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 preparing. The earlier challenge hung in the air between them like a heavy cloud.
Caden took a deep breath, forcing a smile that he hoped appeared confident. "Alright, everyone!" he shouted, clapping his hands together. "Let’s have a bit of entertainment, shall we?"
The pack members turned to look at him, their faces still tight with anxiety, but there was a flicker of curiosity. A murmur went through the crowd.
"Kiernan!" Caden called, his voice booming. "Let’s give them a show. Remind them what true warriors look like."
Kiernan nodded, stepping forward, his expression calm and controlled. "As you wish, Alpha," he replied, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes—determination, or perhaps defiance. He knew this wasn’t just about entertaining the pack. This was about proving himself.
Aria stood at the edge of the crowd, her heart pounding against her ribs. She couldn’t take her eyes off Kiernan. "Please, be careful," she whispered under her breath, knowing he couldn’t hear her, but hoping somehow her thoughts would reach him. "Don’t let him hurt you."
The duel began with a flurry of movement, both men circling each other, their muscles tense, eyes locked in a predatory gaze. Caden lunged first, his fists aimed straight at Kiernan’s chest, but the Beta dodged quickly, moving with a speed that surprised even Caden.
"He’s fast," Caden thought, narrowing his eyes. "But I’m stronger."
They clashed again, a blur of fists and claws, the sound of blows landing echoing through the clearing. The pack watched with bated breath, their tension easing into shouts and cheers. For a moment, they were caught up in the fight, their fear of the rogue Alpha forgotten.
Aria’s eyes never left Kiernan. Every move he made, every dodge, every strike, she watched with a mix of fear and admiration. "He’s holding his own," she thought, her heart swelling with pride. "He’s really doing it."
But then, in a sudden move, Kiernan ducked low, his body twisting like a snake, and he lashed out with his claws, aiming for Caden’s face. His claws made contact, slashing across Caden’s cheek, leaving three deep marks. Blood instantly welled up, dripping down Caden’s face.
A collective gasp swept through the crowd. Silence fell over the clearing. Even the wind seemed to stop. The only sound that followed was Aria’s uncontrollable cry of joy, her voice ringing out in the stillness. "Yes!"
All eyes turned to her. Her face went pale as she realized what she had done. Her hand flew to her mouth, but it was too late. She could feel the weight of every stare, the judgment, the shock. She quickly looked down, her heart hammering, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Caden’s eyes, dark with fury, locked onto her. His bloodied face twisted in anger, his gaze piercing through the crowd like a dagger. "Her?" he thought, rage boiling inside him. "She dares to celebrate my pain?"
Without a second thought, he roared and lunged at Kiernan with renewed ferocity. Kiernan barely had time to react before Caden’s powerful form collided with him, sending them both crashing to the ground. Caden's hand went to Kiernan's throat, squeezing tightly, his other hand raised, claws poised to strike.
Kiernan struggled beneath him, his breath coming in short, desperate gasps. "He’s going to kill me," he realized, staring up into the Alpha’s blazing eyes. "This isn’t just a fight anymore… he’s really going to do it."
But before Caden could bring his claws down, his father’s voice cut through the air like a whip. "Stop this madness, Caden!" his father shouted. "Enough!"
Caden hesitated, his hand still raised, his chest heaving. Slowly, he lowered his claws and released Kiernan, stepping back with a snarl, but not before glaring at Aria again. His father’s intervention had saved Kiernan, but it did nothing to calm the storm brewing inside Caden.
"Get up," he snapped at Kiernan, his voice cold and hard. "This isn’t over."
Back in his private chamber, Caden paced, his mind a whirlwind of anger and frustration. "She dared to mock me," he thought, his fists clenching at his sides. "An omega… laughing at her Alpha. I’ll make her regret it."
He barked an order at the guards outside his door. "Bring her to me," he commanded, his voice like steel. "Now."
A few moments later, the door creaked open, and Aria was pushed inside, her face pale and her eyes wide with fear. She stumbled forward, trying to steady herself, her heart racing.
Caden stared at her, his eyes dark, his expression unreadable. "Do you think this is funny, Aria?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "Do you think it’s amusing to see your Alpha wounded?"
Aria shook her head quickly, her voice trembling. "No, Alpha… I—I didn’t mean—"
"Silence!" he roared, taking a step closer. "You humiliated me in front of my pack. You dared to show your joy at my pain."
Tears welled up in her eyes as she lowered her head, her body trembling. "I’m sorry," she whispered. "I… I wasn’t thinking…"
Caden closed the distance between them, his breath hot on her face. "Sorry isn’t good enough," he growled, his hand gripping her arm tightly. "I think you need to be taught a lesson in respect."
Before she could react, he pulled her closer, his grip firm and unyielding. "No, please," she whimpered, struggling against him. "Alpha, don’t… please…"
But he didn’t stop. His hands moved over her body, and despite her attempts to push him away, she was too weak. His strength overpowered her, and soon he had his way with her, forcing her onto the bed. She closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face as she felt the weight of his body against hers.
Inside, her mind screamed, her thoughts a whirl of fear and confusion. "Why is this happening? Why now?" But her voice was silenced by his force, her body yielding under his control.
When he was done, he pulled away, leaving her lying on the bed, her clothes torn, her dignity shattered. He stared down at her with a mixture of contempt and satisfaction.
"Remember this, Aria," he hissed, his voice cold. "Remember what happens when you challenge your Alpha."
And with that, he turned and walked out, leaving her alone in the darkness, the tears flowing freely now, the reality of what had just happened sinking into her bones like ice.
"What have I done to deserve this?" she thought, curling into herself, her body trembling. "Why… why me?"
But no answers came. Only the cold, hard silence of the empty chamber.
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
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
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