GUNNARI wanted to kill him. I was already visualizing my fingers wrapping his frail neck and snapping his bones into half. My claws itched to extend and my fangs almost bared at him as I stood at the entrance. After leading the pack run and handling some important matters, I returned to the house but didn't find Aqua. When I discovered that she hadn't come back yet, I became more worried about her condition, wondering if her condition was actually worse than it looked this morning. But here, she was, holding another man's hand. Or was it the other way around?A low rumble echoed through my chest as I watched River tighten his hold on my mate without looking, his attention completely focused on the medical kit he was reassembling with his other hand.She was mine. And the fact that he had his hands on her obviously meant that he was asking for death. I stepped into the house, barely clinging to my sanity as I approached them. A wave of possessive anger swept over me when I saw thei
GUNNARWe left the pack healer's house after Aqua finished her tests and received her new prescription. I kept thinking about how to discourage River from openly pursuing Aqua since he had already made his intentions known. I wasn't concerned about my mate cheating on me since I had my wolves watching her closely, but I knew that his affections would only complicate my plans to hide Aqua in the pack until I succeeded in breaking up this mate bond.As we walked towards my car, Aqua stole several nervous glances at me and fiddled with her dress. The fact that I could still sense her fear through the muted mate bond made me realize how terrified she was then. And it was clear as day that the source of her distress was me.I sighed and paused in my tracks, turning to her. "Tell me why you are so afraid of me.""What?" Aqua's eyes widened, a mixture of shock and anxiety swirling within them. "I don't understand what you are talking about." she denied.The way she quietly retreated when she
AQUAMy legs shook as I stepped down from Gunnar's car, my heart racing in my chest. I felt like one of my worst nightmares had finally materialized before me and there was nothing I could do to stop it. But I felt this was the right thing to do and the only way to get rid of everyone's curious gazes once I stepped out of the house. Besides, I was lucky to be only receiving curious gazes, because most packs would have thrown me out after a day or two, without a proper introduction.I swiped my sweaty hands on my jeans for the umpteenth time and tried to walk properly toward the meeting hall when I sensed Gunnar's gaze on me. He promised to do his best to protect me once I stepped in there, but I was not inclined to believe him, given his position. His first and utmost priority was his pack, and if I failed to win their trust, then he would have no choice but to let me leave.Once we reached the meeting hall, Wilder pushed open the doors and stepped aside for Gunnar to pass through. My
AQUA After the introduction ritual was completed, Gunnar stepped back, waiting for the rest of the pack to welcome me to the pack. But none of them moved, not a single one. The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward as they stared at me, their looks distant and cold. I could understand the dominants' reactions towards me, but the submissives... Even the submissive wolves didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me, and I couldn't imagine why. Confusion twisted in my stomach as I tried to fathom the depth of their rejection. I felt utterly exposed and vulnerable. The open disdain was like a hot knife slicing through my chest, each look a painful reminder of my unwelcomeness. Gunnar stiffened when he saw the scene, but he didn't move one bit. Their obvious rejection felt like a hot knife slicing through my chest, but my mate did nothing to change the situation. He simply crossed his arms and watched, staring at the people with an emotionless expression. Tears slowly blurred my vi
GUNNARShe said yes to River.The thought replayed in my mind as I watched her converse with my pack healer. Though I was the one who encouraged her to make such a decision, I hadn't expected her to heed my words but she had actually agreed to go on a date with him. My wolf was furious at both of us, but most of his anger was directed at me for letting such a thing happen.But what could I have done?Aqua might have thought she had done a good job of hiding it, but I had caught her staring at him multiple times in secret. Her face lit up like a Christmas tree whenever he was around, and she seemed more carefree with him than with me. As a submissive wolf, it was apparent that his constant acts of kindness had moved her, and River had proven his manliness with his courage, standing up for her in front of the entire pack. But she had no fucking idea how difficult it was for me to endure such a scene. When the pack members refused to welcome her, my wolf's emotions almost overwhelmed
GUNNARWilder and I walked into the room where we met the alphas almost tearing their throats out. In fact, they would have probably done so if their Betas were not holding them apart with all their might. I scanned the room, taking in all the damage they had caused. A fresh new wave of frustration and anger swelled in me when I saw the place, my heart tearing for the effort and money it had taken to renovate this side of the meeting hall last month.But this was just one of the many cons of being the Alpha King. Not only did I suffer the risk of getting my properties damaged, but I also had to deal with unreasonable, crazy alphas almost every week. There were more than fifty packs located on the Wysteria continent, excluding the minor packs that preferred to live quietly. The problem was the major packs, which always fought with each other over insignificant issues such as pack boundaries, business deals, and even pack ranking. My responsibility was to keep them in check and ensure t
AQUAAfter Gunnar and the other dominant wolves left, I found myself alone with the submissive wolves of the Storm Fire Pack. I was sure they had all witnessed the scene where River hugged me and the moment Gunnar came to my aid. It was hard to read their expressions, so I kept to myself. Then, someone approached me."Um, hello?" A young woman in her early twenties greeted me. She was an attractive female with orange flame-colored hair styled in a half-bun and freckles sprinkled across her face. "I'm Kianna," she introduced herself. I quickly shot to my feet, swiping my hands on my dress before shaking her outstretched hand. She seemed to be a first-tier submissive wolf, as I found it difficult to hold her gaze. "I'm Aqua. Nice to meet you," I replied."Yeah, I know," she grinned, revealing her bunny teeth. "You just had your introduction ceremony an hour ago, remember?" I wasn't used to such friendly interactions, so I quickly lowered my head, my apology spilling out in a rush. "I
AQUAHannah wanted to...meet with me?After parting ways with Kianna, I took a taxi to the café where Kianna told me she would be waiting. My heart was pounding loudly in my ears when the vehicle finally stopped in front of the café.But it was just a meeting. So why were my legs trembling?I paid the taxi driver and faced the café. I felt like I had run a marathon to get here, yet there was a cold chill running down my back. I wondered if I should make up some excuse and return but I knew from experience that it wasn't the best solution.I took a deep breath, mustering every ounce of courage I had, and pushed open the door to the bustling café. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee surrounded me, mingling with the chatter of lively conversations. Despite the vibrant atmosphere, I found it difficult to spot Hannah among the customers.Just as I was beginning to feel overwhelmed, a familiar voice called out to me from above, cutting through the noise. "Hey, Aqua! Over here!" she wave
GUNNARAfter what I did to Aqua, I spent the rest of my day trying to concentrate on my work. There were several documents stacked on the table, waiting for my signature, but I just couldn't summon the fucking mindset to handle it. Not when I was feeling like shit for putting my mate through this mess, even when it was for her own sake.Aqua was really mad this time, and I had no idea how long it would take to appease her. Regret tinged in my heart when I thought of how distraught she looked as I put on the necklace. I realized there must be some trauma attached to her aversion towards it, but it was already too late.A knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts, and I grimaced at the interruption. "Come in," I said firmly.Ressa peeked her head around the door, flashing a smile as she entered the room. Her red heels clicked against the wooden floor, and her yellow skirt swayed as she walked. She placed a food basket on the table and said, "I noticed you haven’t eaten since last
GUNNARAs soon as Aqua was done talking, she immediately spun around and started walking towards the door. The sight was slightly amusing and infuriating at the same time. I took some time to appreciate the sight of her ass before I got up from my seat. Aqua's eyebrows shot up when she saw me right in front of her. My hands slammed the door shut as I stared down at the woman who had the guts to yell at me. “So you think you can strut in here with your bubble ass, scream at me, and walk away? Hmm?” My voice came out low and smoky. I leaned in slightly, my presence swallowing hers. “You're trying my patience, woman.”Aqua's dilated eyes immediately hardened when she felt my hands roam down to her waist. She shoved me away and replied. “Well, I don't care, Gunnar. There's no way I'm wearing that collar!”“So that's why you resorted to ato threats,” I growled, my anger rising to the surface. “You do realize that there's no way I'm going to leave you, right? You must wear that collar, A
AQUAI knew I was making a foolish decision to enter the heart of the pack once again, but I had no choice since that was where Gunnar had chosen to stay for the time being. Thinking about Fawn, I couldn't help but worry how she was faring without her father watching over her. Although she was a spoiled, selfish brat who had caused me problems so many times, I couldn't forget that she was just a child. That's why I intended to speak to Gunnar about these matters once and for all. When the cab pulled up in front of the meeting hall, I paid the driver with the spare change I’d grabbed from the counter and stepped inside. The moment I crossed the threshold, I froze. The interior was unrecognizable, transformed into something cold and unsettling. A shiver ran down my spine.Who in their right mind would request an audience with the Alpha King in this place?“Excuse me!” a voice called out. As I continued to examine the place, a hand suddenly tapped my shoulder, causing me to turn around
AQUAA week later..."Excuse me, may I book a reservation for massage therapy next week?"I suppressed a smile when Kinna replied to the customer in her soft, demure voice. I had already told her the minimum number of customers we should take daily for our new business, but it seemed she also had a difficult time refusing the people who requested our services.Our business was only a week old, yet we were already having more customers than expected. After taking a stroll through the pack, I realized Kianna had been underestimating the degree of hatred the people there had for me. I still didn't know what rumors Hannah had spread against me, but everyone I saw kept giving me hostile looks, so I quickly abandoned the plan I had in mind.I knew I needed to find a job after leaving Gunnar's house and returning his credit card. The problem was that no one was willing to hire me, and I couldn't risk venturing out of the Storm Fire pack since submissive wolves were often victims of rape and
AQUAAfter meeting Gunnar last night, he took me to another house in the center of the pack and left me there. It was a house that was once occupied by the previous alpha of the Storm Fire pack, but Gunnar refused to stay there after he was appointed. I guess it was because of Tia, who had been hiding her identity as a rogue wolf, and now his daughter, whom the pack wasn't aware of.I waited patiently for him to return, but he never returned that night. The next morning, Gunnar finally returned to the house during the early hours when I was sleeping. I felt light taps on my body, causing me to open my eyes to see a young woman staring at me."Hello!" she greeted me with a bright smile. "I see you are finally awake. Gunnar is waiting for you in the living room."When I heard her words, I stopped rubbing my eyes and darted towards the door. But the lady appeared again, blocking my path with her arms spread wide."I think it would be best if you freshen up first," she advised, her tone l
AQUAAfter hearing the entire situation of the pack, I was so speechless and shocked that I turned speechless. According to what I heard from Kianna, Gunnar had transformed into the incarnation of a demon king. He now meted out his punishments with a cold, precise practicality and the news of his sudden change of behavior was spreading fast across the other packs. “So where is he now?” I asked, nervousness sinking into my chest. If I could just locate him, I was sure that I would be able to talk some sense into him. Kianna replied. “He's on a royal tour right now. From what I heard the ladies speaking, a total of five alphas have died recently after his visit.”I buried my face into my hands, my eyes closing from despair. “Oh, dear goddess.”After hearing everything, I couldn't help but think that's it was my fault. Gunnar's wolf must have panicked about my condition and gone crazy. My biggest fear was pushing him into a rogue state that would ultimately lead to his death.And then,
AQUAI felt like I woke up from a dream. A very bad dream. When I finally woke up, I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn't dead before I tried out other subtle movements to check if I was still able to move. My muscles felt tight and sore, making me wince from the actions. I summoned the strength to sit up and placed my feet on the cold, tiled floor. The moment I tried to stand, a wave of dizziness enveloped me, forcing me to collapse back onto the bed with a soft thud. As I lay there, my eyes began to wander around the room, searching for information about my surroundings. It felt both strange and oddly familiar. The decor was minimalist, yet it held a certain warmth. The walls were occupied by the presence of luxurious furs that adorned the space. Rich fur mats covered the floor, plush fur blankets draped gracefully over the furniture, and the bedsheets were a soft, inviting layer that promised warmth and comfort. From what I could tell, this was Gunnar's room. My he
GUNNARNathaniel and his sons knelt down in front of me, their faces scrunched in pain. They must have all forgotten about their beasts' instinct to submit to the most powerful wolf in the pack. I reveled in their unwilling deposition, their human minds warring against the undeniable law of nature.Pathetic creatures.With slow, measured steps, I stood before Nathaniel, observing him. His entire forehead was covered with large beads of sweat, yet he still managed the calm deposition of a head elder. “Now that your third son is out of the way, let's talk about the important matters we need to discuss...” I said, staring down at him. “...the first one being the question about what audacity you had to arrive after me. Did you hit your head somewhere today?”Nathaniel's lips remained shut even though his entire body was trembling from head to toe. I commanded him. “Speak.”“N-No, Your Majesty,” he sputtered. I narrowed my eyes at him, my voice growing darker. “Do I look like your fuckin
GUNNARAs I parked my car near the meeting hall, I stopped to check if the people I had been waiting for had arrived. However, their absence could already be sensed by the lack of cars in the parking lot. But I reined in my anger and entered the building, my boots hitting the asphalt with purpose. Once my secretary saw me, she immediately shot to her feet, her posture rigid as she paid her respects. “Y-Your Majesty,” she greeted, her voice trembling. “Y-You are finally here. I have been waiting—”I cut her off, my patience reaching its limits. “Announce me.” My secretary blinked once to process my orders fully, and then she walked towards the door to announce me. “His Majesty is here!”As I walked into the room, a sudden hush fell over the entire place, expelling the previous noise. The people present were mostly elders who had nothing to do with the case and the pack priestess who was here to make sure the chaos happened to a minimal degree. They bowed their heads towards me as