The two stared at each other for a few moments. Augustus' body was tense as if he was waiting for a signal to jump into battle. Lucas on the other hand seemed calm and relaxed as usual, except for his eyes that glared menacingly. Without a single word, the two alphas took off their blazers and made a step away from each other. With a long howl, they began transforming.
The sound of fabric being ripped apart by enlarged wolf muscles was the only noise surrounding them. A few moments passed and there they stood – two alphas in the half-wolf form. Augustus was not lying – a human or a wolf, he was both taller and heavier than Lucas. He had dark-grey fur that looked rough and thick, unlike Lucas' almost silky black coat.
Augustus did not want to wait any longer and lunged toward Lucas, who dodged the first attack without much effort, or so he thought until he felt a strong grip around his ankle. The next moment Lucas was already lying on the ground face down, but he quickly rolled away from the blow from above and jumped up on his feet.
Lucas barely avoided the claws aiming for his chest and attempted a counter-attack that only slightly scratched Augustus's shoulder. He then leaped two steps and pretended to back away, considering his options. Augustus was stronger and bigger but also slower, which meant that Lucas only needed to wait for a perfect moment. Dodging yet another hook, the black wolf grabbed the opponent's arm and pulled it, stepping to the side and using the momentum to push Augustus down. He then kicked him in the chest with his right knee, but the grey wolf grabbed the leg and slammed Lucas to the ground.
Falling, Lucas reached for Augustus's shoulder and dragged him down as well. They started rolling on the wet grass, scratching and biting each other, until Augustus seemingly took over and pinned the black wolf down. He was about to punch him in the face when Lucas managed to pull his legs up and, with a loud growl, kick the other one in the chest with all his force, almost sending Augustus flying. The grey wolf landed on the ground with a thud, and a moment later both sprang up on their feet.
Augustus was the one to attack again. He lunged forward but Lucas did not dodge this time, instead, he jumped toward the grey wolf and they started wrestling. Augustus was winning and pushing Lucas down on his knees who seemed to momentarily give in before suddenly moving his arms on Augustus's exposed waist and pulling his legs off the ground to take him down. Lucas then bit the grey wolf's side, receiving an immediate punch on the head, releasing the grip, and blocking another hook. He got his leg over Augustus's torso and caught the opponent's both hands, fixing them down, and bit him on the neck. Augustus let a painful howl before gathering his strength back up and pushing the black wolf off himself.
Before any of them could continue, they heard a few other werewolves approaching. Augustus got up and was about to run away in the opposite direction when Lucas grabbed him on the shoulder and pushed him against the nearest tree.
***
By the next morning, every werewolf in the town has heard about the fight, but only the three alphas who came to investigate the hustle knew about the ritual's unexpected results. The other members of the council – a centralized board of alphas of the major packs created to keep magic communities safe and at peace with each other – were not informed about it, as Augustus insisted.
"How are your bites healing up?" Lucas smirked, entering Augustus's study.
"Who let you in?" the other one replied, instinctively stretching his shoulders.
"As your fated mate, I invited myself in. I even come with a present," Lucas showed him a bottle of Italian white wine.
"You've got some nerves showing up here."
"Why's it so? Are you afraid of losing to me again?"
"If they didn't intervene, I would've shredded you into pieces," Augustus retorted angrily.
"Relax, I'm not here to fight. Speaking of the fight, I did not sleep with your niece. I wasn't even in the same state when she had her birthday party."
"And you're telling me this now why?"
"Well, now that everyone knows we had a… conflict of interests and some even know a little more than that, it is not long before the news spreads out."
"It wouldn't spread out. Those three would not tell anyone."
"Who said they'd tell?"
"I don't understand," Augustus sighed, looking attentively at Lucas. "Why do you want to be my mate so much? Didn't you say you were too young to be bound…"
"Too young and handsome," Lucas corrected him.
"… and you didn't exactly like me because I'm an old, love-deprived fart?"
"I didn't say 'fart' but I like your spirit," he winked at the man in front of him. He then took two wine glasses out of the glass cabinet and poured the alcohol in. "If you're asking about my motives, there's none. I just did it because I felt like it."
"So, you outed us…"
"Us? I like it."
"… even though I asked you not to…"
"You didn't ask, you demanded and didn't let me choose."
"… just because you were bored?"
"Pretty much, yes," Lucas smiled and passed Augustus one of the glasses.
"And you wonder why no one likes you…"
"By no one you mean the older wolves? I didn't expect them to like me. Others seem to be quite fond of me, however. Anyways, why did you want to keep it a secret that much? Have someone else in mind?"
"First of all, I'm not interested in men…"
"That's what he said."
"Second of all, I just don't like you."
"We could work on that. You said you don't trust me because you don't know who I am. What do you want to know?"
"The thing is, should I trust your replies?"
"Do you have anyone else who could tell you this information?"
"Alright. Who are you?"
"I'm Italian."
"I doubt that. Who are your parents?"
"My father is a priest..."
"He must be proud of you."
"... and my mother went missing in my early childhood."
"So that's where your mommy issues come from."
"Oh, I have more than just mommy issues," Lucas came closer to Augustus and continued with a flirtatious voice. "I also have daddy issues."
Augustus sighed and drank from the wine glass.
"Is any of the things you said true?"
"All of them."
"Sure they are. Are you going to say "I'm here to look for my missing mother" next?"
"Actually yes, that is exactly why I became an alpha."
"Don't you remember that I met your parents after New Year's?"
"My parents? Oh, no, those weren't my parents. I just asked my vampire friend, Elias, if you know him, to compel them to pretend to be my parents."
"Let me guess, you did that out of boredom as well?"
"Actually no, I thought it would be better if no one knew that my father is a Catholic priest."
"I am confused as to what to believe in now."
"Everything I told you today is true."
"So, to summarize, you are an Italian who came here to find his long-lost mother? And your father is a Catholic priest, which is why your vampire friend…"
"Elias."
"…compelled a random middle-aged couple to pretend to be your parents? Because you're what, an alpha now, and having a priest father is not nice? And you became an alpha because it somehow helps you find your actual mother?"
"Correct."
"I think none of this is true. You're just making up a story as you go."
"Well then, who do you think I really am?"
"You're an annoying, arrogant, self-centered idiot with egoistic motives. That being said, I don't see why you'd tell me all of this, assuming any of it is true."
"Because you're my fated mate."
"Just a few hours ago, you were ready to rip my throat off. I don't buy any of it."
"I didn't even bite that hard. Look at you, all healed up already and working on… whatever that is," Lucas picked up a paper off Augustus's table.
"Unlike you, I am an actual leader of my pack and I have responsibilities beyond babysitting an adult man with daddy and mommy issues."
"You're not babysitting me - you're having quality time and getting to know your partner better."
"You're not my partner and never will be. Now, get out of my house."
"Ouch!"
Lucas pretended not to have heard the last sentence and sat down on a chair next to the writing desk. He finished the first glass and was already having the second.
"Do you think I won't use force to make you leave?"
"We both know you're not strong enough."
Augustus did not want to admit it but he did underestimate Lucas yesterday.
"You're still weaker than me, especially in the human form."
"Then, I shall be leaving," the man suddenly stood up and left the room quickly. Augustus was fairly surprised by this rapid change of mind and didn't know if he should be glad or worried. He went to see if Lucas actually left or was planning some sort of a prank, but didn't find any sign of him in the house.