Reborn as the Lycan Beta

Chapter 9. Who are You?

Duke POV

Amsterdam Waters

Is it just me, or am I getting too hungry?

Such were my thoughts by past midnight and way into the wee hours of dawn when we landed the lone fortress island of Pampus.

Don’t be s****d, Miles, my Lycan wolf retorted. It’s our mate. MATE!

In my mind, Miles’s eyes, which ought to be of the same bottle green as mine, flickered between emerald jade, and even darker shades like algae.

We haven’t eaten remember? I grumbled. No thanks to you.

It was true. No thanks to wrapping up all the matters of concern in the Intercontinental Crown, I totally forgot about having dinner. Not to mention, the entire time, this mutt of mine wouldn’t stop pestering me to hurry up.

Nothing’s more important than rescuing our Mate! Miles raised one paw. Oh, wait… did he just raise one claw among the rest?

A rolling stone gathers no moss, I rolled my eyes.

“Chatting up with your Lycan?” Yugo said, smiling. It was only then I realized that I had been rolling my eyes in actuality, all while in the middle of the water, in a boat, along with some of my fellow Wepwawet.

“Yeah,” I said. “He’s being testy.”

“Beta,” Mateo had said. “We noticed you hadn’t eaten dinner. Not even the sandwiches that were being passed around. Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” I muttered. “It’s my Lycan wolf. He won’t let me.”

Excuses excuses, Miles huffed. Just hurry up, will you? We need to make sure Mate is safe!

Suddenly, I had an unpleasant thought.

What if he’s with the other side? I groused back. Ori said the Luna’s prepping the battlefield for us and they’re trying to get the princesses out. What if our so-called mate is with those kidnappers?

Miles huffed in frustration as he paced to and fro, but he said nothing. It looked like I could push a button…

Duty first, mate later, will you?

Yeah, yeah, the Lycan spirit rolled his eyes. But let me tell you that our mate is definitely with us! He’s not some rogue!

And how the heck do you know?

Because…!

Because what?

Miles huffed but said no more. Still, he continued to pace to and fro and round and round. I swear, once everything about this operation’s been taken care of for tonight, I’m going to have three meals’ worth of food!

Che, all you ever think about is food.

And what about you, hmmm?

Hmp!

I’m definitely not telling this mutt that I am so not ready for this. S**t.

I heard that! Miles growled. You and I are one, remember?

Before I could stop myself or my wolf, Miles wrestled out half of my control and volunteered to be part of the advance party.

What the f**k are you doing?! I protested.

Finding our mate, my Lycan wolf growled. It’s been so long. We need our mate. NOW!

Okay, okay, stop growling, I groused. We need to be quiet in our movements or we’ll ruin everyone’s plans.

Fine, I will compromise, Miles huffed. But once we’re up there, nobody will stop us from meeting our mate!

Fine.

—

My consciousness was a mess.

One moment I got to see where I was headed, then — especially when I caught a whiff of that distinctive smell — the next thing I knew the scene before me shifted more than a dozen paces forward, backward or sideways as my Lycan spirit suddenly took over my body before I could regain control over my body.

Goddess help me.

“Duke, you go with the first squad,” Ori said. “I know Miles is itching to get to his goal. Just make sure you carry on with your role, ayt?”

Before I could reply, however, Ori’s eyes went pitch black. A deeper, growly voice — the Alpha of Alphas, the Ophois himself — rumbled. I look up and shuddered, baring my neck in submission.

“You better carry out this mission properly, Beta,” Ophois warned. “You can look for your mate, but remember that it’s my mate and my sisters we need to ensure safety. If a hair went missing from any of them and if I catch a whiff of fear from them I will have your neck. Is that understood, Miles?!”

My Lycan wolf was forced to pop out. “Yes Alpha,” I shuddered before I finally regained control and disembarked with the forward team.

Entry to the island fortress of Pampus was quick. The base floor had been mostly cleared; Luna Morrighan had most likely messed up their kidnappers.

Our Mate is with her, too, apparently, Miles said. We better hurry.

I rolled my eyes. It’s ironic, but while in most missions it’s Miles who reminds me to do my job properly, but this time it’s me who keeps the leash on my mutt.

Don’t call me mutt, human, Miles huffed. Let’s go up. Our mate’s scent leads over there.

How the heck do you know?

It was hard to imagine how it happened. After all, the upper floor of the fortress wasn’t entirely connected to the ground by normal means. Its highest point was not cemented with the rest with ancient stonework or some concrete but by some sort of magic.

Forteiland Pampus was, partially, a floating fortress.

Here! Called out one of our omegas, Noreen. She was one of the maids that got kidnapped along with the princesses.

We’re on our way I replied over our pack comm. What happened?

Noreen and her companion Mia quickly told us their story — how they and Pearl were kidnapped with twin Princesses Eleanor and Elizabeth, and how they were kept safe when the twins threatened to kill themselves if something happened to their maids. The Royal Twins, however, were eventually put in a separate prison, and apparently the Luna, along with a Wolf bodyguard of the twins, had freed them before taking Pearl along and proceeding to go to the upper areas of the fort.

Let’s go, Miles huffed. Our mate is waiting. Let the rest handle their safety and cover everything else here.

I rolled my eyes, but told my team to continue with the clearing operation section by section in pairs.

We were an odd number, but since I was Beta that meant I could go off on my own. Occasionally, we would encounter a stray or two — most likely Lycans who had not been killed by the Luna’s party, but had broken out of unconsciousness.

Truth be told, the way our Luna handled things was strange — while it was easier to kill than preserve the lifespans of these mutts, apparently she has found means to knock these mongrels out for later capture. Just ensuring a couple taken as live prisoners would’ve sufficed, but apparently even Ori agreed that getting as much info from these mutts as possible would be better.

Ah, well. I myself could do it, with my own powers. So that was exactly what I did — as I ran through the upper floors while going higher, making sure that my Alpha and the second team get to climb up the floors from the outside without internal interference, I “boxed-shielded” those who had just woken up. That way, they get knocked back into unconsciousness for the lack of air. Sounds genius, right?

Yeah, yeah, Miles huffed. And taking a s**tload of time for us to finally find our mate.

True, that. After all, that was exactly what I had in mind — the idea of finally meeting our mate meant ending our days of happy o***es and nights of debauchery. Ugh.

I suddenly heard a growl, and it was only a split second later that I realized it was my Lycan spirit Miles getting miffed.

I swear I’d smack your head from behind with your monkey business, human, Miles groused. It’s time we meet our mate. Hurry up!

By then, we had reached the topmost area of the fortress via a cleared-out magical teleportation pad. I rolled my eyes as we entered into the next area of the fortress.

—

The top floor was pure chaos. Everyone was fighting. Awaiting me were gazillions of enemy Lycans ready to rip anyone in our necks off.

Like I would let them.

Don’t stop me! My Lycan wolf growled as we flung ourselves into a frenzy. Everything was a blur; our packmates, sensing what was happening, made sure to stay out of our way as we fought with claws and fangs against anyone, regardless biped or wolf-form, who tried to keep us from accomplishing what we needed to do.

Just as quickly as we disposed of our enemies, of course, the battle ended in no time, when Orion roared all throughout the Fortress.

Even my wolf and I had to submit.

Patience, mutt, I scolded my wolf as Miles huffed and puffed. Nobody disobeys Royalty, even if the Voice was not addressed to us.

When Orion finally released his hold and everyone went to do what they needed to do — that is, clean up the place or cuff and collar away all the Lycan rebels and wolves — I took off, running all through the corridors.

Sniffing.

Growling and whimpering.

Searching for that one owner of the all-too-alluring scent of baked bread, oregano, butter, and basil.

Then…

“I finally found you,” came a roar… which I realized a split second later to be mine. “MATE.”

—

One moment I was running toward my mate.

The next thing I knew, I was back once more in our inner space… with Miles taking the reins along with…

Wait. Who the heck is that?

In front of me, just behind my Lycan wolf spirit, was a lanky man whose height was shorter than me by roughly a foot. He, too, had hair like mine, but his skin tone was pallid, and the way he stood reminded me of that stage in my life I’d rather not recall.

Hey Miles, I called out.

In front of my Lycan wolf spirit, gigantic and majestic, was a smaller wolf. Yes, a wolf. Despite its smaller size it was of beautiful white, but its coat seemed to be patchy in a few spots with uneven tufts of fur as well as gray and light tan streaks — like it had just recovered from a major sickness. Somehow, I knew that the smaller wolf and my Lycan spirit were in deep conversation, all the while stealing licks on each other’s faces.

Behind the smaller wolf, seemingly steeped in shadows and fog, was another figure. It was so blurred that despite my keen senses, I could only see an outline and surmise it to be a human based on the figure’s proportions.

Besides, what really drew me at that moment was the screens slightly overhead between the two parties. And what I saw…

The pack had finally reunited with our Luna and the two princesses, and their maids.

Then, I saw him. In full view.

Our mate.

He looks strangely similar to Luna Morrighan’s male version, Alpha Paul, except that his hair was a duller ashen gray and his eyes were amber. He was also slightly pale — though, because of the mate scents which even in here, in this inner world, I could smell and bask in — the tip of his ears and his cheeks were slightly pink.

Cute.

And he smells really… orgasmic. I’m not surprised that my body right now seemed to be on s**ual autopilot — I mean, come on, I’m attracted, my Lycan is attracted, and whoever that human form is just behind Miles, I can also sense his deep desire growing in leaps and bounds by the second…

My attention got drawn back to our mate who seemed to be divided; his pupils were dilated, but his kissable lips were pulled down in trepidation, calling for the Luna. In the background, I could make out Ori getting annoyed at my mate’s clinginess. He moved forward, most likely to break the two apart.

Oh boy. He might hurt our mate. This is going to be trouble.

I tried pushing myself out to gain control, but Miles seemed to have other plans.

Miles, I called out a warning.

“Don’t you dare touch him!” came a warning bark. Whether it came from me or from Miles, I really don’t know.

“I finally found you,” I said; my voice an octave deeper in reverse proportion to my l**t levels. “MATE.”

“M-mate,” His voice doubled my desire. Although I was not in control, I could feel the blood rush double-time down to our core.

In no time we — or more like our bodies while being controled by our shifter spirits — ran and embraced and kissed one another, like two long-lost lovers reunited after centuries of being a part.

Err… wait. That was my first kiss with our mate! I didn’t get to experience it!

Don’t be s****d, Miles huffed. Apparently he had paused licking our mate’s wolf and turned to me, exasperatedly rolling his eyes. You are me and I am you.

I’ve heard that our shifter spirits and us were supposed to be two separate entities and could even experience separately.

Strange enough, i could sense and feel everything.

And I mean everything.

The softness of those lips and the sweetness of the tongue.

The hard length that greeted my own despite the layers of clothes.

Those two globes of muscle that were surprisingly squishy, bouncy, and a great pleasure to my hands.

The warmth. The intoxicating and heady aroma of fresh bread and heavenly herbs. The gasping and the moans.

The perfect fit despite our temporary differences in build and height.

Not just fated mate, a voice suddenly said. It was only a split second later I realized that it came from the human figure behind Miles.

W-who are you?

The figure turned.

He looked just like me.

Yet of human height and proportion. A bit skinny on the side, but still… me.

Except he was wearing glasses.

Hello, he said.

Suddenly, my world spun, and everything flashed white before my eyes.

—