Rejected by family, struck with a plan

The pack fell silent the moment Lucian Blackwood entered the hall. Every conversation died. Every head lowered. No one dared to meet the Alpha's eyes for too long. Lucian didn't need to demand respect. His presence commanded it. He walked toward the high-backed chair at the end of the hall, his black shirt stretched across broad shoulders, his expression unreadable. Behind him, his Beta followed quietly. "Alpha." Lucian stopped. "What?" "The southern patrol has returned." "And?" "They found trespassers near the border." Lucian's jaw tightened. "How many?" "Three." "Where are they?" "In the holding cells." Lucian continued walking. "Bring them to me." The Beta hesitated. "Alive?" Lucian glanced over his shoulder. His golden eyes flashed. "Did I say anything about killing them?" "No, Alpha." "Then why are you asking?" The Beta immediately lowered his head. "My apologies." Lucian took his seat. For several seconds, he said nothing. The room remained painfully quiet. This was what everyone feared about their Alpha. Not his temper. Not his strength. It was the silence before he decided what to do. Lucian rested one arm against the chair. "Bring them." The doors opened. Three men were dragged inside by the guards. They were rogues. Their clothes were torn, their faces bruised, and the scent of blood clung heavily to them. Lucian studied them. "You crossed into Blackwood territory." One of the men spat blood onto the floor. "We didn't know." Lucian's eyebrow lifted. "You didn't know?" The rogue shook his head. "We were hungry." A few members of the council exchanged glances. Lucian leaned forward. "Being hungry doesn't make you stupid." The rogue remained silent. Lucian stood. The room seemed to shrink around him. He walked toward them slowly. "Who sent you?" "No one." Lucian stopped in front of the first man. "Wrong answer." "We swear—" Lucian grabbed him by the throat and lifted him from the ground. The man's feet kicked helplessly. "Alpha!" the Beta called cautiously. Lucian's eyes remained fixed on the rogue. "Last chance." The rogue gasped. "We... we were looking for shelter." Lucian released him. He crashed onto the floor, coughing. Lucian turned toward his guards. "Give them food." Everyone stared at him. The Beta blinked. "Alpha?" "You heard me." "But they crossed our borders." "They're rogues, not soldiers." Lucian returned to his chair. "If they leave peacefully, let them go." The council members exchanged surprised looks. Lucian noticed. "What?" An older councilman cleared his throat. "Nothing, Alpha." "Then stop staring at me." The man immediately looked away. Lucian leaned back. Being Alpha wasn't about cruelty. It was about knowing when cruelty was necessary. And when it wasn't. A sudden howl echoed from outside. Lucian's expression changed. His wolf stirred beneath his skin. The howl came again. This time, closer. The Beta rushed toward the doors. "Alpha, it's from the eastern border." Lucian stood. "How many?" "We don't know." Lucian's eyes hardened. "Then find out." He walked toward the doors. Before he could reach them, another figure entered the hall. His mother. Lady Eveline Blackwood. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't quite read. "Lucian." He stopped. "Mother." Her eyes briefly moved toward the rogues before returning to him. "I need to speak with you." "About what?" "Something from the past." Lucian frowned. "I don't have time for the past." Eveline's face tightened. "You may not have a choice." For the first time that evening, Lucian's confidence faltered. "What happened?" His mother stepped closer. "The Vale family has returned." Silence. Lucian's expression darkened. The name alone was enough to awaken memories buried years ago. Vale. The family his father had sworn never to forgive. The family his pack had been forbidden to trust. And the family of the one woman Lucian had spent years trying not to love. His mother's voice softened. "Seraphina Vale is coming to Blackwood territory." Lucian's heart stopped for half a second. Then his face became unreadable again. "Why?" Eveline looked directly into his eyes. "That's what we need to find out." Lucian said nothing. But deep inside him, his wolf had already awakened. Seraphina. He hadn't seen her in three years. Three years of forcing himself to forget her. Three years of pretending that the past no longer mattered. Yet one sentence from his mother had brought everything rushing back. Lucian turned toward the window. Outside, the moon hung unusually low over the forest. Then his wolf growled. Not with anger. With warning. Lucian's eyes narrowed. "What is it?" His mother went pale. "What?" "My wolf." Eveline stared at him. For a moment, something like fear crossed her face. Then she whispered, "Nothing." But Lucian knew his mother. And she was lying. Before he could question her, a guard burst through the doors. "Alpha!" Lucian turned sharply. The guard was breathing heavily. "Speak." "The eastern patrol found something." "What?" The guard swallowed. "Someone left a message at the border." Lucian's eyes narrowed. "What message?" The guard looked at Eveline. Then back at Lucian. "It says..." He hesitated. "The past is coming for the Blackwood Alpha." The hall went completely silent. Lucian stared at his mother. And for the first time in twenty years, Eveline Blackwood looked afraid.