Alpha Kane's POV:
"Alpha, today we're supposed to visit the Moonlight Pack. The three months are up for the contract renewal," Luke, my beta, reminded me as soon as I stepped into my office. His tone was formal, though we both knew he didn't need to remind me. I never forgot business, especially when it came to matters as crucial as this.
I walked past him, heading straight to the large mahogany desk at the center of the room, my hand trailing over the polished surface. My office was an extension of my authority—strong, imposing, and devoid of unnecessary distractions. The walls were lined with books on strategy, history, and warfare. In the corner, my family crest, the emblem of my lineage, was etched in silver and gold—a wolf standing over a crescent moon.
I'd entered into a contract with the Moonlight Pack a little over a year ago. They had come to me, desperate for help. Their pack was crumbling—too weak to fend off external threats, too poor to rebuild what they had lost over the years. Their alpha had practically begged me to help, offering up anything in return. And so, I had. Protection, finances, resources. Everything they needed to stay afloat.
But my assistance came at a cost.
In exchange, they became indebted to me. They were required to follow my orders without question, to be at my beck and call for any favor or task I deemed necessary. The terms were clear—if they betrayed me, refused my demands, or in any way breached our agreement, I had every right to take over their pack. They would belong to me, every last one of them. Ruthless? Perhaps. But in this world, power was the only thing that mattered. And it wasn't like I forced them to sign the contract. They came to me, and they knew exactly what they were agreeing to.
Luke stood across from me, his sharp eyes watching for any indication of my mood. I sat down in my leather chair, the weight of my position grounding me further. "Are they prepared for our visit?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.
"Yes, Alpha. They've been preparing for days. They understand the importance of today's meeting."
"Good." I leaned back in my chair, my fingers steepled in front of me as I thought about Alpha Samuel of the Moonlight Pack. Weak, desperate, and entirely reliant on me. The man couldn't lead a group of wolves out of a paper bag, let alone protect his territory from rival packs. Without my intervention, they would have been wiped out months ago.
And now, it was time for him to re-sign the contract. Another three months of servitude. Another three months of their pack at my mercy. If they wanted to maintain their precious autonomy, they'd have to play by my rules. Otherwise, they would lose everything.
I thrived on control. It was in my blood, as natural to me as breathing. I had become Alpha not because it was my birthright, but because I was the strongest. The most ruthless. My father had groomed me to lead with an iron fist, and over the years, I had only perfected that approach. I knew what it meant to be a true leader—unyielding, unrelenting, and uncompromising.
Luke shifted slightly, waiting for further instruction. He knew better than to speak unless prompted. I valued loyalty and obedience above all else, and Luke had proven himself time and time again. That's why he was my beta, my second-in-command.
"I want to make sure Samuel understands who holds the power in this deal," I said, my voice cold and calculating. "Remind him, subtly, that without me, his pack would have already crumbled. Let him know that if he even considers trying to find a way out of this contract, he will lose everything he holds dear."
Luke nodded sharply. "Of course, Alpha. I'll make sure the message is delivered."
"Good. And ensure that their pack is prepared for anything I might require. Their loyalty should never come into question." I leaned forward, my eyes locking onto Luke's. "I won't tolerate disobedience."
"Understood."
He left the room after that, closing the door quietly behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I could feel Ash, my wolf, stirring inside me, his presence a constant force beneath the surface. He relished in the control we wielded, the dominance we imposed. The strength of an alpha was in his ability to command respect—through fear, through loyalty, through power.
As I prepared for the visit to the Moonlight Pack, I allowed myself a moment of reflection. I had waited for years for my true mate to show up. Twenty-eight years old, and still, I had found no trace of her. Most alphas found their mates by the time they turned twenty-five, but not me. The wait had been excruciating, each passing year draining the hope out of me. Eventually, I had given up on the idea altogether. That's when I started venturing into darker pleasures.
The BDSM lifestyle had become my outlet, a way to channel the dominance that pulsed through me in a more... physical way. It had started innocently enough, a simple curiosity, but quickly turned into an addiction. I thrived on the control, on the submission of my partners, on the way they bent to my will. Normal relationships bored me, left me unsatisfied. But in this world, where I could dominate, where I could take complete control, I found the release I craved.
I glanced at the clock on the wall. The visit to Moonlight Pack would be brief, but necessary. Afterward, I had another session lined up with Ashley, my latest submissive. She knew what I liked—complete and total surrender. But even with the thrill of these encounters, a part of me remained hollow, as if something vital was still missing.
My wolf grumbled inside, restless as always. Despite everything, I still longed for the connection that could only come with a mate. The primal bond, the soul-deep connection that no amount of power or control could replace. But after years of searching, I had convinced myself that it was nothing more than a fantasy.
Shaking off the thought, I stood up and straightened my shirt. There was no room for sentimentality in my world. I was Alpha Kane, and the only thing that mattered was power and control. The Moonlight Pack would soon be reminded of that fact.
Elena's POV:
The one day I thought my life would change for the better, the day I had been waiting for with so much excitement and hope, became the worst day I could ever imagine. My eighteenth birthday—the day I was supposed to confirm that Derick, my childhood sweetheart, was my mate—had ended in disaster. Instead of joy and celebration, I found heartbreak waiting for me.
As I walked home, my body felt numb, and my mind refused to process what had just happened. My steps were heavy, dragging with the weight of disbelief and confusion. The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the horizon, but to me, everything felt cold and dark. My wolf, Zena, had been silent the entire time. I could feel her sorrow deep inside me, echoing the devastation I was too shocked to fully comprehend.
When I reached home, I paused at the door, my eyes lingering on the decorations my mother had been preparing for my party. Bright streamers and balloons were strung across the porch, and I could hear the faint hum of music from inside. The smell of freshly baked cake drifted through the air, the sweetness now a cruel reminder of what this day was supposed to be. My eighteenth birthday. The day I would kiss Derick for the first time, knowing he was my destined mate.
But none of that was happening now.
Instead, I was left with shattered dreams and a heart that ached so badly, it felt like it was being ripped apart.
I opened the door slowly, stepping inside the house. My mom was bustling around the living room, adding the final touches to the decorations, her face glowing with excitement. When she saw me, her smile faltered. The second her eyes met mine, she knew something was terribly wrong. I didn't need to say a word. One look at my tear-streaked face, and she understood.
"Elena," she whispered, dropping the streamers she was holding and rushing to me.
I collapsed into her arms, the sobs I had been holding back finally breaking free. My mother held me tightly, her hand smoothing over my hair in that soothing way only mothers could do. "What happened, sweetie?" she asked, her voice soft, but there was a hint of worry beneath the calm.
"I-I didn't find him, Mom," I choked out between sobs. "He's not... Derick isn't my mate."
Her grip tightened around me, as if her embrace could shield me from the pain. "Oh, honey…"
I couldn't stop the flood of tears. I had been so sure, so confident that Derick would be the one. Everyone had thought it—my parents, his parents, the entire pack. We had been inseparable since we were children, and it just made sense. Derick had always said we were meant for each other, and a part of me had always believed it, too. But the reality of today had crushed that belief.
It had been the moment of truth, the moment I had been waiting for—the first sight that would confirm our bond, the magical spark that would light up between us, letting us know we were fated mates. But there had been no spark. Nothing. Only an empty, hollow feeling that told me everything I didn't want to believe.
I pulled back from my mom, wiping at my face with trembling hands. "I just wanted him to be my mate, Mom," I whispered, my voice breaking. "I wanted it so badly."
"I know, sweetheart. I know." She stroked my cheek, her eyes filled with sympathy. "Sometimes, things don't work out the way we expect. But that doesn't mean you won't find your true mate. He's out there, waiting for you."
I nodded weakly, but inside, I felt nothing but sorrow. I wasn't ready to hear that. Not yet.
My mom sighed, glancing around the room. The birthday decorations suddenly felt too cheerful, too bright in contrast to the mood hanging between us. "I think… maybe it's time we cancel the party," she said softly, her eyes searching mine for agreement.
I nodded again. There was no way I could face everyone now, not after what had happened. The idea of standing in front of the pack, pretending to be happy, pretending everything was fine… I just couldn't do it. I felt broken inside.
"I'll call everyone and let them know," she said, giving me a gentle squeeze. "But first, let's get you some ice cream."
Ice cream had always been our go-to comfort whenever I was upset, ever since I was a little girl. It didn't solve the problem, but it always made me feel just a little bit better. And right now, I needed that.
As my mom disappeared into the kitchen, I collapsed onto the couch, curling up into a ball. Zena was still quiet, and I could feel her sadness mixing with my own. She had wanted Derick to be our mate too. She had always liked him, always thought of him as a strong potential partner. But fate had other plans, apparently.
Closing my eyes, I tried to block out the pain, but it was everywhere. Every thought, every memory of Derick felt like a fresh wound, like someone twisting a knife deeper into my heart. I had been so sure. And now... everything felt so uncertain.
A few minutes later, my mom returned with two bowls of ice cream, handing me one and sitting beside me. She didn't say anything, didn't try to offer any more comforting words. She just sat there, quietly eating her ice cream, letting me know that I wasn't alone in my pain.
I took a bite of the vanilla ice cream, the cool sweetness melting on my tongue, but it didn't bring the comfort I was hoping for. Still, I forced myself to take another bite, and another, until the bowl was empty. I set it down on the coffee table and sighed.
"I'll be okay, Mom," I said, though I wasn't entirely sure I believed it.
"I know you will be," she replied, her voice full of love and confidence. "You're stronger than you think, Elena. And one day, you'll look back on this and realize that everything happened the way it was meant to."
But that day felt so far away. Right now, all I could feel was the sting of rejection, the pain of losing not just a potential mate, but the future I had always imagined with him.
For the rest of the evening, I stayed on the couch with my mom, the canceled party a distant thought. All the hopes I'd had for today were gone, replaced by the bitter truth that my life wasn't going to unfold the way I had planned. It hurt. It hurt more than I ever thought possible.
But somewhere deep inside, I knew my mom was right. One day, I would find my true mate. One day, this pain would fade.
But for now, I just needed to heal.
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GOT IT