Chapter 18 - Blood Truths
1313 Words
*Raiden – pov*
The packhouse felt wrong when I returned. It was too quiet, too polished. Like violence had been scrubbed clean before I arrived.
Aeron noticed it immediately.
Something’s off.
“I know.”
The guards at the entrance avoided my eyes. Bad sign.
I moved through the main hall without stopping, boots echoing sharply against dark wooden floors while unease crawled steadily beneath my skin.
I turned toward the lower corridor leading to the dungeon when my father’s voice stopped me cold.
“That won’t be necessary.”
I looked up slowly.
He stood at the top of the staircase overlooking the main hall. His cold eyes fixed directly on me. Perfectly composed.
Alpha Lucien Black looked every bit the ruler he’d spent decades becoming.
“I was going to question the rogues,” I said evenly.
My father descended the stairs slowly.
“There’s nothing left to question.”
A pulse of irritation moved through me.
“You executed them.”
“Yes.”
My wolf growled low beneath my skin.
Convenient.
“Pack law,” my father continued calmly. “Rogues who attack within our territory are sentenced immediately.”
I stared at him.
“Without interrogation?”
His gaze sharpened slightly.
“You question my judgment?”
Constantly.
Something cold settled heavily into my chest instead. The timing was too clean, too convenient.
Those rogues had known Elara specifically. One even said, she belongs to him. Now they were dead before speaking another word.
My father studied me carefully.
“You’ve become unusually invested.”
I held his gaze evenly.
“They attacked on my territory.”
Not technically a lie.
His expression remained unreadable.
“The mating ball is tomorrow. You are to attend.”
“I said I would.”
“You will do more than attend.” His voice hardened slightly. “You will formally choose Celeste Knight as your mate and make the announcement before dinner is served.”
My body went completely still.
Celeste Knight.
Daughter of Alpha Marcus Knight.
Only heir to the Northern Ridge pack. A strategic alliance for power.
My wolf snarled violently.
I will not accept another as my mate.
“I’m not taking a chosen mate.”
My father’s expression didn’t shift.
“You are thirty-five years old, Raiden.”
“And?”
“And you have failed to find your true mate.”
My jaw tightened instantly.
“You don’t know that.”
His eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my words.
“You’ve been too distracted lately,” he said carefully.
“Reckless. Choosing Celeste is not a question. It is an order.”
The implication sharpened the air between us instantly.
My wolf pushed forward hard enough to hurt.
We need to protect mate.
I stepped closer slowly.
“What if I refuse?”
Silence dropped heavily between us. Several guards nearby immediately stiffened. My father looked almost disappointed. Then he smiled slightly. It was the kind of smile that never reached his eyes.
“One of two things happens.”
Every instinct I possessed screamed warning.
“First,” he continued calmly, “you challenge me for Alpha position.”
The atmosphere shifted violently. Dominance rolled off him hard enough to pressure the room itself.
“And you lose.”
My wolf surged instantly.
We will not.
My father had ruled for decades. He was ruthless.
He was more experienced, powerful, and he knew exactly how to weaponize fear.
Then came the second option.
The one that confirmed my worst fear.
“Or,” he said softly, “your human may not be fortunate enough to survive another rogue attack.”
My world seemed to stop for a moment. I wasn’t surprised.
My father watched my reaction carefully and suddenly my instinct to protect Elara nearly overpowered me.
Don’t trust him.
My wolf snarled viciously beneath my skin.
If he touches my mate, I will kill him.
I stepped forward slowly until we stood nearly chest to chest.
“You threaten her.”
“I am warning you.”
“She has nothing to do with this.”
“She has everything to do with this.”
My pulse slowed dangerously.
Deadly calm settling in.
“You ordered the attack.”
My father said nothing but he didn’t deny it either. That was answer enough. Rage hit so hard my hands curled into fists automatically.
All this time, all these years, I thought my father was harsh and cold, obsessed with control.
But this?
This was something darker.
“You seem to have a lot to think about,” he said quietly.
I laughed once, sharp and completely humorless.
“You should pray I don’t choose option 1.”
For the first time in years—
I saw something flicker in my father’s eyes.
Not fear exactly but awareness. Like he suddenly realized I was no longer a boy desperate for his approval.
I turned without another word and walked away before instinct demanded violence.
My wolf raged the entire way down the corridor.
Mate in danger.
“I know.”
Protect mate.
“I know.”
---
Rafe found me in the kitchen twenty minutes later. He shut the door behind him immediately.
“You look murderous.”
“I’m considering it.”
My Beta leaned against the table carefully.
“What happened?”
I scrubbed both hands across my face slowly before answering.
“My father executed the rogues before interrogation.”
Rafe’s expression darkened instantly.
“That’s suspicious.”
“He also threatened Elara.”
Silence.
“…What?”
I looked up sharply.
“I think he orchestrated the attack.”
Rafe went completely still.
“That’s a serious accusation.”
“I know.”
“But you believe it.”
“Yes.”
The room fell silent. Rafe looked deeply unsettled now.
“Raiden…”
I shook my head slowly.
“He knew about the attack before I questioned anyone. He pushed Celeste again and when I refused, he used Elara as leverage.”
Rafe muttered a curse under his breath.
“He’s escalating.”
“No,” I said quietly.
The realization settled like ice in my chest.
“He’s panicking.”
Because Elara existed. Because something about her threatened everything he built.
The kitchen door creaked softly behind us.
Neither of us noticed immediately until Mara spoke;
“You finally see him clearly.”
We turned sharply.
Mara stood in the doorway holding a tray of untouched food.
Rafe’s mother. She was also the pack chef, caretaker. She was the closest thing I’d had to a mother since my mother’s death.
Her expression looked grim.
“Mama?” Rafe frowned.
Mara looked directly at me.
“I wondered how long it would take.”
A chill slid slowly down my spine.
“What do you know?”
She set the tray down carefully. Then sighed heavily.
“Your father loved Queen Seraphine.”
The words hit like a physical blow.
“What?”
Mara’s eyes darkened with old grief.
“Before the attack… before the throne changed hands… Lucien Black was Beta to Alpha King Alaric.”
My pulse began pounding harder.
No way.
“He worshipped her,” Mara continued quietly. “Everyone knew it except Alaric. Or perhaps he knew and trusted Lucien anyway.”
Rafe looked horrified.
“Mama…”
“Seraphine never returned his feelings,” Mara said softly. “She loved her mate completely.”
My stomach turned violently but suddenly, everything clicked. The obsession with power.
The hatred toward Elara. The need for control.
“She chose Alaric,” Mara whispered. “And Lucien never forgave either of them for it.”
Silence swallowed the room whole.
“The rogue attack wasn’t random,” I said.
Mara looked at me sadly.
“No,” she whispered. “It was planned.”
- Writer
