"All accept ksei, Noah Silverton as their King?"
Noah knew he could be challenged for the throne any moment. Then he would have to fight and kill, only to land back at the dais, in front of the Elders of Vermiculo Pack. A pack Noah would be made Alpha of a day after. The coronation before the marking demonstrated that he was to be a King before an Alpha. And challenging the strongest werewolf on land would be folly, yet there was a moment of silence for anyone to arise one.
On his knees, with a wolf's bane flower and a moon stone in either hand, Noah held his breath. He was only eighteen, being handed the throne three years after his father's death, from the clutches of a hungry council who enjoyed their interim rule over Utrif.
He was not prepared for this. But now he had to pretend he was. And he could take on a challenger, couldn't he? Uncertainty clouded his vision for a moment. He shook it away.
The coronation was something made to be after the first kingdom of werewolves—Utrif, itself—came to be. To crown the King of a kingdom. Marking on the other hand, was more traditional to werewolves as their Alpha was marked the leader of their pack till death. His Luna was to be marked with him. But for Noah, he had not yet found his mate. Nor did he care enough to look.
Unease was Noah's only companion as the big stone pendulum moved. Forty-eight ticks was the time allotted for anyone to raise a challenge. Ten more ticks and it would be over.
Three.
Two.
One.
The two minutes for The Objection culminated in songs of silence—agreement.
To the forty-ninth tick, the Elder and council head started, "Noah Silverton, King of Utrif, Ksei of blood and moon, Carer of wolves and Alpha of all Alphas. Rise." His grave of a voice stumbled over the large crowd and echoed back with a blow of cheers.
Despite telling himself he was more than capable of taking anyone on, a wave of relief went over Noah. He rose.
As if sensing this, the Elder's bloodshot eyes landed on Noah with knowledge. He almost shivered but stood tall and passive. The Elder studied him for a moment but not long enough to risk his head. "Accept yourself ksei, as the King of us. The King Of Utrif," he announced.
His voice had a certain question in it. Only a few were able to decipher it. But it was obvious he had voiced his discomfort for such a young King—the youngest they ever had—loud and clear. He had dared to question his King.
Noah was one of the few who noticed the question. He could make a lurch for the Elder's throat, drown him in his own blood or make it so he kills himself. But then again, maybe that would be what he wanted—to make a scene. Therefore Noah stayed still for a moment. If he could not fight with claws, he would fight with bare fingers. That is what he promised his dying father. He would keep the throne. And he would protect it to his dying breath. No matter what.
Meeting the Elder's gaze, Noah grinned and raised his head higher than any of the Kings before him. "I accept."
As will you. He forced his voice into the Elder's mind.
The Elder blinked at the thread.
For I am not for the throne.
The throne is for me.
The Elder dipped down in a bow.
He raised a question. He got his answer. He was lucky enough to only get that one thing. Before Noah changed his mind, the Elder tapped a hand over his chest. "Your Majesty."
In that moment, Noah knew he was better of being feared than respected. If he could not have love, he would have fear. If he could not have loyalty, he would have submission.
The Elder hurriedly slipped the crown of midnight black on Noah's head. The weight that eased on seemed a lot heavier than Noah had expected. He knew it was not only the weight of metal but also the weight of a whole kingdom. He could easily be overwhelmed under it. Had he been two days younger, he would. But now he was everything and nothing. He was a King and an Alpha to-be, but even still, he was what he always was—alone.
Noah smiled from eye to eye. The weight was power. And power was something he never had a taste of in his life. And the second he did, he was disgusted that he liked it.
"We await your first command, Ksei, my Alpha, my King," Elder Ginsa spread a helpless arm toward the crowd.
Noah turned to face the enormity of people—subjects—and they all shifted under the intensity of the moment. Noah could command for them to jump until their feet bruised, shout until their throats soured or kill until their souls shattered. It was the time to make a choice—to make a command. He was more than aware his entire rule depended on what the command would be. And so Noah hoped the people were ready for their new King. For he might have been his mother's son before, but now he was his father's and his alone.
And they had feared his father. Now they will cower at his name like no other. They all will.
He stepped forward. Silence befell the place. And then came a command that would change everything.
"Capture every rogue on our land."
Leona To kill or be killed. That is all it is for Rogues—was for me. No alternative. No say in what I was, where I was and how I was. One path, choice, way and life. Bloodshed. Now, however, I am to be grateful for breathing air in the open and that alone. The tide grows weak every second indicating the sun's arrival. The salty, cold breezes are continuous and harsh. I snuggle closer in the warmth of my jacket, ignoring the buzz of my cellphone. Seconds stretch into long minutes. Sighing out loud, I push myself off the side-walk's railing, seize my cellphone out and with much reluctance, pick up the call. "Yes?" I answer dryly. "Did it help?" the voice is deep, threatening and filled with pent up rage. "What helped?" "Being an idiot and going out in the open at this time." I roll my eyes, knowing the new Alpha can't see me in the least. "Seri sea wall. Taking a stroll." "Your location is the least of my concerns, Leona," he says. "I am the least of your concerns, R
Longing roils in the pit of my stomach as I set foot inside my pack building after weeks. Everything reminds me of him. Every single detail screams of his absence. Death is unforeseen and unsought. It comes knocking at your door and suddenly life doesn't make sense. From the moment I was found by Alpha Renier half dead at the outskirts of their vacation home's hunting grounds, he considered me his own. The pack wasn't given much of an explanation about how the Alpha family suddenly had a new daughter. Most considered me to be an illegitimate child. This made Aria, Alpha Reiner's wife hate me even more. And she made her disdain pretty evident, further feeding the rumours until they became half truths for everyone. Rey, on the other hand, simply did not care. It was like I was never there. Like I didn't matter. I am shaken out of my trance when a there's a sudden pick in my heart beat. It thumps rapidly and continuously. I suddenly feel heavy for some reason.
My feet are stuck in place. My heartbeat is fast. But not because I am scared. I... am happy. There's a certain dizziness that envelopes me whole, heightening my senses. I can feel everything. I can hear everything. My wolf is at the surface. I only feel excitment even though death is directly knocking at my door now. My wolf howls in delight. I feel heavy. Almost as if something is pulling me. "Where are they?" Rey asks. "They are at the embassy," Haze replies. The wave of relief that washes over me and Rey is shared. But then he adds, "however, the head of delegation, along with ten others is here. He is in an audience with the elders right now." Rey swears under his breath. "The meeting is in a week. What is their purpose of coming a week prior" "Due to serious threats to the delegation, there was a sudden change in plans as a security precaution. The Union has decided for the meeting to take place tomorrow. We have just been notified." "Security
"Mate," he says, his voice a silent thunder, a command. As if, he knows who I am, he is just making sure everyone else does either. I have heard stories about this. How you just know. A blessing. No matter who you are, how you are, what kind you are, a blessing for all. But somehow I led myself to believe I was an exception. I have never been so happy to be proven wrong. I raise my hand. He can't be real. I breathe in. I have a mate. I breathe out. My palm touches the fabric of his cursed mask and everything falls into place. I sigh, a wave of gratification rendering me breathless for a whole minute. He's real. "Mine," I gasp, more shocked than joyful. My mate likes that. The slight crinkles under his eyes show that. His eyes are sharp, sweeping through every inch, every corner of me. I do the same. Though, there is not much to find. A dark cloack, a dark mask and a dark cap. All I can see is his eyes. A part of me screams to rip the cloth off his face
Fate plays with you in funny ways. A single look, a single moment, that was all my luck could give me with my mate. I start towards the end of the basement, where Haze mentioned the car would be. Its not there so I wait. The basement is empty. No one in sight. Only their cars. I catch my breath for a second. In just a few hours I will be in Utrif. A place of death for rogues. It doesn't leave me. The reminder that my home is no longer my home. I never belonged anywhere. I had a home. It went away. I found my mate. And I had to walk away. Everything I get, I only get so I can see it being taken away. Pain swirls up my palm. I loosen my nails from there and only then realize the crescent moons reddened in my palm. Within seconds they start to subtly stitch themselves up. Tissues connect slowly. The red dissolves into pink and then finally into its pale tone. But it is for the better— I stand. Scents, bitter and wrong surround me. Rogues. They're here. But I am not sca
Valis lunges forward in less than a moment. I sidestep, movement fluid and precise, and dodge him with no effort. I may have been resting here for seven years but that does not mean I would let the torturous training I endured go to waste. Valis barely has time to react before my fist connects with his jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground. I spin on my heel, my movements a blur, and deliver a swift kick to the other rogue's midsection. He doubles over, gasping for air. Valis lunges again, his claws extended. I dodge, feeling the rush of air as his claws slice through the space where my head had previously been. I counter with a powerful punch to his ribs, the impact reverberating through my arm. Valis staggers but remains standing, his eyes blazing with fury. "You'll pay for that," he snarls, spitting blood on the rough pavement. I aim a kick at his knee but Valis catches my leg, wrenching me off balance. I twist in mid-air, landing awkwardly but on my feet. Pain flar
I am a fast runner. But the kalhyi are faster. I don't count how many of them are there. But they are a big number. And all of them catch up to me in no time. One of them lands a slight blow to my leg. I don't falter. Show pain and you're as good as dead. With a swift, decisive motion, I drive my elbow into its throat. It falls back, immediately going still. I don't stop to monitor its ability to move again and bolt through the endless rows of cars. That's when it happens. Something rakes across my front, sharp and swift. Claws. A loud roar renders the place silent and only when my legs buckle and I come face to face with the ground do I realise it was my roar. Heavy weight pushes me further into the ground. My vision swims with stars. With a single thundering growl, I heave out my claw from under me and dig it into the weight's side with all my might. An even more tremendous wail is let loose at my gesture. I hoist myself up from t
"Let me see your face." His voice sounds like safety. Powerful. I shake my head. My wolf is a slobbering mess, screaming in true delight at the sound of our mate out loud. We stay still for a few minutes. "Are you alright?" he asks in a whisper. The three straight cuts throb, reminding me I am not. I finally pull back, looking up. His face is still covered under the strange looking mask I couldn't decipher in the darkness of the ballroom. But now, in the dim basement lights, I see it and instantly a chill runs down my body. It's an eerie black skull, gleaming ominously with shadowed eye sockets and delicate silver-highlighted cracks. Sharp cheekbones, a jagged nasal cavity and a chillingly realistic grin of teeth enhance its lifelike, unsettling texture. Only the azure of his eyes pokes out. "Take off your mask," I say so, so softly that even I am surprised at my tone. He gives me a half smile. And then one of the men behind him takes a careful step forward. His eyes g