Asserting Dominance

A few days passed and they got used to living in that cottage. Romulus got a little touchy-feely with Patty in that short time. Slightly touching her on different places like the back, arms, and shoulders but not too intrusive. Zeev didn't like that and at every opportunity expressed his disagreement and annoyance. Romulus was growing more restless about that and his irritation became more frequent.

It came the day when Romulus snapped and challenged Zeev's position as alpha to assert dominance. They were at the cottage and Patty was out about... somewhere at the village market. A sunny winter day, with snow lying thick on the ground sparkling in the warm rays. They both stood opposite of each other glaring in their werewolf forms.

The werewolf villagers surrounded that duo in a circle to watch. Patty was shocked when she heard about that. She wanted to defuse that situation. The point was, she couldn't reach them when she was suddenly grabbed and silenced with a hand over her mouth...

Someone dragged Patty away from the crowd. Nobody noticed it, or they even didn't desire to. A thud and Patty fell to the ground unconscious. The battle was about to begin when Romulus noticed how Patty's scent which was clearly closing in, began to disappear. He expected her to scold them and try to stop the fight... but now...

He wanted in an official way challenge Zeev and win not only the position of an alpha, but also the right for him to become Patty's mate. It was the only way, so Zeev would live and not die from a broken heart... Patty wouldn't forgive him for that, and neither would Natalia, who hatched that whole plan. Those were the rules of werewolves.

He stopped to push for the challenge and turned into his human form looking around. He wanted her to see his victory. Zeev was confused and he transformed into a human as well. "What is going on? You wanted to fight, so bring it on!"

Romulus turned to Zeev. "Patty... she is gone!" Zeev flinched and his gaze wandered into the crowd. He was right, she wasn't anywhere to be seen between the onlookers. Something must have happened. They had to find her.

Suddenly rivals turned into partners. "You will look around the east and I go west!" Zeev proclaimed. With a jump, they both got four legs and began to sniff around to get her scent. Panic set in Romulus. Natalia probably deceived him and kidnapped Patty. He hoped to find them before something bad will happen.

Romulus and Zeev met at one point. They followed the trail of human blood, which meant they were on the right path. The snow was crunching under their heavy stomps and the icy air was stinging in their noses but they never slowed down. The sound got muffled by the falling snowflakes.

The red droplets just shone in contrast with the white snow leading them into the deep wilderness. Their anxiety was growing each second even more in Romulus. Zeev had no clue, why Patty disappeared... if he just knew...

They had already gone a great distance up high into the mountains and a snowstorm began to pick up. They both were disturbed because she didn't have the right clothes for that altitude and coldness. She could freeze to death just by staying a prolonged time in those weather conditions.

Romulus with his superior sense of smell picked out Natalia's werewolf scent and swerved away from Zeev. He noticed and followed him up the trail deep into the icy mountains. A  heavy snowstorm already raged at this altitude.

At last, they both spotted Natalia in her werewolf form having Patty tied to her back. She was dangling freely in the snowy air leaving a trail of her blood. She had a wide gash on her forehead. They were concerned she looked to be dead. But hoped just to be unconscious. Otherwise, they would kill Natalia on the spot and probably each other because they both blamed the other for that outcome.

Romulus with his bigger feet and strength sped up to cut Natalia's path. She stopped right on time to see him standing over her with his claws ready to swipe after her if she would try to escape. As Natalia turned back, she saw Zeev. Why? "You didn't challenge him? We made a deal over this?!"

Zeev flinched after hearing that. So they both planned this? He betrayed me and Patty! He will pay! That is what was running through Zeeve's mind. Natalia pointed the finger at Zeev. "Challenge him now. Don't worry I will keep her with me, she is still alive!"  Romulus pondered for a second and then just let out a roar.

Zeev didn't let him wait and responded with aggression. They both closed in with punches, scratches, and biting each other. Natalia was taken aback because she convinced Romulus to go easy on Zeev, not to do too much "damage" on his pretty face. Fur flew in the air and some occasional blood painted the trampled snow beneath them which was getting quickly covered by new snowflakes.

Natalia began to panic. She saw how Romulus was about to overpower Zeev and probably kill him. He had a mad wereman's glare in his red eyes. He probably lost his common sense at that moment. "STOP IT!" she growled, but it fell on deaf ears. They both werewolves continued to struggle. Zeev was quicker out of breath and his strength began to diminish.

Undoubtedly Romulus, with his modified genes was stronger and much superior to an ordinary werewolf. Not surprisingly even an alpha couldn't stand against him. Natalia began to lose hope. She wanted to save Zeev from Romuluse's rage. She untied the knot which held the unconscious Patty to her back.

Patty fell into the fresh soft snow. Natalia transformed for a bit. "Hey, Romulus!" She lifted Patty into the air by her arm. At first, he didn't pay attention since he was turned with his back towards Natalia. As soon, as he saw Zeeve's frightened eyes focusing behind him he stopped mid-blow with his claws and whipped his head around.

What he saw, horrified him. Natalia was walking on her hind legs to the steeper part of the mountain holding Patty and then for the last time she turned with a smirk before she tossed the unconscious Patty over the cliff.