Chapter 70: Power
Rex:
But was I really just going to leave like that and not try my hardest to get what I really wanted?
I paused in front of the door, my hand resting on the knob, fingers lingering there longer than necessary. For a moment, I said nothing, did nothing.
Then I turned to look at Gessia who had clearly been waiting for me to leave.
Gessia was already staring at me.
There was a flicker of fear in her eyes—small, quick—but I saw it. Even as she tried to hide it, even as she straightened herself and waited for me to walk out.
I didn’t.
"Do you really think we can’t come up with another deal?" I asked, looking straight at her, letting that familiar, seductive edge slip into my expression—the one I knew she liked just before I laid my body over hers.
She liked me, She wanted me, I could use that. There had to be something that could be done.
Because I wanted more.More power...
The thought alone made something stir inside me again. That rush, that fullness—it wasn’t something I could ignore. With that kind of power, taking down my brothers one after the other wouldn’t be a problem.
"What deal could we possibly make?" she asked, shaking her head with an almost silent plea to it.
"Unless you can defeat Alpha Axel and Alpha Thor, there’s no way they would allow you get another turn—especially once you step outside."
I nodded slowly.
I knew that.
I knew exactly what I was asking.
It was selfish.
Greedy.
But I couldn’t help it.
We had all been equal once.
Born from the same father, conceived at the same time—him impregnating three women at once, including his luna, without binding himself to any of them.
His genes had been strong enough to create us, strong enough to make us alphas.
We had lived in balance because of it.
But that balance wouldn’t last forever.
Sooner or later, one of us would have to lead.
One of us would have to take control of the pack.
"Unless you can find another omega, then there’s nothing I can do," Gessia said.
That was it.
I turned back toward the door and walked out without another word.
What was left to say?
I didn’t even look at Raven.
Whatever pity I might have felt for her before was gone.
Completely gone.
If anything, the most I could do was make sure Gessia gave her something for the pain next time.
Nothing more.
If I wanted another turn, then the ritual had to happen two more times—for Axel and for Thor.
And I would make sure it did.
At the same time, I would find a way to get rid of one of them.
Stepping outside, I wasn’t surprised to see Axel already there, standing by the door.
His eyes widened slightly as he stepped closer, his gaze sweeping over me as he took in my aura.
Thor was leaning against the wall nearby, but even he straightened, pushing himself off it as he looked at me.
His head tilted slightly to the side as he ran a hand through his long blond hair.
"Well, it works," Thor said, his tone carrying that same bored edge he always had.
There was a faint smile at the corner of his lips, but he didn’t say anything more.
Axel, on the other hand, looked openly pleased.
He smiled broadly, placing a hand on my shoulder and nodding, pride clear on his face.
"With this, in a couple of years we would be able to attack them," he said. "Wipe out at least half his pack and most of his men before we finally take him on."
I nodded.
That had always been the plan.
We had agreed that leadership would go to whoever managed to kill Valon in the end.
But why leave something like that to chance?
If my strength alone could secure my position as supreme alpha, then that was the better path.
I smiled, placing my hands on Axel’s shoulders and tapping them firmly.
"Good thing I convinced you all not to kill Gessia, right?" I said with a chuckle.
Axel nodded immediately, his grin matching mine.
Thor didn’t react the same way.
He stood there with his arms folded across his chest, watching us. Then he stepped closer, his expression shifting slightly as he nodded, like he was slowly putting something together.
"You definitely feel stronger," he said. "We should spar."
There it was.
That look in his eyes.
Manic.
Focused.
The only thing that ever truly mattered to him—fighting.
Killing.
It hadn’t always been like that.
There was a time when Thor had been the kindest among us. He used to smile easily, greet people warmly. People liked him. They were drawn to him.
Some even joked that despite being an alpha by birth, he was the weakest of us.
That was a lie.
Thor was strong.
His aura matched ours, but his skill... that was where he stood apart.
He knew how to fight better than anyone.
How to use his claws.
His body.
How to move in ways that forced his opponents into disadvantage without them even realizing it.
"Of course," I said. "We will. But right now, I need to take a bath and rest."
He nodded.
That was enough for him.
I turned and walked away, moving through the corridor toward my room, my thoughts already shifting.
Thor doesn’t want to rule.
He’s content with fighting the next strongest person.
So that leaves Axel.
Is he the only one I needed to worry about?
The question stayed with me, unanswered, as I stepped into my room and closed the door behind me.
Mate.
The word echoed in my soul again for the tenth time that day but I didn’t care.
I shut it down immediately.
Wasn’t it stupid to bind myself to a woman who was destined to be used—and then disposed of?
No! The answer was right there. What was love when power was much more important.
Without it it was impossible to hold on to the things I cared about without fear of someone snatching it away.
Power! Power was more important.
