Chapter 0001 One he shouldn’t touch

“You shouldn’t work for the Alpha king”. Reuel muttered anxiously, as he peered at Iver, his older brother, whose cold eyes were a vast contrast to his.

“I know you are worried, but this is what I’ve wanted for a long time”. Iver muttered, his palms atop his younger brother’s shoulders. “The alpha needs a new head warrior, and this time the opportunity stems down to us, the clan members”.

Both brothers were a striking figure. Iver was bulkier, and looked more tougher with his shoulder length hair, a stark difference to Reuel, who had just made it out of his teens.

“Don’t get worked up over this, Reuel. Trust your brother”. It was Nur, their older cousin, who chipped into the brothers conversation.

Nur wasn't just his cousin, but also the one in charge of their family affairs after the death of their parents. His success at the king’s pack might be the silver lining for them as clan members, and also an ousted family of Omegas.

The war was long over, but like any other post war era it would always breed forth consequences to those, who had managed to survive.

“All this could be a ploy, for the royal family to cause more troubles for our family”. Reuel said. He might have masked his fear well enough, but Iver knew him too well, to understand that it was his traumas coming out to the surface.

It broke his heart, to know his brother might not be able to live a normal life, just because of one event in the past that not only marred his life, but also affected his life.

“Even if it seems so, we can’t afford to be at the mercy of the royal scarps. No voice equals no protection for the clan families”. Iver said, grit in his tone, as he grabbed his brother’s hands in his. He knew the scars of the past haunted him.

“You don’t have to be scared of anything. You are now safe”. Iver assured him, still sensing his unease. Reuel finally nodded his head, trusting his words of his brother.

“I should get going. Tai is here”. Reuel muttered, winking an eye, as he scurried away. Iver stiffened, his heart aching at the mention of his friend’s name. He had never felt more pathetic in his whole life.

Sighing deeply, he turned around to meet not only his friend’s gaze, but one who he had been in love with for years. A twisted pain arose in his chest, as his mind went back to the event he had witnessed the previous night.

***

Iver had gone out to clear his mind in the middle of the night, when sleep deserted him.

“For how long are we going to keep doing this? We both love each other”. A lady’s voice came up.

He hadn’t thought much about it, since he knew his cousins always entertained ladies to the house. But it was never one of them, instead it was Tai.

“Just because we love each other, doesn’t mean everything is settled”.

Iver could recognise the voice anywhere, because it was already engraved in his heart, just like his very existence meant the world to him.

“It's because of Iver, right?”. Her spite was evident, even though he couldn’t make out her face in the dark.

His heart, which he didn’t know had stopped beating, resumed with more intensity than ever.

“This is more than you can comprehend, we’ve known each for years, I can’t just break the trust we both share”. Iver could note the conflict in his voice. “How could I tell him that I can’t, and will never be able to return the feelings which he seeks from me?”.

The hope Iver never knew he held onto for long, snapped noiselessly that instant.

“What about me? This is fucking crazy”. A bitter laughter followed suit. “I'm nothing, but just a side piece that will always be hidden in the dark to fill up your life, huh?”.

“I love you, but…I…I also care for him”.

“So, you would rather string along with him, to satisfy your conscience than get what you really desire?”.

He knew he should have gone the minute the conversation did nothing, but shatter his heart, yet he stood there awaiting Tai’s reply.

The one that might probably change everything. A word or phrase was enough, but rather his silence, echoed more loudly than any response could.

Iver turned back heading back to his room. He wanted to feel angry, but didn’t. Maybe it was because his understanding ran deeper than he himself could ever imagine.

But something was for sure, a piece of him was left in that garden.

End of Flashback

***

“You’re okay?”. Tai’s voice cut through his reeling mind. Iver refocused his eyes on him, he noticed the genuine concern, in his eyes, but it did nothing to ease the ache in his heart.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me before I leave?”. Iver blurted out suddenly, tired of the growing awkwardness between them.

Tai’s eyes scrunched in confusion, at his words, but it changed immediately. “I will come visit you in the palace, I’m sure the Alpha will allow that”.

“There’s no need for that”. Iver said, swallowing hard, as he met his gaze. His eyes, which he had always wanted to see each day, only reminded him of what could never be.

Whatever they had together, has to end today. He was glad that Nur had informed him about the assessment of the head warrior, before it was too late.

“Is something wrong?”. Tai’s hands went up, wanting to touch his arm, but he swiftly avoided it.

“I’m sorry I confused you with my baseless feelings”. Iver smiled ruefully, as he gazed intently at Tai, whose confusion heightened with each passing seconds.

“You should be with the one whom you truly desire to be with, without hiding”.

At Iver’s words, all color drained from his face, as he realized what he meant. Tai took a step towards him, but his outstretched hands stopped him.

“I’m sorry…I-”.

“Don’t be”. The last thing Iver needed at that moment was his apology. From his peripheral view, Iver could notice the figure of a lady standing at the corner of theit family house. The same as the silhouette of the one he had seen the night before.

“You deserve to be happy”. He would rather walk into a bottomless abyss, than being the one holding him back from his happiness.

Maybe this was the bridge he had to burn, before he could lead the warriors. Love was nothing to him, when it came to his unbridled duty as a clan member.

And with that, Iver smiled one final time as he backed away with speed, of a prey fleeing unseen danger, to the path that led to the Alpha King’s grounds.

The guards around had did a good job in directing him towards where the assessment would be taken, but he wandered aimlessly, through the high pillars of the halls, and unknowingly he found himself amidst towering row of looming trees ahead.

It was then it hit him. He was in a forest located deep in the palace, but just then he heard a faint sound of rustling dried leaves ahead of him.

He focused on the direction of the sound, until a striking figure emerged. The man’s stance was one of an unwavering command, screaming pure royalty, danger…or maybe both, yet all the hair on his body stood up in attention at the heart stopping sight, before him.

He sucked in a sharp breath, when their eyes collided. He first saw a mix of surprise, and then pure irritation, in his black pitch eyes.

“What’s a stranger doing on my turf?!”. His voice was harsh, and his stance imposing authority.

“Your turf?” Iver scoffed in amusement. “Who lay claims on a fucking wo-“. He halted his words, when he felt something move from his peripheral view, a distant away.

On alert he focused his eyes in that direction, noticing an odd color among the greenish scenery of the woods.

It all happened too fast. At the sight of an arrow shooting straight at them, in nanoseconds Iver realized it was aimed towards the cocky male few steps away from him.

He plunged his body to where the stranger stood, with the strength of an agile warrior, toppling him down, just as the arrow swooshed past them, and stuck in the trunk of the tree behind them.

The body he laid on was toned hard. His scent hit him, strong and undeniably intoxicating.

His right hand, which had been resting perfectly on a warm area, against the rough materials of the stranger’s pants, slid upwards gently in a bid to pull away, but he halted the movement, when he felt a seemingly hard bulge.

With a deliberate move, he craned his neck, to glimpse at where his hands rested.

Shit! It was his crotch!

Heat flared against his palm, searing and wrong, but felt right somehow. Yet he didn’t know why, but his palm reflexively, moulded daringly over the bulge, as if in an attempt to feel more of the warmth.

“HOW DARE YOU?!”.

His voice thundered in the air, the stranger’s eyes glowered at him, threatening with intense fury at what he had just done.