Chapter 33 The Blood Alliance

Chapter 33 The Blood Alliance
Rafael's POV
I stood on the porch, my hand still hurting from where Zara had cut it.
That smile she gave me was not the smile of a broken Omega. It was a challenge. Like she already knew what the Seeker had told me.
"Rafael!"
A voice called out from behind me. I turned to see a Beta messenger, out of breath.
"Your father. Alpha John wants you in his chambers right now. He says it cannot wait."
I wiped the blood from my palm onto my pants. My father. The man who lived for rules and power. I already knew what this was. He wanted to move me like a piece on a chess board.
I walked through the halls, my wolf still unsettled from being close to Zara. When I got to my father's room, the doors were already open.
Alpha John sat in his big leather chair by the window. He looked like a retired king, but his eyes were still sharp and cold. A young maid, not Zara, thank goodness, stood beside him, pressing a damp towel to his face and neck after his morning training.
"You took long enough," my father said, his voice deep and low.
"I was busy," I replied, crossing my arms. I did not sit down.
He waved the maid away. She bowed quickly and rushed out, but not before I saw the fear in her eyes. Everyone in this house wore that same fear. Everyone except Zara.
"Sit down, Rafael," he said.
"I'll stand. Just say what you need to say."
My father sighed and leaned back in his chair. "The pack is growing, but we have enemies in the south. We need strength. I have spent the past week talking with Alpha Silas of the Shadow Creek Pack."
A heavy feeling settled in my stomach. Shadow Creek. They were known for being cold, ruthless, and very wealthy.
"And?" I said.
"We have made an agreement," John said, his eyes fixed on mine. "A new alliance. It will be sealed with a marriage. You are going to court his daughter, Lady Elara. You will marry her before the next full moon."
The room felt like it was closing in.
"No," I said. Simple and firm.
My father's eyebrows lifted. "No? This is not a request, Rafael. This is necessary for the survival of our bloodline. Shadow Creek brings warriors and resources we cannot turn away."
"I don't care about their warriors," I snapped, moving closer to his desk. "I am not an animal you can tie to some Alpha's daughter just to make your borders look better on a map."
"You will do your duty!" John slammed his hand on the desk so hard the wood cracked under the force. "You have spent your whole life acting like a rebel, but this is about the pack. You will court her, you will be kind to her, and you will marry her."
"Like Leonardo?" I laughed, but there was nothing funny about it. "Are we doing this again? You already ruined his life. You pulled him away from the woman he actually loved just for an alliance. He is miserable, and you act like it was the right thing to do."
"Leonardo did what was required of a son of this house!"
"Leonardo was used!" I shouted back. "He let you break him because he is a better and quieter man than I am. But I am not him. I will not be your next victim. I will not be moved around like a piece in your game."
My father stood up slowly. He was older now, but he was still an Alpha. The weight of his power filled the room, pressing down, trying to force me to my knees.
"You carry my name. You will do as I say, or I will take everything from you."
I did not blink. I did not bow. I felt a strange, warm strength move through me, like something from the bond with Zara was holding me up.
"Take it," I said through my teeth. "Take the title. Take the room. Take the name. But you will never choose a wife for me. I would rather burn this entire packhouse down."
"You are being a child, Rafael."
"And you are a man trying to live his life through his sons," I replied.
I turned and walked toward the door.
"Rafael! If you walk out, there will be consequences!" he called after me.
I did not stop. I pushed out of the room, my heart pounding. The hallway felt too tight. The air felt too thick.
I needed space. I needed to get away from him and his old, dusty ambitions.
But when I turned the corner, I stopped.
Zara was there. She was leaning against the stone wall with a mop in her hand, her eyes on me. She had heard everything.
"A prince who doesn't want his crown," she said softly, almost to herself. "Or maybe just a wolf who doesn't want to be told which woman to choose."
I stopped walking.
"How do you know all of that?" I asked, my voice sharp.
She looked down for a moment, then back up at me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hear it. I was cleaning the hallway, and your father's door was open. I tried not to listen, but... I heard."
Something inside me snapped.
"You should mind your business," I said, my voice cold and hard. "It is rude to stand there and listen to a conversation that has nothing to do with you. You are a maid. Your job is to clean, not to stand in hallways listening to things that are not meant for your ears."
She opened her mouth slightly, like she wanted to say something, but I was not done.
"And honestly?" I looked at her, my anger still burning hot from everything with my father. "I hate the fact that I got mated to a weak and useless Omega."
The words came out before I could stop them.
Zara's face changed. Not in a dramatic way. She did not cry or yell. Her expression just went quiet, like a light being slowly turned off. She straightened up, picked up her mop, and walked away down the hallway without saying a single word.
I watched her go.
The hallway felt emptier than it should have.
I looked down at my hand. The thin silver scar from her cut was still there.
I won't be a pawn, I told myself.