Chapter 1
This is my first story written in English. I hope you’ll enjoy Kaelen and Alaric’s story as much as I loved writing it 😊
Kaelen Marrock
I clench my jaw and press the gas, ending the call with a tense grip on the wheel. The brief conversation pissed me off more than I’d admit. My patience is a thin wire, and I’m barely holding myself together.
Everything carries more weight lately.
After becoming alpha, my responsibilities multiplied. Sometimes I wanted to run, leave everything behind, but I couldn’t. My pack needed me, the strong leader, to move them forward.
While I kept my pack safe, the Consulate pressed me. Six years as Alpha, and still no Luna. They wanted an heir—a flawless successor.
My wolf rejected everyone. No mate, no bond, nothing real. An alpha without a mate after six years was rare, and the thought weighed heavily.
And as if that weren’t enough, I had an enemy. The stress morphs into sharp alertness as I remember the threats beyond our borders—and inside my territorywas only one.
Alaric Maxwell.
Nineteen and already a thorn. He opposes me, dismisses orders, acts on his terms—too young, too defiant, and far too comfortable testing my authority.
I force myself to stay calm as I head straight for him. We’re meeting at the border. I’ll smooth things over with the neighboring pack, promise I’ll vouch for the boy.
My head throbs already.
The border comes into view. The idiot waits, grinning by a red-and-black Kawasaki Ninja 500. He spots my car, and the grin fades. I park, step out, and slam the door. He flinches, avoiding my gaze.
He knows he crossed the line.
It’s one thing to disobey.
It’s one thing to brush off my orders.
It’s one thing to act on his own.
Crossing into another territory without permission—tagging their walls—goes beyond recklessness.
“Alpha Torin.” I turn to the leader of the neighboring territory. “You have my apologies for my wolf’s disobedience. I did not authorize the vandalism.”
I never apologize to another alpha, but I can’t afford war right now.
“Alpha Kaelen.” His gaze is filled with contempt. “I told you to keep your dog on a leash. If I see him on my territory again, I’ll tear him apart and scatter what’s left of him along the border.”
“It won’t happen again,” I say calmly, though I know he can sense the tension rolling off me. “You have my apologies.”
“If your dog apologizes, I’ll let this go,” Torin replies coldly.
There’s no humor in his tone.
“In your dreams,” Alaric snaps back, his voice laced with venom.
I let my wolf rise—not shifting, just enough to be felt.
“Apologize. Now.” It’s not a request; it’s a roar that makes his wolf cower in fear.
Alaric glares at me, defiant to the last, and something in me snaps.
I lunge forward, grabbing him and slamming him into the dirt. I plant my boot firmly on his back, pinning him down.
“Say it!” I snarl. The trees tremble at the sound.
“I’m sorry, Alpha Torin,” he wheezes under my heel. “It won’t happen again.”
Torin lets out a dry, dark smirk.
“Good to see you haven’t gone soft, Kaelen,” he murmurs. “Apology accepted. But stay away from my border. Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha Torin.”
“Good. We’re leaving.” He gives a dismissive nod and stalks away.
I lift my foot from Alaric, haul him up, and drive my fist into his stomach. He folds with a gasp, blond hair falling over his face.
“What the fuck were you thinking?” I roar.
“I won’t obey you,” he says through the pain.
My hand snaps across his face. Blood beads on his mouth.
“You will, Alaric—because I’m your alpha!” I’ve surpassed restraint entirely.
“I’ll never see you as one,” he spits, and then he actually does it—he spits blood right into my face.
Rage floods my mind—red and blinding.
I punch him hard enough to send him to the ground, then drag him back up and hurl him against a nearby tree. He hits the trunk with a groan and slides to the ground. I’m seeing red from the rage as I grab his throat and hoist him up.
He claws at my hand, gasping, his silver-grey eyes clouding over.
I lean in close. His lips part, and I find myself staring at them, my breath hitching. I loosen my grip slightly—I don’t actually want to break him.
Breathe, Kaelen. Calm the hell down.
My chest aches with that twisted knot. I hate hurting him, but he brings out the beast in me. When he’s near, I lose control; fear mixes with desire. His resistance sets my blood on fire, sparking frustration and longing inside me. All I think about is the unholy things I want to do to him.
Even after fulfilling my alpha duty, all I want is to kiss him.
“But I am—and you’re fucking beneath me,” I remind him.
“I hate you, Kaelen,” he whispers, as much as his position allows.
“The feeling’s mutual,” I lie.
I don’t hate him, never have. But he doesn’t need to know.
I let go of his neck. He hits the dirt, bloodied and shaking as he pushes up against the tree. He won’t look at me.
“Disobey me again,” I say quietly, my voice tight with anger, “and I will put you on a leash. You’ll spend the rest of your life in a filthy hole, on all fours, eating off the floor like an obedient dog.”
I lean closer.
“Go home. Or I’ll tear you apart.”
He turns to his bike, kicks up the stand, and starts pushing it—trembling in pain, unable to ride.
Once he’s gone, I smash my fist into the tree. The shock races up my arm.
Alaric is a riddle. I never ruled through fear; my pack follows because I’ve proven myself with honor. Yet with him, nothing works. His defiance pushes me to grasp for power I never thought I needed.
As I fight for his acceptance, I battle myself. He has no idea how long I’ve wanted him. His resistance unravels me, and when he stands flushed with anger, all I want is to pin him and show him exactly what I feel.
I run my hand through my hair and breathe slowly, forcing control.
Every day, holding myself together around him gets harder.
