Blood sprayed across the stone walls.
The air was thick with the scent of iron, with the sounds of tearing flesh and strangled screams.
Nathaniel moved like a specter of death.
One moment, he was standing at the end of the corridor, his golden eyes burning with rage—the next, he was among them, his claws ripping through muscle and bone like they were nothing more than paper.
Rain had seen Nathaniel fight before.
But this—
This was different.
This wasn't the Alpha King punishing his subordinates.
This wasn't a calculated show of dominance.
This was carnage.
A ruthless, merciless slaughter.
Rain barely had time to react before Soren grabbed his wrist and yanked him backward. "We need to move!" he hissed.
Rain's heartbeat was a wild drum in his chest. His body wanted to run. His instincts screamed at him to flee before Nathaniel's wrath turned on him.
But—
He couldn't move.
His eyes were locked on Nathaniel, on the way his body twisted through the fray, his dark clothes drenched in crimson.
A wolf lunged at him from behind.
Nathaniel didn't even turn.
His claws shot backward, impaling the attacker straight through the throat.
A gurgled scream—then silence.
Nathaniel yanked his claws free and let the body drop.
His expression didn't change.
Another wolf tried to run.
Nathaniel moved faster.
He grabbed the man by the back of the head and slammed his skull against the stone wall. Once. Twice. The third impact left nothing but shattered bone and bloodied pulp.
Rain's stomach twisted.
He had never feared Nathaniel the way others did.
But now—watching this, watching him—
He understood.
He understood why even other Alphas trembled at the sound of Nathaniel's name.
This wasn't a man.
This wasn't a wolf.
This was a monster.
Soren swore under his breath. "Damn it—we need to go now, Rain!"
Rain finally tore his eyes away, forcing his feet to move. They needed to escape. Now.
But just as they turned—
A voice cut through the massacre.
"Enough."
The air turned electric.
Nathaniel froze.
Rain did too.
The last remaining wolves staggered back, their bodies trembling. Some collapsed entirely, their breath coming in ragged gasps.
Rain felt it too—an unseen weight pressing down on his chest. His legs nearly buckled beneath him.
Soren grabbed his shoulder, steadying him. "Shit..."
From the shadows, a figure stepped forward.
A man.
No—a wolf.
One that radiated power.
His aura wasn't as suffocating as Nathaniel's, but it was commanding.
Dangerous.
His dark hair was streaked with silver, his sharp eyes gleaming with something unreadable.
Nathaniel turned to face him, his golden gaze flickering with recognition.
"Tobias," Nathaniel murmured.
The name sent a shock down Rain's spine.
Tobias.
The Rogue Alpha.
The only wolf who had ever challenged Nathaniel and lived.
The leader of the outcasts. The one who refused to bow to any kingdom.
And now—
He was standing in the ruins of Nathaniel's massacre, staring directly at Rain.
And smiling.
Silence pressed down on the battlefield.
The scent of blood was thick, lingering in the cold night air. The bodies that littered the stone floor were still warm, but the battle had already shifted.
Tobias stood amidst the carnage like he belonged there.
His sharp gray eyes flicked over the bodies, unimpressed, before settling back on Nathaniel. "It's been a long time," he murmured, his tone almost pleasant.
Nathaniel didn't move. His golden eyes burned like molten fire, but his hands were still bloodied from the slaughter. "Not long enough," he said coldly.
Tobias chuckled, tilting his head slightly. "Still holding a grudge?"
Nathaniel's jaw clenched, but he didn't answer.
Rain barely breathed.
He had heard rumors of Tobias—the rogue Alpha who had once stood against the entire werewolf kingdom, the one who had refused to acknowledge any throne. But he had never expected to see him, much less in a moment like this.
Soren's grip on Rain's arm tightened. "Stay quiet," he whispered under his breath. "He's dangerous."
Rain didn't need to be told that.
Even without his bond with Nathaniel screaming at him, he could feel it.
Tobias was strong.
Not as overpowering as Nathaniel, but he carried an edge—something sharp and unpredictable, something that made Rain's instincts bristle.
Tobias shifted his gaze from Nathaniel to Rain.
"So," he mused, his smile widening just slightly. "This is the Omega that has the great Alpha King so unhinged."
Rain stiffened.
Nathaniel's snarl was instantaneous, low and vicious. "Watch your mouth."
Tobias raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax," he said easily. "I'm just curious." His eyes swept over Rain, lingering for a beat too long. "It's rare to see an Omega with such a unique scent."
Rain hated the way Tobias was looking at him—like he was something to be studied.
Nathaniel took a slow step forward. His golden eyes darkened, his presence curling around Rain protectively. "You didn't come here just to talk," he said coldly. "Say what you want, or I'll assume you're an enemy and kill you where you stand."
Tobias grinned. "You're as charming as ever."
Rain expected him to flinch under Nathaniel's murderous glare. But instead, Tobias just sighed, rolling his shoulders back. "Fine, fine. Since you're so impatient, I'll get to the point."
His expression shifted.
The amusement faded.
"I came here for the Omega."
Rain's breath stopped.
Soren immediately stepped closer to him, muscles tensing. "Like hell you did."
Nathaniel's entire body turned rigid. "Try it," he said, voice dropping to a deadly quiet. "And I'll rip your spine from your body."
Tobias only smirked. "I figured you'd say that."
The tension crackled.
Nathaniel's claws twitched, his wolf snarling inside him. His instincts were already screaming to tear Tobias apart, to eliminate any threat to Rain.
But Tobias…
He wasn't afraid.
And that—
That was a problem.
Because it meant he was planning something.
Something dangerous.
And Rain had the sickening feeling that whatever it was…
This was only the beginning.
The air between them tightened, thick with an unseen force.
Nathaniel's power surged, raw and suffocating, pressing down like an avalanche. Tobias, however, remained unfazed, his smirk unwavering as if he were merely amused.
Rain barely managed to take a breath. His heart pounded violently against his ribs, his body instinctively pressing closer to Nathaniel's heat.
Nathaniel's claws had already begun to extend, his fingers twitching as he fought the instinct to attack. "You must have a death wish," he murmured, his voice dark, lethal. "If you think you can come here and make demands."
Tobias exhaled a soft chuckle. "Come now, Nathaniel. I didn't demand anything." His gray eyes gleamed with something almost predatory. "I simply said I came here for the Omega. What happens next depends on you."
Rain's breath caught.
There was something unsettling in the way Tobias spoke, like he was testing Nathaniel, provoking him on purpose.
Nathaniel's golden eyes burned brighter. "You think you can take him from me?"
Tobias tilted his head, almost mockingly. "Wouldn't be the first time someone tried."
A warning snarl ripped through the night. Nathaniel was seconds away from lunging, from tearing Tobias apart, from making sure no one—no one—would ever look at Rain that way again.
But Tobias lifted a single hand.
And then, in the blink of an eye—
A dozen figures stepped out from the shadows.
Rain stiffened.
He hadn't even sensed them before now.
Soren let out a quiet curse under his breath. "Shit."
Nathaniel's gaze flickered. His stance didn't change—if anything, he relaxed slightly, but Rain knew better. It was the kind of stillness that came before absolute destruction.
Tobias smiled. "You didn't think I came alone, did you?"
Nathaniel's lips curled, baring his sharp canines. "It wouldn't have mattered."
Tobias hummed, almost thoughtfully. "Perhaps. But see, I'm not here to fight, Nathaniel. I'm here to make a deal."
A deal?
Rain swallowed hard.
There was no way—no way—Nathaniel would ever entertain anything Tobias had to say.
And yet…
Nathaniel hesitated.
It was barely a second, barely a flicker of something unreadable in his golden gaze, but Tobias caught it.
His smirk widened. "Oh? That got your attention, didn't it?"
Nathaniel didn't answer.
Tobias took that as an invitation to continue. "I assume you've already figured out that Rain isn't just any Omega."
Rain's stomach twisted at the way Tobias said his name. It felt wrong. Too casual, too…familiar.
Nathaniel's hands curled into fists. "Get to the point."
Tobias sighed dramatically. "You Alphas are always so impatient." He took a slow step forward, his pack mirroring his movement like a well-rehearsed dance. "Rain belongs to something much bigger than you, Nathaniel. Something that's been in motion long before you ever laid eyes on him."
Rain's entire body went rigid.
He didn't like where this was going.
Nathaniel's expression darkened further. "He belongs to me."
Tobias laughed. "And yet, you know that's not entirely true, don't you?"
Silence.
A silence so sharp, it felt like the entire night had frozen in place.
Tobias smiled. "You feel it, don't you? That pull—the one you can't quite explain, even with your precious Alpha instincts." He turned his gaze to Rain. "And you—" His smirk softened, almost in mock sympathy. "I bet you've been wondering, haven't you? Why you're different? Why this bond feels wrong?"
Rain's breath hitched.
His chest tightened, his heartbeat roaring in his ears.
Because Tobias—
He wasn't wrong.
Nathaniel's power spiked violently, cracking the stone beneath them. "If you know something, say it now before I rip your tongue out."
Tobias chuckled. "Ah, but where's the fun in that?"
Nathaniel moved.
Faster than Rain could track.
One second, he was standing beside him, and the next—
He had Tobias pinned against the nearest wall, claws digging into his throat.
Tobias barely blinked.
"You think you're untouchable," Nathaniel growled, his voice like thunder. "But I'm not a patient man, Tobias. Speak. Now."
Tobias tilted his head slightly, his lips still curled into a smirk despite the blood trickling from his throat. "You're as dramatic as ever, Alpha King."
Nathaniel's grip tightened.
Tobias let out a breathless chuckle. "Fine, fine. I'll tell you. But first—" His gray eyes flicked to Rain. "You should ask your Omega something."
Nathaniel didn't move. "You're in no position to be making suggestions."
Tobias ignored him.
"Rain," he said smoothly. "Do you remember your parents?"
Rain froze.
His entire body went ice cold.
His lips parted—
But no words came out.
Because—
No.
No, he didn't.
He had never thought about it before. Never needed to.
But now…
Now that Tobias had said it—
A hollow ache formed in Rain's chest.
He didn't remember.
Not a single memory.
Not a single face.
Nothing.
It was as if they had never existed at all.