Offered to the Triplet Alphas

[Asher]

I stripped off my blood-soaked coat and shirt, letting them drop to the floor. My footsteps echoed against the dead crystal walls, which shimmered back to life as I stepped into the throne room.

At the other end of the room, right across the entrance, loomed the heart of the Prime Infernal Pack - the Obsidian Throne. A seat coveted by many who thought themselves worthy. Now they all lie beneath it, buried in the towering dais of rattling skulls and bones of their own kind.

As I approached, centuries-old shadows hovering above the throne stirred and began whispering in a lost tongue.

The crimson marble aisle leading to the throne pulsed with life, absorbing the blood that dripped down my body. Red veins in the stone glowed like molten lava surging through cracks, illuminating the path as I walked.

Dark gray statues of demon wolves flanked the crimson aisle, their stone eyes ever-watchful. Beyond them, faceless hooded guardians lurked in the shadows, clutching ancient weapons in their praying hands. I stopped midway, peering at the throne.

"When you told me to veil Xanthea, I didn't understand what you wanted to do..." Nesryn's voice resonated in the room as she stepped in. "But now I do. People fear the unknown, the hidden. You wanted the council to fear her." She stood beside me, contemplating.

"Everyone is curious about her. They aren't asking why a mortal omega was chosen as a Luna candidate; they're asking, who is this woman? She can't just be an omega. There has to be more to her. They are in awe and misery. But it wasn't just the veil, it was 'her.' Seeing her walk was like entering a trance."

Nesryn's voice was charged with excitement and intrigue. Her heart was pounding lightly.

"You didn't ask me to befriend her just to keep her from feeling lonely in this foreign land, did you? Who is Xanthea, Asher?"

Nesryn waited for my answer, and when I didn't reply, she continued.

"Meeting her... wasn't a coincidence, was it? Is she... the one you've been searching for... so long?"

I looked at Nesryn. Her words lingered, filling the silence between us. She was getting closer to the truth, and that could be dangerous. But I didn't bother dismissing her.

Her eyes widened slightly, her mouth agape as though she had finally realized something. Averting her eyes to the throne, she licked her lips.

"So she is the one," Nesryn mumbled. "No wonder."

"She has grown quite fond of you," I said.

"I don't think so," Nesryn smiled faintly. "Sometimes she reminds me of you - a softer version, of course. You see people as pawns in your game of chess, while she views them as emotional resources for survival. The two of you aren't so different, after all."

"Is that so?" I said, drawing in a deep breath.

"The way she used me to get those kids out of Helxton and deal with Cedric at the same time," Nesryn chuckled. "I only figured out her manipulation once we reached the council."

"The children," I said calmly. "How are they doing?"

"Trying everything they can to remain hidden from us," Nesryn said, smiling as she shook her head. "By the way, why did you allow those kids in the castle? Is it because you wanted to help Xanthea help them?" "There's nothing Xanthea can do to help those kids," I said.

"So... why?"

"Because that's what she wanted to do. Like I have said before, we'll try not to interfere with her karma as much as we can."

"Well," Nesryn sighed. "Can't expect a straight answer from you."

"How is the High lady doing?" I asked.

"Much better than before. She was getting bored in the hospital. After some tests, Raven allowed her treatment to continue from the castle. She returned to the castle this morning."

I nodded. "Ok. Any leads on Xanthea's mother?"

"Umm. I'm trying my best-"

"So no lead so far."

"I just need... more time. That woman is nowhere. Like she never existed before becoming Freya Plath-"

"Nesryn, close all files on Xanthea's mother. Even the investigations that Ezra and Raven requested. Stop it all at once."

"What? Why? Asher, I'm trying. Please... just give me more time," she looked at me, panicking as though I gave her a death sentence.

"Closing her case will not affect your business in any manner, or my investments. I want you to concentrate on finding the mouse who created a blind-spot in my omniscient sight of the Prime pack." Nesryn frowned.

"Blind-spots in o-omniscient sight? Infernals can't block your sight and Celestials can't enter the underworld without losing their celestial wolf spirits. So how is this mouse creating blind-spots in your sight? This is the first time," Nesryn said thoughtfully.

"And it should be the last," I said.

Just like mind-link allowed me to communicate with every single soul in my pack. The omniscient sight helped me monitor every individual in the pack unnoticed.

Blind-spots appeared when someone concealed their presence from my sight. Not many knew of my omniscient sight, and those who did could do nothing to evade it. So, it was important for me to catch that mouse before it caused trouble for me and my family.

"Is the blind-spot still there?" Nesryn asked.

"It's gone," I said. "It merely stayed for a few minutes as though someone was testing it out."

"So that is why you came to the throne room today? To have a clear sight so you could find the face that was missing in your omniscient sight when there was a blind-spot?" Nesryn questioned.

"That's the problem, Nesryn. No face is missing, nor do I see any extra face," I said.

"What?" Nesryn tensed up.

"Whoever created the blind-spot had thought things through," I said. "And that is why I want you to look into it."

Nesryn nodded. "Where was the blind-spot created?"

"Near a punishment ground close to... Helxton," I said, and Nesryn's face slowly turned impassive, finally understanding the gravity of the situation.

Putting two and two together, she blinked fast, nibbling on her lip.

"Could it be linked to... Xanthea?" Nesryn asked.

"I see no direct link yet, but there's a possibility," I said.

"Who the hell is strong enough to hide from your sight?" Nesryn asked.

"Not strong, mia cara. Just tricky," Draknor said, entering the throne room. "Celestials have always been tricky bastards, trying to invade our realm." Nesryn turned around and looked at Draknor. "You think a celestial created the blind-spot?"

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"Who else can it be? A celestial disguised as an infernal. There was no suspicious entry into our pack recently, so I am pretty sure your mouse has been hiding among us for a long time," Draknor stood beside me.

For a few minutes, the silence in the room thickened to the point I could hear the slightest rustle in the shadows near the throne.

"Something has made the celestials more restless in recent years. We caught six celestials trying to enter our pack in the past three days. Any idea what it could be?" Draknor asked.

"The news isn't confirmed, so I didn't present it before the committee," Nesryn said, skimming her eyes from Draknor to me. "But... my sources say the celestials are searching for a weapon."

"A weapon?" Draknor whispered.

"Yes. They fear we possess a weapon that can cause mass destruction of immortals." Nesryn said.

I strode closer to the throne.

"What rubbish! We don't have that kind of weapon. Those paranoid angels are sick in the heads," Draknor grunted with a scoff.

"Whatever it is, the Celestials are here, and not for friendly reasons. We need to find them before it's too late." Nesryn's serious tone had a hint of fear.

"I don't think celestials will attack us upfront. I have a feeling that they are going to use mortals to do their dirty work," Draknor said. "Mortals?" Nesryn asked.

"Yup. I just got the reports, Alpha. Today, celestials have officially joined hands with mortals," Draknor said and I glanced at him over my shoulder. "Details," I said.

"Ever since Alpha Ezra visited the Virgo pack, the celestials have been dropping by more often, spending hours with Alpha King and Nikolai. Celestials have created a divine barrier around the Virgo palace, guarded at all times by two four- winged guardian wolves. All demons within the barriers perished, and the ones beyond can no longer pass through," Draknor read the reports from his phone.

"What in the devil's reign are they up to?" Nesryn exclaimed, hurriedly checking her phone. "No wonder I had no updates from my spies who were posted in the Virgo palace."

"It's clear, Alpha. They are plotting something big this time. We need to act now. They can't be helping the mortals for free. If the celestials were so philanthropic, they would have saved the earthly packs we destroyed. Why only protect the Virgo pack-"

"No," I said. "The real question is: what is Nikolai offering them to secure this alliance? Find out on the foundation of their partnership and bring it to me."

"But we can't even enter the Virgo palace anymore," Draknor said.

The shadows shot out from the throne. Taking the form of the rampaging wave as they dominated the room. The gravity of my aura pushed Draknor to his knees.

"You are not the beta of this pack to make excuses. You're here to provide solutions, and if you can't use your head, then I have no use for it." I growled, glaring at him.

The shadows wrapped themselves around Draknor's mouth and body, restraining every resistance from him as they tightened around his neck to rip his head right off his body.

His muffled groans grew more disturbing. That's when Nesryn dashed in between Draknor and me, her chest heaving faster.

"We'll use the mortals!" Her voice trembled, her breaths heavy, but cautious. "We'll find out. Whatever it is! Please... calm down. Please... let him go."

I shut my eyes and let out a sigh. The shadows withdrew at once behind the throne.

Nesryn glanced at Draknor, letting out a broken sigh. Draknor gasped, suppressing his groan as he held his neck together. Sprays of blood streamed down the gaps of his trembling hands. His split arteries and veins regenerated with his flesh and skin.

I ran my fingers through my blood-smeared hair.

"Apologies, Draknor," I said, turning my back towards them.

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"N-no, Alpha... I know. It-it's... the th-throne... not you..." he spoke through his clenched jaws. His voice was hoarse and cracking. "D-don't let it... get to... you."

"Things would be much easier if my omniscient sight worked beyond the Prime Infernal Pack," I said, trudging forward, my body resisting the savage aura of the throne.

The only times I ever lost control were when I was in the throne room. That was why I came here only when there was no other option. And today was one such critical day. I had to monitor Raven, Xanthea and Ezra closely.

The time bomb Xanthea had left behind in her pouch was already ticking. It was only a matter of time before it went off. And I had to prepare for the impact when it did.

My limbs grew heavy with each step. The throne had already started draining my strength.

Omniscient sight was a throne-based power that came to the Alpha, who sat on the throne. The closer I was to the throne, the clearer my sight worked and faltered as I went farther away from it.

Neither Ezra nor Raven ever desired to get close to the throne and even if they did, I wouldn't have allowed them.

Because, along with its powers, the Obsidian Throne also brought madness to its bearer - a madness that plagued my father, my grandfather, and all the Alphas who came before them.

The throne feeds on the soul of its bearer and creates in them a desperate hunger for more power. All Alphas who ever sat on it became obsessed. So obsessed that even today, some of their souls haunt the throne, so attached to it, they can't let go, so they remain trapped in the shadows of the very power they once so ardently desired.

The obsidian madness compelled them to create heirs who were always stronger than them. The same made my father obsessed with creating the perfect fodder for the throne - its next heir - me.

The madness latched to the Alphas like a silent parasite, devouring their minds, rotting their flesh. It possessed them to the point where the parasite became an organ of their body, transforming them into madness itself.

No Alpha ever dared speak of the madness. No one uttered a word about it, for they firmly believed that's what power felt like when, in reality, they were succumbing to a sickness. But the people around them sensed it. Their friends, their families. Everyone knew about the madness except the Alpha, who sat on the throne.

The skulls and bones crushed beneath my feet as I walked up the dais, feeling the energy drain out of my body faster. The shadows crept closer, their claws ready to tear my soul apart.

Clenching my jaws, I took in a deep breath and sat on the throne.

My torso jolted forward as the shadows swirled and tightened around my head, forming a shadow crown that ambushed my mind like a flood of poison. They clawed at the edges of my consciousness, a ravenous tide thirsty to tear me apart. I grabbed the armrests, their sharp edges biting through my flesh like blades. The throne began sucking my blood like a vampire starving for centuries.

Pain shot down my spine, spreading throughout my body like a bone-crushing fever.

The first few seconds of sitting on the throne were like drowning in the darkness - suffocating under the weight of a thousand tormented souls who screamed and howled in my head. Their voices often turned into my own. But right before the madness could sink its fangs into my senses, I snapped back into control.

Panting slowly, I shut my eyes tight to fight with the pounding ache in my head.

Unlike the predecessors, I limited my contact with this room, starving the throne, so it compensated by assaulting out as much power from me as it could when it had a chance.

I struggled to monitor the pack while fighting the shadows that battled to break into me and reach Icifer. Once they got a hold of him, it would be the end for me because Icifer was a Crown demon. It was in his nature to desire limitless power and control.

Despite all the control I shackled myself with, I couldn't stop the tremors that shook my bones or the shivering breaths my lungs desperately held onto.

The throne was already feeding on me, but I would never let it touch my brothers.

My head violently snapped to the side. Inch by inch, I forced my consciousness into focus, ignoring the pain that splintered through my skull. Slowly, all converged into one. The sight grew clearer, sharper.

It was like standing at the center of a storm; my body drenched in blood and sweat and my breaths shallow as the winds ripped me in every direction. I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. My sight spread across the Prime Pack, watching each soul. Their voices brushed against my blank mind in fleeting fragments.

I was everything and everyone, yet nothing and no one, all at once.