Kaelen's POV.
The three-day journey to the border began with a dull ache in my joints and a fire in my mind.
"Control the breath," I muttered to the empty carriage. "Suppress the scent."
In the Black Ridge, we had techniques to hide our presence from predators. It was a mental discipline, a way of locking the soul behind a wall by will. As an Omega, this body naturally leaked pheromones and I hated it.
I spent the second day doing push-ups on the moving floor. My arms shook after five reps. By ten, my muscles were strained. I collapsed, gasping for air, my face pressed against the rug.
"Get up," I hissed at myself. "A King does not lie in the dirt."
By the time we reached the border of the Iron Fang Empire, my skin was pale from exhaustion.
"He hasn't made a sound in two days," one guard said, loud enough for me to hear. "Maybe the little rabbit died of fright before we even reached the border."
"Better for us," another replied. "Less crying to deal with. If the Iron Fang Emperor wants a corpse, he can have one. Saves him the trouble of killing the boy himself."
The door was ripped open. A guard reached in, grabbing me by the shoulder to haul me out. I slapped his hand away and stepped out of the carriage on my own.
The guard blinked, stunned by the reaction. "Watch yourself, Prince. You're not in the palace anymore."
"And you," I said, looking him dead in the eye, "are lucky I don't have a sword. Or you'd be bleeding out in this ditch."
The guard laughed. He stepped back, gesturing toward the bridge that separated the two nations.
The Iron Fang army was waiting.
They weren't like the decorative soldiers of the Blue Moon, these men were giants. At the center of the formation stood a man who made the others look like children.
Emperor Fenrir.
He was massive.
The Blue Moon guards practically tripped over themselves to bow.
They grabbed my arms and forced me forward, shoving me toward the dirt at Fenrir's feet. I stumbled, my weak knees hitting the hard ground.
Fenrir looked down at me with an expression of pure boredom.
"This is it?" Fenrir's voice was a low rumble that vibrated in my chest. "The Blue Moon Kingdom sends me a malnourished rabbit as a peace offering? I asked for a prince, not a doll that will break in the first wind."
"He is... delicate, Your Majesty," a Blue Moon official stammered.
Suddenly, Silas stepped forward from the secondary carriage. He had a look of feigned concern on his face. He bowed deeply to Fenrir, his voice loud and clear.
"Please, Great Emperor, forgive my friend," Silas said. "Prince Linus is very fragile. He requires a soft bed, a master to tell him when to eat, and constant care. He is quite useless in matters of state or war. He is only fit for... quiet company."
Fenrir let out a harsh, loud laugh. He looked at his men, then back at me.
"A doll indeed," Fenrir said. "Jaxon! Take this thing and put it in the kennel cage with the hunting hounds. If it survives the night without being eaten, perhaps I'll find a use for it in the kitchens. I have no need for a concubine who can't even stand in my presence."
The soldiers moved to grab me.
But, I stood up instantly.
Then, I did the one thing no Omega in this era would dare to do.
I looked Fenrir directly in the eye. A collective gasp went up from the Blue Moon guards and the Iron Fang soldiers. To challenge an Alpha's gaze was an act of war.
"The Iron Fang Empire must be getting desperate," I said. "If its Emperor needs to hide behind cages and dogs to feel powerful, then the rumors of your strength have been greatly exaggerated."
Fenrir's eyes narrowed. The boredom was gone, replaced by interest.
"What did you say, rabbit?"
I took a step toward him. Then another, I didn't stop until my chest was inches from his. I had to look up to meet his eyes, but I didn't care.
"I called you a pup," I said. "A pup who inherited a throne he hasn't earned. You see a rabbit because that is all your narrow mind can comprehend. But if you want a war, keep acting like a child. If you want a partner who can help you crush the rebels currently bleeding your northern borders, start by showing some respect."
The silence was deafening. Silas was frozen, his mouth hanging open. The Iron Fang soldiers had reached for their swords, waiting for the order to execute me.
Fenrir's hand gripped my throat, his fingers wrapping almost entirely around my neck. He lifted me until my toes barely touched the ground.
"You have a very loud tongue for someone so easy to strangle," Fenrir hissed.
I stared at him, my blood-red eyes meeting his gold ones.
And then, it happened.
A spark ignited at the point where his skin met mine. It wasn't the soft pull of the tide feeling the stories described.
It was a violent explosion. My soul, the ancient Alpha of the Black Ridge, crashed into his, creating a sensation like a forest fire.
Fenrir froze.
His grip didn't loosen, but his eyes changed. The pupils blew wide, his nostrils flared as he took in my scent.
He felt it too.
"You..." Fenrir whispered, his voice thick.
I choked out a laugh, even as my vision began to blur. "You don't... own me, Emperor. You either fight... beside me... or beneath me."
Fenrir stared at me for a long beat, his chest heaving.
The soldiers were watching, confused by their leader's hesitation. Silas looked like he was about to vomit from pure shock.
Fenrir abruptly let go. I landed on my feet, swaying slightly.
"Cancel the order for the cage," Fenrir barked, his voice sounding strained. He kept his eyes locked on mine. "General Jaxon, bring the Prince to the imperial tent. Securely. If a single hair on his head is harmed by anyone other than me, I'll have your head."
Fenrir turned on his heel, his heavy cloak snapping in the wind.
I stood my ground as the Iron Fang soldiers surrounded me.
I looked over my shoulder at Silas. He was trembling, the realization of his failure sinking in.
"Enjoy the carriage ride back, Silas," I said, my voice cold as ice. "Tell the King he sold the wrong son."
I walked toward the imperial tent, my head held high. The game had changed.
I wasn't a prisoner anymore, I was an infestation. And I was going to tear this Empire apart from the inside out.