CHAPTER 5

~ Darius ~

My lycan muscles flexed as I jumped from a rocky cliff to the top of the steel wall of my pack compound. This side was the nearest to my packhouse, elevated from the rest of the structures inside the wall and surrounded by pine trees. It was the easiest to access—at least for me.

When my paws hit the extended walkway of the wall, I paused and looked around the vicinity, checking for any unusualities, but saw none. Like any normal night, bonfires and torches surrounded the compound. Stores were already closed, except for the taverns visible in the East and West gates, and there were guards patrolling every alley of the compound just like I ordered.

Pleased with the sight, I continued onward to my packhouse, jumping from the parapet to the spacious balcony of my chamber. I transformed back into my human form with the same clothes I wore this afternoon, minus my blazer and shirt. I remembered leaving them in the forest after I hastily left that woman alone. It was a waste of good clothes, in my opinion, but it didn't matter as long as I was away from her.

Except for my staff composed of my beta, the cleaners, and my guards, I was the only resident of this large abode.

My father and mother, the previous alpha and luna of the Silver Moon Pack, died during the peak of their rule. I was the one left to care for my younger brother, but he quit the pack and ventured to another place far away from this world full of werewolves and lycans.

Not that I cared for any companionship or hungered for a family bond. I always preferred to be alone, away from any headache or unnecessary worry.

The hallways of the packhouse sometimes haunted me, though. My father had been self-destructive since my mother died of illness. I sometimes see his pitiful soul in the dark corners; drowning in tears, talking to himself, and slowly shutting me and my brother from his life.

Alpha Keegan, my father, a formidable leader and one of the First Alphas of this werewolf world, killed himself because of unbearable grief. This was one of the reasons why I hate women and didn't want them in my life. I didn't want to be reduced like him. I wanted to control my life. I wanted freedom. I wanted nothing to do with the females in this world.

This, unfortunately, wasn't the case when I entered my bedroom and turned the lights on. A slender redhead sat provocatively in my master chair, tossing one leg over the arm handle and the other one spread wide. Her center was covered, thank hell, draped by her shawl, but as soon as she noticed me enter, she pulled it away, revealing the ruffles of her underwear I had no intention of staring.

"What's this?" I paused from walking and glared at her.

"Hello, my alpha," she greeted, attempting to sound sensual, and stood from the chair. She adjusted her blouse, pulling it down to reveal more of her cleavage.

I scrunched up my nose and clenched my teeth.

Hell, I know what this looks like. Carlos and Briggs might have thought me still under the potion's spell. They might have thought sending a woman to my chamber would keep me busy.

They fucking thought wrong.

"Do you know women are prohibited in this pack?" I told her, narrowing my eyes at her as a warning.

The idiot didn't understand it.

"I know,"—she purred again—"but I was told you needed the company of a woman, my alpha. Especially tonight." She neared me, sashaying her hips as if I would be under its spell. She lifted her hands up, aiming to touch my bare chest, but before her fingers brushed my skin, I grabbed her neck with one hand and lifted her high up.

"Nghhh!" Her pitiful cry surrounded my room then. Her eyes squinted. Her brows furrowed hard. Her feet swayed and tried to kick me, but I was unaffected. She also clawed at my hand, attempting to escape, but I tightened my grip even further.

I showed not an inch of mercy to her as she slowly turned blue.

"Carlos and Briggs sent you here, right?" I asked a few seconds later, my voice low and lethal.

"Nghh—es!" she managed to croak out.

"Yes, what?" I lashed through gritted teeth and suddenly released her.

She fell to the floor like a wet sock, coughing and nursing her sore neck.

"Yes, WHAT?!" I asked again with a booming voice this time, and in response, she scrambled away from me.

"Yes, alp—ha!" she yelled with teary eyes. In a corner behind my master chair, she sheltered herself, pressed up against the wall with her knees drawn to her chest. From a cunning whore earlier, she became a shivering creature now. Good. She now knows not to mess with me.

"Where are they now?" I asked, while transforming my right hand into a lycan claw.

Her eyes widened with fear. "In Waybear Tavern, near the East Gate, alpha!" she replied in haste. "My friends are also there with them!"

"So there are many of you there?" I stated. The nails of my claw stretched some more until it became pointed. It was my warning not to lie to me.

"Only two, alpha," she answered, picking up my hint. "One is Carlos's mate, while the other is Brigg's bed partner."

Mate...

Bed partner...

They were both the same to me - a problem. Something that I had sworn off in my life.

The woman suddenly threw herself on my knees and held my ankles as if she was venerating them.

"Please don't kill me and my friends, alpha! Please!" she begged, as if this would make a difference. "We just want to have fun! We're innocent!"

I kicked her back. Her bottom hit the floor once more, and she stared at me with wide, frightened eyes.

"You should have thought about the consequences before you stepped foot in my territory, woman. Rules are rules. For breaking my pack rules, the penalty is death."

"No, please!" She shielded her face with her forearms, just as I lifted my claws up in the air.

I had never killed a woman before. I didn't want to soil my claws with their blood. But this time, rules were broken, so a demonstration was needed to show to my people I was always serious about exacting a punishment.

My claws flexed at a perfect angle. With an intent to kill, my eyes looked at her miserable form. I was ready to do it, but that woman's face in the forest flashed in my head and her words grounded me.

'Serves you right!'

'You killed so many people!'

Hissing, I lowered my claw and slowly whispered to the redhead.

"Go..."

She still kept on wailing, as if she hadn't heard me.

"GO!" I shouted this time. "Fucking go and never come back!"

Finally hearing me, she scrambled to her feet and left for the doorway.

Still filled with anger and the need for blood, I morphed back into my lycan form and jumped from my balcony to the courtyard of my packhouse. From there, I sprinted towards the east path, aiming for the Waybear Tavern, where Carlos and Briggs stayed.

When I arrived at the entrance of the tavern, I shifted back into my human form. Laughter hit my ears then. Laughter coming from my men and...fuck, women.

I slowly pushed the double doors open and walked inside with a pace of a predator in a haunt. My eyes glowed as it landed on every man and woman in the tables. I counted to fifteen of my men, including Carlos and Briggs, sitting on a bar stool near the bartender's area. I counted to five women too; two of them I already was informed about, while the other three were sitting on the laps of the West Gate guards.

Fuck. So it was an inside job, huh?

"Alpha Dariu...s."

"Alpha!"

"Al—pha Dar—ius."

My men exclaimed in chorus, their tones different, ranging from alarm to absolute fear as I stood, blocking the entrance and exit path of the tavern. I remained silent. Taking my time, boiling my anger further.

Briggs stood and neared me with his tipsy gait. He flashed a wide grin when he was a few feet away and then touched my shoulder.

"Boss! Welcome to Waybear Tavern! Come! You must be needing a companion. I'll introduce you to Shiela. She's very talented in the 'blowing' department."

He threw his hand in the air and then over my shoulder and pushed me forward.

The idiot actually thought I caved in to the potion's effect. Huh. His bad.

Without delay, I pushed his arm back and grabbed his neck. He squealed in response and tried to escape. The soldiers in front of me jumped from their seat, but I gave them a glare.

"Sit. Down," I ordered. "And that includes your women, Carlos."

Said she-wolves gathered together in fear. They tried to seek his protection, but the latter simply shoved them away, stepping forward with his ashen face. He knew he was in a tight shit now.

The tavern, filled with so much laughter earlier, now became a ghost room. The air thickened. The tension sharpened. They all knew they fucked up.

"I thought my rules in the pack were clear?" I started with Briggs still under my hold, fighting for air...fighting for his life.

"You joined my pack voluntarily and took an oath. You knew what you signed yourself in."

I glanced at them one by one and they lowered their heads in reply.

"No women—that is the one clear rule of my pack. If you can't handle it, you are free to leave."

I strode to the bartender's area, and the women quickly scampered into another corner away from me.

"If you want to be mated, leave the pack. If you can't control your urges, leave the pack. If you want to see your mother or sister in another pack, you can, but you can never bring them into my territory. I gave you all you want. Food, shelter and protection, but you just have to mess it up now by bringing these women inside, and making this tavern a den for your sins."

"We're sorry, Alpha Darius!" Two West Gate soldiers exclaimed. They prostrated in front of me, still complete with their Silver Moon Pack armor. I groaned at the sight of it.

"Apologizing doesn't pay your sins, men," I answered. "You know what to do. Leave this pack and never come back."

I redirected my attention to Briggs, who was turning blue. "As for you and you,"—and then to Carlos and said—"you really thought I'd be a mouse to your experiment?"

"Al—p—pha," Carlos stammered as he raised his palms up. "We're sorry. We were just desperate."

"Hmf," I chuckled. "You should have composed your apology better before you used the potion on me. Where is your mate?"

Carlos slowly shook his head and looked guilty. "I don't have a mate, alpha."

"But you said I was your mate!" a woman with the black hair cried out. I was certain she would have jumped on him and pull out his hair if I wasn't with them.

Carlos hissed and threw her a glare. "I lied, bitch! I never felt the connection when I fucked you! I know you were faking it too!"

In reply, the woman looked embarrassed and hid herself behind her trembling friends.

I exhaled long and hard.

This was exactly why I think the mating system of our world was messed up. Werewolves and lycans could only find their mates through sex. Yes, sex. Not by touch, not by sight, and not by scent, but sex.

I see so many flaws in it already, like the one I'm looking at now: the fakers.

"Phillip," I stated, knowing already my beta followed me the moment I left the packhouse.

"Yes, alpha," he answered, his voice coming from the entrance door of the tavern.

"Escort these women out of the compound. I don't want them to spoil my mood."

"Yes, alpha."

Immediately after this, the five ran out of the tavern like ducks in the rain. It pained me to watch.

Not a second more, I returned my attention to the two traitors again. Briggs was unconscious under my hold, maybe even dead, and Carlos was still lowering his head in mock apology.

"Please forgive us, Alpha Darius! We will not do it again!" he exclaimed the second time; his face now filled with sweat.

I cracked a grin and answered before throwing Briggs into the tavern wall full of liquor.

"I know you won't, because you will meet your death tonight."