The sun dipped low in the sky, casting long shadows across the arena as Caden stood in the center, every muscle in his body taut, eyes fixed on the beast before him. The pack had gathered around, murmurs of anticipation rippling through the crowd. His parents sat at the front, watching closely—his father with an expression of expectation, his mother with the same cool, unreadable gaze she always wore.
The beast, a monstrous creature with matted fur and razor-sharp claws, snarled, circling him slowly. Caden could feel the tension in the air, thick and heavy.
"Focus, Caden," he thought, keeping his eyes locked on the creature. "Everyone's watching. You can't afford to slip up."
The beast lunged suddenly, teeth bared, claws outstretched. Caden dodged, just barely, feeling the wind of its swipe graze his skin. His heart pounded in his chest. “Too close,” he muttered under his breath. He could hear his father’s voice in his head: "Show them what it means to be an Alpha, son."
He clenched his fists, feeling the surge of adrenaline rushing through him. No more waiting. He needed to end this. With a guttural growl, he shifted into his wolf form, bones snapping, muscles expanding. The pain was familiar, almost comforting. In his wolf’s body, he felt powerful, unstoppable.
He charged, teeth bared, meeting the beast head-on. It was a blur of fur, teeth, and blood. For a moment, the beast had the upper hand, pinning him down with its massive weight, and Caden felt a flash of panic. “Is this it? Am I going to lose… in front of everyone?”
But he pushed back, using all his strength, feeling his muscles burn. He twisted, sinking his teeth deep into the beast’s neck. The creature let out a deafening roar, thrashing violently, but Caden held on, his jaws clamped tight. Finally, the beast went still, its body limp beneath him.
He released his hold and shifted back, panting heavily, sweat trickling down his face. The pack erupted into cheers, his father's nod one of approval, his mother's gaze still inscrutable.
Without waiting for the noise to die down, Caden turned on his heel and strode away from the arena, not bothering to look back. He pushed through the crowd, ignoring the congratulatory slaps on his back, his mind already shifting to his chamber, to rest, to a drink—anything to wash away the adrenaline still coursing through his veins.
Caden stormed into his chamber, the heavy door slamming behind him. He barely glanced at the omega standing there, a tray of wine and food balanced in her trembling hands. He was already pulling off his bloodstained shirt, throwing it carelessly onto the floor.
"Alpha," the omega began hesitantly, stepping forward. But her voice was so soft, he barely heard it.
Lila, his girlfriend, leaned back on the couch, her laughter mingling with the others in the room—his friends, his inner circle.
"You were incredible out there, Caden," she purred, eyes gleaming with admiration. "As always."
He nodded, barely acknowledging her words, reaching for the glass of wine the omega held out. But her hands were shaking, and the glass slipped, the wine splashing onto his chest.
Caden froze, the red liquid soaking into his skin. A stunned silence fell over the room.
"You stupid girl!" he snarled, rounding on the omega. "Do you know what you've done?"
Her face paled, and she quickly dropped to her knees, trying to clean the mess. "I—I’m sorry, Alpha," she whispered, her voice shaking. "It was an accident."
He scoffed, stepping back, his eyes cold. "An accident?" he mocked. "You’re worthless. Can’t even handle a simple task without messing it up."
His friends burst into laughter, and Lila leaned in closer, her smile wide. "Pathetic," she added, her voice dripping with contempt.
The omega’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling as she tried to mop up the wine with her apron. "I can’t cry," she thought, biting her lip to keep the tears at bay. "Not in front of them… not again."
Suddenly, the door swung open, and Kiernan, the pack's commander warrior, strode in, his eyes quickly scanning the room. He took in the scene—the spilled wine, the omega on her knees, Caden’s furious expression—and his jaw tightened.
"Alpha," he said, his voice calm but firm, "Let it go. She’s already sorry."
Caden’s head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. "You dare speak to me like that?" he growled, taking a step toward Kiernan. "Do you think you can tell me how to handle my pack?"
Kiernan didn’t flinch. "I’m just saying," he replied evenly, "There’s no need to make it worse. She’s learned her lesson."
"Oh, is that so?" Caden sneered. "And what do you suggest, Kiernan? Should I let every omega think they can get away with disrespect?"
The tension in the room crackled like a live wire. Lila’s eyes darted between the two men, sensing the danger. The omega remained on the floor, her heart pounding, a mixture of hope and fear coursing through her veins. "Please don’t let this get worse," she silently pleaded. "Just… please."
Kiernan’s gaze hardened. "I’m not challenging your authority, Caden," he said carefully, "But humiliating her in front of everyone? That’s beneath you."
Caden’s anger flared, his nostrils flaring. "Beneath me?" he repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you know better, Kiernan?"
Kiernan squared his shoulders. "Maybe I do," he said, his tone unwavering.
Caden’s lips curled into a cold smile. "Fine. Let’s see if you’re as good with your fists as you are with your mouth. A duel, tomorrow. In the arena."
The omega’s breath caught in her throat. Kiernan didn’t hesitate, his voice steady as he replied, "If that’s what you want, Alpha."
Caden nodded, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "Good. Because tomorrow, I’m going to remind everyone who the real Alpha is."
He turned, walking away without another word, leaving the omega still on her knees, her heart racing, and Kiernan standing tall, his expression unreadable. "What have I just gotten mys
elf into?" Kiernan thought, watching the Alpha’s retreating back.
Aria stood outside the chamber, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been waiting for a few minutes now, rehearsing what she would say, trying to steady her breath. Her hands fidgeted with the edge of her apron, wringing it nervously. Finally, the door swung open, and Kiernan, the pack's Beta and commander, stepped out. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair tousled from the earlier confrontation, his expression thoughtful.Aria immediately felt a blush creeping up her cheeks as she looked up at him, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you… for standing up for me," she said, forcing herself to meet his eyes.Kiernan glanced at her, his gaze calm but distant. "It was nothing," he replied shortly, his tone polite but dismissive. "Just be more careful next time, Aria. You don’t want to be on the Alpha’s bad side."Her heart sank a little at his response, but she nodded quickly, not wanting to seem ungrateful. "I will," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I’m sorry
Caden stood in the center of the pack’s gathering ground, his chest still heaving with anger from his confrontation with the rogue Alpha. His mind raced with the conditions set before him—Mate, or lose the pack. The words echoed in his head like a relentless drumbeat, mocking him, taunting him with their simplicity and brutality.He could feel the weight of his pack’s fear pressing down on him. The usual lively buzz of conversation was muted; their eyes, wide and worried, darted around like they expected an attack at any moment. Mothers clutched their children closer, warriors whispered among themselves, and the older pack members shook their heads with grim expressions."They’re scared," Caden realized, his jaw tightening. "They don’t think I can protect them."He knew he had to act fast, do something to restore their faith in him, something to reignite their spirit and make them believe in their Alpha again. His eyes flicked to the dueling ground, where his Beta, Kiernan, was prepar
Aria lay still on the cold stone floor of Caden’s chamber, every part of her body throbbing with pain. The sharp sting between her thighs reminded her of what had just happened, a cruel, painful reminder that she couldn’t escape. Her breath came in shallow gasps, her chest tight with a mixture of fear, shame, and anger."Get up," she told herself, her mind racing. "Just get up… move."She forced her body to obey, pushing herself up with trembling arms. Her legs felt weak, barely able to support her weight, but she managed to stand. Her clothes were torn, her hair a tangled mess. She brushed a strand away from her tear-stained face, wincing at the sharp pain that flared with the movement. She had to get out of here, away from this chamber, away from him.Her eyes darted to the door. She stumbled towards it, every step a painful reminder of the violence she had just endured. She opened the door, stepping out into the corridor, where several pack members loitered. They turned to look at
Caden sat in his chamber, his fists clenched on the armrests of his chair, his face twisted with frustration. "An omega," he muttered to himself, disbelief and anger bubbling inside him. "Of all the women in this pack, the Moon Goddess chose an omega for me?" He could still hear Elder Thorne’s words echoing in his mind, his father’s stern expression, his mother’s insistent nod. They had already accepted this ridiculous fate, leaving him no choice.The door opened, and his parents stepped in, their faces serious. His father, tall and imposing, crossed his arms and gave him a pointed look."We’ve decided," his father began, his tone brooking no argument. "Aria will be your mate. The ceremony will proceed as planned."Caden’s jaw tightened. "No," he growled, "I will not mate with her. She’s not fit to stand by my side. She’s weak."His mother’s eyes narrowed. "The pack needs a Luna," she said sharply. "And the Goddess has chosen her. You don’t have the luxury of choice, Caden. We need t
“Wait”, Caden growled with panic and fear rising in his heart. His voice quivering and his hands trembling “We.. we can do something about this”, he muttered. His heart pounding fast as he thought about what would become of his fate if the rogue alpha takes over his pack Seeing the fear and distrust in the packs faces, he knew this is not the time to let them down. Silence and fear filled the whole place. Every mother drawing their pups closer to their arms. Caden's parents stood still, speechless with their eyes filled with disappointment. With the fear of not wanting to give up his power and territory to the rogue alpha, Caden decided to brace himself and protect his pack by all means “I can't let this happen. I'm the strongest werewolf and that is why I am the leader of this pack.” “I will not back down now, no… I have to do something. My pack can't see me as a weak Alpha.” He looked at his Father, ready to bring back his father's trust and hope in him as his son, he de
Caden, now fully transformed into his wolf form, faces the rogue alpha at the center of the Arena. The crowd's murmurs immediately turned into a tense silence as they watched.The moon, shining bright, exposed his eyes glowing and his fur shimmering with a deep metallic shin. The rogue alpha ready to start the fight, let out a loud growl, making the atmosphere more tense and engaging. His body muscles large and really built up in a way that it could intimidate his opponent."I can't let my fear show." Caden said to himself almost whispering, as he took his stance, his fist giving him a good balance and ready to go attack form.The weight of his pack's expectation continually weighed him down, but he had to stay strong and not show his weakness.Just then, the words of his father to him resounded in his mind, "a true alpha stays strong to the end, without showing weakness. You are the real son of your father."He tried being motivated by these words but the reality of what was about t
The arena was blood soaked, silence filled the whole place. Indeed the pack of Darkwood territory just witnessed a kind of fight that has never happened in the whole history of darkwood.The rogue alpha laid lifeless, he had just barely survived. Blood gushed out of his face, sides and claws.The crowd couldn't believe that the rogue alpha had been defeated. They looked at him like a fallen Goliath.Caden, now satisfied that he had won, staggered and was headed back to his chamber.His vision was very blurry, his fur soaked with blood, his legs shaky and some of his claws broken. His injuries and wounds were so much that one could tell that he had narrowly escaped death.As he was staggering back to his Chamber, faced down, and silent his legs were beginning to fail him.The tension and panic in the air kept reducing, the pack began to whisper and murmur.Some still had doubts lingering in their heart, while some said silent prayers of relief for their wounded alpha.Though the rogu