The Aplha's decision
1141 Words
The great hall of Blackthorn was still full of noise when Alpha Darius Storm returned.
The Alphas were drinking, laughing, and arguing loudly about hunting lands and pack alliances. The celebration for the newborn heir had turned into the usual gathering of powerful wolves trying to prove their strength.
But the moment Darius stepped through the large wooden doors, the room slowly became quiet.
Because he was not alone.
In his arms was the weak girl from the prison.
Selene.
Her silver hair spilt across his arm. She looked small and fragile in the Alpha's hold. Her breathing was slow and shaky, as if she could fall asleep at any moment.
Behind him walked Ragnar, the giant wolf. His golden eyes carefully watched every Alpha in the hall. His large paws moved silently across the stone floor.
The laughter in the room stopped.
Every Alpha turned to look at them.
“What is this?” one of them asked in surprise.
Alpha Marcus slowly stood from his seat at the long table. His heavy boots clomped as he stepped forward.
“Darius,” he said slowly, “that girl is a prisoner.”
Darius continued walking across the hall as if he had not heard him.
Members of the Blackthorn Pack quickly stood when they saw their Alpha enter.
“Prepare the healer’s room,” Darius ordered calmly.
“Yes, Alpha,” one of the warriors said immediately before rushing out of the hall.
Marcus walked down from the table, clearly unhappy.
“You cannot simply take a prisoner from the cells,” he said loudly. “She was brought here for judgment.”
Darius stopped walking.
The room became completely silent.
Every Alpha was watching them.
Darius slowly turned his head toward Marcus.
“Judgment?” he repeated.
Marcus crossed his arms. "She’s accused of destroying her own pack. She’s dangerous."
Darius looked down at Selene in his arms.
Her head rested weakly against his chest. Her skin was pale, and her body was covered in bruises. She looked like someone who had suffered for a long time.
Dangerous?
She could barely stay awake.
His wolf growled quietly inside him.
“Who accused her?” Darius asked.
“A visiting Alpha,” Marcus replied. “Alpha Victor of the Shadow Ridge Pack. He brought her here three days ago.”
At the sound of that name, Selene’s body trembled slightly.
Darius felt it immediately.
His eyes darkened.
“Where is he?” Darius asked.
Marcus pointed across the hall.
A tall man stood near the far table. His sharp face looked calm, but his dark eyes watched Darius carefully.
Alpha Victor.
Victor slowly stepped forward.
“That girl is a criminal,” he said coldly. “She murdered her own pack using forbidden magic. If you protect her, you challenge the justice of all gathered packs.”
A few whispers spread across the hall.
Selene’s fingers weakly gripped the front of Darius’s coat.
“Lies…” she whispered softly.
Her voice was so quiet that most people could not hear it.
But Darius did.
He looked down at her.
Her violet eyes were barely open. They were filled with pain, fear, and exhaustion.
His wolf growled again.
Mate.
The word echoed in his mind.
Darius lifted his head and looked directly at Victor.
“You claim she destroyed her pack,” he said.
Victor nodded confidently.
“Yes. She is half witch. Her magic is unstable and dangerous. She killed dozens of wolves before we captured her.”
The hall became tense.
Magic was something many wolves feared. A wolf with witch blood was extremely rare, and many believed it could bring destruction.
But something about Victor’s story felt wrong.
Darius noticed that Victor had not looked at Selene even once.
Not while accusing her.
Not while speaking about her crimes.
“You captured her?” Darius asked.
Victor nodded again. “Yes. My warriors fought hard to stop her.”
Darius remained silent for a moment.
Then he spoke.
“She is my mate.”
The words echoed through the hall.
Shock spread immediately.
Several Alphas stood from their chairs in surprise.
Marcus stared at him.
“Your… mate?” he repeated.
Victor’s calm expression disappeared.
“That is impossible,” he said sharply.
Darius did not move.
But Ragnar stepped forward, his large body placing itself between Selene and the other Alphas.
A deep growl came from the giant wolf’s chest.
No one stepped closer.
Darius’s voice remained steady.
“The bond is clear.”
Victor’s face grew darker with anger.
“That changes nothing,” he said. “She is still guilty of murder.”
Selene tried to speak again, but she was too weak.
Darius felt her body trembling slightly.
Anger slowly began to rise inside him.
Not loud anger.
Cold anger.
The kind that made enemies regret their choices.
“You chained her in my prison,” Darius said slowly.
Victor frowned. “Because she deserved it.”
Darius’s grey eyes locked onto him.
“You beat her.”
Victor did not answer.
That silence said enough.
Ragnar’s growl became louder.
Darius took one slow step forward.
Several Alphas tensed.
Everyone in the supernatural world knew one thing.
When Darius Storm became angry, things rarely ended peacefully.
“You brought a weak, injured woman into my territory,” Darius continued quietly.
“You chained her.”
Another step forward.
“You beat her.”
Victor’s hand slowly moved toward the dagger at his belt.
“And you expect me to believe you did this for justice?”
The tension in the hall felt heavy.
Marcus quickly stepped between them.
“Enough,” he said firmly. “This is a celebration, not a battlefield.”
Darius remained still, his eyes still locked on Victor.
Finally, Marcus spoke again.
“Darius, the girl clearly needs a healer,” he said. “Take her and let her recover. We can discuss these accusations later.”
Victor looked furious but did not argue.
For now.
Darius gave a single nod.
Without another word, he turned and walked toward the hallway that led to the healer’s rooms.
Ragnar followed closely beside him.
As they left the hall, Selene moved slightly in his arms.
“You shouldn’t have done that…” she whispered weakly.
Darius looked down at her.
“Done what?”
“Saved me,” she murmured.
Darius stopped walking for a moment.
He studied her face carefully.
Bruised.
Weak.
But still strong enough to worry about him.
His voice softened slightly.
“You’re my mate.”
Selene slowly closed her eyes.
“You don’t know what that means,” she said quietly.
Darius continued walking down the hallway.
His voice was calm and certain.
“Oh,” he said.
“I think I’m about to find out.”
- Writer
