The Alpha Who Rejects Me

The Trap

Delon stood by the tall window of his chamber, hands clasped behind his back, eyes fixed on the distant treeline where Finn and his men had vanished hours ago.

A slow, satisfied grin curved his lips.

The fool had taken the bait.

The door creaked open softly. A cloaked man slipped inside, his steps soundless against the stone floor. He dropped to one knee immediately, head bowed in submission.

Delon did not turn.

“Are they ready?” he asked calmly, his voice carrying an edge that made the air tighten.

“Yes, my lord,” the man replied. “At your command, they will strike.”

“Good.”

Delon finally turned, his expression cold, stripped of all pretense.

“The moment Finn steps into the forbidden region, he must die,” he said flatly. “No hesitation. Make no mistakes.”

The cloaked man nodded.

“And remember this well,” Delon continued, eyes narrowing. “The Gamma must not return alive.”

The man stiffened for a fraction of a second before lowering his head again.

“As you command, my lord.” He rose swiftly and disappeared through the door, melting back into the shadows from which he had come.

Silence reclaimed the chamber.

Delon let out a low, breathy chuckle.

“At last,” he murmured, voice dripping with contempt, “the weak-minded Alpha removes himself.” He turned back to the window, moonlight carving sharp lines across his face.

“Next,” he whispered, “that rude whore.”

His smile twisted, cruel and confident. “And when I am done,” he added softly, almost reverently, “who else but me will be crowned Alpha of Nightclaw Pack?”

Straightening his cloak, Delon strode toward the door.

And the game—finally—was reaching its end.

***

BACK AT KNOX-SHADE PACK

The night was deceptively calm. Knox sat behind his broad oak desk, the glow of the moon spilling through the tall windows of his study. Scrolls and sealed letters lay neatly arranged before him as he and Beta Stefan reviewed reports from allied packs—minor border disputes, resource negotiations, pleas awaiting discussion at the next Southern Alliance meeting.

“…and the Moonridge Pack requests arbitration over the river boundary,” Stefan concluded, rolling the parchment closed.

Knox nodded. “We’ll address it at the summit.”

Before Stefan could speak again, the study door burst open.

Gamma Ray strode in, breath slightly uneven, his face drawn tight with urgency. He bowed swiftly to Knox and Stefan before straightening.

“Alpha,” Ray said. “Our scouts have returned.”

Knox lifted his gaze calmly. “And?”

Ray swallowed. “Finn is staging a surprise attack tonight.”

The words hit the room like a spark.

Stefan shot to his feet. “That reckless bastard!” he snapped. “Has he finally lost his mind?”

Knox, however, remained still. His fingers tapped lightly against the armrest of his chair—slow, deliberate. A faint curve touched his lips, not anger, but something closer to amusement.

Seeing his Alpha’s composure, Stefan forced himself to sit back down. Ray straightened, waiting.

“Details,” Knox said evenly.

Ray nodded. “He’s leading a half unit—around fifty trained men. They’re taking the eastern forest route, skirting the forbidden region. No banners. Nor formal declaration.”

Knox’s tapping stopped. His brows drew together slightly. “That route…” he murmured.

Something was wrong. This wasn’t Finn’s style—not entirely. Too sloppy, too eager and Less… guided.

After a moment, Knox leaned back.

“Finn won’t survive his own attack,” he said calmly.

Stefan blinked. “Alpha?”

“There’s someone else pulling the strings,” Knox continued, voice low. “And Finn is too blinded by pride to see it.”

He turned to Ray.“Double the border patrols,” Knox ordered. “Seal the gates. No one enters. No one leaves. Not for the next full day.”

“Yes, Alpha,” Ray replied sharply.

“And Ray,” Knox added, eyes glinting, “tighten internal security as well.”

Ray stiffened, understanding immediately. “At once.” He bowed and hurried out.

Silence settled again.

Stefan studied Knox carefully. “Alpha… this is the perfect opportunity. If Finn is marching into a trap, we could strike. Reclaim Nightclaw. End this.”

Knox’s lips curved slightly. But he said nothing.

After a long moment, Stefan exhaled and looked away. No one can fully know what Knox thinks.

Knox rose slowly and walked toward the window, gazing into the moonlit forest beyond.

Let the pieces move, he thought coolly.

Tonight will reveal more than blood.

A slow, dangerous smile touched his face.

“Tonight,” Knox murmured to himself, “is going to be interesting.”

***

BACK AT NIGHTCLAW

The march onwards had been smooth.

Too smooth.

Leaves crunched softly under fifty pairs of boots as Finn led the unit through the forest, moonlight streaking through the branches like pale blades.

No patrols, scouts seen. And no form of resistance had been received. This was

Perfect.

Finn smirked to himself. Delon was right. Knox won’t even smell us coming.

Behind him, the men followed in tight formation. Until one of them slowed. It was

Gamma Murray. He had been left out from the declaration of war to its preparation and now, he is being dragged into the slaughter's house.

Being the gamma in just title, he wonders why he was chosen instead of the clever beta.

His sharp eyes scanned the trees again… then the sky… then their direction.

A frown formed in his face as he stepped forward.“Alpha,” he said carefully, keeping his voice low, “we’re drifting west.”

Finn didn’t look back. “I know.”

“The Knox-Shade Pack territory is south.”

“I said I know.”

Murray hesitated. “Then… why are we—”

Finn stopped walking and turned, his stare was cold. This was one of the reasons he avoided dealing with his Gamma. He asks too many questions unlike Delon.

“Do you doubt me, Gamma?”

The air stiffened.

“…No, Alpha,” Murray replied.

“Then keep walking.”

Silence swallowed the group again.

But the seed had been planted.

The men exchanged glances. The West made no sense. None. But no one dared question him again.

Minutes later—The trees changed. It became thicker, older, and twisted like claws. The air grew colder. Even the wind stopped moving.

Several warriors slowed unconsciously.

Their instincts screamed...This place was wrong.

Finn noticed the sluggish pace and snapped, “Why are we crawling like pups?”

No one spoke, until Murray did.“…Alpha,” he said, quieter now, “we’ve reached the forbidden region.”

A ripple went through the group.

Even the bravest stiffened. Everyone knew the stories about old traps. The Unmarked graves. And disappeared patrols teams from different packs. It was a place even animals avoided.

“It isn’t safe,” Murray continued. “We should circle around. There’s another route—”

Finn barked out a harsh laugh.

“Forbidden?” he scoffed. “There’s nothing forbidden about trees and dirt.” He pointed ahead. “It’s the fastest path to Knox’s border. With neither of their secret patrols seeing us, or witnesses.”

He stepped closer to Murray. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

But the men didn’t look convinced. Some even looked uneasy and that annoyed him.

Murray tried one last time. “Alpha… it was marked forbidden for a reason. The elders said this place was filled with—”

WHAM.

Finn’s fist slammed into Murray’s stomach.

The Gamma folded instantly, choking for air.

The other warriors froze in horror.