The Alpha's Decree

Valerion's POV

The low, rhythmic hum of the SUV’s engine did nothing to soothe the pounding ache in my skull. I slumped dejectedly against the leather back seat, watching the dense, rain-soaked pine forests blur past my tinted window. Gawain, one of my most trusted pack warriors, gripped the steering wheel with stoic focus, navigating the slick, muddy roads back to our territory. The silence stretching between us felt suffocating and heavy. Another allied pack visited. Another desperate search concluded. Another devastating failure.

For two grueling years, I had scoured neighboring packs under the guise of diplomatic check-ins. My true motive remained hidden from the masses, but the goal was singular and consuming. I needed my fated mate. I deeply yearned for someone to love, to cherish, to claim as my very own. I needed a true Luna to rule my kingdom firmly by my side and to bear my pups when the time was right. My own Queen.

Every single day, I watched my parents. My father cherished my mother with a fierce, unwavering devotion, and she returned that love tenfold. They possessed the kind of breathtaking, soul-deep bond I always dreamed of finding for myself. Yet, after twenty-four months of relentless searching, my hands remained empty.

The crushing pressure of my impending coronation pressed down on my chest like an anvil. If I failed to find my fated mate, tradition and political strategy dictated a chosen mate would be crowned Alpha Queen beside me. My father insisted the arrangement was necessary to maintain order, a strategic shield to prevent rogue alphas from rebelling against my rule. As the future King, I had to put the survival and stability of my people far above the desperate desires of my own heart.

This was my final diplomatic trip. I had visited every pack across the region, and still, nothing. My heart sank, feeling incredibly heavy. I stared up at the overcast sky and mentally cursed the Lunar Goddess for her absolute cruelty.

Gawain brought the vehicle to a smooth halt in front of our grand pack house. Before he could even shift the car into park, the massive mahogany doors swung open. My mother hurried out onto the porch. Despite being forty-three, our werewolf genetics blessed her with the radiant, youthful glow of a twenty-five-year-old. I carried her facial features, though I inherited my father's towering physique.

She rushed down the front steps, peering through the car glass with deeply hopeful eyes. The moment her gaze swept over the empty back seat, her bright smile vanished. Her shoulders slumped, her face dropping in profound sadness.

I stepped out into the crisp, damp air and gave a slow, negative shake of my head. She didn't speak. She just stepped forward, wrapping her arms tightly around my torso, pulling me into a quiet, fiercely comforting embrace.

She held my hand, leading me through the grand foyer and into the sprawling kitchen area. My father sat at the island counter, a morning newspaper spread before him. Hearing our footsteps, he glanced up. He read the defeat written across my posture instantly. Pushing the paper aside, he stood and pulled me into a solid, sympathetic hug. They supported my reign unconditionally, even orchestrating the chosen mate backup plan for my own good. I couldn't be angry with them.

I offered a tight nod, excused myself, and retreated heavily to my bedroom.

The moment the door clicked shut, the silence of the room crashed over me. Deep inside my mind, my inner wolf, Valen, let out a profound, soul-shattering sigh. His consuming sorrow felt like a physical weight crushing my ribs. Finding a mate was a primal necessity for our kind. Navigating life without our true other half tore at his very essence.

*We tried our best, Valen,* I reached out through our mind-link, projecting as much comfort as I could muster. *Maybe the Lunar Goddess didn't forge a partner for us. Or maybe she's dead. We searched everywhere. We found nothing. I am the next Alpha King. I must consider the needs of the people over our own desires now.*

Valen didn't offer a single sound of understanding. He violently receded to the darkest, furthest corner of my subconscious, cutting off our connection with cold, unresponsive silence.

I let out a frustrated breath and reached for the hem of my shirt. Before I could even pull the fabric over my head, a familiar, buzzing energy hummed through the pack’s mental network. It was Korvan, my Beta and closest friend, practically vibrating with eager anticipation.

I lowered my mental barrier.

*Yo man, you made it back!* Korvan’s voice echoed in my head. *Did you find her?*

The entire pack had been holding their breath for a Luna since I turned fourteen. I understood his excitement, but the question felt like a knife twisting in my gut.

*Nah, brother,* I replied, forcing a dry, hollow laugh through the link. *I did not find her. I guess the Lunar Goddess just doesn't have a mate for me.*

I heard Korvan sigh heavily. *Damn. I’m so sorry, man. Listen, I actually reached out because we caught a rogue on pack lands earlier today. Zale had the patrol haul her down to the dungeon. We held off on making a move until you got back to decide what to do with her.*

The word struck me like a physical blow. *Rogue.*

My blood boiled instantly. Red-hot rage flooded my veins, burning away the exhaustion of my journey.

*A rogue? A female rogue?* I snarled through the link, my fists clenching tight. *We haven't suffered a breach in forever! What the hell were the patrol wolves doing when she crossed the borders? Did she hurt anybody? And why is she still alive, Korvan?*

Eight long years ago, a brutal rogue incident ripped something incredibly precious away from me. Since that tragic day, a deep-seated, passionate hatred festered in my soul. They were vile, filthy creatures that deserved zero sympathy from anyone.

*Man, listen to me,* Korvan urged, attempting to reason with me. *She looked incredibly weak. Starving and severely afraid. It looked like she was running from something massive. She wasn't feral at all. Once the guys hit her with a tranquilizer, she shifted straight back into her human form. It happened in the early hours of the morning during the storm, and the men on patrol were few.*

I vehemently refused to listen to reason. The logic bounced right off the impenetrable wall of my prejudice.

*I do not care, Korvan!* I roared through the mind-link, driven by blind hatred. *Rogues are dangerous creatures. They must be killed on sight. I do not want her anywhere near my pack members. Execute her immediately!*

Before Korvan could utter another word of protest, I forcefully threw up my mental barrier, cutting off the connection with a decisive snap.

I ripped my shirt off, tossing it onto a nearby chair, my chest heaving with lingering fury. Just as I turned toward the bathroom, my bedroom door drifted open.

Zelene slipped inside uninvited.

She was the entitled mate the political council had chosen for me. Striking, polished, and adored by the pack, but she meant absolutely nothing to me. Valen and I felt zero pull toward her. There was no spark, no soulful bond. We wanted our true mate, nothing less.

"You're back, Valerion," she murmured flirtatiously, stepping far too close. "I heard you did not find your mate."

She dropped her voice into a breathy whisper, attempting to seduce me. The utter lack of a genuine connection made her presence suffocating. I felt completely disgusted.

"Get your hands off me and get out of my room, Zelene!" I growled.

I unleashed my booming Alpha tone, letting the raw power rattle the walls. Zelene flinched violently. Her seductive mask shattered into pure fear. She stumbled backward, spun on her heel, and scurried out the door without a backward glance. I refused to be mated with another one other than my true mate. I wanted to feel everything my Mom and Dad shared.

I scrubbed a hand over my face, desperate to get some shut-eye and wash off the travel grime.

The door banged open, rebounding hard off the wall. My mother forcefully barged inside. Her eyes blazed with an incredibly furious fire.

Uh oh. I didn't know what I did, but a mad Luna was terrifying.

"I did not train you to be like this, Valerion Lucis Thorne!" she snapped aggressively.

My spine stiffened. She used the full name. I knew I was in deep trouble.

"I didn't do anything, Mom," I said, raising my hands defensively, my mind racing to pinpoint my crime. "I just got back from my trip and came straight to my room. I haven't done anything, I promise."

Did she see me throw Zelene out? She didn't even like the girl; she only agreed to the arrangement because it was the best option for me.

"That is exactly what you did! You did nothing!" my mother yelled, stepping aggressively into my space. "A rogue is caught on our pack lands after eight years, and you were not going to find out what brought her into our territory? You are the next Alpha King, Valerion! You cannot take your duties so lightly! What if there are more of them moving in? What if she is a spy scouting our defenses? What if we can get more information out of her, and you just gave the order for her to be killed?"

She heavily reminded me of my strategic folly, aggressively berating my rash, emotional kill order. Her words struck a harsh, undeniable chord of truth. My hatred had clouded my tactical judgment. Suitably chastised and humbled by her sharp logic, I dropped my gaze.

She glared at me for one more passing second before spinning around and marching angrily out of my room.

I sighed, lowering my mental wall. *Korvan. Halt the execution. Do nothing to the rogue. I will be at the dungeon in half an hour.*

I dressed in clean, dark tactical gear and headed downstairs to the expansive kitchen. I grabbed a quick bite, nervously forcing the food down to fuel up for the upcoming interrogation of the motherfucking intruder. Stepping out the back doors of the pack house, the damp, rain-washed air hit my face.

As my boots hit the gravel path leading toward the holding cells, a strange, jarring sensation bloomed in my chest. Valen, who had been hiding in the dark recesses of my mind just moments ago, suddenly surged forward. He grew intensely, undeniably restless in my head.

I paused mid-step, my brow furrowing. He was never restless like this.

*What is it, buddy? Is something wrong?* I asked through our link, questioning his sudden anxiety.

*I don't know,* Valen replied nervously. *I just have this heavy feeling that something monumental is about to happen at the dungeon. I can't place what it's going to be.*

I tightened my jaw and resumed my march, quickening my aggressive pace toward the holding cells. My wolf's mysterious panic did nothing to soothe my own boiling temper. I hated rogues. The mere thought of interrogating one made my muscles bunch with lethal tension.

I stared down the long, shadowed path, silently hoping I wouldn't be forced to shed blood today. Once my wrath broke loose, I knew my own unstoppable rage. It was just another glaring reason I desperately needed my true mate. An anchor for the monster inside me.

*Fuck you, Lunar Goddess,* I cursed silently, striding toward the heavy iron doors of the dungeon.