The datapad screen flickered with static, then resolved into a list. Choi San tapped the activation rune, each entry pulsing with a faint, blue light. He ran a hand through the messy strands of his black hair, a habit he’d developed when stressed. This mission wasn't about hunting rogues or securing territory. It was…inventory. A headcount of the pack, meticulously compiled by a frantic, terrified beta who'd gone missing two days ago.
Click. The file opened, the stark white text a cold contrast to the flickering embers of the hearth in San’s secluded cabin.
File no. 1701.
He scrolled through the entries, a grim satisfaction tightening his jaw. The Alpha Council wanted a full accounting of every wolf within the Crimson Peak territory. Every single one. They claimed it was for border security, but San knew better. It was about control. About the Council flexing its power over the smaller packs, reminding them who held the leash.
San’s gaze landed on the first entry. A quick, frustrated sigh escaped him.
Choi San / 23 years old / True blood alpha / Unmated / Wolf / Shiber.
The listing felt…insufficient. A dry recitation of facts. He knew himself, of course. He felt the restless energy thrumming beneath his skin, the familiar ache of loneliness that had become a constant companion. He was a predator, lean and hungry, and the Council's assessment didn’t capture that. It didn't reveal the impatience that simmered beneath his calm exterior.
The next entry appeared.
Jung Wooyoung / 21 years old / True blood omega / Unmated / Wolf / Lewis.
San’s breath hitched. Wooyoung. The name tasted like forbidden fruit on his tongue. He’d seen the omega during pack gatherings, a fragile, ethereal creature with eyes that held the storm. The Council’s classification felt…wrong. Wooyoung wasn't just an omega; he was a storm contained within a glass vase. San's pulse quickened as he imagined the wolf form, sleek and silver, a phantom in the moonlit forest.
He continued scrolling, each entry a fresh wave of…something. Annoyance. Curiosity. A creeping, unwelcome fascination.
(Kang) Park Yeosang / 24 years old / Gamma / Mated - Seonghwa / Wolf / Fen.
San scoffed. Yeosang and Seonghwa. The golden couple of Crimson Peak. Their bond was legendary, their connection a blazing beacon of loyalty. San envied them, not for their status, but for the quiet contentment he saw in Yeosang’s eyes. A warmth he knew he would never feel.
Park Seonghwa / 25 years old / Alpha / Mated - Yeosang / Wolf / Lance.
The datapad displayed the list. San’s fingers tightened around the device, the metal digging into his palm. He was a hunter, a solitary wolf. He needed to remind himself that the Council’s inventory wasn’t a map to a mate, it was a threat assessment. A cold, calculated catalog of power.