Chapter

"The great Alpha Leader..." one of them began, a venomous smile on his lips. "Is he really worthy of that title, dear ministers?" another asked.

I watched as the crowd glanced around at one another, suspicion thickening in the air. I kept my imposing stance, eyes cold, showing no emotion. Those three should already know there's nothing they can do to shake me. I only submit to other authorities to avoid disturbing the balance of the entire pack.

"Our great and immaculate leader might not even deserve a place in this world where we have strict rules regarding scandal. Why, then, is he one of the first to break them?"

"What are you insinuating?" My voice came out firm, laced with a veiled threat and hiding a cruel smile.

The triplets exchanged glances before one of them delivered the final blow.

"That you betrayed your own Luna-not long ago!" they declared the accusation.

The impact of those words was immediate. Silence fell. I simply kept watching. I felt Maya's gaze on me, surprised. Unfortunately, I felt guilty about that too.

The silence was broken by murmurs spreading through the crowd as the guests processed the accusation.

I, Samuel Kan, Supreme Alpha-the one meant to be a model of honor and loyalty-was being accused of betrayal.

I saw everyone's eyes turn to Maya. The pain on her face was so intense that some nearby wolves instinctively stepped back, as if they could feel her anguish.

"I... I can't believe it..." she murmured, her voice trembling. Then she turned and ran upstairs, as if her heart had been shattered.

"So, Kan, you know this is strictly forbidden. You, a millennial wolf who waited to find his Luna, betrayed her before the wedding?" one of them mocked, twisting the knife, but it wasn't time to speak yet.

"So tell me, does Kan truly deserve to lead? Shouldn't he be banished from our pack?"

"What are you doing?!" I heard my father shout, but I looked at him and he lowered his head, retreating-as did everyone else.

"Are you all really afraid of him just because he's descended from a god of war? He's still just a wolf!"

I remained still, analyzing the situation. The triplets smiled, convinced they had destroyed my reputation. But before chaos could fully erupt, Mon de Filtigal-my loyal right-hand-stepped forward as he entered the hall. All attention shifted toward him.

Like me, he was an imposing man. Years ago, he had been a great general who fought by my side.

"This is a misunderstanding," his voice rang out with authority. "And I will prove it, even though I don't need to. As you all know, Samuel Kan is the only true superior leader here. Or is there someone better suited to lead all the wolves in this world?"

As he spoke, the wolves continued to back away in fear. They knew exactly what Mon was implying.

With a nod, he signaled to one of the attendants, and a man-no older than me-was shoved into the center of the hall. Pale and trembling, the man could barely stand. The moment his eyes met mine, he dropped to his knees.

"Please, Alpha!" he begged, voice desperate. "I had no choice!"

The entire hall held its breath. I crossed my arms, my eyes burning with restrained fury.

"Explain. Now." I ordered-not because I cared, but because everyone needed to hear the truth.

The servant lowered his head, shaking.

"The triplets... they bought the potion from me. I'm just a young potion vendor. I had no idea what they were planning. They used it on you. The betrayal... it was a trap!"

A roar erupted through the hall. Expressions of shock and outrage were immediate. But no one reacted faster than the triplets themselves.

"He's lying!" one of them shouted. "This is nonsense-the plan was his from the start!"

"What are those triplets talking about? Everyone knows they've always tried to steal the leadership of the pack." I heard whispers and saw disapproving glances from the guests. It was exactly what I wanted. After all, they're my brothers, and I still had to act justly. I couldn't punish them based on suspicions that only I knew to be true.

"You're going to believe this trash?" one of them asked me. I smirked mockingly. Had they forgotten everything? This whole performance just to fool our father... It only enraged me more.

I didn't bother to respond. My face was a mask of cold fury.

"Take them to the gates of the Underworld," I ordered with icy calm.

The triplets fought, trying to escape their cruel fate, but the guards were relentless. Screams of despair echoed as they were dragged out, and a deadly silence fell over the hall.

"Kan!" my father shouted, looking at me with concern. As much as he supported me, he was still the father of those three mutts. "You can't be so harsh with your brothers. You know they just want a bit of your attention. Ever since they were born, you've never given them a rightful place in our family... They don't want to take your throne-it's impossible anyway. You need to yield a little. They are the weaker ones."

Those words only fueled my fury further.

He really wanted to victimize them in front of everyone?

Turn me into the villain?

Chapter

The man was still on his knees at my feet. It seemed no one fully grasped the magnitude of the mess my brothers had dragged me into. I stared at the man with even more rage. No one should dare try to deceive me and ruin my reputation-no one but myself.

I raised my hands. The ancient power running through my veins began to vibrate in the air. The light around me pulsed with divine energy, and the nearby wolves instinctively stepped back. Yes, they were all afraid of me.

"You all must understand," my voice boomed like thunder, "why no one should ever dare to play games with me."

A powerful wind swept through the hall as I turned my attention to the kneeling servant. With a single gesture, I wrapped his body in my magic. In an instant, he began to fragment into tiny pieces of light, disintegrating before everyone's eyes until there was nothing left.

Screams of horror echoed as he vanished, obliterated by my power. Fear spread. The hall, once filled with chatter and celebration, now drowned in suffocating silence. Heads bowed, barely daring to meet my gaze. I took no pride in that-but as all god-blood hybrids know, we must impose ourselves. No matter how pure we are, we are still the most powerful. That's what this is all about.

I lowered my hands, my eyes still glowing with divine energy.

"I hope this was a lesson. No one should dare question or make accusations and judgments without first gathering proof-regardless of the situation, and especially when it concerns me."

"Forgive us, Alpha," they murmured in low, trembling voices.

"Enjoy the party. It is a time for celebration, for at this moment, I am married to my Luna-the woman I've waited for millennia to find."

"You're saying she is the legendary Nova?" one of them asked, still in shock.

"What do you mean? The same one who once gave her life for Kan, dragging one of the strongest witches of our world to death, ending the war that plagued us for years during that era?" They looked at one another, stunned.

"The very same. Take care of her. Nova, at this moment, cannot use her powers and remembers nothing. So I ask you to be patient until she can fight at my side. You all know that with my power fused with hers, we can open the long-awaited passage out of this world-just as one of our leaders did after fathering a child with one of the goddesses of the earth. That means a child between me and Nova will be the key to leaving this place."

Suddenly, the mood shifted. Excitement began to spread among the crowd. The last time the portal opened, the wolves from distant territories couldn't pass through. But now, once again, my clan would have the opportunity to leave this place and return to the land from which we should never have been taken.

"Long live the return!" they chanted joyfully, though something deep within me whispered that this was still far from becoming reality.

"The celebration must continue," I announced, raising a goblet handed to me-but I did not drink. No more wine for today. I then walked toward Mon. "Don't let anyone leave yet. Call all the elders and position them at the gates. I want every person checked. I'm looking for someone. Do you know if anyone has left the mansion?"

"No one's left since the gates were sealed before your disappearance."

"Then she's in the mansion-somewhere. I want her found at all costs. She might be carrying my heir," I finished, walking away.

The elders were notified, and no one dared question me. I, being a mix of wolf and other bloodlines, should be something to challenge-but they would never question a hybrid of divine descent.

I climbed the stairs in silence, feeling the weight of Maya's parents' eyes on me. They stood there with their heads bowed, like servants awaiting a king's permission to speak. Fear consumed them-I could hear their shaky breaths. I waited for a moment, letting the silence linger, just to test their loyalty.

"Where is my wife?" I finally asked, my voice sharp as a blade.

Her mother quickly raised her eyes before lowering them again.

"She... she's in the study, Alpha. Crying. She wanted to go to her room and lock herself in, but we insisted she wait for you-to let you explain..." Her voice faltered at the end, afraid of my reaction.

I didn't respond. I simply walked past them, ignoring any further attempts at explanation. If Maya was truly hurt, truly suffering, it was my duty to comfort her. But something inside me warned there was more to this story than met the eye.

When I opened the door to the study, I found her leaning over the desk, shoulders trembling with sobs. Her hair fell over her face, hiding her expression, but her posture was that of a broken woman.

I closed the door behind me and approached, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, feeling her small frame against mine. I pressed my lips to her head, exhaling softly.

"It was a misunderstanding," I whispered, trying to calm her.

She trembled, and as if my words had dispelled the storm of pain, she lifted her face. Her eyes sparkled with a mix of hope and unease.

"They lied?" Her voice still held traces of tears, but there was something sharper underneath. Something... different.

I kept my expression unreadable.

"Yes, partially. They used the influence of a magical potion to make me give in-after millennia of waiting for you. But there's something else..." I paused, watching her reaction. "The woman who was with me that night might be pregnant."

Silence fell between us. Maya's expression twisted for a moment, but she quickly composed herself. Her eyes dropped to the floor, then lifted again, locking onto mine with intensity.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, her voice soft and measured.

I tilted my head, studying her.

"What do you want me to do?"

Her eyes glinted with something I didn't recognize at first-but it triggered a warning deep inside me.

"I want you to find her and kill her, in secret. No one must ever know there's a chance you could have children with another woman. Now that we are together, we can have our own heirs."

Her tone was calm-almost sweet-but the words from her lips were pure poison.