Axel's POV According to its name, a spiked whip has jagged metal spikes, intricately embedded along its coiled length, with each spike enough to tear through flesh with remarkable ease. No matter how powerful your healing abilities were, you would still feel the excruciating pain of having your flesh torn before it had the time to heal. And it was a process that would repeatedly occur. The handle was carved from sturdy oak, one that wouldn't break so easily and could withstand the tortures of time. One of the Elders instantly retreated, taking one step at a time backward with his gaze darting from my face to the warriors holding one whip in their hands. “W… What do you plan to do?” He stammered, and I smirked deviously. “What does it look like? Didn't you want an elevation in your status?” I asked, crossing my arms with a smile that didn't reach the depths of my eyes. The elder flinched, a
Axel's POV My brows shot up in surprise, but apprehension. I stared at the trembling Elders at the center of the hall and couldn't help but to pursue my lips in annoyance. What would Exalia think if she saw this scene? Looking at the old men groaning in pain, I suddenly felt irritated and angry. I should have eliminated all of them instead of bringing them here. Initially, I brought them here with the mindset that Exalia still feels a touch of belonging to the pack and the people. And I intended to use this to make her accept me, but now I couldn't help but to think that I've made a mistake. Moreover, it wasn't clear to me why Exalia, who had always shown her obvious detest towards me, would want to see me all of a sudden. Apart from the feeling of having my heart scratched by something, I felt a slight trepidation. Especially when I remembered all I have done to her family members. Could it be that
Exalia's POV I glanced at the man with complex emotions, but the one that prevailed the most was hatred and a slight disgust. Back in the Pack, my life couldn't be considered to be smooth sailing, but I had my family with me. Yet now, I have no one, and he even imposes his will on me, forcing me to do things I never wanted to. He wouldn't allow me to live for myself, nor did he give me any leeway. If not for him, the only two family members I had would not be missing by now, and I wouldn't have to worry about them each and every day. Moreover, he claims that I am his mate; I'm very sure he's just trying to force me to be with him. Although I've been rejected, I still feel the broken bond with Jake. It's obvious he's merely lying to have me to himself. “I want to leave.” I repeated when I noticed how silent he had become. With his gaze fixated on me, I stared back, not cowering in the slightest.
Exalia's POV Axel's lips curled upwards in amusement, “I have what it takes to keep you here forever. If I don't want you to leave, then you won't be able to.” He asserted, staring down at me with that same sickening smile.I glared at me, my boiling anger simmering, and on the verge of erupting. But I held back, my gaze boring at his smug expression.“You can continue pushing your weight around, in due time, Alpha Jake will come back and take me from here. You wouldn't even be able to do anything because he's my true mate. For all your strength, you are just an empty, cold tyrant. Hiding behind your title won't change that!” I spat out maliciously. A flash of something ominous flickered in Axel's eyes instantly, his smile faltered, and the temperature in the room suddenly became lower.A bad foreboding emerged in my heart, but I would rather not show any signs of weakness. I didn't want him to see me as a delicate vase, meant to be kept and confined in a space.“What did you just
Exalia's POV“You…" Unable to utter any word, I could only glare at the culprit behind my frustration.Yet, his back remained upright, and his gaze was calm like an old, ageless well, having no ripples or fluctuation.“Your meals will be brought to you at the right time, and your training will continue when I feel it's right.” He added calmly, as if he had the right to make decisions for me.“I won't eat your food, I don't even want to train with you or be in your presence!” I yelled in indignation, the skin around my eyes turning sore.Staying in such an unfamiliar place, not only do I feel uncomfortable, but I felt like an outcast. Now, I didn't even have the right to walk around, who wouldn't get angry at that?“It's for your own good, believe it or not. Until you star
Exalia's POVThe stench clung to my pores, as the rotten eggs splattered against my skin, eliciting a tear on my flesh.Stones came afterward, strong and merciless, each hitting a different part of my body each time - my legs, my arms, my forehead, none was spared.I staggered backward, trying to use my arms to shield the rest of my body, but the attacks came relentlessly, bypassing my weak defense and landing on my already frail body.The copper scent of my blood wafted into my nose, and the pain that flared through my body made me wince repeatedly. “No, I really did not do anything.” I retorted weakly, my voice drawn by the cacophony of insults around me.“Murderer!” One yelled, followed by another one.“Slut! Temptress!” Each word is more hurtful than the last, and they hurt more than the stones and rotten eggs thrown at me.Initially, due to my father's position in the Pack, they would merely cast scornful and contemptuous gazes at me, but now that I had nobody to defend me, they
Exalia's POV I let out a low gasp, feeling his sturdy, hard times chest against my palm, and I could feel the heat from his body transferring to my hands.It was burning.Some women still didn't know what was going on and rattled on. They probably didn't recognize Axel, and even though they were fearful of his oppressive aura, they still parted their lips to talk.“Are you also one of the men she seduced? Let me tell you, that woman is a jinx. Nothing good ever comes from interacting with her.” One woman spat out, hatefully.Another chimed in, “She will ruin you, so you better leave her to us before it is too late.” She uttered through gritted teeth, the sound almost palpable.I could feel the slight tremors from Axel's body, and my heart shook; He was angry, furious even.Yet, the women did not stop and continued hurling words of abuse towards me, making me burrow into Axel's embrace unconsciously, to hide.And, when I realized what I had just done, my cheeks burned in embarrassment
Axel's POV At first, I was taken aback, a sharp pang of surprise struck me, and I was unable to register her words.Then, disbelief took its place, and I stared down at her pretty, oval face, dumbfounded. Exalia's coldness towards me had become something I was already getting used to, her first request seemed almost surreal.An unanticipated joy swept through me, but I hid it under the mask of coldness and anger. I had expected more malice and hostility from her, especially after holding her in my arms without permission. But, her reaction was unexpected. She didn't struggle, nor did she glare at me in hatred as usual. I was thoroughly moved, I would be a fool if I didn't agree to her request.Although I was unwilling internally, I wanted to punish this bastards severely. It was the first time my mate would initiate a conversation with me, so I didn't have the heart to refuse her.“Alright.” I answered briefly, I watched as Exalia snapped her head up at my response. Her beautiful ey
Axel's POV.The tension in the room was thick, almost stifling. I could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on me, but I kept my gaze locked on the old Physician. His words still rang in my head, leaving me shaken. Exalia, the cure? How could that be possible? It didn’t make sense, yet something in his expression told me he believed every word.“Alpha Axel,” the Physician said again, softer this time. “Perhaps we should discuss this in private?”A murmur of disbelief swept through the crowd, and someone scoffed, “Private? What does he mean by that? We all deserve to know!”More voices chimed in, demanding answers. I didn’t blame them; this disease had devastated us all, and they were desperate for hope. But the old man simply shook his head, a steely resolve in his eyes.“This is a delicate matter,” he said firmly. “Not something to be discussed in public without careful consideration.”I could sense the growing frustration around us, but I also knew the old man wouldn’t bend. After a
Exalia’s POVI felt like the world had gone quiet, even as the cries and pleas of people filled the clinic around us. Old man Harrick’s words echoed in my mind, over and over. I might be the cure.A strange chill went down my spine as I tried to process it. “Wait... me?” I asked, pointing a shaky finger at my own chest. “Are you saying I could cure them?”Old man Harrick’s gaze was serious, with a hint of sadness. He nodded. “Yes, Exalia. I believe you hold the answer to this sickness.”Around us, whispers started immediately, sharp and cutting.“What’s this nonsense?” Lucia, one of the pack’s Lunas, scoffed from the back. “How could she, of all people, have the cure?”Others were frowning, shaking their heads in disbelief. I felt my heart sink as a few people murmured, “We’re just wasting time here.”“Have you all lost your minds?” Another voice chimed in. “People are dying, and you’re telling us she is the answer?”I felt doubt and embarrassment rising within me, hot and thick. I co
Exalia's POV The weight of urgency seemed permeable around the clinic, as smells of herbs and blood filled the air.The clinic was bustling with life and death likewise, with clamors and cries of piercing through the air sharply.Women clutched their children tightly, with faces covered in blood, dust and tears, each of them having a look of desperation in their pale faces.Even men were no different, no one pretended to be strong, as they conveyed their fear, grief, and pleas in the most direct way.“Why aren't you attending to my husband? He's dying!” A woman wailed painfully as she clenched the arms of a young man, who was making his way over.“Madam, please wait, we will attend to each one of you.” The man tried to placate her gently, but his smile was forced.They don't even have the cure, so how could they attend to them? He's merely trying to console her. The woman endeavored to grab him again, but he quickly slipped away from her hold.The young man rushed out of the clinic,
Exalia's POV The scholarly Alpha suddenly exclaimed, and I nodded with complex emotions. It turned out that my dream was coming true. Definitely, that black figure should be the witch behind the occurrence in each pack. I added, “Witches are the only beings with the ability to make such a level of destruction take place, and our only witch rival is this witch from the North. Didn't you say that they've been quiet for days? This must be what they are preparing for. The unsure thing is if this disease has reached the other poles, or it's just in our land.” I explained, trying to keep my voice as neutral as possible. I would rather not tell them that thousands of people would still die during this period because I didn't know how I could stop it or even help in reducing the casualties. Yet, I could feel Axel's gaze on my body, and I hurriedly looked away. He's sensitive, so he must have noticed something wrong, but I don't even know how to explain to him.After a while, his gaze lef
Axel's pov I turned to Bernard as well, “After the meeting, make sure that our warriors are okay. If this illness spreads to our warriors, then it would be a disaster, the Border Exchange would even be pointless this time. Furthermore, assign some men to send those spies away from our doorstep. Having them know about all these things would ruin our chances in the exchange as well.”The series of instructions filled the room with an air of solemnity and tension, none of the Alphas spoke up as each of them had contemplative looks on their faces.“We need to find the cause and cure, before we can do anything. And, Old man Harrick is the only person that can help us, I'm not sure if we would be able to find someone else.” Ronan suddenly mentioned, but he was addressing the group of Alphas.I nodded in agreement, “Now, we can only rely on our physicians. Send the news to your people, we don't know how infectious this disease is, so anyone having rashes or boil should be sent to the clinic
Axel's povSeveral voices rang out, but the report was the same. The deaths of countless people, and the cause was unknown. “What are the Physicians saying?” I asked coldly, and Jay shook his head. “They claimed to have not seen a situation like that before.” He replied while trembling, and I paused, contemplating. My eyelids jumped, and a sense of unease swept through my heart, making me stiff on my seat. But, as an Alpha King, I didn't dare to lose my composure.Just then, another warrior rushed in, and I stiffened when I saw who it was. It was one of my elite warriors, but at that moment, he was covered with perspiration from head to toe.A look of sheer terror was plastered on his face, and he seemed breathless. When his gaze fell on me, he fell to his knees before reporting coldly, “My Lord, there's bad news.” His voice was steady, and calm even though his eyes were fearful. I suddenly felt a bad inkling, “What happened?”Brian began, “My Lord, several people fell ill at onc
Exalia's POV An ominous feeling took place in my chest, followed by anxiety that made my palms clammy with sweat.A strange death? Why does it sound similar to the dream I had last night?An Alpha spoke up doubtfully, “It's different from an ordinary chronic flu? How?” He asked, staring at the man named Julian fixedly. The memory from the dream emerged in my mind once again - the way those people dropped to their death without even knowing how, and countless graves that signifies how several people had already died.I pressed my lips into a thin line, before turning to look at Axel, I parted my lips, but no words came out. What could I say? I dreamt people were dying, but so? I didn't dream of how I could be of help.Moreover, it's just a pack, and it's only a few people who lost their lives. It might be simply an ordinary flu that was left untreated for many days, according to Axel.I didn't dare to say anything, and merely watched on with knitted brows, while numerous thoughts flo
Axel's POV“Ignore that.” I instructed calmly, not bothering to glance back at the door. I didn't have that much patience to bother about who could be.The Alphas nodded without rebutting, and I turned to the Alpha who just spoke up, “Increase the vigilance in all the packs, the patrol guards should also increase. We must be vigilant at all times.” I stated in a grave tone, and they all nodded in agreement. Bernard spoke up, “The weapons and equipments are ready for use, we can handpick the better ones after the gathering, and allocate the weapons to the warriors.” I nodded in satisfaction, the blacksmithing chamber had never delayed, and it was no exception this time when it's a crucial moment. Just then, another persistent knock rang out once again, and a commotion from outside the chamber fell into my ears.“I need to go in, this is very important.” An anxious voice rang out, and I knitted my brows in displeasure. “No, you can't go in. There's an important meeting going on insi
Axel's POV Exalia spoke up at this moment, “Also, our movement is being monitored by our enemies as well, so we should be careful of what we do. I advise we do everything secretly, lest they get news of our plans. Most of them should have gotten the news of the witch, so they must be preparing, and they might want to imitate us. If they do, our plan will definitely be exposed, and we would have even more enemies. So, it would be better if we keep our plans inside.” She explained calmly. This time, no one refuted because she was utterly right. Our lands were at stake here, and if those people get hold of them, it would be a massive catastrophe as others will begin to stretch out their claws.Furthermore, if we don't retain the position of the Victor, we would have to give out three portions of our lands, that's almost the same thing as giving everything out. To make things worse, they would be the one to choose the portion of land they wanted, and we must agree or else, the remaini