The Alpha's Forbidden Omega

Witch

Chapter Eighteen

Hunter’s POV

I rode through the forest, my horse thudding his hooves on the undergrown bushes. The trees stood tall and thick, their branches forming a canopy above.

This was the southern border, the very edge of our territory, where the earth had revealed its secrets a few weeks ago… gold, and plenty of it.

The recent letter from the Steeprock pack had been annoying. A warning and hidden threat, no less, about activities encroaching into their land.

They seemed to think they could intimidate me with threats and letters. I had always found such attempts laughable. Their Alpha, like the rest, was weak compared to me.

The only reason I took the letter seriously enough to visit the site today was to ensure that the operation remained under control and to plan the next steps in securing the gold without any interference.

As I approached the site, where I had my most trusted men on the job, I could see the machines at work in the distance, and the men working tirelessly.

I could see their efforts already yielding piles of gold that glittered in the sun. The sight brought me a huge satisfaction.

I had decided to keep this operation a secret, knowing full well that if news of the gold spread, it would lead to conflict.

Better to secure the treasure before anyone had the chance to intervene. That was the plan.

I came down from the horse and walked toward the men, my boots marching on the dug up soil. The men looked up as I approached, their expressions quickly turning alert and respectful.

I had built a reputation for being ruthless, and I relished in the power that came with it. “Report,” I commanded, my voice cutting through the hum of the machines.

One of the men, a bald aging man with long beards stepped forward, wiping sweat from his scalp. “We’ve made good progress, sire. We’ve already moved a significant amount of earth, and the gold is as much as we hoped.”

I nodded, scanning the area with a critical eye. The work was thorough, but I wanted to ensure that there was no mistakes which could lead to unwanted attention.

One of the neighboring packs had already noticed the activities here, and while I wasn’t concerned about their threats, I didn’t want them meddling in my affairs.

“There’s been a new development.” Mentioned to the bald man, who I knew was the leader here. “I want this completed as quickly as possible,” I said, turning my gaze back towards the Steeprock territory.

“Yes, Alpha,” the man replied, his voice carrying a great amount of respect. Or fear. I didn’t care.

After that, I turned away from them, thinking about the situation. The letter had been clear in its warnings, but I had little regard for it.

My plans were already set, and I wasn’t about to let some pack concern themselves with my affairs. The gold would be ours, and by the time anyone thought to act, it would be too late then.

I walked over to a large map pinned to a table nearby. It detailed the borders and the areas we had been working on. I traced a line with my finger, marking the areas where the men had been most active.

The map reminded me of the thin line we were walking on… the line between territorial conflicts.

I was lost in thought when a rustling sound from the edge of the forest caught my attention. My senses were sharp, sharpened by years of training.

I paused, listening carefully. It sounded like someone was moving through the bushes, trying to be stealthy.

“Who’s out there?” I called out. “Show yourself.”

There was a brief moment of silence, then suddenly, a figure emerged from the trees and I tensed, ready to react. But it was only one of the guards I had stationed nearby.

He approached with careful steps. “Sire,” he said, bowing slightly.

I sighed heavily, seeing the guard approach, grateful I didn’t have to deal with someone who didn’t already know what we were doing here. “Yes?” I asked, my brows raised as I expected a message from him.

“Nothing significant today, sire. Everything seems normal around.” The guard answered.

I nodded, scanning the area still. Every man I had there was busy, the workers busy with their machines and tools, and the guards station around the boarder to lookout for any disturbances. It was satisfying to see the results of my plans taking shape.

“Good,” I replied after a few seconds. “We need to make sure our neighbors do get any hint of what we’re doing here. They’ve already sent a warning letter, but we can’t afford to be caught unaware. They’re likely to get more curious if we don’t handle this carefully.”

The guard shifted uneasily in his feet. “What should we do, Alpha?”

I considered my response carefully. “Try to double the watch along this side of the border. Make sure that any sign of our operations remains hidden from their scouts. If they get too close, stop them immediately. Take necessary force if they prove stubborn.”

The man nodded, his face set in a expression. I could also see the tension in the shoulders of the workers around. They knew what was at stake, and they were prepared to do whatever it took to protect my interests.

Dismissing the guard, I then began to walk around the site, taking note of everything… the progress, the equipments used, and the layout of the land we worked on. “Everything has to be perfect.” I thought to myself.

I found a spot where I could observe the work from a distance, leaning against a large tree. The sight of the workers toiling away, the gold being extracted, and lost more, was proof of my control around the northern packs… including the resources at disposal

Soon, as I turned to leave the site, giving final instructions to the men, I cast one last look at the site, a smirk playing at the corners of my mouth. The gold would be ours, this I was sure about.

As for our neighbors, I had no idea what would happen next with them. But I was certain that they would come to realize that I was not to be messed with if they attempted anything stupid.

With that, I mounted my horse and rode back toward the estate, my mind already thinking about next steps.

As I approached the estate, my thoughts were still on the gold and the trouble brewing with the neighboring pack. The fields and servants’ quarters came into my view, and suddenly, my eyes caught a figure moving in the open field.

Instinctively, I narrowed my eyes and urged my horse forward, driven by curiosity and a bit of worry. The figure turned out to be… a girl, and she seemed startled as I charged toward her.

But as I got even closer, I immediately recognized her… that long red hair was unmistakable. Faelen. My annoyance quickly flared.

What the hell was she doing out here, away from her duties and near the woods where I had my secret activities going? I dismounted and marched over to her, trying to control the irritation that appeared on my face.

“Faelen,” I barked, “what in the name of the moon goddess are you doing out here?!”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide and frightened. “I was… I was sent to find a herb, sire,” she stammered.

I studied her closely, trying to decide if she was telling the truth. There was something about her… her beauty, that same vulnerability which annoyed me, that I couldn’t seem to ignore.

It stirred a strange feeling in me, sparking a magnetic pull, that same feeling whenever I was close to her that I couldn’t place. But I forcefully pushed that aside. I had no time for distractions, especially not from this servant girl.

“Lying, are you?” I growled, though part of me wanted to believe her. “Do you think I’ll just take your word for it? That you’re out here because you were sent?”

Faelen fell to her knees. “Please! I… I…”

“Shut up, b***h! You’re hiding something, I know it. If you don’t tell me the truth right now, I’ll have you whipped and thrown into the forest to die there.” I threatened.

Faelen’s face turned pale, tears quickly gathering up in her eyes. “I swear, Alpha, I’m telling the truth,” she cried. “Please, you have to believe me.”

I didn’t relent. My rage surged through me, and I abruptly I grabbed her by the hair, my hands gripping those soft long curls of hers. I began to drag her across the field and toward the estate building.

Her cries echoed in the air as we went, but I paid them no attention. I was beyond caring at this point. I needed to find a way to punish her, to keep her in her place.

Reaching the entrance of the estate, I threw her to the ground with one hand. Faelen landed hard on the steps, her body crumpling as she held herself in pain and sobbed.

For a brief second, I felt a flash of regret in me seeing her hit the floor, but it was quickly overrun with my anger. I couldn’t allow myself to be soft, not with someone like her.

“Get her to my room,” I ordered the guards who had appeared at the scene, watching with neutral expressions on their faces. “I’ll deal with her myself.” I finished.

The guards nodded and immediately approached Faelen, lifting her up with rough hands. Shrieking in pains, she looked at me pleadingly, and I almost fell for those hypnotic eyes.

But then I turned away quickly, not eager to fall for those witchy eyes of hers. How eyes would I describe such beauty she possessed? The strange way I felt every time I saw her? Not to mention her inability to obey or follow orders.

“She had to be some sort of witch.” I thought to myself.

I turned away and headed toward my quarters. I needed to keep control of my emotions and not let her affect me more than she already had.

Regardless, as I walked away, I struggled with the strange emotions stirring inside me. Like always, I felt I had no room for weakness, especially not where Faelen was concerned.

But every time I saw her, every time I thought about her, there was some sort of invisible force between us that I found difficult to shake off… Even now as I walked to my chambers, hands gripping my head to try keeping the thoughts of her away.