Chapter 3.

ABRAHAM

"King, are... are you alright?" Sam's voice trembled, his eyes wide with worry.

My head throbbed like fire. I gripped the edge of the bathroom sink, knuckles white, trying to steady myself. The mirror in front of me swam in and out of focus. I had shaken my head over and over, but the pain only worsened, it clawed deeper with every second.

"Are you blind? Can't you see he's not fine?" Kane snapped, stepping in front of Sam. "We need to cancel the festival. Tell Zeta Callzn that Lycan Abraham won’t be attending."

My chest heaved, breath ragged and rough. I stared into the mirror, heart pounding as I caught sight of my reflection, my eyes were turning pitch black, darker than midnight. The glass beneath my hands began to crack, thin fractures spreading outward like spiderwebs.

“Fuck.” I yanked my hands away from the cracked mirror and squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block Zubat from taking over me. 

“The magic knife isn’t here…” Kane muttered behind me.

“I… I think I’m fine now,” I cut in, standing straighter. “Zubat won’t disturb this function.”

Kane looked unconvinced, but before he could speak, Sam stepped forward, concern etched across his face.

“Are you sure? There are already a lot of lives gathered and—”

I shot him a sharp glare. He flinched, immediately lowering his head. Without a word, he handed me my shirt. I slipped it on, fingers trembling slightly at the buttons.

Without another glance, I pushed open the bathroom door and stepped out. 

I understood what Sam feared, it was the same fear that haunted everyone who truly knew me. The fear that I might lose control and burn everything to the ground... again.

Zubat, my cursed wolf, was always hungry for blood. Human blood. And whenever he sensed a crowd, the struggle to keep him caged inside me grew worse. That’s why the magic knife was necessary. A single cut across my palm helped keep him subdued, at least for a while.

“The Almighty is back!”

The moment I stepped out, the crowd fell into sudden silence. Cheers faded, whispers died. All eyes turned to me.

I walked toward the front where the diamond-crafted seat stood, gleaming under the lights. I sat down slowly, as I felt their stares on me.

Disgust twisted in my chest.

With a sigh, I rested my head in my palm, eyes closed. 

“Lycan Abraham…”

I didn’t need to open my eyes to feel the terror laced in that voice, but it was close.

“What dare you?” Kane shouted at him. “Where are the virgins? Do you want death? Do you want your entire Pack to be wiped out?”

A soft thud followed, someone dropping to their knees. I still hadn’t moved. Eyes closed, head resting in my palm, but I heard everything. Felt everything.

For fuck’s sake… have they really forgotten who I am?

I am Lycan King Abraham Namtaru. A man of few words and all of them were final. The ruler of the Lycan Kingdom. The Alpha of Alphas. I command every wolf that walks this earth. Their lives, their deaths, they’re mine to decide.

Let the rumors swirl. Let them whisper in corners like cowards. As long as they don’t have the guts to say it to my face.

But this fool… this trembling voice before me… he’s pushing his luck.

And I was running out of patience. 

"I can't give my girls... please, please, take diamonds instead. I have raw diamonds, untouched, buried for a thousand years..."

Pathetic.

I glanced at Kane, my expression blank as I gave him a slow nod. Words weren’t necessary, I didn’t waste my breath when a gesture said enough. He understood.

A moment later, the sound of steel slicing through flesh cut through the silence. Then, a dull thud as the man’s head hit the floor.

Gasps rippled through the crowd, wide-eyed shock spreading like wildfire, as if this was their first time witnessing the consequences of disobeying Abraham.

“Let’s go,” I said calmly, turning to Kane. “We’re taking over Icestone Pack.”

He gave a short nod and fell in step behind me. I was already moving toward the exit when his voice halted me.

“What about the Crescent Pack?”

I stopped and growled. “Alpha Jillian and his minions haven’t arrived yet?”

Kane shook his head. "They must be on their way" 

I clenched my fists, jaw tight with restrained fury. No more words. I pushed through the crowd, their eyes avoiding mine.

Someone must be wearing a unique perfume today… because suddenly, I was catching a scent I’d never smelled in my entire life.

Strawberry. Vanilla. Something else I couldn’t place. Sweet, soft… intoxicating.

“They’re already here, Lycan Abraham,” Kane said, stepping closer. “You can come examine them if you want.”

“Handle it,” I replied, my voice low. “I’ll be right back.”

I locked eyes with Sam, and without needing to say anything, he fell into step beside me as we walked into the mansion. I had no idea where I was going as I walked in. All I knew was this scent, it was pulling me, dragging me like a hook in the chest.

“Oh, Lycan Abraham…”

A female voice interrupted my thoughts as her figure stepped into my path. Morgan.

Her face was lined with worry as she placed both hands gently on my shoulders, eyes searching mine.

“Your temperature is high,” she murmured. “I think you need to rest.”

Morgan, my mistress. She cared for me in the way a Luna might care for her Alpha. But I didn’t have time for this shit.

“Get out of my way,” I growled, voice hard as steel.

She flinched, bowing her head. Half-naked, standing in the middle of the hallway, she knew exactly that I was supposed to fuck her, to cool myself down.

She stepped aside without another word, and I kept walking, the scent growing stronger and wilder.

And Zubat?

He was feeling it too.

For once, he wasn’t fighting me. He was alert… curious. Hungry but not for blood.

This scent was different. And whoever it belonged to… they had just become my newest obsession.

I froze in my tracks.

My eyes, which had been closed just a moment before, snapped open. The scent was stronger now. I turned left, instinct guiding me, and that’s when I realized…

It was coming from my room.

As if on cue, the door creaked open with a loud groan. And there she was.

A girl looking young, filthy, curled up on the floor. Dirt clung to her skin, and her eyes, wide and startled, locked onto mine.

“Another new mistress?” Sam muttered behind me, looking amused. "Wow… this one looks delicious. Like a doll.”

The girl flinched and quickly crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover herself. Her silver hair fell like a curtain over her face, shielding her from my gaze. I leaned forward slightly, trying to catch a glimpse but I couldn’t see her clearly.

She slowly rose to her feet, head still bowed. 

And then—

"Mate."

The word wasn’t spoken aloud. It echoed in my mind, Zubat’s voice. 

For the first time in my thirty years, he spoke.

No… no… no.

What an insult.

This is exactly why I despise the Moon Goddess. She knows I hate the very idea of the mate bond. She knows I don’t want it and I don’t need it.

I make my own decisions. No fate, no prophecy, no divine pairing decides for me.

And yet… she dared.

She went as far as mating me with a human? How dare she?

I clenched my fists, every muscle in my body tightening with fury.

I won’t accept this.

I’m going to reject her.