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.

Elias remained still, eyes fixed on the flickering candle by his bedside. The air in his room was thick with something unspoken, something just beyond reach. Outside, the soldiers still whispered, their voices low and urgent, but their words were muffled by the wooden door.

The timing wasn't right yet, but it was coming. He had pieced it together—the patterns, the whispers, the unease in the air whenever an Omega was brought in. There was a cycle to it, a system. The others hadn't seen it in time. They had been led like lambs to the slaughter, trusting, unaware.

His fingers twitched, a reflex from years of training, but he forced them to still. He had already made the mistake of revealing himself once. The attack had nearly undone everything—his careful mask, his fragile act. If the Alpha had seen through him even a little, then the others surely would, too.

The wooden floor creaked beyond the door, a slow, deliberate shift of weight. Elias's gaze flickered to the shadows at the base of the entrance. He wasn't alone. Someone was lingering just beyond the threshold, silent, watching.

Elias exhaled softly and did what he did best—he shrank.

His shoulders curled inward, his body pressing deeper into the mattress, posture shifting from alert to something small, something fragile. His breathing slowed, feigned sleep taking over as his lashes lowered just enough to leave his vision unobstructed.

But whoever was on the other side stayed.

They were waiting for him to slip.

The fortress was never truly silent. Even in the late hours, there was always movement—the shuffle of armor, the murmur of voices, the ever-present weight of watchful eyes. But tonight, the tension was heavier than usual.

The Alpha stood by the window of his chamber, staring out at the dimly lit corridors below. His friend's words from earlier still echoed in his mind.

He had considered the possibility himself. There was no clear proof, no direct accusation, but the attack on Elias had been too precise, too calculated. It wasn't just an assassination attempt. It was a message.

Why did they want him dead so soon?

It didn't make sense. Omegas were never killed immediately. They were kept, observed, and then—when the time came—disposed of like they had never existed at all. But someone had broken the pattern with Elias.

A quiet knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

One of his officers stepped in, his expression tight with hesitation. "There's been movement outside the Omega's room."

The Alpha's spine straightened. "Who?"

"Unknown. The guards didn't catch them in time, but they lingered at his door for a while before disappearing." A pause. "Whoever it was, they weren't just passing by."

He grabbed his coat, throwing it over his shoulders. "Increase the watch around his room. No one enters without my approval."

The officer hesitated. "Are we protecting him… or keeping him contained?"

The Alpha didn't answer immediately. His grip tightened around the fabric of his sleeve as he strode past.

Elias knew when to feign sleep, and he knew when to listen.

The presence outside his door had vanished, but that didn't mean the danger was gone. If anything, it meant the game had truly begun.

He could wait. He had always been good at that.

But sooner or later, he would need to decide.

Would he continue playing the fragile, helpless Omega?

chapter 78: has to choose