Ruthless

Alpha Kane's POV:

"Alpha, today we're supposed to visit the Moonlight Pack. The three months are up for the contract renewal," Luke, my beta, reminded me as soon as I stepped into my office. His tone was formal, though we both knew he didn't need to remind me. I never forgot business, especially when it came to matters as crucial as this.

I walked past him, heading straight to the large mahogany desk at the center of the room, my hand trailing over the polished surface. My office was an extension of my authority—strong, imposing, and devoid of unnecessary distractions. The walls were lined with books on strategy, history, and warfare. In the corner, my family crest, the emblem of my lineage, was etched in silver and gold—a wolf standing over a crescent moon.

I'd entered into a contract with the Moonlight Pack a little over a year ago. They had come to me, desperate for help. Their pack was crumbling—too weak to fend off external threats, too poor to rebuild what they had lost over the years. Their alpha had practically begged me to help, offering up anything in return. And so, I had. Protection, finances, resources. Everything they needed to stay afloat. 

But my assistance came at a cost.

In exchange, they became indebted to me. They were required to follow my orders without question, to be at my beck and call for any favor or task I deemed necessary. The terms were clear—if they betrayed me, refused my demands, or in any way breached our agreement, I had every right to take over their pack. They would belong to me, every last one of them. Ruthless? Perhaps. But in this world, power was the only thing that mattered. And it wasn't like I forced them to sign the contract. They came to me, and they knew exactly what they were agreeing to.

Luke stood across from me, his sharp eyes watching for any indication of my mood. I sat down in my leather chair, the weight of my position grounding me further. "Are they prepared for our visit?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.

"Yes, Alpha. They've been preparing for days. They understand the importance of today's meeting."

"Good." I leaned back in my chair, my fingers steepled in front of me as I thought about Alpha Samuel of the Moonlight Pack. Weak, desperate, and entirely reliant on me. The man couldn't lead a group of wolves out of a paper bag, let alone protect his territory from rival packs. Without my intervention, they would have been wiped out months ago.

And now, it was time for him to re-sign the contract. Another three months of servitude. Another three months of their pack at my mercy. If they wanted to maintain their precious autonomy, they'd have to play by my rules. Otherwise, they would lose everything.

I thrived on control. It was in my blood, as natural to me as breathing. I had become Alpha not because it was my birthright, but because I was the strongest. The most ruthless. My father had groomed me to lead with an iron fist, and over the years, I had only perfected that approach. I knew what it meant to be a true leader—unyielding, unrelenting, and uncompromising.

Luke shifted slightly, waiting for further instruction. He knew better than to speak unless prompted. I valued loyalty and obedience above all else, and Luke had proven himself time and time again. That's why he was my beta, my second-in-command.

"I want to make sure Samuel understands who holds the power in this deal," I said, my voice cold and calculating. "Remind him, subtly, that without me, his pack would have already crumbled. Let him know that if he even considers trying to find a way out of this contract, he will lose everything he holds dear."

Luke nodded sharply. "Of course, Alpha. I'll make sure the message is delivered."

"Good. And ensure that their pack is prepared for anything I might require. Their loyalty should never come into question." I leaned forward, my eyes locking onto Luke's. "I won't tolerate disobedience."

"Understood."

He left the room after that, closing the door quietly behind him, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I could feel Ash, my wolf, stirring inside me, his presence a constant force beneath the surface. He relished in the control we wielded, the dominance we imposed. The strength of an alpha was in his ability to command respect—through fear, through loyalty, through power.

As I prepared for the visit to the Moonlight Pack, I allowed myself a moment of reflection. I had waited for years for my true mate to show up. Twenty-eight years old, and still, I had found no trace of her. Most alphas found their mates by the time they turned twenty-five, but not me. The wait had been excruciating, each passing year draining the hope out of me. Eventually, I had given up on the idea altogether. That's when I started venturing into darker pleasures.

The BDSM lifestyle had become my outlet, a way to channel the dominance that pulsed through me in a more... physical way. It had started innocently enough, a simple curiosity, but quickly turned into an addiction. I thrived on the control, on the submission of my partners, on the way they bent to my will. Normal relationships bored me, left me unsatisfied. But in this world, where I could dominate, where I could take complete control, I found the release I craved.

I glanced at the clock on the wall. The visit to Moonlight Pack would be brief, but necessary. Afterward, I had another session lined up with Ashley, my latest submissive. She knew what I liked—complete and total surrender. But even with the thrill of these encounters, a part of me remained hollow, as if something vital was still missing.

My wolf grumbled inside, restless as always. Despite everything, I still longed for the connection that could only come with a mate. The primal bond, the soul-deep connection that no amount of power or control could replace. But after years of searching, I had convinced myself that it was nothing more than a fantasy.

Shaking off the thought, I stood up and straightened my shirt. There was no room for sentimentality in my world. I was Alpha Kane, and the only thing that mattered was power and control. The Moonlight Pack would soon be reminded of that fact.