Bloodbound to the Beastly King

"Radek said the rebels are settling up in the north. Any reason why I haven't heard anything about that?" Thorne asked, his eyes flitting over the landscape.

Blood Crest was a normal-sized pack, so there wasn't much to be in awe of. If traditions didn't exist and didn't bind him to ceremonies such as these, he wouldn't be here.

"I haven't heard or seen anything that suggests they have, but I will have the guards increase their patrols in those areas," Caelum replied, and Thorne hummed.

The other wasn't here with him in Blood Crest, but the mindlink did wonders in times like this. A normal wolf wouldn't be able to communicate with the mindlink since they're so far apart, but of course, Thorne wasn't just any wolf.

"Apparently, the farmers are scared of going to their farms because of this news. I want you to find out everything you can about this. Especially who is funding them. And if Radek is feeding me bullshit, gut him quietly."

"Gladly, your majesty," Mason replied with a grin. Thorne cocked his eyebrow up at the man.

"I hate the man. He carries himself with so much arrogance, it sickens me. He's always been on my chopping board list," the man replied with a shrug.

Caelum sighed over the mindlink. "I'll carry out your orders, your majesty. Please excuse me," he replied, leaving out of the conversation.

Thorne glanced at Mason. "Chopping board list? Really, Mason?" he asked.

"I'm certain he infuriates me as much as he does you. No one can stand such an egotistical prick," Mason spat out, eyes glowering with disgust.

Thorne shook his head as he looked away. Radek was what you call a necessary devil. His types were needed to add chaos, fear, and misery into the heart of the other alphas, and not just that. Radek was mated to a councilman's daughter. That alone gave him a hand none of the other alphas had.

And because of that… he'd misbehaved… quite a number of times. There's never been enough evidence to prove his corruption and greed, and so he's managed to live the life he has for so long.

Thorne hoped this slip of his with the rebels and the north would bring in something.

Mason shifted awkwardly where he stood, he cleared his throat for the second time, gaining Thorne's attention.

"Speak."

"Oh… I um… Forgive me for asking, my king, but are you really attending the pre-celebration ceremony?" he asked.

Thorne didn't respond right away.

His gaze remained on the hills ahead, fingers lightly drumming against the armrest of the ornate chair that had been dragged out for him. Just one of many forced customs Blood Crest insisted upon. They called it tradition. He called it a waste of time.

"I said I would, didn't I?" he muttered.

Mason blinked. "Well… yes. But I thought you were… I don't think you were being for real."

Thorne shrugged, "And why wouldn't I be for real?"

"Because it's you and you hate gatherings."

Thorne huffed dryly. The younger man wasn't wrong. He hated gatherings such as the one Radek was throwing, but he had agreed to go… only for one reason.

Just to see her reaction.

Was it crazy? Maybe.

He had only wanted to see her reaction to it. After all, everyone knew what that party entailed. He had wanted to see if she cared… if she'd flinch at the mention. He had wanted to see something from her.

He didn't want them. Gods, he didn't care about a single one of them.

But watching her care?

That fed something inside him he hated to admit existed. Perhaps, he was more broken than he thought.

Thorne stood, straightening the cuffs of his dark tunic. "I'll make an appearance. Nothing more."

Mason chuckled under his breath. "Yeah. An appearance surrounded by tits and cunts."

Thorne shot the younger man a look, watching him stiffen like he had a rod up his ass.

"Stay sharp," he said, brushing past Mason. "And find something on Radek. I want to know what exactly it is he's about."

_______

The smell hit him first. Wine and sweat and a heavy amount of lust. It was thick and rancid.

Thorne stepped into the open-air chamber, the place lit darkly, filled with bodies rubbing against each other. A sharp music infiltrated the mood.

His eyes flickered over the people. It was filled with Alphas. Some he hadn't seen in a long while. All of them drunk and sloppy. The women danced against each other, some laughing, some moaning. He watched as two women knelt down, fighting over their chance to take some alpha's cock in their mouths.

Distasteful, really.

The scent of sex and sweat clung to the air so thickly, it almost felt like breathing sin. This wasn't rare, though. It was, in fact, very common. A very common practice between alphas and Thorne? He didn't expect less.

"Your Majesty!" Alpha Radek peeled himself away from the midst of the naked women grinding against him, grinning like a wolf who'd cornered prey.

He rushed to Thorne, eyes red from the many drinks he'd had. Or maybe it was the smoke. He bowed deeply, staggering slightly as he did.

"My king," he said loudly, theatrically. "You honor us."

He turned to the crowd and yelled, "Bow, you bastards! The king of the realm has graced our filthy den!"

Loud cheers echoed in the chambers. All of them yelling the same thing. "Your majesty!"

Their goblets were raised, cheering him.

Radek laughed, turning to Thorne. "Thank you for coming, your majesty. I promised you a show, and I will fulfill my promise," he said, beckoning some of the naked women, and they all came running.

"I promised the king a show, and I want you all to take care of him. Give me anything he wants and likes. Take care of the king," he said, grinning widely.

Thorne moved towards a chair and sat down, letting women drape themselves around him like silk. One leaned against his shoulder. Another reached for his belt. A third snaked up to him, licking her lips as she leaned closer to him, whispering something he couldn't be bothered to hear.

He could leave now… but not yet. He wanted to know just who the alpha circle Radek had created was. Those were the same ones he invited for this thing.

"Here, my king, a drink to help loosen your nerves. You seem so tense, but don't you worry. We will help with that," one of the women whispered, passing a glass into his hand.

Thorne took the glass, fingers closing around the cool rim without lifting it to his lips.

From across the room, Radek caught the moment and smirked. Of course, it was this easy. At the end of the day, even the king of the realm was nothing but a man. A man who would always fall into the trap set out by a woman.

Then, just as easily, Radek turned away, disappearing back into the sea of bodies. He grabbed a woman by the waist, pulling her onto his lap with ease. She squealed, throwing her arms around him while he drank deeply from his goblet, his other hand already disappearing under her underpants.

Thorne's grip on the glass tightened. The women around him purred, stroking his arms and legs, trying too hard to earn his attention. But his focus was on the man in the crowd—the one who thought he was clever.

Radek wanted something… but what?

There was no better time to find out than now. And so, Thorne lifted the drink to his lips and drank.

Thorne leaned back in the chair, letting the woman on his lap nestle closer while he shut his eyes. The woman pressed her body closer to him. Just as her fingers danced too close to his chest, Thorne's eyes snapped open.

He moved faster than any of them could react. His hand shot out, catching the woman's wrist firmly.

She gasped, startled, but didn't pull away. No— not when he looked at her like she was his next meal. The hunger in his orbs had her shivering internally.

"Come," he said, and she followed without hesitation.

He stood up and began walking, the crowd parted instinctively, letting their king pass without a word.

Radek glanced over his shoulder, saw the woman trailing after Thorne with flushed cheeks and smiled like he'd just won.

They got to the room that had been specially prepared by Radek. Like he knew he would be leaving with one of the women.

The moment the door shut, the woman latched onto him, pressing her body against his, whining and moaning at just her skin pressed against his clothes. She licked his jaw, her fingers hastening to undo his pants.

Thorne grabbed her hands, stopping her. The woman paused, leaning back. "Your majesty," she moaned.

"That's enough," Thorne said, and before she could understand what was happening, Mason, who had been in the room before them, grabbed her from behind, forcing her onto the bed.

The woman's eyes widened. "W-what is going on?" she sputtered. "I will scream if you—"

"Scream all you want. No one's going to beat you, and if they do, they'll assume it's from all the pleasure you're having," Mason snapped.

Thorne didn't reply, he grabbed his handkerchief and wiped off the spit she'd slobbered over him like a snail.

Once the woman was firmly bound to the bed, Thorne turned to look at her.

"Did Radek put you up to this? Why? What does he want?" Thorne asked, watching as the woman's eyes widened having been caught.

She began to tremble, her lips quivering with fear.

"Before you talk. Remember that you're in his majesty's presence. Radek might own you, but his majesty owns Radek and all that he has," Mason said. "Just one lie and you'll be left headless. That pretty head of yours will be gone," he threatened.

The woman's mouth quivered in fear. She didn't fight it. Not at all.

"A-Alpha Radek… he said I just had to make you cum," she whispered, her voice shaking. "Said I didn't need to do anything else. Just get it. In a condom. That was all."

"Sperm?"

The woman's mouth quivered nodded frantically, pulling out the tiny bottle she'd slotted in between her breasts.

"What was in the drink?" He asked.

She shook her head, already sobbing. "I-I have no idea, your majesty. I just do as I'm ordered."

Thorne knew Radek was a fool, but to what extent? He had no idea. He knew something was amiss when he got the invitation for the moon festival holding at his pack. Blood Crest was supposed to hold the next moon festival while the Crescent Moon pack held this year's own. Somehow Blood Crest had managed to shift theirs to this year, not that Thorne minded it.

Not until he realized a councilman's daughter was also Radek's mate. The same councilman whose long lost daughter had dared to go into his room. Freya.

"So Radek wants my sperm so bad, doesn't he?" He hummed, "Then he'll get it. Let's see exactly how he plans to use it."

Mason's brows furrowed. "What? How do you— Are you really thinking about this, my king?" Mason asked, only to pause when he saw Thorne's eyes on him, staring at him calmly.

"W-what? What's going on?" He asked cautiously, eyes darting between the king and the woman.

"You'll do the honors tonight, Mason. Give Radek what he wants."