HIS REJECTED MATE

Chapter 4

Braxton stood in the middle of the fighting ring, staring at his stepbrother who stood just a few feet away from him. He had no idea why his brother hated him, the only thing he knew was that since growing up they never got along.

Braxton sighed, giving his brother a bored look. "Why exactly are we doing this again?"

Daniel jeered at him from the distance between them, already moving into a fighting stance. " What? Scared that I will beat you to a pulp, pup?"

Braxton's face contorted into one of rage at the word 'pup'. Clenching his hands tightly into fists, he did his best to keep his wolf from surfacing. His wolf was enraged, he felt insulted at being called a pup.

He clenched his teeth together. He could not afford to lose it.

His father always told him that one of the qualities of a leader is his ability to control himself, and not let his emotions control him.

He could condone his brother deceiving himself into thinking that he's stronger than him, but he was not about to let him look down on him.

He moved into a defensive stance and crooked two fingers at his brother, gesturing for him to bring it on. Daniel snarled at him and barged at him, swinging his fist at him.

Braxton stood watching as he rushed at him with obviously no game plan in mind. The corner of his lips tugged up slightly.

Such a fool.

He stood still and then at the last minute, he moved to the side and watched as his brother lost balance. Daniel righted himself before he could fall and pivoted around to glare at Braxton.

Braxton shrugged at him. " You should have a game plan before you go into combat or battle, brother. Didn't Father teach us that?"

Laughter echoed around them from the few spectators present, which included; Daniel's friends, Jack and Jill, the mischievous and good-for-nothing twins. And then, there was Carlos, the son of the Beta of their pack and Braxton's very close friend.

Daniel turned and glared ferociously at the twins. He pointed a finger at them both.

"You two are getting no more money from me," he threatened.

Their laughter died off instantly and smiled patronizingly at Daniel.

"Go ahead and teach him a lesson!" Jack shouted from outside the ring.

Carlos scoffed. "Or get taught a lesson, instead! You should leave while you can still save your face, you know".

Daniel sent a murderous look to Carlos, before turning to face Braxton once again.

"Do not tell me what my father said or didn't say bastard," He spat.

Braxton sighed. Of course, it was always this all the time. He kept calling him a bastard and telling him to go and find who impregnated his mother.

"For a twenty-one-year-old, you sure act like a kid". Braxton started to leave the ring, deciding that he was not going to be a part of something this childish and uncalled for.

Just as he was about to step out, he was dragged back by the collar of his shirt. Before he could react, he was pushed to the ground. Daniel was on top of him in an instant, throwing punches like a crazed human.

Braxton quickly raised his hands to shield his face, but Daniel had gotten a few hits. Using his hips, Braxton tipped Daniel off balance and flipped them over.

Making sure to pin Daniel's hands to his side with his hips, he tightened his hips around him and began to rain punches on his face, not caring about the damage he was doing.

He only saw red.

How dare he put his hands on him?

Push him to the floor?

The twins stood outside the ring, eyes wide at the scene in front of them.

"Braxton, stop!!!" Carlos shouted from where he stood.

When it seemed that Braxton could not hear him, he dashed into the ring and quickly made a Beeline for where the two brothers were. On getting to them, he tried to grab Braxton by his arms and pull him away from his brother, but Braxton shook his hands off.

Carlos turned to the twins still standing outside the ring and glared at them. " Will you two idiots get your ass in here. Unless, of course, you want your friend dead".

The twins shook themselves out of their shock and hurried into the ring. They all grabbed at Braxton and pulled him off Daniel. Daniel lay there, coughing and spluttering out blood from his mouth.

Braxton struggled against the restraint, still trying to get to Daniel and finish what he started. Carlos stepped to his front and pulled his face to face him by grabbing his cheeks with his hands.

"Calm the f**k down, man! Take a deep breath," he advised. Carlos glared ferociously at the two twins when it seemed like Braxton was about to slip out of their hands.

"You had better hold onto him real tight. Trust me, if you let him go, I wouldn't have any qualms about getting him to deal with you two too when he's done with him". He tilted his head towards Daniel, who was still lying down on the floor of the ring.

"Your dad is not going to be proud of this, Braxton. Ask yourself what he would do in this situation, yeah".

Carlos watched as Braxton's golden wolf eyes began to recede, and his grey eyes slowly replaced them. He released a breath he had not realized that he was holding.

The moment the golden eye color of Braxton's wolf disappeared totally, Carlos immediately gestured for the twins to let him go.

"Are you okay?"

Braxton nodded, looking around the ring. "I'm okay".

Daniel lay on the floor, motionless, his eyes wide open in a haunting stare. Braxton looked at his friend in disbelief, his body frozen with shock. He had meant to push Daniel over in the heat of the moment, but he never expected him to fall so hard.

The sight of his friend lying on the ground was too much to bear, and he could feel the guilt rising in his chest. Braxton's eyes filled with tears as he realized what he had done. He pointed a trembling finger towards Daniel, but the words were caught in his throat.