Another Alpha King

Zarek's POV

"Leave?!" The word barely registers in my mind before a visceral shockwave slams into me. I hadn’t expected the act of rejecting Elara to hurt so damn bad. Everything with Vexia had unfolded at breakneck speed, and I needed to do something to call a truce before things got really ugly. But the moment Elara uttered the quiet words of acceptance, my chest felt like it was violently caving in and exploding simultaneously. A terrifying mixture of liquid fire and jagged ice stabs relentlessly through my veins, tearing me apart from the inside out.

Deep in my head, my inner wolf, Bane, is a bellowing, furious, inconsolable wreck. He thrashes violently against the confines of my mind, snarling and gnashing his teeth at my profound stupidity. It’s so deafening in my head from his roaring that I can barely string a coherent thought together.

I force my jaw to clench tight and my posture to remain perfectly straight. I clap my hands once, hard, forcing myself to remain calm amidst the blinding pain. I must be rational. An Alpha King must always act for the greater good and stability of the pack, not his own selfish desires. Bane will just have to understand that one day, though judging by his furious, blood-curdling roars, that day isn’t coming anytime soon.

"Please, just… allow me to leave the pack," Elara had begged, her voice barely a whisper. She stared blankly at the floor tile, utterly refusing to even look me in the eye as she asked to defect. The very thought of her packing her bags and abandoning me entirely sends fresh, scorching fire rippling through my aching chest.

Before I can formulate a response, Vexia’s sickly sweet, high-pitched voice pulls me back from the brink. "Alpha King," she calls softly.

I shoot her a glance that is harsher than I intend, the raw hurt inside me causing all my muscles to tense. Vexia’s eyes widen a fraction before she continues, her tone shifting to one of pure, unadulterated compassion. "Of course, this is your decision, my Alpha King. But if I may…"

I nod stiffly, encouraging her to speak.

Smiling warmly, she runs a delicate hand through her thick, deep red hair. "I was raised to believe that every wolf has some good in them. Your Beta is useful, and she did plan an excellent proposal. As a wedding gift to me, my Alpha King, please have Elara plan the wedding. I’ll be there to watch over her shoulder. But it’s going to be such a special day for the pack, I’d hate to see Elara’s remarkable talents go to waste."

I stare at Vexia, my mind grinding through the logic. Even after Elara's blatant disrespect, Vexia still chooses to see the good in her. I consider the request carefully. Elara is, without question, my most meticulously organized and capable staff member. She’s handled complicated pack affairs flawlessly for years. Planning a wedding would be effortless for her. Honestly, it’s truly the least she can do for Pack EbonGrove to repay us after all the years of kindness and shelter we provided her since she was an orphaned pup.

"Elara, assist with planning the wedding, then I will permit you to leave Pack EbonGrove. You have my word as Alpha King," I state with absolute finality.

I look down, expecting a reaction, but she simply stares straight through me. Her face is a blank, dead, expressionless mask. That utter lack of emotion unsettles me far more than her tears ever could. Unable to stomach it a second longer, I gruffly order her out of the room to get started at once.

The very moment the heavy mahogany door clicks shut behind her, the bubbling, burning sensation forcefully and violently returns to my chest, stealing the breath from my lungs.

Vexia quickly steps into my line of sight, laying a gentle hand on my arm. "Don’t forget our highly anticipated hospital check-up scheduled for this afternoon. All this stress can’t be good for getting pregnant, but I know we’ll produce a healthy little wolf heir soon enough."

I force a tight smile, rubbing her back. "I’ll be there. Just focus on relaxing, let me handle the rest."

Later, sitting back at my massive mahogany desk, the silence of my office is deafening. My Gamma, Gorran, walks in and places a thick stack of files down. He takes one look at me, blatantly noting my miserable, haggard expression.

"What’s got you looking so unhappy, Alpha King?" Gorran asks cautiously.

I merely grunt in dismissal, diving aggressively into my paperwork, hoping the agonizing pain in my chest fades. As I fiercely shuffle through the reports, I mentally recount the facts. I executed a perfect, romantic proposal. I secured a beautiful, high-born bride who will be an excellent Luna. I should be on top of the world. Yet a single, maddening question haunts the quiet corners of my mind: If this is right, why don’t I feel happy?

Elara's POV

"Good news, Sweetheart! The baby is absolutely healthy!"

The sheer, overwhelming wave of relief that washes over my trembling body is utterly indescribable. I exhale a massive, shaking breath as Cerys, my oldest and dearest friend, snaps off her latex gloves and smiles warmly at me from across the exam room.

The absolute, blinding agony of having the mate bond cleaved from my very soul had driven me straight to her private exam room in the obstetrics wing. The magical trauma had been so violently catastrophic, I had to know if the shockwave had hurt my secret, unborn child. Hearing Cerys confirm that my baby had survived the severing of the mate bond is the only thing keeping me tethered to reality.

"I still know a few curses, you know. I could always slip something into his tea," Cerys offers, half-joking, half-serious.

I manage a weak smile, but I can't risk anything happening to her.

After securely locking the heavy door, Cerys leans against the counter and shares the limited information she knows about the incoming bride. "I have some connections at Pack SanguineLune," she says, lowering her voice. "She is the only beloved princess among six fiercely protective brothers. She’s legendary in elite circles because she and our Alpha King met as lost pups, and she saved his life. Apparently, her powerful brothers will undoubtedly be visiting our territory very soon."

As I pull my shirt down, a bitter, painful thought crosses my mind. An incredible rescue story. Star-crossed lovers reunited. Maybe the Moon Goddess simply made a catastrophic mistake by pairing me with Zarek. I was never meant to be his Fate Mate; I was just an accidental obstacle standing in the way of Zarek and Vexia’s destined fairytale.

Sensing my fresh, spiraling grief, Cerys steps forward and playfully tips my chin up with her index finger. "Chin up, Sweetheart. Perhaps you might find more red-haired wolves out there, and who knows, maybe among them you'll finally find your real family? I'm sure there's a whole pack of redheads out there just waiting for you." She flashes me a bright, hopeful smile.

Laughing genuinely for the very first time in what feels like an absolute eternity, I thank her. "At least things can't get any worse."

I step out of the exam room, a tiny, fragile seed of hope finally taking root in my hollowed-out chest.

But as I turn the corner into the bustling hospital corridor, I am completely distracted by my swirling thoughts and nearly walk face-first into a towering, muscular male chest.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find Vexia Valthorn?" the man asks politely, his voice deep and smooth.

I look up to apologize and completely freeze in my tracks.

The man staring down at me possesses my exact same fiery, bold, unmistakable red hair. It isn't the dark, deep crimson of Vexia's hair. It is vibrant, striking, and entirely identical to mine. We both notice the striking, mirror-like resemblance simultaneously.

Without thinking, he reaches out, gently but firmly pulling my hand closer as his sharp, intense eyes eagerly, almost hungrily, search my facial features.

"Who are you?" he asks, his voice thick with sudden awe.

I am drawn closer by the magnetic pull of his presence. The slope of his nose, the curve of his strong jaw—he looks terrifyingly familiar. An unspoken, crackling aura of pure dominance radiates off his skin in heavy waves. He has to be Vexia’s brother—the formidable Alpha King of Pack SanguineLune!

As he leans in closer, thoroughly captivated by my face, his large thumb absentmindedly brushes the back of my hand. My heart races as I realize how compromising this looks. If anyone sees us standing this close, intimately holding hands—

"What’s this?!"

A deep, rumbling, terrifyingly familiar voice shatters the delicate moment, echoing like thunder down the sterile corridor.

I spin around in absolute horror to see Zarek marching down the hall. My former Fate Mate looks like a vengeful demon who just violently broke out of hell. His massive frame is rigid, his eyes blazing a furious red, and he is staring absolute daggers at our clasped hands.

"ELARA," Zarek repeats, his voice vibrating with lethal intent. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH HIM?!"