Chapter Nine- Showdowns

Atticus sniffed the air the next day and caught the scent of wolf and…death? That's not right. Lexi's supposed to smell of wolf and daisies. Is there a fifth werewolf on the island? He came out of his musings as a blonde blur appeared beside him.

"Good morning, brother," Alexis greeted in a sarcastic singsong tone. The smell of wolf and death intensified.

"Lexi?" he said, confused. "Your scent's changed. How?"

"Oh, that's easy. Force of will. I didn't like my initial scent and desired one to make people afraid of me if they see me at night."

"Lexi, that scent doesn't suit you at all. I liked the original."

"Well, I didn't!" she snapped. "And since it's my scent, I decided whether or not to change it." She growled low so only they heard it before she stalked away.

Oh, man, this is really bad, Atticus thought. She's acting mean and more wolf-like than before. Romulus has really done a good job on her. The sooner I bite her, the better.

Alexis growled to herself as she headed inside. She hadn't really wanted to go to school. She was ready to embrace the wild life with her mate, but Romulus pointed out that if she failed to show up, Atticus would come looking for her and they weren't quite ready to take their brothers down. But once we're ready and they're dead, I'll quit school and live as the wifewolf that I am.

Atticus whined and paced as he waited for night with Remus nearby, concern written on his face. "Her scent's changed and she's acting mean. It wasn't just me that got that attitude. Her friends, my friends, and even a teacher got it. She seems to be looking at everyone with…contempt, I think."

Remus shook his head. "Not good. My brother taught her a lot and made her evil more quickly than it took him. If we want to halt her descent into darkness, we must act tonight."

Atticus smiled in relief. "Yes. Tonight." The sun went down and both howled as they took their wolf forms. Atticus immediately set to sniffing out Alexis' scent while Remus set to finding his brother's. They knew both would be together; it was just a matter of finding one of their scents.

Atticus was approaching the dark heart of the forest when he caught the scents of both and heard a female howl. "Remus, I've got their scents!"

"Excellent. Lead the way." Remus raced after Atticus, heart pounding. After all these decades, would he finally succeed and have his brother back? Or would the night end in failure…again? He shook his head. No, I cannot think like that. Things have to be different. I have Atticus now and he had agreed to help before his sister was turned. We also have a plan and been working on it. We were going to fine-tune it tonight, but Alexis' behavior has caused us to take action instead.

Atticus saw movement ahead and stopped behind a clump of bushes. He peered between the leaves and branches as did Remus and his jaw dropped at what he saw. Alexis and Romulus were prancing in a circle before Alexis licked his cheek. The older werewolf growled softly and barked. Alexis nodded, laid on her stomach, and spread her legs. Romulus got on top of her and began thrusting into her. Alexis howled in pain and ecstasy.

"Oh my God," Atticus breathed.

"They're coupling," Remus gasped. "Romulus has taken Alexis for his mate."

One final thrust ended with loud howls from both and Romulus got off her as his nose twitched. He growled. "We had an audience. How rude."

Knowing they had been caught, Remus emerged; Atticus stayed back as they decided he would be the one to pin Romulus down. "It's over, brother. Tonight, I will turn you good."

"Turn me weak, you mean," snarled Romulus. "I've told you over and over: I love what I am. I let you live thinking you would get the message. But now I see you never will. So, I guess the time's come to kill you."

"You won't kill me. You may not love me anymore but we're still brothers."

"No. I will kill you. I have a mate to protect. You will not make either of us weak." He sniffed the air and aimed a leg. "Your brother is in the bushes, Alexis. Take him down."

"Yes, Master." Alexis ran and leaped over the bushes, snarling.

"Atticus! No!" Remus yelled. He heard his student's growls and knew he had moved before Alexis had. He then turned back to Romulus who was lunging toward him, extended claws aimed at his throat. He ducked and Romulus sailed over him. He took off running, silently cursing. The plan was ruined. Atticus and he had been split up. The plan had been for him to lure Romulus into chasing him and at some point, Atticus would tackle him and hold him down, giving Remus the chance to bite. I may end up dying tonight. I only hope Atticus survives and maybe bites his sister.

Atticus leaped away from the bushes when he heard Romulus give away his position. He crouched down as Alexis leaped over the bushes, snarling. "Lexi, please. You don't want to do this!"

"He is my master and my mate. I will obey his instructions. He wants me to take you down and I will." She growled, baring her teeth.

He sighed before flexing his claws, baring his own teeth, and growling back. "All right, then. Try, but I won't make it easy."

"Good. I love a challenge before the inevitable kill." She charged at him and he met the charge. The two siblings snapped and slashed at each other, their wounds healing quickly all the while and Alexis avoiding Atticus' teeth.

Romulus and Remus were also engaged in a vicious wolf fight. Both had sustained injury, but all of them had healed. Now, they circled one another, the fur on their spines standing up and both were growling. "Romulus, why did you bite her? What's your plan?"

"I bit her because I felt the urge to do so and it's what we do on the full moon: Curse humans. I plan to kill you and for her to kill her brother. Then we will rule this island as mates and have evil werewolf pups to raise." Romulus then lunged and the two were locked in furious combat again. Romulus tried to lock his jaws onto Remus' throat or lash out with his claws, but Remus prevented that with his forelegs or his own teeth. His legs got scratched or bitten, but the wounds healed.

Romulus raised his paw to slash again, but Remus lunged forward, teeth exposed. Romulus ducked and head butted Remus in the chest, causing the elder to stagger back. Romulus rammed him with his head and a shoulder, turning Remus onto his back. Remus put his legs in front of his throat to protect it as Romulus planted a paw on top of Remus' muzzle and growled at him. He stared at Remus and indecision raced thorough him once again.

I can't do it. I don't know why but I can't do it. Damn him! Romulus snarled as he swung a paw around and broke Remus' lower jaw. He then stamped down and broke a back leg. "Remus, listen carefully. Stop looking for me or trying to turn me good. I love being evil and I now have a lovely mate. We will have a family and you will leave us alone." He jumped off his brother and ran off, howling.

Atticus and Alexis were slashing wildly at each other, the former keeping the latter's claws and teeth from his throat while trying to find an opening to bite her. The two of them separated and crouched sideways, facing each other. "Lexi, you really want to kill me?"

"My master has ordered it and I obey every command he gives." She leaped at Atticus and knocked him onto his back. She put her claws at his throat and growled at him. One quick slash would end it. She pressed her claws closer.

I…I can't. I can't kill my own brother. I still love him. She growled angrily at the conclusion and swung her paw around, breaking a foreleg. Atticus howled in pain and then whined as Alexis broke his jaw. "Atti, listen to me. I love what I am and being with my master. I am his mate now and intend to live with him. I'm quitting school to live in the wild. I will give him a family to raise and you would do well to stay away. Just leave me alone. I'm happy being an evil wifewolf." She hopped off him and ran away, howling for her mate.

Atticus rolled onto his uninjured side, whining in pain and sadness. His sister was evil and she declared herself Romulus' mate. She wants me to leave her alone. Perhaps I should…for now.

"Atticus!" He looked over to see his mentor coming up to him. He winced at the injuries. "She gave you the same treatment Romulus gave me." Remus laid down. "He told me to leave him along. He intends to have a family with Alexis. He also told me to stop looking for him and trying to bite him. Again, he couldn't kill me. He still loves me deep down."

Atticus felt his jaw mend and said, "Lexi couldn't kill me either. She also still loves me. She also told me about being Romulus' mate and wanting to give him a family. She further said she's quitting school to live with Romulus and for me to leave her alone. I think I should, at least for now."

"Yes, I agree we should. Perhaps, having a family will change them to be less evil."

"That would be nice. Hey, tomorrow is the full moon. Can they be together in their wild state?"

"I don't know. They probably can, but we can't."

Atticus got to his paws, his leg healed. "I should get to bed. See you in three nights, Remus and I'm sorry you failed to bite Romulus."

"Good night, Atticus and I'm sorry you failed too." He watched Atticus leave and trotted away. They failed to turn their siblings, but they would keep trying. They would never give up on their family, their loved ones.

The End