The Alpha and His General

i n t e r l u d e

Mates.

Our other half.

The Moon Goddess’ gift.

It’s supposed to be the greatest thing on earth. I’ve been told of it’s wonders my entire life and have seen it through my parents and grandparents. They say that with a mate, you’ll be able to see the world clearer, your senses will expand and your life will be better as you know it.

It was tough growing up in our environment. In anything I did, there was a negative comment or whispers of disbelief. Everyone seemed to pit my sister and I against each other, trying to see who was the best. We were compared in such a way that I felt like cattle. Everyday, I felt as though I was drowning with no one to resuscitate me. My parents did the best that they could to make it bearable for us but with our father balancing his Alpha duties in Russia and rushing back to my mother who’s also nose deep in work… we weren’t always protected. The voices of doubt, of unease, of scrutiny always seemed to find their way back to us.

I found my safe place and comfort in the thought that one day, I’ll have a mate of my own and I won’t feel so overwhelmed about our responsibilities anymore. I’ll have someone that won’t leave me, that would understand the hardship that comes with our bloodline, that would watch my back when I couldn’t. That could be with me for me and not because of who I was or who I could be for them.

I obsessed over it when I was younger, rooting the idea of this perfect mate into my heart and willing the time to come sooner. Because I felt alone. Because my family who tried their best were occupied and I was left to fend off people that didn’t believe in me.

And then, I was the Crown Prince, the Heir to the Throne and it seemed my problems increased tenfold in a blink of an eye.

I knew the day was coming, Alexandra and I had spoken about it in length but back then I thought more positively. That it can’t all be that bad. They can’t all hate it, hate me.

But they did.

Everyone did.

They wanted Alexandra but they didn’t know that my sister was miserable here, more than I and she wanted better for herself. I wanted better for her. 

Unfortunately, the Kingdom saw me as the weaker candidate. I was horribly unsociable, more warrior than ruler and was often cold towards the entire nobility. I didn’t care for banquets, no real interest in formal gatherings but…

Someone had to take the crown, someone had to take the responsibilities that were given to our blasted family. 

So I did. I took it. For my sister, for my family. For the Kingdom. For all of us.

I forced myself to be stronger, to be better, focusing all my attention in growing a reputation that was deadlier than my sister’s. My mother might have ruled with peace and charm but I would rule differently. 

“You always seem to be knee deep in blood, Eros Basco.” An Alpha tells me after I had caught him in his corruption and harassment of his people. After hearing of our family’s immunity to silver, many of the other Alphas have tried their own experiments on the deadly substance. Many have died in gruesome deaths. “You are unhinged… sitting in your throne of blood. Your mother was never quick to kill.”

I shrugged, unbothered. “White wolves are for peace. Grey ones are for reckoning.”

He was on his ground, eyes black with hate. “You’re a dictator.”

“Is that what I am?” I lifted an eyebrow, the sole of my boot pressing against his throat. “My mother did her part, the packs are back in line but they need to learn how to stay there.”

“Through fear?” The Alpha snapped.

I grinned, putting pressure on his neck until he choked. “Through reality.”

And I was everyone’s brutal reality. I purged through the packs, eliminating the wicked Alphas that tormented their people. Together, Alexandra and I fought wars to ensure peace in the Kingdom, took many Councils and Alphas out of their position, investigating deep into the things our mother didn’t think to check. 

The Council couldn’t do anything. 

It was years of travel and years of bloodshed before I found something, someone… that made me stop believing in destined mates. 

Maybe I didn’t need a mate anymore.

Because I had her.

The girl that whenever she smiled, she seemed to radiate it through her entire body, emanating happiness from her entire being.