THE ALPHA'S HUMAN

chapter 1 The grand hall of the Blood Moon Pack was drowning in silver light. Rows of wolves stood on both sides of the ceremonial aisle, silent and expectant as the future Alpha stood before the sacred altar with Jasmine beside him. Everything was perfect. Too perfect. Jasmine stood tall in her Luna robes, elegance wrapped around her like royalty itself. She looked calm, confident—like a woman already certain of her future. And beside her, Brian looked like he couldn’t breathe. His shoulders were stiff beneath the black ceremonial attire of an Alpha heir. His hands remained clenched behind his back so nobody would notice the slight tremor in them. The elder smiled proudly. “Tonight marks the union between the future Alpha and his destined Luna. A bond blessed by the Moon Goddess herself—” “Stop.” The single word sliced through the hall so suddenly that the elder froze mid-sentence. A heavy silence followed. Brian slowly lifted his head. “I can’t do this.” At first, nobody understood what he meant. Jasmine frowned faintly before letting out a quiet laugh under her breath. “Brian…” she murmured carefully, “this isn’t funny.” But Brian wasn’t looking at her. His eyes remained fixed on the floor as if he physically could not bring himself to meet anyone’s gaze. The Alpha King rose from his throne immediately. “What do you mean you can’t do this?” his father demanded, confusion already creeping into his voice. Brian swallowed hard. “I’m not ready for this bond.” The hall erupted into whispers instantly. Jasmine’s smile disappeared completely. “What are you saying?” Brian finally looked at her then, and whatever she saw in his eyes made her expression shift. Not hatred. Not anger. Something worse. Distance. “You’ve known about this ceremony your entire life,” Luna Evelyn said sharply as she stepped forward. “What suddenly changed?” Brian said nothing. The silence itself became suspicious. The elder narrowed his eyes. “Future Alpha, rejecting a binding ceremony without reason is against sacred custom.” “I didn’t reject anything,” Brian answered quickly, almost too quickly. “I just… don’t think we’re compatible.” A gasp rippled across the hall. Jasmine stared at him in disbelief. “Compatible?” she repeated softly, like the word itself insulted her. “Brian, we are fated.” His jaw tightened. “That doesn’t mean this should happen now.” “Then when?” Jasmine snapped suddenly, hurt finally slipping into her voice. “Next month? Next year? After you humiliate me before the entire kingdom?” Brian looked away again. And that was the moment fear truly settled into the room. Because Alpha Brian never avoided eye contact. The Alpha King descended the stairs slowly, his expression darkening with every step. “Look at me,” he ordered. Brian obeyed. “What is this truly about?” his father asked quietly. “Did someone threaten you? Did something happen outside the kingdom?” “No.” “Then why are you doing this?” Luna Evelyn demanded. “Do you understand what this means for the pack?” Still, Brian had no answer. Or maybe he had one he couldn’t say aloud. Jasmine stepped closer to him, her voice trembling now. “Brian…” For a second, he almost broke. Almost. But then she reached for his hand— and Brian instinctively pulled away. The movement was small. Barely noticeable. Yet the entire hall saw it. Jasmine’s face lost color instantly. A horrible silence swallowed the room whole. The elder’s expression slowly hardened. “You would pull away from your mate?” Brian looked trapped now, like every wall around him was closing in at once. ““I don’t think I can do this,” Brian said quietly. The words landed heavier than anyone expected. “What?” the Alpha King muttered in disbelief. Brian avoided everyone’s eyes. Jasmine’s. His mother’s. The elders’. Without another word, he turned around and walked away from the altar. Gasps erupted behind him immediately. “Brian!” His mother’s voice cracked through the hall, but he didn’t stop. The doors of the ceremonial hall slammed shut behind him with a loud echo, leaving the entire kingdom frozen in stunned silence. The night air hit differently outside. Cold. Quiet. Free. Brian walked aimlessly through the dark streets, hands buried inside his pockets while the silver streetlights flickered above him one after another. The city of the werewolves was alive somewhere in the distance, but around him, everything felt strangely empty. His father’s voice still rang inside his head. The disappointment. The confusion. Jasmine’s face. He exhaled deeply, dragging a hand through his hair before finally stopping near an old bench by the roadside. For the first time that night, he sat down. His chest felt heavy. “What the hell am I doing…” he muttered under his breath. Then— A scream pierced through the night. Brian’s head snapped up instantly. Another sound followed. A punch. Then another. His eyes narrowed sharply toward the dark alley across the street. Without thinking, he got up and strode toward the direction of the noise. “Please—” BAOW! The sound of another hit echoed. Brian turned into the alley just in time to see three boys surrounding someone on the floor. “Hey!” he barked angrily, rushing toward them. The boys immediately froze. “The hell?” one cursed before all three took off running. Brian chased after them for a short distance, but they disappeared into the dark streets quickly. Breathing hard, he turned back. The boy was still on the ground. Brian walked toward him carefully. “Hey…” he said, lowering slightly. “Are you okay?” The boy slowly lifted his head. And for a second… Brian forgot how to breathe. Soft features. Dark eyes. A face bruised slightly at the corner yet somehow still unfairly beautiful beneath the dim streetlight. “Yeah,” the boy replied softly while trying to sit up. “I’m okay.” His voice was calm. Gentle. But somehow it hit Brian harder than anything else that night. Brian reached out instinctively and helped him up. “Thanks,” the stranger said, dusting his hoodie lightly. Brian stared a second too long. Something about him felt… strange. Not dangerous. Not supernatural. Just different. In a way Brian couldn’t explain. “By the way,” the boy said, offering a small smile as he stretched out his hand, “I’m Daniel.” Brian blinked quickly before taking it. “B-Brian.” Daniel smirked a little. “You okay there?” “Y-Yeah,” Brian stammered immediately, cursing himself internally. Daniel chuckled softly, licking his lips unconsciously before bending down to pick up his fallen bicycle. Brian quickly stepped forward. “I’ll do that.” His hand brushed Daniel’s accidentally as he grabbed the bicycle handle. The contact was brief. But Brian felt it everywhere. Daniel looked at him strangely for a second before straightening up slowly. “Thanks,” he said warmly. “I really appreciate it.” Brian nodded awkwardly, pushing the bicycle forward beside him. The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable. It was strangely easy. And Brian hated how much he liked that already. When they reached the end of the street, Daniel hopped onto the bicycle and looked back at him with a grin. “See you around, Brian.” Brian stood there staring at him like an i***t. “B-Bye.” Daniel waved once before riding off into the darkness. And Brian remained there long after he disappeared. Still smiling to himself uncontrollably like something inside him had shifted forever. Brian stayed there long after Daniel disappeared into the darkness. The cold night breeze brushed past him softly, yet somehow his chest felt warmer than it had all evening. It didn’t make sense. Just an hour ago, he had walked out of the most important ceremony of his life with the entire kingdom staring at him like he had lost his mind. His parents were probably furious by now. The elders were definitely demanding answers. Jasmine… Brian shut his eyes briefly. He didn’t even want to think about her expression back at the hall. A frustrated sigh escaped his lips as he finally started walking home. The streets had grown quieter now. Most shops were already closed, their lights dim beneath the silver glow of the moon hanging high above the kingdom. Brian shoved both hands deeper into his pockets. But no matter how hard he tried, his thoughts kept returning to the same person. Daniel. The way he smiled. The softness in his voice. The strange calm Brian had felt standing beside him. It irritated him. Brian had met countless people before. Powerful Alphas. Noble daughters from neighboring packs. Warriors. Scholars. None of them had ever affected him this way. So why did some random human suddenly feel impossible to get out of his head? He let out a dry laugh under his breath. “This is ridiculous.” Yet even as he said it, he could still remember the brief warmth of Daniel’s hand touching his. And somehow… Brian found himself smiling again. The realization hit him immediately. His smile slowly faded. “What the hell…” he whispered. He stopped walking. For years, everything in his life had felt heavy. Suffocating. Like he was constantly forcing himself to fit inside a future that was never truly his. But tonight— For those few short minutes beside Daniel— Brian had forgotten all of it. No pressure. No expectations. No throne. No Luna. Just… peace. And that terrified him more than anything else. Because deep down, Brian knew one thing already. If fate ever gave him the choice between returning to that ceremonial hall… or seeing Daniel again— He didn't know which one he would choose.