The Joker and The King

It was late, and Metas was slightly drunk. He and Joss walked back up from the lower levels and talked with bubbled voices that only two young men under the influence would have. Both of them were red in the cheeks, and enjoyed life for just a few hours until it was time to plan again.

"I appreciate you doing this for me, Joss. I feel much better knowing you believe me. It is high time things changed. This place is falling the fuck apart and I blame my parents and lineage," Metas slurred loosely and wavered with a wobbly smile. His eyes were glassed over a bit and a goofy smile was plastered on his face.

"Hah. No, please don't give me so much credit. Stop thanking me, Metas. It's all my pleasure. Anything to help Jyriah and his siblings, and now - you. I believe in your words and cause, and it helps that I hate Silas. I'll never forgive what he did to my mother. Ever," Joss replied, but sounded less angry and more 'ranty' as they continued up the slopes.

"H-hey...w-wait," Joss slurred and squinted towards Myranda's home. "Did you - did you see that?"

"No. What?" Metas lazily turned his head towards the direction Joss' was in.

"I think I saw someone go in there...." Joss tilted his head and steered his body closer to the windows that could see into the small cafe in the front of her home.

When the lights came on, he noted Myranda's shocked face - but also Silas standing there, pinning her to the wall with a sneer.

"Hey!" Joss shouted and stumbled towards them.

"What?" Metas asked and then he, too squinted to steady his double-vision. "Silas. What is he doing with my Luna?"

"It's not good - we should go, or - I should?" The silver-haired male looked to him for direction, for he knew very well not to get between mates when it came to things like this.

"I'm going - I don't like how he growls at her," the Alpha returned and both of them headed towards the unfolding scene.

Metas watched as Silas struck Myranda's face with the back of his hand, watched her fall, and then turned the lights off.

The two males sped up, despite the alcohol in their systems and jerked the doors open. Thanks to his bloodline, Metas was one of the few werewolves who could see in the dark very well. The 'Firsts' could see entirely fine in the pitch of night - but never came out in the daytime. The happy medium Metas had was perfect for hunting at night, and in the day.

He heard a scuffle, and saw Silas' hands grip onto Myranda's neck - and that was all he needed to see as he bounded forward in his wolf form with teeth open, and senses still a little off.

Joss turned the light on that was closest to the door and watched as Metas missed Silas' throat, but did land a long blow to his back with his long claws.

It look like an entanglement of man and beast until Silas transformed part-way in their fight as he was kicked through the opening between the counters, and thanks to him not being drunk, he was able to regain his footing quickly.

"What have you done?" Metas asked with a roar as he stood over his mate's mortal form.

"I'm stopping her from ruining all the plans I have for my mate and my brother in law. You don't know her like I do. She's a ball and chain that sinks everything it clasps on to. A burden," Silas answered and bared his teeth.

"Only a pathetic little cub would deem anyone below them a burden. If you think I'm going to allow you to hurt my mate, and gloat about becoming the next king behind my back - you're more foolish than I previously thought," Metas responded and kept his body frozen over Myranda's protectively.

"You have a poor choice for a Luna. Don't you understand? If you put her up with you, she will tear the entire system down in a tantrum. She's an unstable brat, and you will spend your entire life protecting her. That isn't good for the colony. You know, I knew you were faking with Lara - you're a terrible actor. I should have said something to Harbinger. I'm sure I still can," Silas threatened angrily and lowered his body to pounce.

"Plus, didn't your parents tell you what they were going to do to her if you touched her again? I know I heard. I would pay to see you watch her get taken by a bunch of high society members she hates so much," he followed up cruelly.

Joss, too had decided that it was best to be in is lupus form, and was ready to pounce at Silas from the side. "You should leave, Silas. Before I run and get Syrana. She may not believe my words, but she will believe her own eyes."

"You can't even get up there, you're lower level scum," Silas practically laughed, and looked very smug.

"My mate lives up there, you fucking idiot. I live with him. Now you can leave, or I can leave and get Jyriah and Syrana. Then what will you fight for?" Joss asked, trying to get into his head.

"If you want my place so much, you should challenge me when the time comes. This is cowardice. You think I can beat you-no...You know I can beat you, and so you're trying to hurt Myranda to make me weaker. You're a bastard, a cheat and a liar, and you don't deserve to rule over our kingdom - and you never will. You have no valor, no honor - and no moral compass," Metas spat towards him, and kept his hair up on end involuntarily.

"I'm drunk right now and easily pushed you over like a small paper bag filled with shit. Since you've so brilliantly shown what you'd truly like to do, I'll make sure she is safe from you. Meanwhile, perhaps you should train or learn better tactics from your papa," Metas continued, and even grinned with delight.

"Even if you beat me in combat, the rest of those in power want to see you fall. You won't last," Silas warned, and reformed into his mortal self. "...but I do intend on challenging you. Unless you want to kill me right here and now since you're so confident."

"There is no honor in killing you without the glory of showing you exactly what I am capable of in front of everyone. I will take Joss' advice before I decide to throw away honor for revenge. If you come near her again, I will kill you before you ever get the chance to prance around in front of high society with a little speech, and show off to your wife and no friends. Understand?" Metas asked menacingly, and now his gums were visible as saliva dripped from his lips and teeth, barely holding himself back.

"I will drink your blood through your eye sockets if you lay one more fucking claw on her - understood?" Metas warned as he advanced towards the blonde male.

"You letting me live will be the biggest regret of your life, Metas. Hold those words close to your heart when you lose everything to me," Silas sneered and turned away, but not before he locked eyes with Joss with a dare in his green orbs.

"You can tell Jyriah all you want. Syrana will never believe him, and I think we're going to be busy anyway - so he won't get that opportunity until she returns with me. By then, she'll be drunk off of happiness from our vacation, and have no interest in your words. Your call, though."

'Goddess he's unbearably pompous...' Joss thought to himself in awe. 'I thought it was an act - but he really is just a self-absorbed brat, like everyone said he was.'

"Are you proud of yourself, then? You look proud. I hope you keep that smug look. When Metas wipes it off of your face, it will be one of the best moments of my life. Last chance before I wake up Syrana," Joss bluffed.

He knew he stood no chance running fast enough up to the higher levels without tripping, falling, or running into something. He was far too drunk for that, but he played sober pretty well in this tense moment.

"You can just join me instead, you know. I'm the winning team, and we can all be a happy family when its over. I promise to forget this, and move on" Silas offered to Joss with a bit of delusion (he must have been going mad from the pressure to be Alpha).

"Oh - well in that case... Fuck you, I'd rather take a dive into a boiling vat of dye," Joss replied proudly, and with an overly happy smile that spelled sarcasm and anger. "In fact, any other fate sounds better than being at your side."

Silas scrunched his nose up at Joss and made a 'tsch' sound as he left the doors in defeat and anger. He truly wasn't worried about Syrana. They really were leaving early in the morning for a trip to a small village near the mountain where other Lycans lived and ran hospitality homes.

Everything was still fine. He would at least take one thing said to him as good advice: he was going to train harder than before. Metas was going to die by his hands; there were no other outcomes he would acknowledge or plan for.

As the 'Golden child' left their presence, Metas and Joss both transformed back into their mortal states in order to move Myranda carefully as they both delicately ensured to keep her bleeding head as level as possible to avoid causing any other injuries to her.

Even though he had given away that his love for Myranda was still very deep to his most dangerous enemy, he regretted nothing.

'You are as important to me as air,' he thought tenderly as he looked down to her with deep gold eyes that were still glassy from before, but now they held sadness instead of joy.