Chapter 4: Alpha's Return

Alpha Zedex's POV

The Half-moon cast its sliver glow on the Vermillion wolf pack's territory. The scent of wildflowers and damp earth waved through the air, mixed with the faint scent of wood smoke from the nearby pack, accompanied by the chirping of birds on the trees.

I stepped out from the shadows. My broad shoulders, sharp and strong features seemed powerful from the darkness itself, commanding authority. While my piercing amber-gold eyes scanned around the familiar landscape with a mix of fond memories.

The gentle rustle of leaves under my shoes echoed through the hush as I approached the den. The den's earthly scent filled my nostrils, familiar and comforting.

The pack guards snapped to attention, and their gaze averted to my direction.

"Welcome back, Alpha," one of the guards said, bowing his head.

My face froze, but my eyelids dropped, betraying my exhaustion. A faint crease etched between my brows, the only sign of the weight bearing down on me. "All Calm?" I asked, my deep voice rumbling.

"A-all calm and peaceful, Alpha." The guard's voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes flitting towards, tinged with fear.

I nodded. I entered the chamber, which had a fire casting flickering shadows on the wall, and found all the pack elders seated, their familiar faces solemn.

I stood before the council members, memories of my mother flooding my mind.

It had been a year since I departed from the Vermilion wolf pack, a yearly occurrence for me, and my quest to find my mother remained unsuccessful.

The scar on my face, hidden beneath my mask, served as a painful reminder of why I fought - to protect my people and ensure their eternal freedom from the hunters.

"Welcome back, Alpha." Mogan, the pack's beta, flashed a warm smile as he approached me. His fluid movements and athletic build showcased his warrior training.

I nodded, averting my gaze to my right-hand side, acknowledging the other council members who had a warm smile creasing their lips on my return to the pack.

Suddenly, my grandpa emerged from the back door, leaning on his walking stick. His face sparked with warmth and excitement as he approached me.

"My favorite grandson is back," he said with a smile, opening his arms for a hug. I couldn't help but smile back as I walked over and embraced him, feeling his gentle tap on my back.

Grandpa had always been the steady rock of the Vermilion pack, supporting my father back then and offering guidance on how to lead the pack for the well-being of its members.

Now, for the past ten years, as the Alpha of the Vermilion wolf pack, the weight of responsibility rested on my shoulders, but I was grateful to have my grandpa by my side to help shoulder the burden.

Elder Nira's smile faltered, her eyes clouding with distress. "The wolf hunters… They've wiped the entire Cold Valley pack."

My fist clenched and unclenched as I kept thinking of how hard the wolves must have fought till their last breath to resist the hunters.

Zov, my inner wolf, seethed beneath the surface, straining to break free. However, I had to keep myself under control, but that didn’t stop my eyes from changing colors.

Vengeance burned within me, a fire fueled as my fingers brushed against the scar beneath my mask, the familiar ridge a constant reminder of the hunters' cruelty. Memories of my mother's desperate cries, when I was separated from her at the age of sixteen , echoed through my mind, fueling my rage. My heart hardened, resolving to protect my pack at any cost.

They saw us as mere animals, treating us as such, despite us sharing the same red blood running through our veins and with only one life to live.

It was ironic how they viewed us as beasts and always attempted to harm us whenever they could, often pushing me to the edges.

I believed in the principle of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.’ While the hunters were cold-hearted towards wolves, I directed my ruthlessness and cruelty towards humans. But at what cost to my humanity?

I went as far as making it a law in the Vermillion pack that during every mating festival, twelve humans must be sacrificed to honor the moon goddess, driven by my deep-seated hatred towards them.

I had no intention of stopping until I declared it was over. After their audacity to attack Cold Valley, I had decided to sacrifice fifteen humans to her during the upcoming festival in six months' time.

“Mogan!” I called, and he ran and knelt in front of me. “Strengthen the pack's formation barrier!" I growl out in a deep voice.

“Yea!” He responded and ran off.

"Now I feel like storming into the human world and destroying all of them," Elder Danido sneered in fury.

Elder Nira's jaw clenched, and her eyes flashed with anger. Elder Danido's fist pounded the table, his deep voice rumbling.

The rest of the council members were visibly angry, their wolf fangs slipping out of their lips as they all nodded in agreement with Elder Danido.

I was undoubtedly furious, but I couldn't take drastic action that would endanger my pack any further. I could sense their pain and dissatisfaction with all the incidents that had occurred, and I knew I needed to provide them with a solution soon.

"Alpha, give your command!" Elder Nira cried.

"Alpha, give your command!" The council's unified resolve electrified the air.

I turned to my grandpa, who had been sitting silently beside me the whole time, as his eyebrows furrowed in concern. He leaned forward and whispered in my ears, and I nodded, because I understood his suggestion.

Turning back to the elders and adjusting myself in my seat, I began, "My Elders…"

Clap! Clap! Clap! Max, my stepbrother's sudden applause shattered the tension, his smirk a cold challenge. As he strode toward the council, his eyes locked onto mine, piercing fearlessly.

All eyes turned to him, wondering why he was there after stating he wouldn't attend any meetings due to his disdain for me.

He stood in front of everyone, tearing his gaze from me. His jaws clenched, his eyes blazing with hatred, as his voice dripped with venom. "Your biggest mistake is trusting your pretentious Alpha. Do you think he has the pack's best interests at heart?"