Sworn Enemies

ZADEN
My Beta stood beside me with a grim look on his face. We were both standing in front of what seemed to be a packhouse. It was large for a pack with less than twenty members. There was a large gate separating the outside from the inside. I could perceive the scents of the werewolves, but they seemed to be more than twenty. Something fishy was going on there. The gate opened just before I could knock. A young Japanese woman with startling red hair stepped out. She was wearing a white T-shirt and a blue denim jumper. She was also wearing a pair of white sneakers. Her scent was definitely not that of a werewolf. I wondered if she was the woman who had caused so much ruckus already. She stared at me for a moment. Then, her gaze drifted and rested on the rest of my pack members who'd accompanied me.
'Is she the witch?' I asked my Beta through the mindlink.
'Certainly not, Alpha' he responded
"Can I help you?" the Japanese woman finally said, a blank look on her face.
"I'm here to see your alpha," I responded and surprise crossed her features.
"I'm not a werewolf. I can't help you. You should leave," she said and I growled. She was definitely hiding something.
I grabbed her by the throat and she barred her fangs at me, her eyes glowing a bright yellow. I realized what she truly was.
"Open the gates or the kitsune dies!" I thundered.
After a few seconds of eery silence, the gates creaked open. Once I walked in, I was startled by the size of the werewolves in Klaus' pack. From what I could tell, there were still a lot of them inside the pack house. Hefty men were arranged in two rows with a large amount of space between them. But, there was no sight of Klaus.
"Where is your alpha?!" I demanded and they all growled at me. The door to one of the buildings was pushed open and two people stepped out. A man and a woman. Darryl and Trisha
I clenched my fists in anger.
They were supposed to be dead.
Few seconds after they'd stepped out, Klaus walked out. The trio walked towards me with Trisha and Darryl standing behind their alpha. They finally stopped a few feet away from me.
"Why are you here, Zaden?" Klaus asked.
"You know why I am here, Klaus. Your men protected the bitch who'd stolen from my pack and wounded my men."
"So?" Klaus said, his eyes darkening.
"Give her to us and we'll go in peace. But, if you refuse, there will be a blood bath," I said and something shifted in his eyes.
"You still haven't changed, I see. Think carefully. You brought only a few of your pack members here and we are more than capable of ripping all of you apart," he said. His statement pissed me off. I'd always known Klaus go to be cocky and arrogant. But, this was on a whole different level.
"Did you forget what happened to your former alpha, Klaus?"
Klaus smirked and believe me, it shocked me.
"What? Are you going to set us all on fire? You see, I really wanted to handle you, but, you will have to speak directly to our alpha. He'll give you the answers you seek," he said and I stiffened.
Did he just say 'our alpha'?
I heard the gates creak open. I knew someone had just walked in. But, that person had no scent. He must've hidden his scent for some reason. Either way, it riled me up. Just as I was about to turn around, his voice stopped me.
"Hello, brother."
I froze, my blood running cold. Did I hear wrongly? Was my ear deceiving me?
I could feel the tension in the rest of my pack members, but I didn't want to accept the truth. There was no way he could have survived. When he finally stopped in front of me, everything I did to become an alpha, replayed themselves in my mind.
***Flashback***
Several Years Ago.
"Who do you think is going to become the next alpha?" Zaden asked his twin brother. They were both nineteen year old and had celebrated their birthday, two days before. Both brothers were sitting on top of the roof of the pack house, gazing at the full moon. They had just returned from a long run and were both shirtless and barefooted.
"The both of us," Jaden replied to his brother, a knowing smile on his face.
Zaden snorted in amusement.
"We both know it's not possible. I think dad's going to choose me. I've always been stronger and faster than you," he said to his brother who snickered.
"Want to test that theory now?" Jaden teased.
Zaden scowled.
"Look, I don't really care about who father chooses. If he chooses me, I'll do my best to lead the pack well, and if he chooses you, I'll be by your side. It's not a big deal," Jaden said and rose to his feet.
"Goodnight," he said and jumped down the roof.
Letting out a sigh, Zaden also jumped down the rooftop and started towards the kitchen while Jaden went to his bedroom.
When Zaden got to the kitchen, he heard the voices of his parents. He halted by the kitchen door and leaned against the wall to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"... You know quite well that Jaden is a hybrid. Do you think the pack is going to accept him as their alpha?" His mother said and Zaden stiffened.
"Yes. The pack members love Jaden. I'm sure they will be loyal to him. He's much more compatible as a leader, Kara"
"I still think Zaden would do better."
"Come on, Kara. Think about it, Zaden hasn't found his mate yet. You know it's a necessary requirement. Jaden has a mate and they will be bonding soon."
"That's true. We'll make Jaden the next alpha then."
Zaden squeezed his eyes shut, pain and frustration welling up inside him. He desperately wanted to be alpha. But, his father had chosen Jaden, just because he had a mate?
Pissed, he left his position and went outside.
...
Sheila's low groans and whimpers were like music to Zaden's ears. He leaned against a tree and watched Sheila whom he'd tied to a huge oak tree. They were both in the woods. Zaden could perceive the smell of burnt flesh which was coming directly from Sheila. The gruesome sight of her burnt flesh didn't bother him. Instead, he was pleased by his handwork. Earlier, he had set the pack house on fire. He was convinced that his parents would be burnt alive along with Jaden. It was the only way he would be acknowledged, he thought.
"Why are you doing this?" Sheila gasped, tears rolling down her soot covered face.
"Those old bastards chose Jaden to be alpha. They chose him over me. Want to know why? They chose him because he has a mate. They chose him because of you! This is all your fault, Sheila!" He screamed at her.
"Sheila! Sheila!"
Clenching his fists, Zaden's eyes darkened at the sound of Jaden's voice. He quickly hid behind another tree and waited until Jaden found Sheila.
"Jaden, run! Don't-" Sheila choked out, coughing up blood. Jaden paled, his eyes scanning her damaged body.
With shaky hands, he tried to free her from her restraints but was stopped by the white hot pain that flooded his being.
"It's all your fault, Jaden" Zaden whispered from behind his brother, his knife buried deep into Jaden's back.
Jaden's knees went weak and he let out a strangled gasp as the pain of betrayal set his heart aflame. Yanking the knife out, Zaden stabbed him repeatedly until Jaden sank to the ground, blood oozing out of his wounds. Letting out a cry of rage, he went ahead to slit Sheila's throat, watching the lights as they faded from his brother's eyes.
***Present Day***
ZADEN
My pack members made to attack him and his men prepared to do the same. All he did was raise a hand and they all went back to being calm.
Jaden stared at me, a cold look in his eyes.
"You're alive," I said and he lowered his hand.
"In the flesh."
"I killed you," I said through gritted teeth.
"You tried."
"What? How are you still alive?!"
He remained silent as he watched me with a predatory look in his eyes. I looked around the pack house and realized with a jolt, that he'd been preparing this for quite a while.
"Where is the thief?" I demanded.
"She's clearly not here," he responded, but I refused to buy it.
I finally put two and two and thought of the possibility that he'd actually murdered Cal himself.
"You killed Cal," I spat and his lips curved into a dark smirk.
My claws emerged and I raised them to attack him. I was fast, but he was faster. He grabbed my hand in mid air and slashed my right cheek with his claws. My men reacted at this. But, at the same time, his pack members shifted and attacked my wolves.
"I didn't kill him, Zaden. I destroyed him. What are you going to do about it?" He said with a mocking tone.
I saw the dark look in Jaden's eyes and I realized that I wasn't prepared. He was a demon wolf and he'd always been stronger and faster. But, you see, he was my sworn enemy. As long as he was alive, he would always be a thorn in my flesh.
'Retreat!' I ordered my men through the mindlink. They all started to retreat and I grabbed Jaden by the front of his shirt.
"This isn't over, Jaden. I will be back and when I do, I'm going to find the thief and I'm going to kill her in front of you," I said, but his expression didn't falter, not even once.
"Sure, I'll be waiting for you," he said, calmly. I wanted to irk him. If he'd gone as far as destroying Cal so brutally, the thief must mean something to him.
"She's your new mate, isn't she? I can't wait to rip her apart," I said. He didn't react and this made me doubt that she was his mate.
"You should do just that. You should remember that I'm watching you. I have eyes everywhere. When you end up having a mate, be rest assured that I'm going to destroy her," he said and ripped my hand away from his shirt.
I took a step backwards, hatred for him heating up within me, like lava.
"We'll see about that," I said and stormed out of the yard. I knew what I had to do to get rid of him. It wasn't going to end today, but I was going to make sure I got rid of him.
...