Chapter 2 She Will Be Punished

Damian “Where is she?” I snarled, my voice echoing in the silent room. The guards standing before me exchanged nervous glances, their eyes flicking to the floor as if it would save them from my wrath. “We… we don’t know, Alpha,” one of them stammered, his voice trembling. “We haven’t seen her since this afternoon.” “Are you telling me,” I growled, stepping closer, “that my wife left this house without anyone noticing?” One of the guards flinched, his face pale. “I-I’m sorry, Alpha. We thought she went to see her parents.” “Are you crazy? She’d already come back from that place.” “Sorry alpha. We were stationed at the gates as usual. We didn’t see her leave.” “Useless,” I spat, turning away from them. My hands clenched into fists as I stared out the window, my mind racing. Lyra was gone. She had left without a word, without permission …and with my child in her belly. Fury surged through me at the thought. She knew better than to defy me, to disobey the rules of this household. Yet she had done it anyway. She was not to go anywhere without my permission. “Find her,” I ordered, my voice cold and commanding. “Search every inch of this territory. If she’s in the city, bring her back immediately.” “Yes, Alpha!” The guards scrambled out of the room, eager to escape the storm of my anger. I barely noticed them leave, my thoughts consumed by the audacity of Lyra’s actions. How dare she leave without informing me? Without asking for permission? This was a direct challenge to my authority, and I would not tolerate it. I could already imagine her feigning innocence, her wide green eyes pleading for forgiveness. But this time, there would be no leniency. She had crossed the line, and she would face the consequences. My wife needed to be reminded of her place. My teeth ground together as I paced the room, my mind flitting to the rogue attacks we’d faced recently. They had been growing bolder, attacking the outer reaches of our territory with increasing frequency. My soldiers and I had fought them off, but I knew it was only a matter of time before they regrouped and came back stronger. Yet, Elder Marcus insisted that the rogues were of no concern. “Let the soldiers handle it,” he had said, his voice dripping with condescension. “Your focus should be on ruling the city, Damian. Not chasing down rogue wolves.” I scoffed at the memory, a bitter taste in my mouth. The other elders had all agreed with him, of course. They always did. Marcus had them wrapped around his finger, his influence over them absolute. They deferred to him on everything, and it infuriated me. He always liked opposing me in everything, EVERYTHING. He doesn’t care about the topic or issues as long as he has the final say on it and the one to make the decision. To him, the present rogue problem is not an issue at all. And it wasn’t just the rogues, either. My search for the truth about my parents’ deaths had been met with the same dismissive attitude. “Let it go, Damian,” Elder Marcus had said, his tone patronizing. “What’s done is done. Focus on your duties as Alpha.” ‘He is a sure pain in the ass,’ Adol, my wolf said. ‘But we’ll not let him.’ I agree with Adol, I will not let that man stop me in my quest. I couldn’t let it go. Not until I know who was responsible and give them what they deserve. My parents had been murdered, and I owed it to them to find out who had done it, no matter how much time had passed. The elders didn’t understand, or perhaps they didn’t care. Their only concern was keeping their power… and money intact. I hit my fist on the table, hard. ‘Hey man,’ Adol growled in head. ‘You need to focus. You need to keep control.’ But how could I focus when everything around me was falling apart? My wife had vanished, the rogues were lurking in the shadows, and my quest for justice was being hindered at every turn. A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I turned to see my Beta, Rowan, his face tense. “Alpha, we’ve received reports of rogue activity near the northern border.” “Damn it!” I slammed my fist on the desk again, the wood cracking under the force. “I knew they were planning something. How many?” “About a dozen,” he replied, his voice steady despite the tension in the air. “They’re testing our defenses, looking for weak spots.” I nodded, my mind shifting gears. “Mobilize the soldiers. We’ll meet them head-on.” Rowan hesitated, his eyes flicking to the side. “Elder Marcus… he advised against engaging the rogues directly. He said—” “I don’t care what Elder Marcus said!” I snapped, my patience wearing thin. “This is my territory, and I’ll defend it as I see fit.” “Is everything alright, man?” Rowan came closer. “It’s not like you to go against the elder’s advice.” I sighed. Rowan is not only my beta, he is also my friend so he understands when something is wrong with me. “I’ve had it with that man. He keeps butting head against me at any given opportunity,” I stood up and walked round the table to face Rowan. “It seems I’m the alpha only by name, while he is the one with authority.” “I understand man,” Rowan placed a hand on my shoulders. “You said you'd tolerate him for as long as necessary.” “Well, he keeps causing all kinds of trouble for me,” I said, running my fingers across my hair. “His daughter has run away with my child and I have no idea where to find her.” “What?” shouted Rowan. “No wonder the guards were all flustered as I was coming in.” “I’m tired man,” I muttered softly. “Don’t worry, we’ll find her,” he said. “Sure,” nodded. “Meanwhile, we have to deal with the present threat. Get the warriors and meet me at the northern border,” I instructed him. Rowan nodded. “Yes, Alpha. I’ll see to it right away.” As he left, I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my temper. The rogues, Lyra’s disappearance, elder Marcus’ interference—it was all too much. But I was the Alpha. I had to keep it together. I had to protect this territory, even if it meant going against the elders’ wishes. And I would find my wife. When I did, she would learn the consequences of defying me. Just as I opened the door to head out, I saw Elder Marcus coming towards me. “What is this I’m hearing, Damian?” he asked standing in front of me. “Where is my daughter?”