The Alpha’s Command
Morning sunlight streamed gently through the tall glass windows of the council hall, spilling golden warmth across the polished floor. The air carried the faint scent of pine and parchment — a familiar comfort that had been missing since Rina’s death.
Matt and Jihoo exchanged quick glances as Alpha Theo walked in, his steps steady, his face calm. It was the first time in weeks he had looked composed, almost… peaceful. The deep circles under his eyes had faded, and there was even a faint softness to his expression.
“Morning, Alpha,” Jihoo greeted carefully.
Theo nodded, settling into his seat at the head of the long table. “Morning,” he replied, his voice firm but lighter than usual. “Let’s begin.”
They gave their routine security reports — updates on patrol routes, border activities, and the growing tensions between rogue packs. Everything went smoothly, and for once, the weight that usually hung over the room was gone.
As they concluded, Theo leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled. “There’s something else I wish to share,” he said quietly. His voice softened, carrying something between awe and disbelief. “The Moon Goddess has granted me… a second chance mate.”
Both Matt and Jihoo froze, exchanging startled glances before turning back to him with wide eyes.
“Second chance?” Matt repeated, unsure if he had heard correctly.
Theo gave a small nod, his lips curving slightly. “Her name is Mina. She’s an omega… one of the kitchen staff. But the bond is real. I can feel her emotions — her heartbeat — as clearly as I once felt Rina’s.”
A stunned silence followed before Jihoo finally spoke, breaking into a relieved smile. “That’s… incredible news, Alpha. The Goddess must have seen how much you’ve suffered.”
Matt nodded in agreement. “Perhaps this is her way of healing what was broken. Rina would want you to find peace again.”
Theo’s expression softened, gratitude flickering in his eyes. “Maybe so. I plan to inform the elders before announcing it to the pack. But for now…” he paused, his tone turning serious, “…I want to know more about her background. Everything. Where she came from, who her parents were, and how she ended up here. Matt, that task falls to you. Discreetly.”
“Yes, Alpha,” Matt said with a short bow.
“Good,” Theo nodded. “I’ll make my announcement when the time is right. Dismissed.”
After they left, silence returned to the study. Theo remained seated for a long moment, staring at the faint glow of morning light across the desk. Then, almost unconsciously, he smiled to himself — a small, private smile that warmed his features.
He drew out a parchment and began writing a letter to Alpha Damian. His words were neat and careful:
updates about border stability, trade alliances, and at the end — the most personal revelation of all — news about his new mate.
“…Her name is Mina,” he wrote, pausing for a moment as her face crossed his mind. “The Moon Goddess chose her for me, and through her, I believe I can rebuild what I lost.”
But just as he dipped the quill again, a sharp, burning ache suddenly struck through his chest. Theo gasped softly, his hand pressing over his heart. His vision blurred as a wave of sadness washed over him — raw and suffocating.
“Mina…” he whispered, breathless. He could feel it — her emotions bleeding through the bond. A deep sorrow, fear, and pain that didn’t belong to him.
The pen fell from his hand.
For a moment, flashes of Rina’s final moments surged through his mind — that same aching pull, that same suffocating helplessness he had felt when she was dying.
“No,” he muttered, forcing himself upright. “Not again.”
He stood, heart pounding, and moved toward the door with urgency. Pulling it open, he called to the guard stationed outside.
“Bring me the man assigned to guard the deceased Luna Rina’s chamber,” he ordered sharply. “Now.”
The guard nodded quickly and hurried away.
Theo remained at the doorway, breathing hard as he tried to steady the rush of emotions coursing through him. His mind was clear on one thing — whatever was happening to Mina, it was reaching him through their bond.
And that could only mean one thing.
She was in distress.
\---
The heavy oak door opened and Miko, the same tall guard assigned to Rina’s former chamber, stepped in with his head bowed. He barely had the chance to greet before Theo’s sharp voice cut through the quiet study.
“Where have you been?” Theo’s tone was edged with restrained fury, his gaze dark and unyielding. “I gave you one simple task — to protect Mina. To watch her. Yet something’s could go wrong, and you come strolling in here as if nothing has happened!”
Miko flinched at the Alpha’s sudden harshness. It wasn’t like Theo to lose control — not since the day he’d buried Rina.
“Forgive me, Alpha,” Miko said quickly, lowering his head further. “I have been watching her, as ordered.”
Theo’s fingers tightened against the edge of his desk. “Then tell me,” he demanded. “What have you found out since I assigned you?”
The guard hesitated briefly, then spoke with calm precision. “Just a few minutes after Lady Mina left your chamber this morning, lady Samantha — went to visit her in her room. I stayed close, but I couldn’t hear the full conversation. However, I did catch a few words.”
Theo’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”
“She mentioned something about leaving the Alpha’s estate tonight for somewhere else,” Miko continued carefully. “And I heard lady Samantha insisting that she would deliver your meal herself tonight. I thought it strange, but I didn’t want to interfere without your permission.”
A heavy silence followed, thick and tense.
Theo’s jaw clenched. Beneath his calm façade, rage and protectiveness burned together in his chest — a dangerous mix that made his heartbeat thunder.
Samantha. Samantha again...?
He could almost see her sly smile, her false sweetness — and suddenly, so many of her past gestures began to make sense.
The Alpha exhaled slowly through his nose, forcing down the storm rising inside him. “You did well to tell me,” he finally said, his voice lower but still hard. “From this moment onward, you will remain near Mina’s quarters. Do not let her leave the estate tonight — for any reason. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Alpha,” Miko replied firmly, bowing again.
Theo’s gaze hardened further, the steel in his voice cold enough to slice through the air. “If Samantha tries anything suspicious, you report directly to me. Do not confront her unless necessary — but keep your eyes open. Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha.”
“Good.” Theo waved him toward the door, then added as Miko turned to leave, “Send Matt to me. At once.”
The guard bowed one final time and left swiftly.
As the door closed, Theo ran a hand through his hair, pacing slowly behind the desk. He could still feel the faint pull of Mina’s emotions through the bond — calmer now, but trembling, fragile. He didn’t fully understand why she’d been crying, but one thing was certain: Samantha had somehow become entangled in all of this.
And if Samantha dared to hurt Mina…
Theo’s eyes darkened, his expression hardening into something dangerously cold.
“Not again,” he murmured under his breath. “No one will take her from me — not this time.”