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.

The soldier stopped just outside the Alpha's quarters, his expression unreadable.

Elias didn't react, didn't ask why the man hadn't opened the door yet. He knew a test when he saw one.

The soldier finally pushed the door open, stepping aside to let Elias enter.

Elias moved forward without hesitation, his face composed, his body language deliberately controlled. Submissive enough to avoid suspicion, but not weak. Just enough to remain unnoticed.

But the moment he stepped inside, he knew—

The Alpha stood by the far wall, his back turned, hands clasped behind him. A map stretched across the surface, marked with lines and symbols Elias didn't recognize at a glance.

Yet the Alpha wasn't looking at the map.

Elias stopped in the center of the room, silent. He wouldn't speak first. That wasn't how this worked.

The Alpha's voice was measured, calm. Too calm.

Elias kept his expression carefully blank. "I had no reason to be otherwise."

His gaze was sharp, cutting through the air between them. He wasn't just looking at Elias—he was assessing him, dissecting every breath, every shift of muscle.

"During the attack," the Alpha murmured. "When the assassin came for you."

Elias forced himself to remain perfectly still. He knew where this was going.

"I didn't hesitate," he said evenly. "I reacted as anyone would in my position."

The Alpha's lips curved—not quite a smile, not quite a smirk.

"A fragile Omega fought off a trained killer?"

The accusation wrapped in false amusement. The carefully set trap.

Elias lowered his gaze slightly, feigning uncertainty. "I was lucky."

The Alpha hummed. Took a slow step forward.

"You are not lucky," the Alpha said, voice quieter now. "You are something else entirely."

The tension in the room thickened.

Elias could feel it in his ribs, pressing against his skin like something tangible.

The Alpha wasn't asking. He already knew.

"I don't know what you mean," he said, keeping his tone light. "I'm just trying to survive."

The Alpha studied him for a long moment, his gaze unreadable. Then he turned back to the map, tracing a path with his fingertip.

"Survival," he murmured. "That is an interesting word, Elias."

The way he said his name sent a flicker of something down Elias's spine.

"Isn't that what we're all doing?" Elias asked, careful, measured.

Then, without looking at him, he said—

"Someone tried to kill you once before."

Elias's breath stayed even. His pulse did not.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The Alpha finally looked at him again, and this time, there was no amusement in his eyes.

Another test. Another crack in the careful game they played.

Because he knew, without a doubt—

chapter 72: questions