feel after all these years without my spouse. I had assumed that I would not be granted a mate, but seeing that my betta had seen his mate gave me hope.

My grandfather had met his mate the minute he turned eighteen, but he had to wait more than two years for his mate to acknowledge him because his partner was a pack member.

He will be in control of the pack when they are not present, and his friend will assist him.

"Alpha, the chariot is ready," Bruce, my beta, said, and I rolled my eyes.

"Go get your things ready; we'll leave in an hour," I said, shutting off the mind-link to get my clothes and other things ready for the day.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to find my mate, but I'm still holding out hope. I had wanted to find my mate. I knew I'd have no choice but to choose one of the leaders of the neighboring pack as my mate.

I understood that if a pack does not have an alpha, it will fail, yet my pack has been successful without an alpha.

I assumed that everyone in the pack was fine with it, but others were not. They were all desperate to be my chosen partner, and they were willing to go to any length to get it. They are putting my abilities to the test. They thought I couldn't lead on my own any longer. They are doubting me rather than striving to believe in me.

If it hadn't been for my parents' inaction, I would have done considerably worse to them.

My parents were still alive, and they would pitch in with the pack's chores whenever they could.

I was gone. They were also dissatisfied with how the pack members were revolting, but realizing that they were correct left them with no alternative but to do what was necessary.

My father granted me the alpha position when I was twenty years old, and I'm now twenty-four. I didn't like the notion of what the pack members wanted, but I understood that if I don't do what I can now, things will be difficult for me later.

My father had told me that the male pack members had decided on a date for a duel in order to keep the peace. a duel to see who is the strongest. a duel that will decide my mate among them, and if I fail to follow the duel's procedure, I will lose my position as the pack's alpha.

It was said that whoever won the combat would be both my mate and the pack's alpha. I knew that others from other packs would be there as well. Alphas who wanted to marry me lavished me with presents. They're all after me because of what they stand to gain. They were all pursuing me because they wanted to be the mate of a strong Luna, which I didn't want to be.

I despise the title "Luna," and this is why.

since the words just make someone weak. I understood that individuals who had Alphas and Lunas in their packs had done well, but my situation was unique. I don't want to be subservient to anyone; therefore, I did everything I could to avoid becoming weak. I worked out every day and night to get to where I am now. I worked hard not to become a weak and submissive mate, or Luna, to any alpha.

I knew that Lunas from other packs were always obedient and ruled by an alpha. I don't want to end up like them. I don't want to be forced to do something by someone else.

I want my situation to be different. I want my buddy to appreciate me as much as I respect him. I only hope my prayers are answered since I don't know what I'll do if my mate turns out to be a power-hungry werewolf.

I knew the pack members would back down from what they were planning to do once they saw I now had a mate, and I'm glad I did, even if I haven't located him yet.

**********

I'm on my way to one of the tiniest packs in the country, and the first pack we pass by is the blue moon pack, which also happens to be the weakest pack in the country.

The pack was little known, but I had made my choices. I knew going to a small and weak pack wasn't a good idea, but I didn't mind doing anything to find my mate.

"I hope you didn't inform the alpha of our coming." I asked Samuel, who nodded, and turned to give him a hard stare.

"What do I tell you about answering my question with words?" I yelled angrily at him.

"I'm sorry, Alpha," he apologized quickly, and I hopped down from the chariot.

As I moved into the pack, an amazing smell filled my nostrils. The scent of wild wood and cherries flooded my lungs.

"Mate!!!" My wolf screamed gleefully.