The betrayal of the park.

Lobo’s POV

The air between us crackled with unresolved tension, remnants of our shared past weighing heavily on my shoulders.

"You want answers?" I said, my voice hard as stone. "Then give me your blood."

Her eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. "No, Lobo. I won't."

A familiar wash of disappointment crashed over me, threatening to drown me in its wake. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to remain calm. "Very well," I said, masking my inner surging anger "Leave this pack and never return."

Anisha's gaze lingered on me for a moment longer, as if searching for something she could no longer find. She turned, her parting words laced with venom. "You won't rule for more than a year. I'll take your joy away, just like you did to me during our marriage."

As I watched her go, my heart ached, but I refused to show it. She had always known how to hurt me deeply.

As she exited the park, Zeeb was waiting at the gate. She didn't hesitate, pulling him into a passionate kiss. Her voice, though soft, carried clearly in the still air. "My king," she murmured.

I stood alone in the dark, the weight of her promise settling over me like a shroud.

It wasn't just the threat that stung, though it was valid enough to set my blood boiling. It was the way she referred to Zeeb as "king." My own brother flickered in her eyes. It was an insult, a slap in the face that I could not tolerate. But I knew better than to react in anger now. She wanted that, she wanted to see me lose control.

Instead, I forced myself to remain calm, to keep my expression calm too. "If you have nothing else to say, you can leave," I said, my voice steady despite the rage I felt..

Anisha's lips curled into a mocking smile. She turned and walked away, Zeeb falling into step beside her. Their departure felt like a healing wound being torn open, and I had to fight to keep from calling them back. No, I had to be smarter than that. Patience, I told myself. Patience.

As they disappeared into the night, I summoned the strongest wolves in the pack. Those who had always been loyal, who had power and influence. I called them together with promises of unity, of a future where our pack would be stronger and more prosperous than ever. It was a lie, of course, but one they were eager to believe.

I led them to a secluded clearing, one far enough from the heart of our territory that their screams wouldn't carry. The ground was dry and brittle, perfect for what I had planned. They gathered around me, trust and anticipation in their eyes.

"Tonight marks the beginning of a new era," I declared, my voice carrying through the still night. "An era where our pack will rise to greatness. But to achieve this, we must ensure that we are strong, united, and free of any dissent."

They nodded, murmuring their agreement, unaware of the trap that was about to be sprung. I lit the pyre, the flames roaring to life with a ferocity that matched the storm within me. Before they could react, the fire had engulfed them, their howls of confusion and pain echoing through the night.

I stood there, watching them burn, feeling nothing but a cold satisfaction. They were a threat, possible traitors who could undermine my rule. I didn't want Ashina or Zeeb having loyal wolves to fight for them. Better to deal with them now, decisively. But as the flames died down, and the stench of charred flesh filled the air, a voice broke through my thoughts.

"Lobo, what have you done?"

I turned to see Nala standing there, her eyes wide with disbelief. "You’ve just shot yourself in the leg," she said, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and anger. "You've destroyed those who were loyal to you."

Regret gnawed at the edges of my mind, but I shoved it aside. I couldn't afford to show weakness, not now. "They were a threat," I replied, my voice hard. "Better to eliminate them now than to face a rebellion later."

"A threat?" she echoed, shaking her head. "You’ve decimated your own pack. What will you do now, with so few left to support you?"

I met her gaze, the weight of my actions settling heavily on my shoulders. "I will do whatever it takes to ensure our survival," I replied, though the conviction in my words felt hollow. The faces of the wolves I had condemned to the flames haunted my thoughts.

Nala's expression softened, a flicker of pity in her eyes. You mean survival?" She scoffed. "This isn't the way, Lobo. You’re becoming the very monster you sought to destroy."

Her words cut deep, but I couldn't afford to falter. I had made my choice, and now I had to live with it. As Nala turned and walked away, the sound of her footsteps fading into the night, I was left alone with my thoughts.

The memory of Anisha's promise echoed in my mind. "You won't rule for more than a year. I'll take your joy away, just like you did to me during our marriage." That seemed to be happening already.


I closed my eyes, trying to push the thoughts away, but they clung to me like a second skin. I had made my vow to kill Zeeb, to remove any threat to my rule, but at what cost? The pack was in disarray, and the blood of my kin stained my hands. What more would the witch's curse do to me? Or was it Ashina's curse in play?

I stood there, the night stretching out before me, filled with the shadows of my past and the uncertain future. The weight of my actions settled heavily on my shoulders, a desperate path I had chosen. I stood in the clearing, the embers of the pyre slowly dying out. The faces of the fallen wolves haunted me, their trust betrayed by my ruthless need for power. It was necessary, I reminded myself. They would have turned against me, just like Anisha and Zeeb.

But Nala’s words gnawed at my resolve. Had I truly shot myself in the leg? Had I decimated the very foundation of my strength in a moment of blind ambition? The doubt was a persistent whisper in my mind, growing louder with each passing moment.

As dawn approached, I made my way back to the heart of the pack's territory. The remaining wolves looked at me with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. They had heard the screams, seen the smoke. They knew something had happened, but not the full extent of my betrayal.