Semua Bab A Different Kind of Alpha: Blood Oath: Bab 1 - Bab 10

KieranPretty prince.The words land in the strained silence of the hall like stones thrown at glass. They echo off the high ceilings, bounce off the polished marble, and lodge somewhere sharp under my ribs. My reflection in the table’s surface flickers, the ghost image momentarily overlaid with forest-green eyes glittering with insolent amusement.My wolf, usually a quiet, well-mannered creature I keep leashed tight, stirs. It lifts its head, sniffing the air, hackles rising not just in territorial warning, but in something else. Something unwillingly intrigued by the raw, unapologetic maleness pouring off the chained wolf standing defiantly on my floor. It’s infuriating. It’s... distracting.Around me, the council isn't distracted. They’re combusting.Vorlag surges forward, face suffused with rage, his hand hovering near the hilt of his ceremonial sword. I doubt he has the first clue how to use it. “You dare–”“Enough.” My voice cuts across his, sharper than I intend, amplified by

KieranThe fire is nearly out, mirroring the state of my frayed nerves. Shadows stretch long across the fancy rug, thick and heavy, like secrets spilled and left to stain.I stand by the mantelpiece, annoyed at the heat still simmering under my skin from the encounter with Alexei Basov. 'What more proof do you need?' His challenge echoes, laced with that infuriating amusement.Coming here was a huge risk. He had no way of knowing that I wouldn’t have him executed on sight. But it doesn’t make trusting him any easier.Redmaw wolves aren't known for their honor, and Alexei radiates a raw, predatory energy that sets every one of my instincts on edge. The bastard saw the flicker of unwanted interest in my eyes, the involuntary tightening low in my gut when he invaded my space. And he smiled. Damn him.Allowing him to stay, even confined under the watchful gaze of twenty guards, feels like juggling live torches.The potential for information regarding the mining tunnels is undeniable. The

KieranNight bleeds into a murky pre-dawn, and my study is still lit by a single, guttering candle. Sleep hasn't been an option. Every time I close my eyes, I see either the insolent amusement in Alexei Basov’s eyes, or the barely veiled contempt in Vorlag’s. One threatens my control, the other my crown. It's a delightful tightrope walk.I stand at the window, watching the first pale light creep over the eastern peaks, painting the underside of the clouds in bruised shades of violet and rose. It’s been three weeks since I took charge. Three weeks of patching holes in a sinking ship while half the crew mutters about mutiny below decks. My father left behind a legacy of fear and rot, and cleaning it out feels like trying to scrub shadows off stone.Alexei’s information about the mining tunnels is the first real, actionable piece of intel I’ve had regarding Redmaw's potential strategy. It feels vital. It also feels like a perfectly crafted lie designed to send me chasing phantoms while

KieranMy wolf paces tensely. His restless energy coiling low in my gut. He wants action, certainty. He hates this limbo, hates the whispers I can almost hear through the thick stone walls. Soft. Foolish. Reckless. My father’s echo, amplified by my fear of the unknown.I force myself away from the window, back to the desk. Strategy requires precision. Not the frantic energy buzzing under my skin. An energy annoyingly present ever since Alexei Basov first set foot in the keep. That thought brings his image to my mind. Laughing green eyes, the insolent confidence. His long hair that looks so incongruously soft that I keep having to fight the urge to reach out and touch it. I shove his unbidden visage away irritably. He’s a variable. A potential weapon or a potential minefield, nothing more. My reaction to him is purely territorial. Alexei is a tool to be wielded, or a threat to be eliminated. Once it becomes clear which, he’ll be dealt with and treated accordingly. I’m definitely not

AlexeiFor a moment, I just stand there, breathing in the lingering trace of Kieran. It’s not a feral scent, like most Alpha’s have, or something sweet and enticing like an Omega does. It’s clean and sharp, like expensive soap and the crisp bite of an autumn night. He finally knows I wasn't lying. He knows the threat is real. And more importantly, he knows I might be the only one who can help him navigate it. The balance of power just shifted, however slightly, and we both know it.He still doesn't trust me, but we’ll work on that. I’m very persistent when I have my sights locked on something I want. And I want the pretty prince with somewhat of a single-minded ferocity.I saunter over to his desk, running my fingers over the polished wood, still warm from where his hands rested moments ago. I can picture bending him over the surface and slowly fucking him from behind. His balls slapping against my thighs as I ruffle his perfect hair and make him fall apart around me. All of his met