[Lucian POV ]
"Fuck!" I yelled, smashing some glasses on the ground. "How could she? She just rejected me. Why?" I questioned. I never gave her the right to humiliate me in such a way. "How dare her..." I said.
"Alpha Lucian..." I heard a voice drawing my attention back to Corrine, who was still standing in the room. "Please calm down, Alpha..." she said. But I found myself closing the distance between us. My hands tightened in her grasp as I forced her against the wall.
"Don't tell me to calm down..." I said, watching those eyes of her turn downcast. I could hear some slight groan.
My fingers were scraping her skin. I retreated a bit. "What's wrong with me?" I wondered. Why was I behaving this way? I never wanted Elara as my mate from the beginning, right? I wanted a stronger bond... that was it?
But yet...
"Please, Alpha, can we..." Corrine insisted on having a discussion, but I was not ready for any of that. I led her outside my room, shutting the door behind her.
My fist clenched as I hit it against the wall.
A feeling sank in, one that almost left me crumbling down. I felt something trickling down my eyes. "Tears? Why? Why was I crying?"
Could it be my wolf is in pain from being rejected by his mate? But I just can't... If Elara becomes my Luna, that would lead to the Forestbane pack's destruction. As the Alpha, I have to build a stronger bond. I can't risk my pack's future just for a feeling my wolf craved for.
"This is for the best," I said to myself, the fact that she had just rejected me, that I was no longer her mate.
I remained on the ground, covered in broken glasses, my vision barely clear. As a knock caught my attention.
"Leave!" I yelled, only to hear a creak as he came in—my pack's Beta, Corrine's father, Jacob.
"Alpha!" he said, hesitantly making his way to my side, only for me to raise my hand, halting him in his tracks.
"I said you should leave!" I yelled.
"I'm sorry, Alpha. I had to make my way here after hearing what had just happened. How dare that useless weak omega disgrace you in such a way..." he was saying, but I didn't give him the pleasure of finishing his words before I grabbed a piece of the broken glass. My hand tightened against his neck as I pointed the broken glass edge closely to his throat. "Say another word about Elara again, and I will have your tongue slit..." I threatened, watching him gasp for breath. As I loosened my grip on him, he crumbled to the ground.
"I'm sorry, Alpha..." he said, trembling. But I shouldn't have done that. He was Corrine's father. I had to learn to hold back.
"Tell the pack that the wedding between Corrine and me will be happening tonight under the full moon. I will make her my Luna..." I said. He gave a nod. "Alright, Alpha..." he said, making his way out of my room. I threw the broken glass away, seating myself on the bed.
"I can't delay this any longer..." I said.
The late night found me dressed and ready for my marriage to Corrine. I could hear the loud music that played on as I made my way outside my room.
Taking the stairs down, my gaze was locked on the full moon, glowing.
The marriage ceremony had begun, and I stood beside Corrine, who was awaiting my presence, adorned in a traditional white gown.
We both stood before the ancient oak tree as we exchanged vows.
And just like a blink, the wedding was over, and Corrine was now my Luna.
"My congratulations, Alpha..." Jacob said with a half bow. The whole pack also extended their congratulations, but even in this joyous occasion, I found myself feeling down.
Deciding to return back to my room, a shout caught my attention.
"Alpha! Alpha!" I turned to witness one of the warriors making his way in haste toward my side.
As he stood before me, gasping for breath, "What happened? Are we being attacked by rogues?" I asked. But he shook his head. "Then, what brought the sudden haste from you?"
"It's Elara, Alpha..." he said, his words causing a shift in me.
"What happened to Elara?" I questioned.
"S-she is dead, Alpha!" he said. My face paled, as I almost lost my stance.
"No... no, that can't happen. When? How?" Many questions swirled in my mind, as I grabbed the warrior by his neck. "How did she die? Who killed her?" I yelled, my whole veins boiling with rage.
All I needed was a name, and I would make sure the person doesn't see daylight.
"A-Alpha..." the warrior choked as I released my grasp on him, noticing the stares and dread from the other pack members, a trembling state taking over them.
"I'm sorry, Alpha. But she fled from the pack, and while we were chasing her, she fell from the cliff, Alpha..." he said.
But just why? Why would she run, fleeing the pack?
I made my way up to my room, locking the door as my fist clenched, hitting the wall over and over again. "Why? Just why? You can't do this, Elara..." I yelled, blood trickling down my wounded hand. But yet, my fist kept slamming against the wall. My wolf groaning in pain, and I eventually crumbled. "You... I can't allow you to leave me just like this..." I said. "You are mine, Elara..." I whispered.
But the truth I found myself in denial of wasn't going to go away so easily. She was truly gone, out of my reach.
And at that moment, it felt like the little young heart I had held for so long shattered, my jaws grinding in rage. Body boiling in fury, a feeling I had never experienced before.
Many months went by, with Corrine standing as my Luna, as I ruled the Forestbane pack with an iron fist. The traitors were beheaded at sight, those who disobeyed my orders were never allowed to see the daylight. I killed and killed, hunted and hunted for rogues, hoping to quench the rage that kept on burning. But all was nothing in the end.
"Please, Alpha, you have to stop!" I could remember Corrine's words trying to plea with me, only for me to silence her with a slap on her cheek. I had almost killed her father, the Beta, once for his actions of standing against one of my orders.
It was the next day as I sat down, some rogue wolves were brought right in front of me in chains.
"These are the three, Alpha. They fled from Graywood after committing a numerous number of theft. We caught them trying to sneak into our territory..." one of my warriors addressed.
So, those were the three rogues who held a name for their theft acts, always able to escape after their doings, with none able to catch them. But stepping into my territory was a big mistake on their path. I stood up from my seat, approaching their side.
"I'm sure you three know there's no escaping your death now..." I said, noticing one of the rogues who trembled in fear at my mere words.
"I... I can't... please don't kill us." he pleaded, his words only left a scoff from me as I bent down a bit, my eyes fixed on his, which went downcast immediately.
"Pleading for the deeds done already?" I said. "Your death has already been sealed the very moment you were caught in my territory."
I stood up back to my feet, turning my back against the three rogues.
"Take them and prepare them for their death sentence this evening..." I commanded as my warriors made their way, forcing the men out of the room.
"Please... don't kill us..." the same rogue kept pleading over and over again.
"If it wasn't for her, that weak brown-haired omega, our face identity would have never been exposed..." the other rogue snapped, sneering yet his words caused a sudden pause on me.
"Weak brown-haired omega?" Wait, that couldn't be.
I turned back, "Stop!" I halted my warriors dragging the men out, as I approached the rogue who had said the words.
"What did you just say?" I questioned, "A weak brown-haired omega. Tell me more?"
I noticed a redraw from the rogue, but I wasn't ready to waste any of my time. I drew a dagger, striking it at his leg as he groaned in pain. "Arrgh..." he cried.
"Tell me, who was she? How does she look, talk?" I questioned. But what came out of the rogue's mouth were just groans.
"Her name was Elara..." the other rogue who was pleading for his life said, turning my gaze at him.
"She had brown hair, blue eyes..." the rogue described.
But how was this possible? Don't tell me, does that mean Elara was still very much alive?
"Alpha Lucian, is it true? I heard you have caught the three wanted rogues..." Jacob made his way, but I left no words for him.
A smile found its way to my lips, replaced my a chuckle that echoed through the room. I noticed the stares from the pack members present, the rogues, and Jacob.
"A... Alpha..." Jacob called, "Are you alright, Alpha?" He questioned.
"So she is alive... I can't believe it. Elara is alive..." I said, my smile evident as I hoped to make my way back to my room.
"What about them, Alpha?" the warrior that was dragging the three rogues questioned.
"Kill them, of course. They are useless now..." I said.