Ryan’s Pov(The past)
Everything was still under control, for now. Rhys hadn’t brought Jazmine back into our home, and that was a step in the right direction. Or so I thought.
Tonight, there was a grand celebration in a neighboring town, a new Alpha was taking his father’s place after his passing. It was a significant event, drawing in leaders, warriors, and nobles from different territories. Naturally, our presence was expected.
I prepared for the night and left alongside Caleb and our father. Upon our arrival, the venue was already overflowing with people, but as soon as we stepped in, conversations halted, and heads turned in our direction.
It was always like this, our family commanded attention wherever we went. Some people approached, exchanging pleasantries with my father and acknowledging Caleb and me with nods of respect. But one person was missing.
My brother.
“Hey, hey,” a familiar female voice chimed.
I turned to see Karen, my friend, standing beside her mate, Asher, who is one of my best friends.
“Karen,” I acknowledged with a nod before shifting my attention to Asher. “Asher.”
He grinned and grasped my hand in a firm shake. Asher, and I had grown up together, and if there was one thing I knew, it was that he was madly in love with Karen. The two of them fit together perfectly. Unlike me, who still hadn’t found my mate, but it wasn’t something I concerned myself with.
Caleb exchanged greetings with Asher, his usual charismatic energy on full display. Among the three of us, Caleb was by far the most social. But he was also the most dangerous.
The party proceeded as expected. A toast was raised to the new Alpha, and guests immersed themselves in conversation, laughter, and celebration. Yet an uneasy feeling crept into my chest. Something was off.
Rhys still hadn’t arrived.
Whispers began floating through the air, speculation spreading like wildfire.
And then, the lights dimmed.
The murmurs turned into hushed silence as a figure entered the room.
Rhys.
Always the dramatic one, always craving attention. Despite being identical twins, we were like night and day, his boldness, his defiance, his need to challenge everyone and everything.
But it wasn’t just him. Someone walked beside him. A woman.
As she stepped further into the light, my heart sank.
Jazmine.
I clenched my fists.
The whispers erupted immediately.
“A witch.”
“Alpha Rhys of Shadowhaven brought a witch.”
“An abomination.”
The tension in the room thickened. The very air seemed to turn against them. I strode forward before my father could react, my voice ice-cold as I addressed my brother.
“What is this?”
Rhys met my gaze with an infuriating smirk. “What is what, brother?”
“What is she doing here?” My voice was lower now, dangerously controlled.
“You take everything so seriously, Ryan,” he chuckled. “Let’s just enjoy the party, yeah?”
Without waiting for my response, he turned his back on me and strolled toward the drinks, grabbing two, one for himself and one for her.
Jazmine clung to him as if she were afraid.
She should be afraid.
Harmless as she looked, she was still a witch. And the fact remained, no matter how deeply Rhys was blinded by his feelings, our kind would never accept her.
Across the room, I caught my father’s expression. He was trying to contain his fury, though his clenched fists gave him away.
The elders of Shadowhaven glared at Rhys, their disapproval clear. And Rhys, he knew exactly what he was doing. He was daring them to act. Daring our father to do something about it.
Then, the new Alpha stepped forward.
I tensed because I didn’t like how it was going to end.
Rhys, ever the provocateur, grinned and extended a hand. “Congratulations, brother. Welcome to the club.”
The new Alpha didn’t take it. His expression was blank, but his posture spoke volumes. His eyes flickered to Jazmine, then back to Rhys.
“She should leave.”
Rhys’s grin faltered. “Are you chasing me away from the party?”
The new Alpha’s gaze didn’t waver. “I’m not chasing *you* away, Rhys. But a witch isn’t welcome here.”
Silence.
The weight of his words hung in the air, suffocating.
“She should leave. *Now.*” The Alpha’s voice rang with finality.
I moved closer, standing beside them just in case Rhys decided to do something reckless. My brother’s jaw tensed, and for a moment, I thought he might retaliate.
Instead, he smirked.
The same smirk he gave Father.
The same smirk he gave anyone who thought they could control him.
Everyone was staring at the scene between my brother and the new Alpha. The tension was thick, suffocating, as the murmurs of the crowd only made things worse.
Rhys stood there, his jaw clenched, eyes burning with defiance. He didn’t back down, didn’t even flinch, as the new Alpha glared at him like he was an intruder in his own land.
Then, my father stepped in.
“Leave, Rhys,” Father said, his voice controlled but filled with authority. It wasn’t a request, it was a command.
Rhys let out a humorless chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. “You wouldn’t disgrace your son like that, would you?” he asked, voice dripping with challenge.
“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Father said without hesitation. “Leave this instant.”
Silence. A heavy, crushing silence. Rhys looked at him, hurt flashing across his face for the briefest moment before he masked it with anger.
“I’m only obeying you because you’re my father,” he muttered through clenched teeth.
He turned to Jazmine, his grip on her tightening protectively. “Let’s go.”
Just as he was about to walk away, Father grabbed his wrist, his grip like iron. “This is the last warning, Rhys,” he said, his voice dropping lower, deadlier. “You don’t want to know what will happen if you don’t stop this useless act of yours.”
Rhys slowly pulled his wrist away, his expression unreadable. But his eyes, they were filled with something dark, something dangerous. A storm brewing, waiting to be unleashed.
And then Father turned to Jazmine, his face twisted with disgust. “And you cheap thing, stay away from my son, or you won’t love the consequences. Stay away.”
Jazmine flinched, stepping behind Rhys as if seeking protection. Her fear was evident, but so was Rhys’s rage.
“Father, stop!” Rhys growled, his canines elongating, claws beginning to form. His body trembled with barely restrained fury.
I didn’t hesitate. I stepped between them, my hands raised slightly. “Just go,” I told Rhys, my voice firm but calm. “Not here. Not now.”
Rhys’s eyes flickered to mine, searching. And then, after what felt like an eternity, he turned around and walked away, Jazmine following closely behind.
Father exhaled sharply, his hands still clenched into fists. “This isn’t over,” he muttered before turning on his heel and leaving as well.
****
The party continued, but the energy had shifted. People whispered behind their glasses, casting glances at where Rhys had stood. Father left shortly after, and after a few more moments with Asher, Caleb, and Karen, I decided to return home too.
I didn’t expect to walk into a nightmare.
The scent of blood hit me before I even stepped into the house. A thick, metallic tang that made my stomach tighten. My steps quickened, my heart pounding against my ribs.
Then I saw him.
Father.
Lying in the grand hall, his body sprawled unnaturally, his eyes staring lifelessly at the ceiling.
Dead.
My breath hitched. My vision blurred at the edges. For the first time in my life, I felt something foreign crawl up my spine.
Fear.
The great Alpha. Gone. Just like that.
I forced myself forward, dropping to my knees beside him. My hands hovered over his body, unsure whether to touch him, as if that would make it real. His throat slashed. His chest clawed open.
A brutal, merciless kill.
Someone had done this.
Someone had taken my father away.
My hands curled into fists as a deep growl rumbled in my chest. My wolf was clawing at the surface, demanding vengeance.
Who?
Who had dared to do this?
And then, as if the answer was already seared into my bones, my mind whispered the only name that made sense.
My brother, Rhys.