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Damian Wayne had just finished his daily training and was returning to his room when he heard his mother, Talia Al Ghul, talking to his grandfather in his room.
Damian stopped at his door, unsure whether or not to enter so as not to disturb them but his grandfather's voice called him before he could leave.
- Come in nephew -
Damian executed his grandfather's order, entering his sober bedroom and bowing to both relatives, which earned him a look of approval from his mother, and stood waiting to hear his grandfather explain.
- We have heard that Marinette Woosan Fu, daughter of Sabine Woosan and grandson of the Great Guardian of the Miraculous, is a powerful omega. I want you to train to the best of your ability so that one day when his mother and father give a Conclave for his hand, you win. -
Damian never forgot those words. For two years he trained even harder, determined not to disappoint his mother and grandfather, and if he was good before now he was perfect.
After Slade's betrayal, when he met his father and his wards, despite the contempt he felt for them he slowly began to admire them for their skills, especially when they offered to teach him as he became more civil with them.
Dick Grayson, by far his favorite brother, taught him how to be agile, how to push his body to the max in incredible stunts.
From Jason Todd, by far the brother he had to work hardest with to build a peaceful relationship, he taught him how to shoot. Damian already knew how to do it but Jason... Jason was a born sniper but with an incredible ferocity even in hand-to-hand combat with a knowledge not to be underestimated about all firearms.
It had been difficult with Tim Drake. At first they despised each other and it took three years to come to see themselves as reluctant allies and another two to be able to say they had a more or less civil relationship. Tim was a genius, he instructed him in military tactics and decoding making Damian an incredibly better strategist than he was before his lessons and for that, he would always be grateful to him.
Cassandra was his favorite sister, the one that every member in the family had sworn to protect (not that she needed protection), and Cassandra had instructed Damian to have body language as a second language.
Barbara was a computer goddess. There was nothing that could escape her, online or otherwise, and Damian had learned so much from her, from hacking to knowing how to fight despite the fact that at times it just seemed too difficult to get up. From Barbara, Damian had learned what it meant to fight not only to prove to others that you are capable but also to yourself.
From Stephanie, Damian had learned stealth. His brother's ex-girlfriend was a master of everything related to that field and was a great training partner being an incredibly talented martial artist.
But from his father... From his father Damian had learned the most important lesson. Justice, not revenge. Bruce had taught Damian not only martial arts or military strategy but had taught him to control thirst, the constant urge to shed blood.
At eighteen, Damian was in both the Avengers and Justice League ranks, one of the strongest all-human warriors on earth, as well as a powerful Alpha.
And even today he had never forgotten about Marinette Woosan, the one he aspired to have as a life partner.
Damian adjusted the cuffs of the bottle green jacket he was wearing, watching the crowd with keen eyes.
Today was the day of the Conclave of Marinette Woosan Fu and he was present along with his brothers and sisters.
His father hadn't wanted to come, not when Selina Kyle, Damian's stepmother, was already in her ninth month. Bruce had preferred not to risk leaving his pregnant partner near so many aggressive Alphas, but had wished Damian victory despite his initial disapproval.
Tim was somewhere with his recently discovered True Companion, Chloe Bourgeois, Alpha female of the ancient Bourgeois dynasty. They had met just three weeks earlier, at a business meeting between the WE and MWF where the girl was CO-CEO with Marinette herself, managing the business and they had started to get to know each other, wanting to wait for Chloe to turn at least eighteen before starting to hang out.
Damian had no idea where Dick and Barbara were but he saw Stephanie talking to a charming dark red haired Alpha who he immediately recognized as Radislav Stark, eldest son of billionaire Tony Stark.
A cold and impassive guy who apparently was having a lot of fun talking to the blonde haired beta.
Damian frowned at the sight. It wasn't common for Betas and Alphas to mate, especially for a strong Alpha like Radislav, but the boy was known for not following the rules and going his own way and Stephanie was probably the most interesting girl he'd ever met judging by genuinely interested expression on his face.
Jason was openly flirting with a young omega that many males had previously noticed but she had chased away even though she seemed fascinated by Damian's older brother. She had straight red hair, left loose on her bare shoulders and gray eyes that hid mischief and cunning. Rhiannon, Radislav's younger twin sister, a young celebrity according to Cassandra, as first dancer of the Paris Scala.
Cassandra was on the small raised stage at the back of the elegant hall talking to Marinette. Sabine and Sandra, their mothers, were in fact sisters and Cassandra had taken the opportunity to introduce herself to her cousin in person for the first time ever.
Marinette was sitting in the center chair of the podium, three wolves that Damian recognized as Felix Graham de Vanily, Kagami Tsurugi and Luka Couffaine, were lying at her feet ready to attack at the slightest threat to the girl. Of the three only Kagami was an Alpha while Felix and Luka were a beta and an omega respectively.
Marinette was probably the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Black blue hair left loose on the shoulders and deep sapphire eyes. She was dressed in a traditional quipao in red and gold and had a gentle smile on her face that caused Damian's heart to twitch.
- It's time - Wang Fu said, looking at the crowd that suddenly became silent.
Damian took a step forward towards the stage, so did at least thirty other males and Marinette turned slightly paler to see exactly how many had come for her hand.
Damian saw out of the corner of his eye his brothers at the edge of the circle that had formed around the participants who stared at him with determined looks on their faces, showing him that no matter what happened they were with him. They were his family, all of them. On stage, Sabine Woosan had joined her daughter with husband Tom Dupain an omega of a powerful Italian dynasty and Rhiannon, Radislav and Chloe had joined in their wolf form with their friends to protect Marinette in case of need.
Damian took off his jacket and shirt, revealing his beautifully sculpted bare chest, which was covered with numerous scars. He smiled with satisfaction at the slightly awed looks of the other Alphas as he saw how many battles he had already won.
Damian had become the Alpha of the Titants at the age of fourteen and was one of the Alphas of the "Protective Braco of Gotham City". He wasn't afraid of thirty kids who wanted Marinette Woosan's hand out of sheer whim. Wang Fu studied all the contestants before slamming his cane three times on the ground. On the third blow, Damian snapped.
The first ten minutes became blurry as he fought. Many fell by his hand and he was still in human form. The shots were non-lethal sure, but enough to knock them out of the competition and it only took fifteen minutes for the three to remain. The first, from the files that Tim had found was Kim Le Chien a strong young Alpha of eighteen and was more aggressive, not using a real strategy. He was already in his wolf form and had probably broken his last opponent's spine, he noted with disgust. The second was blond and thin, also in human form and ... he had a silver ring. That boy was Adrien Agreste, owner of the Black Cat and obviously once he knew Ladybug's identity he had run to participate.
But what worried Damian was the spark of madness in his gaze. That guy was obsessed with Marinette, he would belittle and abuse her if he became her mate and he couldn't allow it.
Likely future mate or not, Marinette deserved respect and would fight to offer her that.
He looked for a moment at the girl who was staring pale at Adrien and clenching her fists. S
he smelled of barely suppressed disgust and anger, directed at two girls who watched her with ill-concealed jealousy. Lila Rossi and Alya Cesaire. The first, nothing more than a social climber and the second a gullible woman who did not know how to think for herself.
Looking at Marintte's blue eyes, which returned the gaze, Damian called the wolf within himself who joyfully answered the call and felt the familiar pain of breaking bones and fur covering him. A majestic black wolf was now in its place and Damian growled before lunging at his first opponent: Kim. A bite in the side that made him cry out in pain and he threw him sideways turning to face Agreste.
Adrien was here to redeem the Agreste surname after the revelation that his father was Hawkmoth and was surprisingly calm despite the situation. He thought he had victory in hand, Damian realized.
With a grin he turned human again, displaying the blood of his opponents on his body like armor and tilted his head. - Adrien Agreste, keeper of the black cat - he declared as the crowd panted. - Should I meet you? - he asked furious for his revealed identity trying to humiliate him.
Damian smiled showing a row of perfect teeth showing the brat that he didn't fear him at all as he wished. - Damian Al Ghul Wayne. Current Head of the Demon. - he introduced himself with a half and mocking bow as Adrien turned pale and the crowd gasped again in surprise.
Not just because of his surname Wayne but he had just claimed to be the head of the League of Assassins. He was staring only at Adrien who growled. - I am the black cat. I am his true companion. - he spat hatefully showing his fangs, while Damian pulled out his claws.
- Really? You just look like an obsessed kid to me. Being the black cat doesn't make you her True Mate. - Adrien only seemed to get angry and Damian could sense Marinette's surprise at her words.
- I am the destruction and she is the creation. You may be the Demon's Head but she is mine. What is it that you can offer her that the Lord of Destruction cannot? - he asked, looking mockingly at him.
- Respect - Damian replied. - Because unlike you I would not treat it as a toy or as a prize to be won despite this competition. If when I beat you she refuses me as her mate I will be happy to retire asking only for her friendship and nothing else. -
Damian could smell Marinette's friends change and he felt… respect. Admiration. For him, who cared about their friend's happiness. And from Marinette who was now gaping at him, Damian felt affection.
Hope.
Hope that someone who seemed to care about her could win.
Damian looked at Sabine and Tom who nodded and then Wang Fu and in an instant he knew that he had earned their admiration. Adrien had presented himself claiming their daughter, and granddaughter, as an object while he had publicly declared that he would give her a choice.
Damian turned to his brothers who smiled proudly to see how much he had changed from the killer child they first met. And he knew what to do.
When Adrien tried to punch him, he squeezed his hand in a vise, broke his wrist and kicked him in the gut before grabbing him by the neck and slamming him to the ground making his bones make a not exactly pleasant noise. Adrien tried to fight, but the boy was sure that once he declared his being Chat Noir he would be greeted immediately and that his opponents would bow to him, but Damian would only bow to one other person.
Marinette.
- You don't deserve it - he whispered, snatching the ring from his hand and leaving Adrien on the ground.
Damian heard the cheers of the crowd and walked straight to the stage, ring in hand. He fell to his knees in front of Marinette, handing her the Miraculous.
He heard her get up and approach him as silence fell and he lifted his face to show her throat.
Another series of whispers swept through the crowd. An Alpha that showed in front of so many people, submission to an omega.
Marinette smiled at him and took the ring in her hand, ignoring Adrien's angry cries as he was being carried away by the guards. - Would you really do it? Would you give me a choice? - She asked in a low voice to keep everyone from hearing.
Damian nodded and Marinette seemed to be studying him as if looking for a lie he couldn't find.
Respect, he promised her. And he kept his promises.
Damian felt a pull in his chest, a deep and primal joy as Marinette bent down to kiss his forehead in an almost maternal gesture. True Mate realized. Marinette was his true Mate.
- It will be an honor to be your True Mate Damian Al Ghul Wayne- She declared as the crowd roared in joy, making him stand up.
Wolves were attracted to strong guidance.
Damian Al Ghul Wayne was the strongest young Alpha in the world, the Demon Head, one of the White Knights of Gotham, as well as secretly a vigilant.
Marinette Woosan Fu was the future Great Guardian of the Miraculous, the bearer of the Ladybug, respected by the Asgardians, Amazons and Atlanteans, a heroine and the strongest omega ever capable of being able to fight with an Alpha and win.
- The honor is mine, my Queen - he declared, kissing her knuckles.
And when he knelt down again, they all did.
Respect. For his Queen, whom he would protect at any cost.
For the Queen who unknowingly stole his heart years ago.