(Image: Alpha Bryson Blackwolf)

   "Alpha!"

   King Bryson Blackwolf once again tried to ignore his Beta's voice. His face showed nothing but perseverance and concentration. His extraordinary eyes, deep and brooding, glimmered in the twilight, illuminated by the swarms of golden flecks and amber swirls in his onyx irises. His lips were pressed in a line. He spitefully gripped his heavy iron helmet and started adjusting it as if to chase his friend's presence out of his head. It was hard if not impossible. The other warrior was adamant in his efforts to push through their mind link. If there was anyone as stubborn and single-minded as an Alpha wolf, it was a Beta. And the king was dealing with the most determined one.

   The two men resolutely strode, side by side, along the wide cobblestone road, which lead to a big, fortified arch bridge over a wild mountain river. The turbulent stream of clear, ice-cold water wound around the sixteen-foot-high fortress wall, also serving as an effective defensive moat.

   It was a monstrous stronghold before them, rising high in the grim autumn sky. The spire, which jutted out from the central citadel's conical roof, disappeared into the heavy clouds, gloomy and gray as an old, angry wolf's fur. The rainstorm was going to pour down on their heads at any moment. The blustery gale caused even the majestic, centuries-old oaks to bend and creak piteously in the surrounding impenetrable forest. Only the clang of heavy armor and deadly weapons could drown out the merciless howl of the chilly wind. The rhythmic metallic sound echoed in the falling dusk with each step of the leaders and the small squad of spine-chilling soldiers who followed them. They looked like a natural part of the hostile environment. A pack of dangerous creatures, loyal and deadly, who were in their element as lightning tore through the sky and thunder terrifyingly echoed across the distant mountain ridges.

   "You cannot keep me away forever, My Lord. Enough pretending you do not hear me. Even Your Majesty with all your might will get tired of blocking the connection at some point, and then I will be right here, ready to ask my question." General Damian Eldfjall* was not a person who would give up easily. No one remembered a single time the fearsome commander had stepped back. The king knew it too well. To apply more pressure, the young Beta raised his voice, even though it was highly unacceptable when addressing the leader. "You know what I am going to ask. There is no time for waiting. Everyone will feel his presence soon, if they have not already. I sense it with every bone in my body. Say it! Am I right? Is he here?"

   *eldfjall (Icelandic language) – meaning: volcano

   "Shut up!" King Blackwolf snarled, finally acknowledging his right hand's constant attempts to engage him. "Now is not the time. We'll speak about it when this is over."

   "Hasira* is rising," Damian insisted. "If it is true, I must know. We have not seen him in ten years. Do you need to be reminded of what happened back then? Three hundred of Yǐncáng de bùluò** best assassins were killed for less than an hour..."

   *hasira (Swahili lanquage) – meaning: fury

   **Yǐncáng de bùluò (Chinese,隱藏的部落)- meaning: The Hidden Tribe

   "He is awake," was the king's terse reply. "And the bastards surely deserved it."

   "Moon Goddess help us," Damian gasped.

   All the men's faces were expressionless. A trained warrior never showed emotion. Only brave determination was glowing in their extraordinary half-human and half-wolf eyes. Yet, a barely visible twitch in the corner of Damian's lips left no doubt of the shock his king's statement caused. He quickly regained his composure and continued the questioning, which clearly did not sit well with the Alpha.

   Beta Eldfjall was the only shifter alive who dared, intentionally or not, to do or say something that would anger the king. If he believed it was the right course of action, he did not give a damn about the consequences. His Alpha respected him for his courage. The general's voice was firm as he demanded more answers. "So, the beast is awake. Since when?"

   "Two days," Bryson hissed. Even though they used the mind link, the tension could not be completely hidden from their warriors. Luckly, the others were clueless about the topic of the conversation. "I said we would talk later. Shut it for Moon's sake. You are pissing me off. Are you trying to cause turmoil right before we enter the enemy's castle? We will think about it after we sign the peace treaty."

   "Can you control him?" Damian pushed, disregarding the obvious threat in Bryson's voice. "What if you shift in the middle of the ceremony? That monster is feral. We are here to ensure long term peace, not to cause a bloodshed."

   The kind snorted in disapproval. "Why the hell would that happen?"

   "There is something odd about this castle," the Beta murmured. "So extraordinary that it disturbed a wolf who has been sleeping for the last decade. My Lord, with all due respect, you have to admit this is dangerous. We are responsible for the lives of those soldiers behind us, the whole army, and even all of our kind. Hasira is a big hazard, an unpredictable monster. We can not afford him running loose and wreaking havoc. If he gets mad, no one can stop him. And if he is awake, it means he is already furious. We are still at war. Maybe, he was drawn to the fighting. He is also a protector. The beast must be raging at how many of our people died."

   "Do not talk about that part of me like it is another separate being. I am King Bryson Blackwolf, and I am also Hasira. I can assure you that I am neither mad, nor feral. However, I can't guarantee I will keep my cool much longer if you continue to pester me." The Alpha sighed and added more calmly. "Even if something goes wrong, you can stop me. You've done it before. I will listen to you."

   Damian did not respond. They both knew the stakes were high. The situation was more treacherous than any other they had encountered. The thought of having to confront the unimaginable enormous black wolf again raised goosebumps on his skin. He was not afraid, but he was not fooled either. Hundreds of people would lose their lives before he could appease his master. To remain in one piece after such an ordeal was also highly unlikely. A raging Alpha wolf on the loose was a killing machine. There was no way to reason with him.

   A heavy silence fell between the two men. Alpha Blackwolf kept his eyes fixed on the road and the huge fortress gate, which was waiting for them at its end. It was made of twenty-inch-thick logs, reinforced by a metal grate with terrifying spikes, each nearly five feet long, aimed at anyone who dared to pass uninvited. No one could enter or leave without the permission of the human king.

   The closer they got, the more suspicious this whole arrangement seemed. Could it be a trap? Would King Lothar risk his family's life and the last hope for peace just to kill the accursed wolf overlord? Bryson was aware how deeply humans hated and feared their kind. He did not care about his own life. He knew no one could take him down. Same went for his Beta. His loyal soldiers' safety was more important. He did not bring them here to be slaughtered. It would take a hundred men to overpower one of his warriors, but he suspected that a small army was hiding behind the stone walls in an ambush.

   There was something even more puzzling about this place. The scent. He could smell it again, barely perceptible, completely unfamiliar and yet irresistibly alluring. Bryson sensed it for the first time close to the human's camp. It happened two days ago and had not given him rest since then. He knew in his heart that it was vital to find out where it came from. A deep primal instinct made him believe that it could be the most important task of his life, but it also foreshadowed an imminent disaster. Damian was right. Something was wrong here, terribly wrong.

   "Stop the squad," the king commanded.

   Beta Eldfjall raised his arm. All the soldiers instantly froze.

   Alpha Blackwolf took a few steps towards the gate and removed his helmet. He shook his head so that his long, raven-black, braided hair could spread over his metal-clad shoulders. It flew down to his waist like a dammed river set free. The man was seven feet tall, muscular and strong like the majestic mountain where generations of his royal bloodline had strengthened among the towering snow-capped ridges. Like the mountain he was harsh and breathtaking. His skin, adorned with mysterious tattoos, was as smooth and black as the veil of the warmest summer night. His eyes were deeper and darker than the caves where magical beasts had hidden secrets and spells for centuries. The Moon Goddess herself, people said, had sprinkled star dust in his stare and breathed the winds of spring, autumn and winter into his voice. That was why he could speak gently, allure and bewitch, but could also cut like a knife and draw out blood with a single word. He was one of his kind, the last pure Alpha, born by an Omega queen. Many of his people considered him a god.

   "Bring me my crown," he shouted.

   "You've brought your crown?" Damian exclaimed while a soldier ran to them carrying a beautifully decorated, silver-plated wooden chest. "My Lord, you do not need no crown to assert your authority. Everyone will be on their knees just by the mere sight of you."

   "I appreciate your words, my friend." The king softly laughed. "But you have never met a human ruler before. I expect King Lothar of Lornydahl to be arrogant and consider himself God's chosen. Fear is the strongest emotion for many humans, especially those who have valuable possessions or status to lose. Fear is good when it is accompanied by respect and understanding. Unfortunately, for them it often comes with envy and hatred. Our host will pay close attention to the royal symbols. He will value wealth and insignia most of all. Maybe, they will make him a little less scared and more prone to negotiation."

   If Alpha Bryson was impressive before, with the crown on his head he had no match. The priceless jewel was made of gold and silver intertwined, and studded with rubies and diamonds. It was forged for the first king Blackwolf's coronation many centuries ago. The piece was so heavy and rigid that only his direct heirs could wear it. Same went for the king's double-edged sword, which could cut down a grown tree with one swing.

   A deafening peal of thunder rumbled. A flash of lightning as bright as the sun tore the clouds over the fortress. Heavy drops of rain started pattering on the stone tiles. The gate wings creaked as the metal chains moved, driven by huge screeching pulleys. It slowly began to open.

   "Let's get over with this," Bryson growled and stepped inside, followed by his men.

(Image: Lornydahl fortress)

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A/N

Hello at the first chapter of a brand new adventure in the Omegaverse, and my first A/B/O story. 💗💗💗

I am very excited about this journey and hope it will be great fun.

What are your first impression?

Are Bryson and Damien in danger?

Does a surprise await them in the enemy's fortress?

Share your thoughts, ask questions and criticize, if you think it is necessary.

Don't forget to vote, if you liked the chapter.

Love: Anny