Chapter 1
“I don’t understand you, man. The rogues are attacking much more often and stronger than usual, yet you still won’t allow female fighters,” Jake said, frustration evident in his voice. “You’ve worn us out with training, as if we aren’t the strongest pack already. Just imagine how much stronger we could be if the women could fight too!”
“Are you having a problem with how I train my pack, Jack?” Kayden asked in a very serious tone. Despite being friends for years, he wouldn’t let anyone dictate his actions. If anyone else had spoken to him like Jake just did, they wouldn’t have made it out alive.
“You know that’s not what I meant,” Jake replied.
“I allow Omegas to train, and I treat them well—something you won’t find in most packs,” Kayden defended himself.
“Yeah, but you’re still not letting the women train. Even Ella wants to fight, but you won’t allow it!” Jake insisted.
I need to train her myself at home,” Kayden mumbled under his breath.
“You know my rules, and what you do in your free time is none of my business,” Kayden said coldly. He didn’t need to raise his voice; his flat expression conveyed his seriousness, and Jake couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen his friend smile.
“Now, come on, we have work to do. New warriors need to be trained"! Kayden stood up and walked out of the office.
Jake shook his head as he followed him, thinking that he would never understand this man. Despite all this time, he refused to give up on him. Kayden hadn’t always been this serious and cruel—at least, that’s how others perceived him. Once, he had been different, but his life had changed in an instant, leaving him cold and distant. He had closed off his heart, changed the rules, and eliminated every enemy that dared to confront him, earning the title of the cruelest Alpha in the country.
Everyone feared him, except Jake, who knew the truth: his friend was still there, trapped within the shell Kayden had created around himself.
Alpha Kayden, the most ruthless of all.
"Blake, please. You know I don't like seeing you with bruises, even if it’s for the pack’s best warrior," Alora told her younger brother. Blake smiled as he chewed on a pancake she had made for him.
Their father had died as a pack warrior, defending their mother, and Alora couldn’t stand the thought of her brother becoming just like him. A mother was a human, while their father was a werewolf and her mate. He had been the best warrior in the Black Moon Pack, and he died protecting the same pack.
They lived far from the pack, in their own house where both of them had grown up. Alora was also human, and she was thankful for that. She worked as a doctor and didn’t want anything to do with the mean Alpha of theirs, but as a werewolf, Blake belonged to that world more than she ever would, and she understood that. Although she didn't like it, she accepted it, just as she accepted that he was living where he was now.
"Come on, sis. I know you’re free today. Come and see me; you haven’t been there in a while," Blake urged her.
"And witness you getting your ass kicked? As if I don't see enough of that at work," Alora rolled her eyes.
"I bet Ella would love to see you," he appealed to her emotions.
She laughed hard. "I can’t believe you’re trying this," she replied. It had been a long time since she saw Ella, who usually visited Alora whenever she went into town.
Sighing and biting her lip in thought, she finally conceded, "I'll think about it," which brought a big smile to Blake's face.
"Hold on!" Alpha Kayden ordered just as Blake was engaged in a fight with another warrior. Blake was exhausted but managing, while the other warrior likely had a broken arm; however, Kayden insisted that Blake keep fighting. Blake understood that they wouldn’t stop until one of them fainted or gave up from exhaustion.
Alora couldn’t believe her eyes as she stood at a distance, watching the scene unfold. She knew things had changed, but now she realized just how ruthless the Alpha was. Who would have thought? Standing in front of the fighting ground, shirtless, covered in sweat, with short light brown hair and piercing green eyes, Kayden resembled an Adonis.
Rage grew within her, and she decided it was time to put an end to this nonsense. Although she knew werewolves healed quickly, she couldn’t bear the thought of Blake being hurt in this savage display.
A gentle breeze carried all sorts of scents around as usual, but something made Alpha Kayden look in her direction. His face paled, and his fists clenched as she walked toward him. Her blonde hair fluttered in the wind, and her green eyes were filled with a mix of rage and tears. Her petite yet perfect frame drew him in, igniting an instinctual urge within him.
For the first time in ten years, he felt something like this, and it terrified him. He didn’t want to confront the reality of his mate appearing now—especially since she was human. But he couldn’t deny her strength, even if she wasn’t a werewolf.
Alora pressed on, fury radiating from her, uncaring that every gaze fell upon her. She stood her ground as a woman in a man’s world, which was forbidden.
"You, Alpha! What the hell are you thinking?" she shouted, anger evident in her tone.
He gazed at her, taking in every detail from head to toe, his focus locking onto her eyes. His expression remained unreadable. He had learned great self-control over the years.
“Yes, I'm talking to you,” Alora said, jabbing her finger into his bare chest. Suddenly, confusion washed over her as she felt an unexplainable tingling sensation throughout her body. What on earth was that?!
