Breaking The Blood Bond

The screams had stopped. Four men knelt on the black marble floor, their bodies trembling beneath the invisible pressure crushing the air around them. Across the room, Sebastian stood perfectly still, dressed in black, his expression devoid of mercy. Farmont stood before him, struggling to maintain his composure. “You think you can betray me and walk away?” Sebastian asked. “I—I had no choice,” Farmont stammered. Sebastian tilted his head slightly. “There is always a choice. You simply made the wrong one.” Crimson energy flickered between his fingers. The four men gasped as the pressure intensified. One collapsed onto his side. Another tried to crawl toward the door, only to be forced back against the cold floor. “Please,” one of them whispered. “We can explain—” “You have already explained enough.” Sebastian closed his hand. A violent pulse of magic swept through the chamber. The four men fell silent. One by one, their bodies slumped to the floor. The crimson glow faded from their skin, leaving only stillness behind. Farmont stared at them in horror. Sebastian barely glanced at the bodies. “Clean this up.” The doors opened behind him. Marcon entered, took one look at the scene, and sighed. “Again?” Sebastian adjusted the ring on his finger. “They disappointed me.” Marcon glanced at the bodies. “Of course they did. I wish you'd left one alive for questioning.” Sebastian gave him a cold look. “You don't need to ask them anything.” For a brief moment, neither man spoke. Then Marcon turned toward the guards waiting in the corridor. “Take the bodies outside. Make sure the room is clean before anyone returns.” The guards hurried inside and began removing the bodies without daring to ask questions. Marcon waited until they had gone before speaking again. “The clan leaders have arrived. They're waiting in the main hall.” Sebastian walked past him toward the door. “Then they shouldn't be kept waiting.” Marcon followed him into the corridor, giving him a dry look. “Sometimes I wonder why I bother asking.” Without another word, Sebastian continued down the long corridor toward the main hall, where the representatives of the six great clans had gathered. Behind them, the last traces of crimson magic vanished from the marble floor. Ahead, the doors to the war room stood open. And inside, six powerful Alphas were about to discover how little patience their feared ruler had left. The ancient seal had remained silent for three hundred years. Tonight, crimson light stirred beneath the black marble. A pulse rippled through the seal carved into the floor. The flames lining the chamber turned blue. At the center of the table, a map of the supernatural territories lay divided by a glowing red line. Then the doors opened. Sebastian entered. Dressed in black from collar to boots, he carried the kind of authority that made even powerful Alphas think twice before challenging him. His dark hair framed a striking face, and his cold eyes missed nothing. The six representatives of the great clans rose. One by one, they knelt. All except the Silver representative. The old wolf remained standing, his hands clasped behind his back. Sebastian stopped beside the table. “Has the Silver Pack forgotten who rules these territories?” “The Silver Pack answers to its own Alpha.” A dangerous silence settled over the room. “Your Alpha is nowhere to be found,” Sebastian said. “Your patrols have crossed my borders, and your warriors have ignored my orders.” “You have no evidence to support that accusation.” Sebastian's expression barely changed. “Do I need evidence to enforce my own laws?” The old wolf hesitated. Sebastian smiled without warmth. “Exactly.” He placed his palm on the map. Crimson light spread beneath his fingers, illuminating the northern territories. “I spent years bringing six divided clans under one authority. I ended disputes that lasted generations. I made it clear that no Alpha would be permitted to sacrifice innocent lives for personal grudges.” His gaze returned to the Silver representative. “Yet your clan believes it can ignore every rule I establish.” “The Silver Pack will never bow to a ruler who threatens its existence.” “Then perhaps the Silver Pack has yet to learn its lesson.” The crimson light flared. The old wolf's expression tightened as an invisible force crushed down on him. He struggled to remain standing, but the pressure grew unbearable. His hands curled into fists, and his knees began to buckle. He fought against the force, determined not to kneel before Sebastian. But the pain grew worse with every passing second. At last, he dropped to one knee, gasping for air. No one moved. No one dared to speak. Sebastian watched without emotion. He had earned his reputation through calculated decisions, not empty threats. He knew when to strike and when fear alone could achieve what an army could not. But the Silver Pack was different. Destroying it would not end an old conflict. It would awaken something far more dangerous. Before Sebastian could increase the pressure further, a heavy knock echoed through the chamber. The doors opened, and the Elder Alpha entered, leaning on a black cane carved with a wolf's head. “Sebastian, leave him!” the old man shouted. Sebastian's gaze shifted toward his grandfather. For a moment, the pressure remained. Then Sebastian slowly closed his hand. The crimson light vanished, and the Silver representative struggled to his feet, breathing heavily. The Elder Alpha looked at Sebastian. “Please,” he said quietly. “Leave us.” The representatives obeyed without question. The Silver wolf was the last to leave. Sebastian watched the doors close. “You are making enemies faster than you are making allies,” his grandfather said. “Then they should choose their battles more carefully.” “You mistake fear for loyalty.” The Elder Alpha struck his cane against the marble. “This is not about your pride. It is about a covenant older than the six clans—a promise your father made.” The old Alpha's eyes darkened. “The girl is still alive. The temple flames still burn.” Sebastian went still. He knew what those words meant.