The Rejected Luna And The Ruthless Alpha

Chapter six

Long before mothers frightened restless pups with stories of monsters lurking beyond the forest…They spoke of one man.Not because he was a monster.But because he was worse.He was real.Across the Northern Continent, kingdoms rose and fell. Alpha families forged alliances through marriage, expanded territories through war, and spent centuries fighting over power beneath the blessing of the Moon Goddess.Yet among all the kingdoms, only one name inspired equal measures of admiration and fear.Shadowfang.Unlike the lush valleys of Silvercrest, the Shadowfang Kingdom was carved into a chain of towering obsidian mountains whose jagged peaks pierced the clouds like the fangs of an ancient beast. Dense evergreen forests stretched for miles around the kingdom, so thick that even sunlight struggled to reach the forest floor. Wolves claimed the trees whispered to one another when strangers entered, warning the kingdom long before an enemy ever reached its gates.The capital, Noctis Keep, stood at the heart of those mountains.It was not a palace built to impress.It was a fortress built to survive.Its walls were carved directly into black stone cliffs polished smooth by centuries of wind and rain. Massive towers overlooked every valley below, each crowned with silver banners bearing the crest of a wolf standing beneath a crescent moon. During the day, the banners shimmered against the dark stone. At night, they looked almost ghostly beneath the moonlight.Unlike the lavish courts of other Alpha kingdoms, there was little unnecessary luxury within Noctis Keep.Everything had purpose.Strength.Discipline.Efficiency.Those who lived within its walls believed that comfort weakened warriors.Their king believed it even more.The kingdom had earned another name over the years.The Kingdom That Never Lost.No invading army had breached its gates in nearly two centuries.No rebellion had survived.No rival Alpha had successfully challenged its throne.Not because Shadowfang possessed the largest army.Because it possessed the greatest commander.Far below the palace walls, hundreds of warriors stood in disciplined ranks across the training grounds.Steel clashed against steel.Commands echoed through the cold morning air.Young wolves sparred while seasoned veterans corrected every mistake with relentless precision.No one complained.Complaints did not exist inside Shadowfang.At the center of the field, two enormous wolves circled one another.One lunged.The other countered effortlessly.Before spectators could blink, the larger wolf was slammed into the earth.The impact shook the ground.Silence spread across the field.A towering man stepped forward.Nearly every warrior instinctively straightened.Some lowered their eyes.Others swallowed nervously.He was dressed simply in black training clothes, their sleeves rolled to reveal powerful forearms marked with pale scars earned from countless battles. His dark hair fell carelessly across his forehead, and the morning light caught the sharp angles of his face.He looked no older than twenty-seven.Yet there was something timeless about him.His silver-blue eyes held the calm of a frozen lake and the danger hidden beneath its surface.He did not need to shout.He did not need to threaten.His presence alone commanded absolute obedience.Kael Draven.Alpha King of Shadowfang.The youngest ruler ever to unite five independent packs beneath one banner.The youngest Alpha King in recorded history.The man other kings called…The Ruthless Alpha.He walked slowly across the training field.No one moved unless instructed.No one dared.The defeated warrior struggled to stand.Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.“I failed, my King.”Kael studied him quietly.“What was your mistake?”The young warrior lowered his head.“I hesitated.”Kael nodded once.“Hesitation kills.”His voice was calm.Controlled.Almost gentle.Which somehow made it more intimidating.“You were stronger.”“Faster.”“But you waited for permission to strike.”The young warrior looked ashamed.Kael extended a hand.The entire field watched in surprise.The warrior hesitated before accepting it.Kael pulled him effortlessly to his feet.“A warrior learns more from defeat than from easy victories.”He brushed dust from the young man’s shoulder.“Return tomorrow.”The warrior blinked.“My King?”“You lost today.”Kael’s expression remained unreadable.“I expect you to lose again tomorrow.”Confusion spread across several recruits.Kael continued walking.“Continue losing.”He glanced back only once.“Until you discover why you lose.”The lesson settled over the field.No insults.No humiliation.Only expectation.That was Shadowfang.Perfection was never demanded.Improvement was.Waiting near the edge of the training grounds stood two men.One wore a deep navy military coat and carried himself with the composed confidence of someone accustomed to responsibility.Ronan Ashbourne.Kael’s Beta.His oldest friend.His most trusted adviser.Where Kael was cold, Ronan was approachable.Where Kael remained silent, Ronan spoke.Together they had led Shadowfang through wars that reshaped kingdoms.Beside him stood another figure whose presence felt entirely different.Cassian Voss.Commander of the Night Legion.Tall.Broad-shouldered.Golden-eyed.Every scar decorating his face had a story behind it.Unlike Ronan, Cassian smiled easily.Usually just before battle.“My King,” Ronan greeted.“The eastern patrol has returned.”Kael accepted the report without looking up.“Anything unusual?”

“Nothing inside our borders.”Cassian crossed his arms.“But the neighboring kingdoms are becoming restless.”Kael finally lifted his gaze.“They’re always restless.”Ronan exchanged a glance with Cassian.“There are rumors.”Kael waited.“A sacred ceremony in Silvercrest ended… unexpectedly.”For the first time that morning, something flickered in Kael’s eyes.“Unexpectedly?”“No details.”“Only whispers.”Cassian shrugged.“Apparently several elders left the ceremony before it ended.”Kael considered the information.Then dismissed it.

“Watch.”Nothing more.No panic.No speculation.Only one word.Watch.Because Kael never reacted to rumors.He reacted to facts.As the soldiers dispersed, Kael climbed the western battlements alone.From there, the entire kingdom stretched beneath him.Forests.Villages.Mountain passes.His people.He knew every road.Every river.Every vulnerable border.Being king was not simply wearing a crown.It meant sleeping lightly because thousands of lives depended on every decision.The wind brushed against his face.He closed his eyes.Silence.Then…A familiar presence stirred inside him.Nyx.Unlike ordinary wolves, Nyx was ancient.Powerful.His consciousness did not merely share Kael’s body.

It filled it.His fur was blacker than midnight itself.Legends claimed the Midnight Wolves had vanished centuries ago.Yet Nyx lived.And he had chosen Kael.You are troubled.Kael answered without moving.“There are too many rumors.”Rumors rarely concern you.

“They concern kingdoms.”Nyx fell silent.Then…Something is changing.Kael opened his eyes.“What do you mean?”The great wolf did not answer immediately.Instead, Kael felt an unfamiliar sensation.Not pain.Not danger.Recognition.Faint.Almost impossible to detect.Like hearing a heartbeat from miles away.Nyx’s voice became quieter than Kael had ever heard it.Someone has awakened.Kael frowned.“Who?”There was a long silence.Long enough for the mountain wind to whistle between the towers.Then Nyx spoke four words that sent a chill down even the Ruthless Alpha’s spine.The forgotten blood lives.