Chapter 5

Alpha Damon's POV

Smoke of grenades lingered in the air, mixed with the unfortunate blood of the rogues that have peanuts as brains. 

The blood of rogues still stained the blackened earth just beyond the palace gates, and the scent of death curled through the wind like a serpent.

I stood at the highest balcony of my war tower, arms folded, face scrunched in disgust, as my sharp gaze continued to look down at the joke that was happening down. 

A rogue attack.

Tsk, how laughable.

The hungry bastards had crawled out of their rat holes in the Eastern mountains where they belonged and dared to attack my kingdom?

Madness!

Either they were tired of living Or...something fishy was at stake.

I ground my teeth in anger as my train of thoughts wandered carelessly despite the cold war going on.

Rogues didn't act without reason. Especially not those mountain scum that were alive just because I was merciful enough to spare them. They were savage, yes...but they weren't suicidal. And marching on my gates and declaring war was nothing short of a declaration of death.

Someone sent them.

But who?

Or is it a coincidence that the first day I had my first shipment of my pet was the same day the rogues dared to attack...

"Alpha" my beta, and right-hand man, James stepped in, bloody knuckles, and his uniform completely dyed in blood. Judging from the faint amber glow in his eyes, they were not his.

"We caught one alive," he said, dipping his head in a little bow. "He's downstairs in chains."

I didn't speak. I didn't have to, because my bored body was already moving, finally to have some fun.

*************************

The ground was just as gruesome as I had envisioned it to be. Blood and gore scattered everywhere. As the stench of death filled the air.

The rogue, if he could be called that, was a bloody, broken mess, hunched over with heavy chains soaked in wolfsbane. His breathing was ragged. Judging from his looks, he would have wished to have joined his mates to pay their homage to their so-called goddess.

Yeah, so called because I don't believe in any barren power-hungry woman that sees it fit to name herself the moon goddess.

I shook my head to focus on the empty looking rogue.

"Speak," I commanded.

He said nothing.

I stepped closer, letting the full force of my Alpha aura ripple out of me like a tidal wave, washing over him in an instant. 

His body jerked. His wolf whimpered from inside him. The rogue's bones cracked as he tried to resist, but there was no way he could resist the might of an alpha. 

"Tell me who sent you," I ordered again, this time layered with command.

But then, something shifted in his expression, as his fear gave way to utter obedience, even no matter how he tried to resist my command. I smirked evilly, waiting to hear the truth

But before he could talk, his eyes rolled back in his head. And He began to convulse, foam bubbling from his lips.

"What the...?"

James rushed forward, but it was too late.

The rogue's spine arched forward before he slumped.

Dropping Dead.

I stared down at the corpse, rage bubbling deep in my gut.

"This wasn't natural," James said grimly. "It was like something was already set to resist your aura. It triggered when he couldn't resist, and that might have caused you ."

I clenched my jaw. "A kill-seal. Some spell or poison to ensure silence." 

Clever bastards.

Someone was playing a very dangerous game.

And they'd dared to test it on me.

*************************

I didn't say a word on the way back to my chambers. James walked behind me in silence, understanding my mood and knowing when to laugh or not to.

The palace walls were silent now, but the fire inside me hadn't died. If not, it continued to grow hotter as we reached my chambers.

I froze, something hit me immediately. I reached the hallway that led to my room.

A scent. Sweet and warm, like the mixture of vanilla with cinnamon. Delicate and infuriatingly addicting.

My wolf dax lurched forward, almost taking control without my consent.

"Mine" 

I staggered a little, one hand gripping the wall, as I tried to reil in my agitated wolf, who continued to chant in my head.

"My king, are you okay," like a flash my Beta was beside me, his eyes filled with worry.

I nodded, 

I knew that scent.

It belonged to the little thing that had arrived a few hours ago. a gift from one of my pathetic debtors. I had stupidly followed Elijah's advice only for my wolf that had been quite a long time to start acting strange.

In court, when my Beta, James, had brought her in, I was mesmerized by her innocence and fear. Well, anybody that has come before me quakes with fear, and it's a good thing the young omega hadn't fainted, but something else kept on bothering me.

Her fear..., it was not towards me. The kind I always see in my debtors whenever they see me, or evil doers when brought to my court.

Noo, she was afraid of something else, the way her deep violet eyes wouldn't meet my face, the way her body backed away on my mere touch.

It was like she was hiding something from me, and I hate nothing more than being lied to.

I increased my steps, remembering she was supposed to be on the floor, like every little good pet, naked, waiting for me.

I growled, my cock springing up to life, at the mere thought of what I would do to her.

But when I stepped in...

I froze, like I was pressed pause. all the built-up heat vaporized away from my body.

My so-called pet was standing in my room, her clothes fully on display.

And that was not all,

She was standing right in front of the cage I had built for her. Her eyes were wide, with horror. The realization that there was no escape from me.

It was supposed to be a gift. What I had planned to surprise her with.

She turned to run.

I moved.

Faster than her fragile little body could process.

She slammed into me, gasping like a startled rabbit while falling unceremoniously on the hard floor. I didn't even flinch.

"Where are you going, pet?" I asked, my voice low, too calm. I didn't need to raise it to break her. Fear rolled off her in thick waves, sweet and pungent, and I drank it like fine whiskey.

She froze beneath my gaze. For a second before tears welled up her eyes.

Good, she remembered what I had told him before.

She was supposed to be naked.

The sight of her fully clothed, still defiant in his softness, lit a fire under my skin. My claws ached to break through. My wolf snarled behind my ribs, demanding I put her in her place.

The third time. This was the fucking third time she had disobeyed a direct order, and what i hate is disobedience. 

I growled deep and low, sounding out my dissatisfaction. She scurried back like a frightened puppy.

Stupid.

Before she could react, I grabbed her by the throat, her eyes bulged. Hands flew to my wrist, weak and desperate, trying to pull away. But I didn't budge an inch.

"You still seem to be confused about your pathetic place in this pack, pet," I hissed, lifting her easily off the ground.

Her body dangled like a broken doll, light and Fragile. Her face turned red. Her pale lips parted as she struggled to breathe. I watched every twitch, every helpless shake of her head, pleading.

"You need to be punished."

His mouth opened, as if she was trying to plead, but there was no need.

I didn't care.

I tightened my grip, just a little too hard. Then, at the very brink, I let her go.

She crashed to the floor, gasping like a fish pulled from water.

Pathetic, weak and vulnerable.

I didn't even give her time to recover before I grabbed her by the front of that ridiculous dress she was on, slamming her into the wall.

The impact shook the paintings. Her gasp echoed like music in the silence.

"Disobedient little things like you need to be reminded of their place," I muttered, my tone cold, and devoid of any emotion.

I clenched the thin fabric of her dress, ready to rip the damn thing off.

Her eyes. wide, terrified...locked onto mine.

Panic.

He knew what I was about to do.

And deep inside her... he knew what it would mean.

"Struggling will only make it worse, pet," I said, lowering my face closer to hers to take a deep inhale. Her scent was so intoxicating that I almost lost control of my world that was just at the edge.

"Please don't..." she whimpered.

My claws were itching to shred the damn clothes. Break her, stake my claim, and brand her as mine.

Goodness, help me, I would have done it.

But then...

The door burst open.

"Master."

The voice cut through me like a blade of silver.

I froze.

My fingers are so close...

My beta stood at the door, his gaze flickering between me and the trembling girl before he spoke why he had disturbed my fun. "An emergency has arisen," he said calmly.

My jaw clenched.

Of course it had.

Of all times...

I inhaled once more, taking in another deep inhale. I didn't understand why I was so affected by her scent.

Then I let her go.

She crumpled to the floor like an unwanted toy.

I didn't look at her again. If I did, I know i would damn the fucking emergency and breed her like a horse. 

"We're not finished," I growled and walked out, barely containing the rage boiling under my skin.

The door slammed shut behind me.

Alpha Damon's POV 

I stormed down the corridor, my wolf clawing beneath my skin like it wanted me to turn back and finish what I didn't finish.

My jaw tightened. I could still feel the warmth of her trembling body beneath my grip. The fire burning behind those terrified eyes. The way she continued to squirm, I couldn't banish the image of her pinned under me, while I ravaged her from the back... 

I shook my head to remove all the projections my wolf dax continued to put into my head, even though it looked so damn tempting.

Because something was wrong. I could feel it deep in my bones. An instinct that has been there since I was a pup. But no matter how I tried, I couldn't find anything.

And that scent...

All I knew was that something was off about her. Especially her scent. 

I didn't know why, but my wolf became increasingly agitated just from her mere presence. It has never happened before, not with my numerous concubines and slaves I have slept with and definitely never with a pet.

And that's the problem, because this particular pet has been ever since she came, she had managed to disobey me three times and had gotten away with it. 

I growled in frustration. Was I becoming too lenient nowadays, or was it something more...

If James hadn't interrupted ...

I shoved the thought away. This wasn't the time.

"Why now?" I snapped at Rafe without looking at him. "That girl was seconds away from losing her throat."

He didn't flinch. He never did.

"They're waiting in the War Room," he said simply.

I paused at that.

"They" meant only one thing, 

The Veretti Clan. Our neighboring mafia pack.

We'd been at a tense competition and rivalry for years. A here and there clash of my men with his scuffles about pack borders that crop up almost too often and enough bloody history to fill several graves. But what I didn't was for them to visit in person only meant one thing:

Something dangerous was brewing.

I ran a hand through my hair, trying to suppress the bloodlust still pumping through me. And make myself presentable and prepared for war.

"Focus, that pet can wait." I mumbled to myself as I pushed the door to the war room open, composed and calm outside, but inside was a heat of chaos.

Three men sat inside, well dressed, and by their guards. 

The Veretti mafia gangsters.

The first born, Luca Veretti, is always the smooth talker but a manipulative and sharp edge. Simply put a backstabbing snake.

His brother, Enzo, is more forward in his approach, brutal and bloodthirsty. He thinks through his muscles. 

And finally, their old man, Don Matteo, the source of my contact headache for years. I was shocked he was still healthy and alive despite every hit I'd put out on him in the past.

"Lord Damon," Don Matteo said smoothly, his lips curving in a smooth smirk. "Hope we didn't catch you at a bad time."

I chose to say nothing. Just took my seat at the head of the table, staring him down. "Speake".

Don Matteo's eyes narrowed. "Your pack has been awfully busy lately. Word travels fast these days if you have the means. Rumors... of a new pet?"

My expression didn't shift, I wouldn't give them that joy of catching me off guard, but my jaw tensed slightly.

So that's what this was.

They had heard of my new pet and had come to pay tribute.

Wolves like them didn't just come for territory. They came for leverage and to poke at your Weakness.

My eyes fell on the lean girl kneeling beside Matteo. She was chained at the wrist and continued to tremble. My nostrils flared at her scent, weakened, starved, desperation.

In our world. The alphas are the rulers of territories we call turf, or locally known as pack. Alphas are the strongest known rank of my kind, followed by Betas, who are always warriors. Then, the normal pack members who aren't ranked but are still strong and can defend themselves in time of war.

But of all this, there is one that is rarely seen. They are called Omegas . People mostly call them pets. And alpha's pride themselves on the number of pets they have. But that's the problem, for omegas only appear in every thousand werewolves, and to be honest, we are not much in number.

But if we are talking about the rarely seen type, the male omegas... 

"Is that thing supposed to be your pet?" I asked, voice laced with disgust. "She looks like she's one meal away from death. Is your pack starving, matteo? Or have your standards just dropped that low?"

I watch his smile drop a few inches. "She's merely one of my numerous pets. You know they are the omegas that are the most obedient of our kind. The perfect leash for a man of power like me." He paused.

"You wouldn't know because all of your past pets mysteriously ended up dead before one year" he sips his wine, and the tension in the room rises unimaginably fast. "Ohh did I speak too much..."

I leaned forward, barely controlling my rage. "You have 5 minutes to speak and leave my turf. Else...."

"Lethal and closed off as always" He placed a scroll of contracts on the table. "I need the Warfangs. Twenty of them, you're very best."

James, who stood to my right, shifted slightly.

I narrowed my eyes. "For what purpose?"

"To quell a rebellion. Rogues are rising in my western borders. Organized and mysteriously, they are not your average mutts. I need to borrow manpower from you. a temporary force to strike fear and restore order."

I drummed my fingers against the table. I already know how this would end. "And what do you offer in return?"

Luca straightened, a little clap of his hand, and the doors opened. His men dragged a figure behind them. "This is Mirriam. A female omega. And she knows how to satisfy even the most dangerous beast."

I looked up, my irritation already simmering beneath the surface from the earlier interruption.

And there she was.

A girl, young, maybe seventeen, if not younger. With a starved pale malnourished looking body. 

"Apologies for the delay," Luca, his son, said smoothly, gesturing toward the girl. "We thought you'd appreciate a peace offering. A token from our eastern lands."

Token?

The girl trembled under everyone's gaze, eyes downcast like she'd been trained to never look up.

The entire room fell into a tense, almost awkward silence.

My wolf recoiled, not in pity, but in disgust.

I stood from my seat slowly, walking toward her with quiet steps. The Veretti guards stiffened. I didn't care.

I circled her once. The smell of dirt, desperation, and shame clung to her like a second skin.

"This," I said flatly, "is what you bring to my home?"

Luca blinked innocently. "She's well-trained. A little shy, maybe. But loyal."

My eyes snapped back to him, and for a moment, I let my aura slip out, sharp, deadly, unfiltered rage laced with alpha authority.

"She's malnourished," I growled, voice low and biting. "Is your pack starving? Or is it just your pride that's shrinking?"

The girl whimpered.

Luca's smirk faltered.

Don Matteo's eyes narrowed. Enzo leaned forward as if deciding whether to react with violence or indifference.

"Careful, Damon," Luca finally said, his voice forced calm. "We're here for peace."

I ignored him, the sound of my steps echoing through the room as I took steps after steps, my eyes glowing red. My wolf dax was almost at the surface right now.

"No. I reject your offer." My voice rang loud and clear in the War Room.