Chapter Two

Xeros Romanov

"Alpha King" Anakin yelled out, sucessfullly gaining my attention. I glanced at his strained form, hunched at the drivers seat. He didn't spare me a glance as his eyes were fully focused of the lands that lead to Nightwolf pack.

"Is something the matter, Your Majesty". He asked after noticing that he had sucessfully gained my attention. I ignored his words, not quite in the mood to speak. A brimming trepidation was forming in me. Like something life changing was about to occur. What could possibly be life changing at a purge ceremony. The only the life changing event was that a few murderes were going to lose their heads. Well, not only their heads.

From the corner of my eyes, I felt Anakin glance at me mulitple times until it was no longer ignorable. "I'm fine Beta" I stated before returning my gaze to the view from outside the car window. He took that as a cue to focus on driving.

Soon enough, the borders of Nightwolf pack came into the view. I could feel the change in the dynamic, Ofcourse being an immortal Lycan, the entire pack was no match for me. But in their territory, their chances had increased from an obviously zero to a 10 percent chance. Travelling to foreign soil, weakens all wolves. Even a lycan wasn't immune to that.

Once i had alighted from the car, Dimitri met me with the usual deference, his eyes scanning my face as if searching for signs of the turmoil within. "Welcome, Alpha King Xeros," he said, his voice steady, though there was an undercurrent of urgency. "The ceremony is about to begin. Please, allow me to escort you."

I nodded curtly. "Lead the way, Alpha Dimitri."

The path to the high table took us through the heart of the pack's compound, where members of the Night Wolf Pack had gathered in a tense, expectant crowd. The air was thick with anticipation, their murmurs barely masking an underlying excitement. My skin prickled as I followed Dimitri, my eyes flicking to the faces in the crowd, seeking a clue to the source of my unease.

We reached the high table, a platform overlooking the central square where the executions would take place. The pyres were already set up, their dark forms stark against the twilight sky. I took my seat, my gaze drawn inexorably to the first pyre. The accused, a struggling young woman was dragged forward and bound to the stake.

Erica Miller- Killed her husband.

I had gone through her file a few days ago, she fed her husband liquid silver for months before finally killing. Before any pack could perform the purge, it had to be authorised by me and today- i was glad we had only one person to burn. I wanted to be in nightwolf no longer than I needed to be.

The Last purge I had attended at Lakewood pack had 32 criminals up for burning. I had to go through each of their files, i had approved 25 and rejected 7.

Dimitri stepped forward, raising his hands to silence the crowd. "Today, we witness justice," he proclaimed. "The traitors who sought to undermine our pack will face their punishment."

The pack's response was a guttural cheer, the sound reverberating through my head. I watched as the pyre was lit, flames licking at the man's feet, rising swiftly to consume her. The crowd's fervor grew with the flames, their shouts of approval mingling with the crackling fire and the woman's screams.

A wave of the peculiar feeling washed over me. The heaviness in my chest was almost unbearable now, my heart pounding erratically. I stood abruptly, drawing curious glances from those around me. "Excuse me," I muttered to Dimitri, who nodded in understanding.

The cool night air hit my face as I stepped outside, a welcome contrast to the stifling heat and noise within. I took several deep breaths, trying to steady myself, but the unease only grew. I paced restlessly, my mind a whirl of fragmented thoughts and emotions.

"What is wrong with me?" I wondered aloud, frustration coloring my voice. I had faced countless battles, endured unimaginable hardships, yet nothing had ever shaken me like this. I leaned against a stone pillar, closing my eyes, willing my racing heart to slow.

Moments passed, and gradually, the chaotic storm within me began to subside. The night was silent now, the distant sounds of the execution muffled by the walls of the compound. I straightened, feeling a reluctant calm settle over me.

"Your majesty, you need to return now" Anakin's voice sounded in my head. A hint of urgency in his tone. It seemed i couldn't avoid my duties any longer. I needed to return.

With a resigned sigh, I made my way back to the hall. The scene that greeted me was eerily similar to when I had left, yet something felt profoundly different. A second pyre was prepared, and as my eyes fell on the figure bound to it, my world tilted on its axis.

A second person?.

An unauthorised purge?

What exactly was Dimitri playing at?

I felt my breath catch, my vision narrowing to focus solely on the figure bound to the pyre. The noise of the crowd faded to a distant hum, and all I could hear was the pounding of my own heart.

My lycan, usually a silent presence in the back of my mind, surged forward with a force that nearly knocked me off my feet.

"MATE" The word echoed through my consciousness, a primal howl that left no room for doubt. The heaviness in my chest, the erratic beating of my heart, it all made sense now. I had found my mate.

And then, I saw her.

She stood strapped to the pyre, her body motionless, her face turned toward the ground as if she had already accepted her fate. My breath caught in my throat, the heaviness in my chest now a crushing weight that threatened to bring me to my knees. Her scent hit me like a tidal wave—lavender and rain—a scent I had only ever dreamed of. 

My Lycan howled in my mind, the sound a primal, desperate cry that echoed through my very soul. It was then that I knew, with a certainty that shook me to my core.

She was my mate.

My mate 

The one I had been searching for

The crowd roared, oblivious to the storm raging within me. My world narrowed to her alone, the firelight casting shadows across her delicate features. Every instinct screamed at me to move, to tear her from that pyre before the flames could touch her. 

But I was frozen, rooted to the spot, my body trembling with the force of my emotions. The pack began to chant, their voices rising in unison as they demanded her death.

And then, the torch was lit.