O1uwapelumi

Synopsis:
In a world where Alphas rule with absolute power, Alpha Caidren Thorne stands above them all—a warlord feared for his cruelty, a ruler whose hands are stained with the blood of both enemies and kin. His lands are harsh, his rule even harsher, and his name alone is enough to strike terror into the hearts of those who hear it.

But there is a darker truth hidden beneath his legend.

Every Omega sent to him has perished.

No one knows why. No one dares to ask. Some whisper that his presence alone is enough to snuff out their fragile lives, that no Omega can withstand his brutality. Others say that he is cursed, doomed to be alone forever. But Caidren does not care. He has never let anyone close—not a mate, not a lover, not even his own people. His heart is stone, and his hands are weapons.

When the noble House Velmire is forced to offer him an Omega, they do not send their treasured daughter. Instead, they send Elias—an adopted outcast, a boy without a place in their world. Elias has spent his life alone, unwanted, and now, he is being sent to a fate worse than death.

And when he arrives at the Bloodfang Stronghold, he is welcomed by a scene of horror.

A man clothed in black can be seen writhing in agony. Blood soaking the ground. And standing above it all, delivering judgment with cold precision, is Alpha Caidren.

Elias’ fear takes root instantly. This man is no savior. He is death itself.

Caidren barely acknowledges him, dismissing him with a single glance. Another Omega. Another life that will soon disappear.

But Elias does not die.

Days pass. Then weeks. And for the first time, an Omega survives.

Elias is not weak. He is not fragile. He is not like the others. And against every instinct, every warning, Caidren begins to take notice.

What starts as indifference turns to fascination. What was once just another burden soon becomes something the Alpha refuses to let go of.

For the first time in his life, Caidren is afraid—not of war, not of death, but of the one thing he never thought he could have.

And when enemies rise and threaten to take Elias away, Caidren will burn the world to keep his Omega safe.

scarred by the Alpher, claimed by his touch.

He had learned long ago that power was not about brute strength alone—it was about knowing when to act and when to wait.

And when it came to Elias, waiting was proving to be the most interesting choice.

At first, the Omega had been a puzzle. A delicate thing that hid too well, moved too carefully. There had been an edge to him, something that didn't fit with the fragile image he tried to portray.

The hesitation in his steps, the quiet way he moved, the uncertainty in his expression—it all seemed… real.

Or at least, it was more convincing than before.

The Alpha saw it in the way Elias flinched when voices rose too loudly near him. In the way his hands hesitated before touching anything as if unsure of his own place.

No, Elias wasn't afraid. He was withdrawing.

It was as if he had decided to melt into the background completely, to be so unremarkable that no one would bother watching him anymore.

And that was what made the Alpha's interest sharpen.

Because he knew—knew with certainty—that Elias was far from weak.

Why was he suddenly making himself less?

Why was he willingly stepping into the role of a powerless, trembling Omega when he had already revealed, in small ways, that he was more than that?

He did not confront Elias, did not call him out.

Instead, he let the game continue.

Because silence was often the best way to see the truth.

One evening, as the camp settled into its usual rhythm, the Alpha stood outside his tent, arms crossed as he observed.

Elias was walking across the camp, a small bundle of supplies in his arms, his steps careful, his gaze low.

The Alpha's eyes narrowed slightly as Elias passed by, his posture meek, his presence forgettable.

The Omega's fingers tightened around the bundle just slightly as he passed a group of soldiers. Not in fear, not in nervousness—

Elias wasn't just pretending to be weaker.

Something had made him step back from the edge of whatever game he had been playing before.

And now, the Omega was desperately clinging to that retreat, as if convincing himself to stay in place.

The Alpha could have called him out then and there. Could have questioned the shift, challenged him, forced him to react.

Instead, he let Elias pass without a word.

Because patience was a weapon, too.

And sooner or later, Elias would slip again.

chapter 62: waiting