Chapter 6: The Blood Trials

Kael's POV

The walk back to my office felt longer than usual as my patience stretched thin. Hood followed beside me in silence, which was rare enough to unsettle me further. He was never this quiet unless something serious was brewing.

But I didn’t need silence. I needed answers.

From the moment Hood stormed into my chambers to tell me the omega girl was still alive, disbelief had wrapped itself around my mind like a vice. I had rejected her. She should be dead.

And yet, Hood had stood before me, his usual smirk absent, his voice clipped with urgency as he said—

"She's alive."

I had scoffed at him, dismissing it outright. An omega surviving rejection? Impossible.

But Hood didn’t back down. "I wouldn’t joke about this, Kael."

I narrowed my eyes on him. "Since when do you take anything seriously unless we're in battle?"

Hood exhaled sharply, rubbing the back of his neck. "I know how it sounds. I thought the same damn thing when I saw her, but I swear on my life, she’s breathing."

I stared at him for a long moment, waiting for the punchline. Waiting for that crooked grin of his to slip through, proving this was some sick attempt at humor. But it never came.

Instead, Hood’s voice lowered, more grave than I’d ever heard it. "You need to see for yourself."

I had resisted at first, but his conviction had been enough to drag me outside. And when I saw her—

The sight had nearly knocked the air from my lungs.

The omega was there, on the ground, trembling yet alive. Alive, when she shouldn’t be.

I clenched my jaw, my footsteps echoing down the corridor as I forced myself to focus. The rejection had fought back. The bond still lingered. And worst of all, the Moon Goddess seemed to be toying with me.

Had the Moon Goddess cursed me? Was this just her idea of a cruel joke?

If so, I hope she could see that I wasn’t laughing now.

And to think that Hood had stopped me from killing the omega and sending her back to the Moon goddess who pranked me first, I had barely restrained my anger when I turned to him then. "Why did you stop me?"

Hood hesitated, just for a second. Then, his voice was firm. "Because something’s wrong, Kael. You can feel it, can’t you?"

I couldn't even answer.

Because the truth was, I could feel it.

And now, as we finally reached my office, the weight of everything crashed down like a storm waiting to break.

I shoved the door open with more force than necessary, striding inside without breaking my pace. Hood followed, closing the door behind him.

The heavy silence lingered between us, thick and oppressive. I crossed my arms over my chest, my body rigid with restrained fury.

Then, in a voice like rolling thunder, I demanded, “Start talking, Hood.”

Hood's usual easy-going demeanor was absent. He knew better than to joke around at a moment like this. I watched His eyes flickered with something unspoken, something weighing heavy on his mind.

But I didn't have an avalanche of time at the moment. So my gaze on him remained unwavering.

“Talk, Hood. Now!"

He exhaled, running a hand through his hair before speaking. "Look, Kael, I didn’t stop you for no reason. I had to be careful with how I handled that moment in front of the pack. You know as well as I do that history has never recorded a king killing his mate with his own hands."

I scoffed, my jaw tightening. "So what?"

Hood hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "So… I didn’t want you to be the first. Not in front of everyone."

His words struck a nerve, igniting my fury all over again. I let out a sharp hiss. "And why the hell wouldn’t I?!" My voice thundered through the room. Hood stood his ground, but I saw his shoulders tense slightly.

I took a step closer, my voice dropping into a dangerous growl. "Do you think I care about what history says? Do you think I care about how it looks? The Moon Goddess has mocked me, Hood. She has insulted me by tying my soul to an omega—a weakling, a nobody. And you expect me to let that slide?"

Hood shook his head quickly. "That’s not what I’m saying, Kael."

"Then what are you saying?" I snapped.

He inhaled deeply before answering. "I’m saying that this could bring terrible consequences on our land. A king spilling the blood of his own mate with his own hands? It’s not just about history—it’s about what that might unleash."

I let out a humorless chuckle, shaking my head. "So what? You want me to just let her live and disgrace me? You know that’s not possible. A powerful alpha king like me cannot be tied to a pathetic weakling."

Hood lifted his hands slightly, as if trying to calm the storm raging in me. "I’m not saying let her live. I’m saying don’t do it yourself."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What?"

"Let someone else do it," Hood said firmly. "You don’t need to get your hands dirty. Let another handle it."

Silence settled between us. Then instantly, something shifted in my mind. A new idea formed, twisting into something dark and satisfying.

A slow smirk curled on my lips as my fingers reached for my mustache, twirling it absentmindedly—a habit of mine whenever I was onto something.

Hood’s eyes immediately sharpened with suspicion. "Kael, what are you thinking?"

I didn’t answer. I simply patted his back and strode towards the door.

Hood quickly followed, trying to match my pace. There was almost no appellative he didn't use for me. "Alpha! King Kael! What the hell is in your head, Kael?"

I ignored him, pushing the doors open and stepping out into the open grounds of the palace. The moment I emerged, all eyes turned to me.

The omega was still there. Broken. Fragile. Worthless.

She had no idea what was coming.

Garrick stood beside her, arms folded, his expression unreadable. Around them, several pack members stood in tense silence, awaiting my verdict. The weight of my power settled over them like a storm cloud.

I stopped in front of them, lifting my chin. Then, in a cold and unwavering voice, I announced, "The omega will partake in the Blood Trials tonight."

The reaction was immediate.

Gasps erupted from the crowd, murmurs rippling through them like a wave. They knew what that meant. They knew what awaited her.

But this Omega, however, did not.

It looked as though she had resigned to fate and embraced her imminent demise.

She barely reacted. No trembling, no tears, no panic. Just confusion.

And I hated that.

She should be terrified.

I turned my gaze to Garrick. "Brief her."

Garrick nodded once, stepping closer to the omega. His voice was void of emotion as he explained, each word hitting like a hammer as he circled her.

"The Blood Trials are a test of survival. A challenge where only the strong endure. It is a brutal combat tournament where the trained warriors fight for rank, honor, and the right to serve in the Alpha’s elite forces. You will fight. You will bleed. And if you are weak, you will die."

I watched as understanding dawned in her eyes, as her face paled, and her body stiffened. And when I saw her eyes widen in sheer horror, the smirk on my lips deepened.

She had defeated death the first time, but this time, she stood no chance. I could even hear the wind howl like a banshee who was mourning the loss of a loved one. A testamaent that her death was certain.

And best of all—I wouldn’t have to dirty my hands to make it happen.