Kayra
That day, when I heard that the western pack had attacked my bride and the northerners responsible for bringing her north, I went to look for them without hesitation.
Every step I took led me closer to her. The nearer I got, the more clearly I could smell her familiar scent, the blood-tinged pheromones I had once breathed in years ago.
Then I finally reached her, but I saw that several western dogs were after her. When she fell from the cliff toward the ocean, I attacked the western dogs soon after.
Some of them fled, and one thought I would be easy prey because I hadn't shifted, but I snapped his neck and tossed his corpse aside.
I pulled her out from the bottom of that ocean and held her in my arms, the scent of the ocean mingling with the scent of her skin made my head spin.
Was this frail, delicate body the strongest alpha in the south? If so, the south must truly be in need of rescue, as they say.
But the dizzying scent of her, the glints of moonlight on her wet skin, her defenseless state while unconscious, had seeped into my soul. Perhaps the south didn't have a strong wolf, but an enchanting fox in wolf's clothing.
After bringing her north, to a place I wouldn't even call home, I saw disappointment on many people's faces. It was clear that they were unhappy that she had come here alive. Maybe they're even upset that I came back alive with her.
Instead of openly wishing for my death like before, it must have been difficult for them to start doing it secretly. My father, who used to fall for my stepmother's lies, perhaps wanting to believe them even though the rumors were unfounded, no longer believed them no matter what they did.
Because my father loved strong people. The fact that my stepmother or step-siblings plotted behind my back to try to kill me, but I always survived, was proof that I was stronger than them. And my father loved that.
For someone so powerful, being in the northern herd to which he had dedicated his life was like a great blessing. Even if I didn't carry his blood, like as they tried to convince him with their lies, he wouldn't have cared.
All he needed was a strong Alpha son. A strong leader who can even defeat his own family.
My stepmother, who knew about my father's obsession with power, now found the situation even more difficult. She could no longer humiliate me in public or spread rumors about me.
I was sure she was still plotting to kill me and those loyal to me, but now she had to do it secretly. The reason the westerners attacked my bride could have been that they didn't want the two regions to reach an agreement and become even stronger. But I was also certain that my stepmother was behind this attack.
But since they were all secretly making plans behind my back, she did something I failed to notice.
The idea of asking for a bride from the southern pack first came from my father. He believed that as long as this rivalry between the south and the north pack, both packs would ultimately bring about their own downfall.
Although I didn't care about the disagreements or political situation between the northern and southern packs, I intervened when they said they would ask for a bride from the southern pack and that this bride would be claimed by me and marry me.
I wanted my bride to be Almila. It has to be her. That's why I told my father that I wanted Almila as my bride. And he accepted my request.
Marriage was unimportant to me. I saw it as a responsibility to be fulfilled when the time came. I never thought I would find my fated mate in such a big world, it seemed almost impossible.
I was sure that I had found my fated mate when I first saw her that day.
I thought she remembered me, because she kissed me so passionately, as if she waited for this day to come.
"What's your name?"
But she doesn't remember me.
She whispered that question, and I couldn't stop a laugh from slipping past my lips.
Even if her soul didn't remember me, her body did. She was the only one who could resist my pheromones. My pheromones ignited a fire within her body, and I loved turning my touch against her skin not into wounds, but into desire.
She was mine now.
"...When word came to us from the northern pack, the note clearly stated that they wanted my mother to be the bride."
After Almila said this to me, I don't even remember what I said to her before storming out of there. A rage I couldn't control, one I didn't truly want to control, overtook my entire body.
I hurried through the corridors, and when I finally reached the place I was headed for, I entered without hesitation.
She was sipping a cup of coffee in one hand while reading the book in the other. Sitting with her legs crossed, she didn't even bother responding to whatever her daughter beside her was saying. When I entered the room, her daughter noticed me and frowned.
"Don't get involved with her." My voice echoed off the walls of the spacious room, creating a sharp sound.
When she heard me, she set the book in her hand aside, but didn't get up from where she was sitting.
"Brother, what's wrong?" In response to my stepmother's daughter calling out to me, I ignored her and took a step or two forward.
"From now on, I will consider any disrespect you show her as disrespect shown to me. Watch your step, or I will break your legs before you even move."
After looking at me over the top of her reading glasses, she scoffed before slowly standing up. My stepsister, on the other hand, began shouting.
"How dare you talk to my mother like that?! If my father hears about this—"
I turned to her at that last sentence. My gaze snapped to her, she froze as if she had swallowed the words she was about to say.
"You're going to tell father? Go ahead. But don't forget to tell him what his wife has done as well."
She parted her lips as if to say something, but a moment later she brought a hand to her forehead and staggered. It wasn't until then that I realized my pheromones had intensified and were affecting her.
Her barely-standing state must have disturbed her mother, because she set the cup in her hand aside and came over to us.
"Stop releasing your pheromones like a dog. And don't tell me what to do. That girl slaughtered dozens of people in our pack, yet you want to marry her. What did you expect me to do? Accept this selfish demand of yours without question?"
I let out a mocking laugh. "We both know that's not what this is really about. I don't even need to tell you that this is exactly why she's the perfect partner for me."
She was starting to lose her temper, it was obvious in every way. But because she also had to steady her daughter, who was on the verge of fainting beside her, she grabbed her by the shoulders and took a step or two back, retreating together.
"You're a traitor, and you don't even hesitate to admit it. I don't understand what your father is thinking, but I don't need his consent. I will do whatever it takes to protect this pack."
"Don't make me laugh. What you want to protect isn't this pack, but the position of its leader. You would even kill my father just to make sure one of your sons becomes the leader."
The anger in her eyes was replaced for a brief moment by a mocking expression. Then, as someone rushed into the room, she immediately changed her expression. All of a sudden, she was crying and clutching her daughter.
"Alaz, you're finally here!"
Alaz, my stepbrother, stormed in and grabbed his sister. At the same time, he shot me an angry look.
"What do you think you're doing?! Get out of here before I slice your throat!"
That heavy scent of cigarettes on him was once again stronger than his pheromones. One side of his red shirt was left open, his hair messy.
I glanced at the omega watching us through the door that hadn't been closed behind him. There was no one who didn't know that Alaz slept with someone different almost every day. But judging by how openly he was doing it, he didn't seem to fear being caught by his wife who lived under the same roof as us.
Everyone in this family was rotten to the core. The urge to wipe them out one by one kept flaring up inside me.
"Protect your family from me, because I won't hold myself back anymore."