Chapter 4 THE ALPHA'S DOWNFALL.

Lupus's POV

The morning after Taylor's scent disappeared completely from the pack grounds, the air inside the Alpha Chambers was heavy. The kind of silence that came before a storm.

I stood before the large window overlooking the training fields, hands clenched behind my back. Every sound irritated me, the footsteps of warriors outside, the chatter of omegas cleaning the hallways, even the soft breathing of Angela still sleeping on the bed.

No matter how hard I tried to shake it off, I couldn't. The image of Taylor walking out, proud, defiant, refusing to show pain and it haunted me.

My wolf, Kain, paced restlessly in my mind.

You shouldn't have rejected her that way, he growled.

I ignored him.

You can't silence me, Alpha. You hurt our mate.

"She was never meant to be my Luna," I muttered under my breath.

And yet, you can't stop thinking about her, Kain snarled back.

Before I could argue with my wolf, the door burst open.

"Lupus Kai!"

The sound of my father's voice filled the room very deep, sharp, and full of anger. My mother followed behind him, her expression a mix of heartbreak and disappointment.

Angela stirred on the bed, half-awake, wrapping the sheets around herself. My father's eyes flicked toward her briefly, then back at me, full of disgust.

"Do you have any idea what you've done?" he demanded.

I turned slowly, keeping my tone cold. "You're in my chambers, Father. You don't raise your voice to an Alpha."

He took a step closer, unfazed. "I will when that Alpha is my son, and he's acting like a fool."

My jaw tightened. "Choose your words carefully."

"I chose them the moment you humiliated that girl," he shot back. "Taylor Swift, the one who stood by you even when you were nothing but a young, reckless wolf trying to prove himself. You rejected her in front of the entire pack. What kind of leader does that?"

My mother's voice trembled, but she spoke anyway. "You didn't just hurt her, Lupus. You broke the

bond that was destined for you. Do you have any idea what that means? The Moon Goddess doesn't take rejection lightly."

I scoffed. "The Moon Goddess doesn't rule my heart. I do."

My father's eyes darkened. "No. You're ruled by pride. And by her." He pointed toward Angela, who was now sitting upright, her eyes glinting with irritation.

Angela smiled sweetly, though the venom in her voice was clear. "With all due respect, Elder Kai, maybe you should stop meddling in your son's choices. He's the Alpha now. He doesn't need your approval or anyone else's."

My mother's head snapped toward her. "You will speak only when spoken to, child."

Angela stood up slowly, wrapping herself in a silk robe. "Funny. You talk to me like I'm an outsider, but I'm the Luna now. You should be showing me respect."

"Luna?" My mother laughed bitterly. "You? The pack doesn't even recognize you. You think lying beside my son makes you his equal?"

Angela's smile faded, her eyes narrowing.

I stepped forward, my patience gone. "Enough."

But my father wasn't done. He turned his rage back to me. "You let this woman manipulate you, Lupus! You think strength is found in arrogance, but true power lies in wisdom. You've lost both."

"Watch your tongue," I warned.

He crossed his arms. "Or what? You'll reject us too?"

Angela smirked behind me, whispering softly, "He might, if you keep pushing him."

My mother took a step closer, her eyes wet. "Son, listen to me. The people are whispering. They're beginning to question you. You can't lead through fear alone. Taylor may have been an omega, but she had a pure heart. The pack respected her. They loved her."

Her words struck a nerve. I didn't show it, but something in my chest tightened.

"She was weak," I said flatly. "An Alpha doesn't need weakness beside him."

My mother shook her head. "No, Lupus. You're the weak one for not seeing her strength."

The room went silent. Even Angela froze for a second. My father exhaled slowly, his disappointment like a heavy cloud.

"I raised you to be a leader," he said. "But you've become something else entirely. Power without empathy is destruction. You'll lose everything if you continue this path."

I clenched my fists. Every word from him felt like fire against my pride.

"You think you can stand in my pack and insult your Alpha?" I said, my voice rising. "I earned this title through blood and battle, not your approval!"

My father's eyes flashed. "You might wear the title, but you've forgotten what it means."

Something inside me snapped. My wolf growled low, urging dominance. The air in the room shifted, thick with tension.

I stepped closer to him, the Alpha aura radiating off me like heat. "You forget your place, Father. I'm not that boy you used to lecture. You speak to me now as your Alpha, not your son."

My mother gasped in shock softly. "Lupus, stop this"

But I was too far gone. The fury in me drowned out everything else.

Angela stepped closer, her voice soft and poisonous. "They're undermining you, my love. Right here, in your own chamber. The pack will see this as weakness if you let it slide."

I turned to her, breathing hard. "What are you suggesting?"

She met my eyes, calm and deliberate. "You can't have a pack that doubts you. Not even your family. If they question your authority now, others will follow. You must remind them who leads."

My mother's face went pale. "Don't listen to her."

Angela's voice cut through like a blade. "Show them what happens when anyone disrespects their Alpha."

For a moment, I hesitated. They were my parents. The ones who taught me everything I knew about loyalty, honor, and duty. But all I could see now was their disappointment, the same disappointment that made me feel like a child again.

And I hated it.

I raised my voice, calling through the pack bond. "Guards!"

Two warriors entered immediately, heads bowed.

My father's eyes widened. "Lupus, don't do this."

"You've questioned my leadership publicly," I said, my tone cold. "That's an act of insubordination, even from elders."

My mother's voice trembled. "We are your parents, not your enemies."

"Right now," I said slowly, "you're both standing in my way."

Angela smiled faintly, folding her arms as the guards waited for my command.

"Escort the former Alphas to the holding quarters," I ordered. "Until further notice, they are not to leave or speak to any member of the council."

The guards hesitated, glancing between us. My father's voice thundered. "You dare imprison your own blood?"

"Alpha's orders," I replied, my voice cold and final.

They moved forward. My mother didn't struggle, she just looked at me, eyes full of tears that hurt more than any words could.

"Lupus," she whispered, "one day, you'll understand what you've done."

My father pulled against the guards' grip. "You may silence us, but you can't silence truth. And when it returns to you, it will break you."

Their words followed them out as the doors closed behind them, leaving the room heavy with silence.

I stood there, breathing hard, feeling the Alpha power surge through me. Angela wrapped her arms around me from behind, her voice soft and reassuring.

"You did the right thing," she whispered. "No one will dare challenge you now."

But even as she spoke, my wolf growled deep inside me.

You've gone too far.

I ignored him, pushing the guilt down. "They had no right," I muttered.

They had every right. They raised you.

"Enough," I snapped aloud, but the voice in my head didn't stop. Taylor wouldn't have let this happen. She would have calmed you.

I closed my eyes, fists trembling. "She's gone."

And so is the part of you that was still good, my wolf whispered back.

Angela turned me around, placing her hands on my chest. "Don't think about them. You're the Alpha, and I'm your Luna. Together, we'll rule this pack without mercy."

I looked down at her, the woman I had chosen, or maybe the one who had chosen me. Her green eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and for a brief second, I wondered if I had become the kind of man my father feared I would be.

But I buried the thought just as quickly. Doubt was weakness.

"I am the Alpha," I said firmly. "No one questions me, not even blood."

She smiled, tilting her head. "That's my king."

She leaned up and kissed me, her lips soft but cold. The kind of kiss that tasted more like power than love.

When she pulled away, I turned back to the window. Outside, the pack continued with their duties, unaware that their Alpha had just caged his own parents.

I should have felt victorious. Instead, I felt nothing.