A/N: This chapter contains a slight description of physical violence. Nothing alarming. Enjoy.

Alpha Kane’s POV (Hours earlier)

My sharp eyes followed the two men in front of me as they slowly circled me like I was their prey.

‘Kill them! Kill them!!’ My wolf yelled in my head, but I suppressed my animalistic urges. The council wouldn’t be pleased if I maimed two wolves during training, again.

The man on the right snarled and lunged at me but I took him out with a swift hook to his jaw as the fight began.

The one on the left, thinking I was distracted, ran at me with his teeth bared and his claws exposed running straight towards me, but I avoided his vicious swipe.

I spun on my heel and grabbed him by this neck before slamming him on the floor in one quick motion.

The floor shattered.

The tile that covered the floor of the training room fragmented against the impact and he laid there knocked out just like the one I punched.

“Really?” I asked as I walked up to to Kai, my best friend and Beta. “These are the best warriors you could find for me to train with?”

“I never said they were the best warriors, I said they were the warriors available for you to train with,” He laughed. “Everybody else is either on patrol or in the healer’s den because of your vigorous training sessions. Do you know some of the pack warriors go on patrol even when it’s not their shift just to avoid you?”

He threw a towel at me and I caught it mid air.

“What’s this for? I barely broke a sweat with those guys.”

“Well, you definitely broke something,” He laughed as he turned to look at the warriors slowly trying to pick themselves up in the center of the training room.

“Wanna hop in there and spar with me briefly?” I asked.

“I’m not eager to visit a healer, thanks I’ll pass. Besides I’m here for something else entirely.”

I stopped in my tracks and I turned to stare at him.

Kai had short hair that he always kept in a buzz cut and a dark skin that made his grey eyes stand out. He had a playful personality that was quick to turn serious when it came to his duties to the pack.

“Don’t say it,” I groaned. From the look on his face, I knew only one thing could make him look so serious.

“I was asked to summon you for a council meeting.”

“Just tell them you didn’t find me. Come on, Kai. You know what she’s going to say if I attend the council meeting.”

“I’m sorry, Alpha, but it’s part of your kingly duties to be present at every council meeting.”

“Fine,” I growled. “Let’s get this over with.”

We went up the flight of stairs that led out of the training room and passed numerous corridors that led to the council meeting chambers. I pushed open the double doors that led to the room and Kai followed behind me.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. I was training with some pack warriors,” I said as I walked into the room, three faces stared at me but I avoided one in particular. It didn’t stop her watchful eyes from following me like a hawk.

There were Three Elders on the council. Elder Blackwood, Elder Ragnar, and Elder Grimclaw.

“I fear the Alpha isn’t aware of the difference between training warriors and traumatizing them,” Elder Blackwood said, his face contorted into a half smile that never seemed to leave his face.

“I learned how to fight in a time of war, just because we are living in a time of peace doesn’t mean we should forget the kind of dangerous enemies we have faced in the past, one of them is locked in our basement as we speak,” my mind flashed to the number of men I lost to bring ‘it’ down. My wolf growled in the back of my mind.

“We know the kind of power these monsters possess.” I continued, “As the Alpha, it is my job to prepare my warriors for danger,” I said as I sat on the huge throne-like chair at the end of the table. Elder Blackwood and Kai sat on the right side of the table.

“Thirty years have passed since we fought the war to reclaim our land from the evil witches and the demons they consorted with. While we the elders appreciate your effort, we’re all aware that race has been exterminated, I’m certain the one you have locked up is the last of it’s kind. You’re strong my lord, ease up on your warriors” Elder Ragnar said.

“I’m just doing my job,” I said to him through clenched teeth.

Talking about the war always brought back painful memories.

“I’m glad you mentioned your job, Alpha. As that is precisely why we called this meeting,” Elder Diana Grimclaw finally spoke. “I’m sure you’re aware there’s a ball happening at the Moonshade Pack in your honor.”

She sat on the left side of the table along with Elder Ragnar, and I had been avoiding her for the last two days for the exact reason she just spoke up about.

“I told you already, Mother. I do not need a mate,” There’s a subtle growl in my voice as I raised my eyes to meet hers. Every other elder including Kai bowed their head, their wolf acknowledging mine, everyone except her.

“It has been thirty years since she died. Why won’t you pick a second chance mate? You need a Luna and your kingdom needs an heir. Do you need to be reminded that you’re not only an Alpha, but a King? You have a job—a duty that involves placing the kingdom’s need over yours. You need to do that job or someone else will replace you.”

“I will not be disrespected in my court!” I growled as I stood to my feet. I could feel my wolf stirring within me, still itching for a fight after the pathetic training session we just had.

“I mean no disrespect, Alpha.” Something about the way she said that felt disrespectful as well, but she was the Alpha King’s mother—my mother.

She was the only one in the entire kingdom who could get away with disrespecting me.

Any other person would be dead by now.

“With all due respect alpha, the court has allowed you to grieve long enough,” Elder Ragnar said, his calm voice cutting through the tension cloaking the room. “Usurpers are spreading rumors that the witches and their demons are gathering forces. Your people need reassurance. That is what a Luna does in a pack,”

“Let the usurpers come. Let them face me themselves,” I snarled. “The rules of succession is clear, any wolf that wants my throne should challenge me to a battle to the death for it.”

“Only a fool or a mad man would dare to face the Alpha that single-handedly killed more than a hundred witches during the Great War, your Grace. The usurpers are neither, but they do have a rightful claim to the throne, my king. A rightful claim to your throne,” Elder Blackwood said.

I looked at the small throne-like chair on the other side of the table opposite mine, a seat on the council that has been vacant since I killed the last Alpha King and ascended to the throne.

“So what should I do?” I asked with a resigned sigh as I sat back down.

“We have come to a conclusion with Alpha Harken of the Moonshade Pack that you are to marry his daughter, Sapphire. The Elders chose her specifically for you after sorting through over a hundred eligible unmated girls and she is more than prepared to do whatever it takes to make you happy. You must go to the party and claim her as your own,” My mother said with a voice that left no room for argument.

“You’re saying this girl is prepared to do whatever it takes to make me happy, I don’t want that. Even if I have to take on a second chance mate, I’d rather someone that’ll approach it like a contract. No love, no emotions. Just business.”

“Do whatever you want, Alpha,” Elder Grimclaw said. “All is well as long as you return mated to Harken’s girl.”

I scoffed and walked out of the council meeting room.

I was going to find a way to do things my own way.

Consequences be damned.