Alpha's command

Alpha's POV 

“I’ll deliver the message personally,” Marcus said. “And I’ll have the scouts monitor their progress to ensure compliance. If any Delta leaders push back, I’ll have him or her punished.”

I met his gaze, appreciating the resolve there. “Good. I trust you to handle it.”

Marcus paused, his hand resting on the map near Golden Fields. “Speaking of territories, there’s something else. Tessa from Golden Fields has sent a message. He’s asking for more workers for the harvest.”

I sighed, my gaze following Marcus’s hand to the outlined territory. “Of course he is. It’s always the same with him. Golden Fields may be the pack’s breadbasket, but Tessa’s reliance on others to maintain it grows tiresome.”

Marcus gave a faint smile. “He’d argue that without Golden Fields, we’d all be starving during winter.”

“He’d be right,” I admitted, a bit reluctant. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll tolerate laziness. Has he specified what he needs?”

“He’s asking for human slaves,” Marcus said, his tone neutral.

I raised an eyebrow. “Slaves? He doesn’t have enough workers within his own pack?”

“He claims he’s short-handed,” Marcus replied. “The fields are vast, and with the harvest season in full swing, he says the current workforce isn’t enough to manage the load.”

I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tapping on the desk. The idea of sending humans to Golden Fields wasn’t new, but it was a controversial one. Tessa’s reliance on human labor had always been a point of debate among the pack leaders. Some view it as a necessary evil; others, an insult to our strength.

“Send the soldiers to deliver the message,” I said finally. “Let Tessa know he’ll get his slaves, but remind him that they’re a temporary solution. I expect him to strengthen his workforce with pack members for future harvests.”

Marcus nodded. “Understood. And the slaves themselves? Shall we select them from the existing stock or arrange for a new capture?”

“From the stock,” I said firmly. “I don’t want unnecessary raids drawing attention to us right now. The humans are already on edge. The last thing we need is another clash pulling them over the edge.”

“Very well,” Marcus said, joting a note in the pad he was holding.

Silence fell for a moment as I studied the map, my thoughts returning to the broader picture. “Marcus,” I said, breaking the quiet.

“Yes, Alpha?”

“You’ve been by my side for years. You know how much rides on these decisions.”

He nodded. “I do. And I know you’ve carried the weight of this pack longer than most could endure. But you’re not alone, Keah. You have me. You have the council. Together, we’ll face whatever comes.”

I looked at him, appreciating the honesty in his words. “Thank you, Marcus. I’ll hold you to that.”

He smiled faintly. “Always, Alpha.”

As Marcus turned to leave, a thought struck me. “One more thing,” I called, stopping him.

He turned back, his expression curious.

“Remind Tessa that while the humans may be useful, they’re not irreplaceable. If any of them become a liability, I expect him to handle it swiftly.”

Marcus nodded, his expression grim. “I’ll ensure he understands.”

“Good,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “That will be all for now.”

With a final nod, Marcus left the room, leaving me alone once again. The map lay Infront of me, a reminder of the challenges we faced and the decisions still to be made. As much as I valued Marcus’s support, the burden of leadership was mine alone.

And in the quiet of my study, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the hardest choices were yet to come.

Leah's POV 

The room was suffocating. The moment Alpha Keah stormed out, I felt like I could finally breathe again, though the air still tasted bitter. His lingering presence was like a shadow that had refused to leave. I sat on the edge of the small bed, and stared at the herbs I had unpacked, their earthy scents wafting up to me. They should have been a comfort—reminding me of the quiet days back in my shop—but instead, they felt like another chain, binding me to this nightmare.

How had my life come to this? Trapped in a werewolf pack, treated like a tool, a prisoner. Life had always been unfair to me, but this… this was a new kind of cruelty.

I released a shaky breath and leaned back, staring at the cracked ceiling above. Memories began to flood in, unwelcome and relentless. The stories my parents had told me about the war, the chaos, and how I came to be their child.

They weren’t my biological parents—my God-sent parents, as I always referred them. They had found me in the most unlikely of circumstances, in the midst of death and destruction.

My mother’s voice, soft yet firm, echoed in my mind.

"Leah, you were our miracle, our blessing in the storm. Never should you ever forget that."

I closed my eyes, letting the memories take me.

It was during the great war between humans and werewolves. My parents—though they weren’t my parents yet—had been running through the dense forest, their breaths heavy and hearts pounding with fear. The chaos of the battle was a distant roar behind them, but the danger was still very real.

“Evelyn, hurry up!” my father shouted, his voice tight with urgency.

“I’m trying!” my mother, Evelyn, snapped back, her skirt getting caught on the underbrush. She yanked it free, her eyes wide with fear. “The forest is thicker here. We’re almost there, right?”

My father, Matthew, looked back at her, his jaw clenched. “Just keep moving. We need to get to the safe zone before nightfall.”

The forest was alive with sounds—branches snapping, leaves rustling, and the distant howls of wolves. The air was thick with the scent of blood and smoke, a grim reminder of the slaughter they had escaped.