Love, Fate and Bloodlines

Deep in the heart of Vexor City sat the most powerful werewolf pack in the realm—lush, green flora and fauna flanked it on all sides. The faces of the warriors patrolling the grounds were far from friendly. Their ripped bodies mirrored the ruthlessness in their bones, and their eyes screamed danger. Even the most viscous of rogues dare not trespass. The pack house was situated in the center of the settlement. It was a mansion projecting wealth and affluence. The serene fountain flowing in the front seemed to provide some comfort, contrasting the merciless aura of the man staring at it from the top right window. Black and dark brown covered the entire interior of the room. It was similar to the dark heart of the man who slowly rounded the mahogany table, sitting in front of the man kneeling before him. A glass filled with the strongest liquor humans ever made sat in his hands. Humans. The most hated species in the werewolf part of the realm. The liquor did not affect his mind as he continued to sip with measured movements. After all, it wasn't Silverbane. His heightened senses of sight, smell, and hearing are trained on the kneeling male. The traitor who dared to conspire with rogues against him. Since he had no thought of sparing him mercy, he gave the order for his death. At the flick of his wrist, the traitor was dragged away to be tortured to death. This is when the dreaded silverbane will be put to good use. He was the most powerful Alpha in the realm; no one could stand against him and his territories expanded as the years passed. He was known as Alpha Ragnar, the Lycan whose name heralds dread and death—the Alpha of Blackthorn pack. Ragnar took the final sip of his liquor and proceeded to the side cabinet of the large office to pour himself another glass. It was quite remarkable how alcohol did nothing to his body. Instead, it allowed him to focus on the thousand thoughts running through his mind. It was not the first time he had been betrayed. One that tore his heart out occurred a few centuries ago before he became Alpha and, no, it did not come from a woman. It came from his male twin, Ronan. However, this was the least of his problems. Ragnar shook his head again to clear his thoughts. The alpha of an allied pack faced constant invasion by rogues. The cowards. . Since they dared not attack his pack, they went after his allies. Ragnar needed to think of a way to stop them fast if he still wanted to have some sort of control over the said pack. Being the only Lycan alive, almost all the packs in the realm pledged their alliance to him. Not only was he stronger and harder to kill, but he was also very calculative, knowing how to play the game of politics perfectly. Living for about seven centuries had its perks, but it also came with disadvantages. One of which was the curse of not being able to find his destined mate. His beta and gamma both have families of their own, but he was stuck with a chosen mate, whose alliance with him provided a strong support system for both of their packs. His relationship with Valeria Nightshade, his supposed Luna, was nothing short of a political union-one lacking any matebond or love. Instead, it was filled with rough s*x, political games, and greed. They only made use of each other. Valeria used him to reinforce her position as Luna, and he exploited the influence that came with having the support of her father-Alpha Draven, the Alpha of the second most powerful pack in the realm. Ragnar had given up all hope on a destined mate. All he cared about was protecting his pack and the territories under him. The thick double doors to the office swung open as Kael Stone, Ragnar's Beta, walked in. Behind him was Thorne Ashford, the Gamma and friendliest of the three. "Took you long enough," Ragnar said as he reclined on his swivel chair. He had sent them to deal with the traitor who knelt before him minutes ago. "He's gone", Kael reported. He resembled Ragnar with his cold demeanor. The scar that sliced his left eyebrow into two perfect halves was the only defect on his perfect face. It earned him the nickname scar. Ragnar nodded once in satisfaction. "As it should be. I wonder why spineless wolves always betray me. Am I not ruthless enough to deter them?" Thorne scoffed as he popped some gum into his mouth. "You are worse than ruthless. " There is no word to describe what you are." "I like the sound of that", Ragnar's eyes darkened as he smirked. "Prepare for a trip to the east. Let's show the rebellious pups in Blue Moon pack what we're capable of. Jack tags along." 'I have noticed your interest in the young warrior lately," Kael said as he shoved his hands into his perfectly tailored trousers. "He has a lot of fire. We might have a use for him in the near future." Ragnar stroked his jaw, half thinking. "Or more like he reminds you of your traitorous twin," Thorne taunted. He knew that the mention of the banished Ronan was a bitter taste for Ragnar, but in his carefree nature, he made jokes about it. This time, he earned a menacing growl from Ragnar and a slap to the back of his head from Kael. "You must have a death wish", Ragnar's eyes darkened as his green eyes changed to black. "Whoa, easy now, Alpha" Thorne raised his hand in surrender as he slowly backed away, bowing his neck. With the show of submission, Ragnar's wolf retreated to the darkest place in his mind. Instead, he threw the liquor glass at Thorne, knowing fully well that his gamma had the reflexes to dodge it. The shattering glass rang out through the room; none of them flinched. A shaking Omega entered the room to clean the mess, disappearing just as quickly as she arrived. Over the years, after Ronan's betrayal, Ragnar became friends with Kael and Thorne when they helped him build his empire from the ruins it once was to the glorious state it is in. Kael and Thorne were the sons of the former Beta and Gamma. With the passing of their fathers came the birth of a new era and their undying friendship. Ragnar has come to love their kids too. He has a cordial relationship with their mates as well. Especially Lyra, Thorne's pregnant mate. The shaman predicted the birth of another son, but the beta preferred a daughter instead. Ragnar finally decided to make a trip to the human side of the realm where he owned a couple of successful businesses. Yes, power commands respect. But guess what commands will? Money and he had lots of it. The lavish mansion sitting in the center of the pack settlement did not materialize there by itself, and neither did the luxury cars parked to the right of the building. He needed to keep his pack afloat and what better way to do that than to use humans to gather his money? Not only was Blackthorn the most powerful, but it was also the richest. As Ragnar and his Gamma made their way to one of the parked SUVs, a bright red sports car sped up to them, sliding into the narrow space between the SUV and the Dodge Challenger, where it was usually parked. Thorne proceeded to excuse himself by throwing the black SUV in reverse, slowly backing away from the red car. The Luna appeared, flipping her fiery red hair over her shoulder. Valeria was a beauty with the perfect hourglass shape, perfectly rounded breasts, a sharp mouth, and a cunning mind. Manipulation was her forte and she knew how to get whatever she wanted when she wanted. Men worshipped her and women envied her. She shared in Ragnar's viciousness, and together they made a power couple, crushing their enemies at the slightest provocation. Being the only child of an Alpha, Valeria was trained to be a warrior and a future Alpha. She would take over her father's position after his death and Ragnar's union with her provided him the opportunity to rule alongside her as she did him. Valeria was also a spoiled brat who loved shopping and partying, but she knew how to lock in on business when necessary. She took off her shades as she sashayed towards her mate. "How was the visit to your father's pack," Ragnar asked. They weren't particularly romantic with each other. Hence, the lack of affectionate greetings. The only time a little bit of romance seeped into their relationship was when he had his hands wrapped around her neck, pounding into her behind. Plus, Valeria seemed more than satisfied with their arrangement. Just like other females of all species, she was interested in his money and influence. "Wonderful. It was nice being at home." She flashed him a sweet smile. "hmm. Interesting. And the rebellious elders?" "Murdered by their sons and eaten by their daughters." Valeria shrugged like it was no big deal. "Shouldn't have asked. You are very merciless." "Learning from the best." Luna giggled. Ragnar smirked and turned to go. "See you later." "And where are you off to?" Ragnar turned and looked her dead in the eye. "Oh please, don't act like you care about my whereabouts. It doesn't suit you."