Nathan paces on the other side of the border of Sullivan territory where Melissa's territory meets Alpha Hunter's. Next to him is Gavin who's standing calmly, watching the distance while flickering his gaze to the alpha. Around them, a mix of Sullivan and Moore wolves stretch out to form a defense line for the small army that's about to run into them. Nathan isn't focused on that. His mind is racing with blue eyes and the way they look at Holt with them.
"Scared, Moore?" Gavin snickers, shaking his head. Nathan just growls and ignores him. His entire being is telling him to quickly finish this and then make his way back to Audrey. He can just imagine the kinds of things Holt is attempting to do with her - especially after that kiss and his wolf is on edge. If it weren't for Audrey's concern with Sullivan, he wouldn't have left them alone - and with Ralph of all people. Ralph didn't stay long either. He's here too, standing next to Melissa who is trying to convince him to go back to the pack house. That leaves only one thought in Nathan's mind: Audrey is alone with him.
Pissed off, his pacing becomes quicker. "Damn it! Where the hell are they?"
Gavin snorts. "Why? Are you nervous about meeting them? I never expected that from you."
"Shut it, Beta." Nathan's alpha force comes out and Gavin chuckles.
"You're so whipped."
"I'm - what?" Nathan blinks at him, realizing what he just said.
"Audrey's got you good, hasn't she? I haven't seen you like this since...well, never. Even when we fought, you weren't this ticked off." The beta smirks and that only enrages Nathan. "Do you really like her that much?"
His question stops Nathan from pacing and thoughts race through his head. He did like her. His wolf loved her but for him, liking her was enough. When did this start? When did she manage that to happen? Why didn't he notice? He knows he was protective of her but that was because of his wolf. Or was it?
He looks up. Gavin is watching him with a smug expression on and Nathan shakes off his thoughts, growling. "She's my mate."
"Are you stating fact or claim?"
Nathan doesn't answer. His eyes detect movement from ahead and through the trees, several wolves appear. The Sullivan wolves nearby start to growl but his pack stays calm. They're amused with the challenge but they all know that this won't be a big issue. The only reason they're out here is for Audrey and that's only because Nathan made them out come here for her. Well, most of them willingly did it. Only a few were confused. It amazes him how easily she won over his pack.
A large wolf, an alpha, steps forward and shifts. His nakedness makes a few males protective of their mates and that doesn't leave Gavin out. His eyes blink at his alpha and he gives a warning growl when she smirks back at him. The opposing alpha tugs on some clothes from his leg and swiftly pulls on shorts before running up towards them. His pack stays behind.
Nathan and Melissa meet him in the middle, both on guard and ready to put this to an end. Melissa gives him a look. She wants to do the talking but Nathan scowls at her.
"Sullivan." The alpha greets with a nod. He frowns at Nathan. "And?"
"Moore." Nathan replies, ignoring the hand that's being held out towards him.
"And you are?" Melissa interferes before Nathan can say anything. He rolls his eyes and stands still, ignoring his alpha pride to let the female take over. His wolf scoffs at his actions but he shrugs him off, reminding him that she is considered family by Audrey.
"Tate." The alpha introduces. "I'm sorry for the inconvenience and for the misunderstanding. I've come in search of two of my own, you see. They're supposed to be the next monarchs."
Nathan suppresses the growl lodged in his throat and Melissa gives him a meaningful blink of her eyes.
"Monarchs? They're dead though."
"No, their heirs lived." Tate replies.
"How do you know this?" Nathan wonders out loud and Tate looks back at his own.
"A mutt named Simon told me I can find them nearby. I was in the middle of extracting a little revenge on the Hunter pack. I heard you two were allies?" Tate looks at Sullivan and she nods. "I'm sorry for that. If I had known, I would have come to you first. Nevertheless, my quarrels will end with them. You and your pack are safe from any harm from us."
Nathan snorts and Melissa growls at him.
"So this Simon told you the monarchs are alive and are nearby?" Melissa asks, looking dimwitted and interested. Nathan internally rolls his eyes. He just wants to rip this guy's throat out already and be done with it so he can get back to Audrey. "Let me get someone real quick."
Melissa throws Nathan a warning look and leaves back towards her pack. She doesn't step too far away before she stops and Nathan knows she's calling out to Ralph. He definitely would love to hear this.
"So you're the notorious Alpha Moore?" Tate scrutinizes him. Nathan looks over him briefly. He's just as tall as Nathan with the same kind of muscle mass but it was clear that he hadn't perfected them as much as Nathan has. He's probably done the bare minimum for work outs.
"I am." Nathan says, watching as Ralph makes his way towards Melissa. He has a smug expression on and his eyes are little hazy but his expression stays the same. Nathan even hears him chuckling but he doesn't explain why to Melissa. He simply makes his way around her and towards Nathan.
"Alpha Tate, this is Ralph Hastings. I think he'd like to hear what you have to say." Nathan watches the older royal with cautious eyes. His smug expression is still there, as if he's enjoying this, savoring this moment and Nathan's sure that it isn't a good sign.
"Why?" Tate glances over Ralph barely, dismissing him straight away for the other two alphas. Ralph chuckles darkly next to Nathan and Nathan grins back at him.
"He happens to know Simon. Kind of a rival of his, so to speak. So I'm sure he'd love to hear what you just told us about him." Melissa continues, glaring at the two like they were immature children. It only made Ralph chuckle more.
"Yes, please, Alpha Tate. What has Simon been up to this time?" Ralph plays along. His voice is higher and he's reigning in his natural power, attempting to disguise his strong physique by sounding utterly ridiculous.
"He told me that the monarchs are here. Convinced me enough to stop my attack on the Hunter pack and move straight here to hunt them down."
"Are you sure you want to hunt them down? Won't they...kill you?"
Nathan tries real hard to hold back his amusement. Ralph sounds so sincere, as if he's actually fearful for this alpha and Nathan can't help but find him likable.
Alpha Tate snorts. "Do you know who I am?"
"You're the guy trying to kill my sister and I off, right?" Ralph's voice turns back to normal, cutting off all of Nathan's entertainment. He still carries that smug expression and looks more like an excited, dark person than a weak one.
"You-!"
"Ralph!" Melissa scolds, hitting Ralph's arm. Ralph barely winces and only laughs. He looks at Nathan, shaking his head and then pats Nathan's arm.
"Do you want to take this?" He asks. Nathan shrugs.
"Honestly, my target is posted to Holt's back."
Ralph's smug expression drops and he stares hard at Nathan. For a moment, Nathan wonders if Ralph would interfere but instead, Ralph smirks. "Good luck getting through Audrey then."
Nathan growls as the royal walks away and turns his attention back on Tate. Immediately, the alpha attempts to shift and go after him but Nathan stops him. Tate's wolf self falls onto his back and he quickly gets onto all four, letting out a feral snarl. His pack behind him growls and Melissa sighs.
"He's all yours, Moore. I'll handle the pack." She sighs and then shifts into her own brown wolf. Her clothes rip into shreds and Nathan hears Gavin cursing behind him: "Damn it, woman!"
Nathan follows after her and begins to circle his prey. Around him, chaos ensues as two packs take on the measly one hundred, easily overcoming them. Alpha Tate watches his move, waiting for him to make the first attack. He lets out growls and snarls and as they circle, Nathan finds Ralph leaning against a tree on top of a hill, looking entirely amused. Alpha Tate captures his attention with sudden movement and Nathan defends himself easily, evading the bite. He returns the favor and his jaws snap onto the alpha's leg. He lets his wolf go and he can feel his teeth sinking into the fur and flesh of the weaker wolf. His tongue tastes blood and his inner beast growls in approval as the alpha lets out a whelp. For fun, Nathan lets go and gives him some room, allowing him some time to gather his bearings. His wolf chides him for this, wanting him to go straight for the kill and get back to Audrey. But Nathan can't help himself. He wants to give this alpha a little torture for even thinking he had the capability of going after the monarchs when one of them is his mate.
Ralph watches from the sidelines. His eyes assesses the Moore wolves, taking in their defense and offense techniques. He makes a mental note to go a little harder on the Sullivan wolves and to up Melissa's army. Nathan impresses him. He can see that it's no match and he's a little disappointed. Nathan won't be serious with this and it'll only make him impatient to see it end. Still, he can't help but like how Nathan plays with his prey. Audrey would hate it. She's never killed anyone and whenever she had to, she found she couldn't do it. Ralph remembers when the war started off with the Moores. She used to cry to him how pathetic and useless she was. She used to cry how weak of a wolf she was. He told her then she'd never have to kill anyone and to not beat herself up. Fenrir seems to prove it when he designed Nathan to be her mate. They'd be good for each other.
Nathan is feral and Audrey is soft. She'd make him more approachable and more connected with his human self while he'd toughen her up and be her personal body guard. Ralph knows she needs it with how much danger is waiting ahead for her. As much as he likes Roman, he knows that he's on Nathan's side. He never did like going against fate anyway.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself." Nathan approaches him, pulling on a pair of gym shorts he stole from one of the Sullivan wolves. Ralph smirks.
"What? Done already? Well, that's boring."
Nathan snorts. "He's lucky it lasted as long as it did."
"So I thought."
Nathan stands next to him, watching his pack dominate the few remaining Tate wolves. They attack out of order, helplessly looking for some kind of control. They break off on their own, some abandoning the small battle completely but others try to hold their ground. Finally, the last ten or so give up, allowing themselves to be captured. Melissa stops her pack from fighting and Nathan's own looks at him. He sighs and shakes his head, allowing Melissa to take control.
"Wow, how ruthless." Ralph whistles next to him. Nathan scoffs.
"My only target was Tate himself."
"For Audrey?" Ralph chuckles lightly. "She's got you good."
"So you're not friends with Holt?"
"Roman?" Ralph shrugs. "He's like a brother. But the promise to Audrey died when he did. Now, it's just if Audrey's feelings for him are stronger than the feelings she has for Fenrir's choice."
Nathan growls. He desperately wanted to rush back their and ripe Holt's head off of his shoulders. Ralph senses this and continues.
"She did have feelings for him at one point, you know. I used to catch them sneaking away, attempting to kiss and pretend as if they were already mated. Sometimes, Roman would try to sneak into our room to sleep with her and there was one time-"
He didn't get to finish. Nathan was already heading back to the pack house in an angry run. Ralph laughed loudly behind him.