RAFE
What do you do when you become Alpha overnight?
Usually, you're supposed to do the three G's: Grasp the power, gloat in the glory and get into the beds of every available she-wolf in the pack. After all, I'm now the pack's most eligible bachelor and its favorite target at the same time.
The problem? I'm currently failing all three.
I can't seem to find the horny and ambitious switch in my brain, probably because it's buried under the mental image of my father's casket being lowered into the dirt days ago. And a huge part of me wants to dig him out and ask him why the hell he left this mess to me so early.
We can't run, my wolf says. So man up and don't be a pussy.
He's very helpful like that, and also very loud. And annoying…mostly annoying.
The door creaks open behind me and I turn to find Jaxon standing there. He's my Gamma, my head guard, and, yeah, my only friend.
"They're ready," he says. "And they're all waiting."
I suck in a breath and let it out slowly.
I've been Alpha for seven days since my father died but today is the day it becomes official by coronation and all the fake smiles that come with it.
Because of this, I didn't sleep last night and just bounced from one nightmare to the next. In one, the chief elder chased me through the forest, hunting me like his enemy. In another, everyone in the hall started chanting the same word over and over: bastard.
Here's the thing. Out of the last ten Alphas, I'm the first one born on the wrong side of respectability. My father had a drunken and stupid night with a prostitute who died birthing me, and the result of that mistake is me. A one-night error that stuck around.
While he was alive, no one dared say it to my face and they just whispered but I heard enough of it to know.
Now he's gone and without him standing in front of me, I feel exposed and stripped down like they're finally seeing what I am.
A bastard about to wear an Alpha's crown.
"Relax." Jaxon steps closer and grips my shoulder, his chest puffing out. "I can smell the nerves on you. I've got your back out there. You can do this and earn the pack's respect."
Right. But that's not the only thing eating me alive right now.
"What if he comes back?" I ask.
His expression immediately hardens at the mention of the elephant in the room: my half-brother, Corvin.
"Don't worry about him," he says.
Except worry is written all over his face, and there's a restless bite to his pheromones that says he's lying to me, to himself, or both.
"He's in Rasted prison. How's he supposed to come back? Only the Alpha's decree can free him and that's you." He adds.
I know that, I really do. But knowing doesn't stop the fear from creeping up my spine, and honestly, it's not like I'm being unreasonable. Corvin is the worst man I've ever had the misfortune of knowing, and father used to call him his worst mistake. Even after covering and compensating the two families ruined by Corvin's murderous tendencies, the final straw came when he tried to kill me.
Yeah, that's right. The reason Corvin ended up in the pack's worst prison twelve years ago is me. And now, even though he's locked away, I can't stop imagining him popping up out of nowhere, and finishing what he started.
"Should we go now?" Jaxon's voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. I blink, tug at my clothes, and slowly nod.
He walks to the door and opens it, bowing slightly as I step past. The hallways of the grand estate which is mine now are lined with guards, their heads held high as I make my way toward the coronation hall.
The air today is anything but welcoming, the cold bite of approaching winter hitting my face. Winter has never brought anything good to me but I hope that's different this year.
When I reach the massive doors leading into the hall, I pause. I take a deep breath, promising myself to look confident, because if the pack doesn't see an Alpha in me, they'll never truly respect me. Then, with Jaxon right behind me, I step inside.
The moment I walk in, everyone in the hall stands, their heads dipping in bows. I make my way up to the stage, taking in the decorations, the rich ambience, and the mix of scents from all the families present, before lowering myself into my seat.
At the very front sits my Beta, my replacement in case I die before leaving an heir and next to him, the chief elder Rufus, and the rest of the important council members.
I catch Rufus's gaze, and he gives a brief nod before stepping forward.
The formalities of the event start and I'm tense out of my mind.
I'm sure there are some bastards who've been Alpha.
My wolf's pathetic little attempt to make me feel worthy of the crown does nothing but make me notice every expression in the hall, and every pheromone lingering in the air. I've been holding my breath because taking a real one might give me the unfiltered truth about what they really think of me and I'm not sure I want to know.
Curiosity gets the better of me, and I do it anyway.
Anger is the first thing that hits me.
Then disgust.
Sympathy.
I curl my fingers into my lap, feeling the mix of emotions bloom inside me.
"As the pack laws dictate, and with the guidance of the Moon Goddess, we shall now crown Rafe Moxie Castell as Alpha of Redmoon pack."
Everyone rises again as Rufus steps forward, the crown held in his hands. My pulse is hammering, my thoughts a mess of conflicting emotions, and my wolf is practically vibrating with excitement in my head.
Just as he lifts the crown above my head, the heavy door swings open with a deafening crash against the wall. I flinch, and every head in the hall snaps toward the noise.
"What is—" Rufus barely gets the words out before troops of soldiers march inside. Immediately, whispers fill the hall.
"Who are they?"
"What is going on?"
"Is this part of the ceremony?"
No. This is not part of the ceremony. Something's wrong, and I can feel it in my bones. Jaxon is at my side in an instant, his weapon drawn and eyes wide. I expect the other guards stationed outside to flood the hall by now but… nothing is happening.
"Stay close to me," Jaxon whispers.
My Beta rises, everybody in the hall alert and on edge.
He's here.
My wolf cries out in my head, and I stiffen. There's only one person who makes him panic, one person who sends goosebumps crawling down my spine. But I refuse to believe it's possible. Jaxon said it's impossible.
I force myself to step forward. "Whose orders are you acting on?" My voice echoes across the hall but the soldiers don't budge. They just press against the walls, surrounding us. "Guards! Guards!"
No response, but it is the figure that appears at the door that nearly knocks me off my feet.
His eyes are dark, but unlike twelve years ago, one is badly damaged from a strike, a cut running across it. Hatred drips from his face, stewing for years, and he's grown even bigger, big like Alphas are supposed to be. Big unlike me. His pheromones, dark as his heart, turn the once-warm hall cold and half the people present shiver.
"Blessed goddess," Rufus mutters, trembling and stumbling back. "The devil is here."
No, not some random devil. Just my half-brother.