The night pressed down on me like a weight, thick, heavy, and suffocating. Outside my chamber, the old trees whispered under the moonlight, their silver leaves rustling softly in the cold breeze. But inside, the silence was absolute. I lay there, heart hammering, drenched in sweat, unable to escape the storm inside my mind. My wolf prowled beneath my skin, restless and raw, pacing a cage made of flesh and bone.
I must have fallen into a dream as a scent hit me, sweet, sharp, and impossible to ignore. The scent was filled with Citrus, bright and crisp, mingled with the soft, warm sweetness of strawberries. I felt my wolf's nostrils flare inside me. The scent was intoxicating like a flame licking at dry tinder, and Vayne, my wolf, howled deep, guttural, desperate.
I tried to move, to follow it, but my body was frozen, caught in the shifting border between dream and waking. The orchard appeared, sunlight filtering through boughs heavy with fruit, the air thick with sweetness and promise.
And then he was there, a man, and his face was hidden, lean and strong, moving with a grace that commanded attention. His dark curls brushed a sharp jawline, and that was all I could see.
He looked at me and whispered, "Come to me."
The voice was velvet wrapped around steel, and my wolf rumbled and twitched beneath my skin. It wanted to run, to hunt, to claim. But I was trapped, caught between duty and desire. I was bound and promised to Luna Seraphine. A fierce She-Alpha, fierce as fire, bound to me by law, by blood, by royalty. Her name echoed in every corner of my kingdom, respected, feared, unbreakable.
And yet here, in this dream, my wolf howled for another. My wolf pushed through, and then the scent that hit my nose was that of an Omega Wolf.
How could this be? I woke with a gasp, sweat cooling on my skin, and my heart hammered in my chest, wild and confused. The scent still lingered in my nostrils, real as if he stood at the edge of the room. I sat on the edge of my bed, struggling to catch my breath, to silence the wild howls inside, because this was impossible.
Alphas never imprinted on Omegas.
Not when they are promised another Alpha, or the fact that I was a King.
The dawn crept in, soft and pale, filtering through the heavy curtains and washing my chamber in gentle light. I got out of bed, showered, and dressed slowly, but my thoughts churned as the scent of the dream clung stubbornly, teasing my senses.
An hour later, Marcus knocked softly. "Your Majesty? The council awaits your presence. And today everyone arrived so early that I wonder what they want to discuss urgently."
I opened the door, and Marcus stepped in, bowed, and then his face was taut with concern.
"You look like hell, your Majesty," he said bluntly.
I gave a half-smile I did not feel. "I didn't sleep a dam wink and now I have to sit with the damn council members."
"Troubling dreams?" he asked, eyes sharp, and I could see the concern in his face.
I nodded. "More than dreams." He waited for me to continue. "I dreamed of my wolf and his mate."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "And?"
"It was unlike anyone I've known," I said slowly. "The scent of citrus and strawberry, sweet and wild. My wolf howled like I have never heard before."
Marcus frowned. "That is unexpected, as I know that Luna's scent is different.
"More than unexpected," I said. "I'm promised to Luna Seraphine, yet my wolf called to another wolf, and worse, an Omega."
Marcus ran a hand through his hair. "What the hell do you mean, Your Majesty?"
"I am as confused as you are," I whispered in frustration. "I have no idea what this means.
"Your majesty, please do not share this information with anyone," Marcus advised.
I closed my eyes. "But I can't ignore it."
Marcus paced, thoughtful. "The kingdom expects your union with Luna, and the marriage alliance is vital. It holds the peace that the shifter packs need. This is something that must be done, your majesty, and you cannot walk away from it."
My jaw tightened. "Luna is strong, proud, and fierce, but I am afraid she is not my mate, and Vayne, my wolf, will never accept her. He is even repulsed by her scent."
His gaze softened. "Your majesty, what your wolf demands and what your crown requires, they don't always match. This is a sacrifice every King or ruler must face."
I clenched my fists, the old fight sparking inside me. "My wolf howls for something more, something wild, something I can't explain."
Marcus met my eyes. "Until we are sure, let us keep calm and just wait, your Majesty."
The weight of the crown pressed down harder than ever. "What if the choice destroys everything?"
Marcus smiled, fainting and bitter. "Your majesty, sometimes the world must burn before it can be rebuilt."
We stepped into the corridor, the cold stone walls closing around us like the walls of a cage. The torch sconces flickered, casting long shadows that stretched and writhed, mirroring the turmoil twisting inside me. The guards stationed along the hall snapped to attention as we approached. Their armor clinked softly in the stillness, faces impassive, eyes sharp.
"Your Majesty," the lead guard said with a slight bow.
"Let's move," I told Marcus quietly.
The corridor widened into the grand hall, the air thick with the scent of old stone and polished wood. The council chamber doors loomed ahead, carved with signs of our ancestors, symbols of power and expectation. I felt the weight of those expectations settle heavier than ever on my shoulders. Marcus fell into step beside me, a quiet anchor amid the storm. We entered the chamber, the murmurs dying instantly as all eyes turned toward me. Banners hung on the walls, their colors vivid, symbols of alliances and ancient rivalries.
I took a deep breath and let the king settle over me like armor, and no matter what the night's dream whispered to my wolf, I was still Alaric Vayne, Alpha King, Bound by duty and by law.