Blood Awakening: The Strongest Hybrid and His Vampire Bride

Nikolai sat in the meeting room, where the many clan heads objected to or complained about him taking on the role of the heir of the Moonlight alliance.

The back of his neck tingled while sitting on the second highest level seat beside his grandfather, still thinking back to the story about his grandmother's sad passing.

'Although there can only be one Luna... I don't wish to follow it.'

This feeling was born from his arrogance and the meeting with his two fiancees and Risa, who would soon undergo the engagement ceremony.

'Grandfather seems to want me to avoid following in his footsteps...'

His gaze trailed around the room, where seats were available for ten clans, including Turim. The Volkov seat would have been empty if not for his grandfather's insistence on having Nikolai sit there.

In Dimitri's place, Nagisa sat to Nikolai's right, her long black pipe flickering with embers. When their gazes interlocked, she winked with a charming smile. He could feel the tingling nerves in his spine and her mocking voice when he told her about his feelings for Nikita.

However, Nagisa and Salina both accepted him and approved of their relationship.

Though strangely, Nagisa mentioned something about quickly wanting to see the face of her grandchild, which made Nikolai's spine tingle even more as if a sharp blade was being dragged down it, ready to sever his spinal cord.

'I wonder... why did it feel like a threat.'

"Ahem, all of you why are you taking so long? Hurry and sit down!" Head of the Alliance Viktor Volkov narrowed his gaze while speaking—the twelve council members standing or chattering instantly stopped speaking the moment he opened his mouth.

Nagisa flicked her pipe before standing up and causing everyone who hurried to their seats to gaze at her, a mixture of eyes both accepting and otherwise.

"Honoured Alliance Leader, My husband is currently absent and thus I ask you to accept Nagisa of the Okami to serve as the stand in for the Fenrir clan!"

Viktor looked at Nagisa, who bent to a full 90-degree angle with a hand on her chest.

"Understood, Dimitri is currently dealing with some major issues, I will accept your participation, Lady Nagisa."

The council became slightly noisy, and Nagisa, with a smug smirk on her red lips, sat down and crossed her legs as she leaned back.

'Hmmm?'

Nikolai turned away from her evil smile.

Since she mentioned children, he suddenly became bashful and a little concerned about his safety. From the way she gazed at him, anyone would think that she didn't come for the meeting but to see Nikolai.

"Ahem..." Viktor cleared his throat because the other clans were making noise amongst themselves.

"Now then, since you are all here... I shall introduce you to a new face. This young werewolf who has just reached adulthood is Nikolai Báthory Volkov... son of Ivan Volkov and Elizabeth Báthory." Viktor gazed around the room, a sharp look as if a blade was pointing at their throats. "Not only is he the future spouse of the Tepes clan, but also the young princess of the Fenrir clan."

"What?! Tepes? How can we dilute our blood with another leech?!" The man in the 12th seat, heir of the Morozov clan, stood up, his hair long and dull grey, a weak-looking body with little muscle but a slim frame that seemed agile and with large ears.

'Hmmm...'

[Calm down, Nikolai!]

Elizabeth's voice caused his chest to tighten—listening to them speaking badly about his mother was like a double-edged blade that harmed her twofold.

"True... Alliance head, what if the bloodline—" Another seat from across from them a darker shade of grey, almost the colour of soot or ashes. Lev Markov, of the Markov clan and 9th Seat of the Moonlight Alliance.

"What is it to you...? He can marry who he wants, mongrels!" Nagisa's voice was fierce, her fangs on display. She was a weaker type of beast, yet she never submitted to any of the foolish men in this room. If not for her being married to Dimitri, she would sit in the fifth spot alone.

"Calm down, sister..." A tall male with a big build and dark hair spoke with a deep voice. His eyes flicked towards Nikolai before he nodded. "The young one isn't to be judged here—listen to the Head, or I will crush you."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

'Wow...'

With a single growl, the man sitting in the seat beside Nikolai smiled at him before closing his eyes. Alaric Drago, the Drago clan with the ability to use their aura to manifest impenetrable skin, granting them the strongest defence of all werewolves in the Alliance and ranked 3rd.

Due to this, their offensive ability was lower than that of Fenrir or Volkov, but they still packed a punch.

Not to mention... they were the most loyal to the Head of the Alliance.

"Tsk... damn Drago clan..." Vasili Morozov could only complain before sitting down.

The Morozov clan specialised in enhanced senses—they possessed extreme sensory abilities, allowing them to detect threats and track enemies over vast distances.

Meanwhile, the Markov clan was like rats to the other werewolves, able to harness a unique ability called Shadow Cloak. Able to blend into the shadows, becoming nearly invisible and immune to most non-physical attacks while cloaked

Their clan argued about wanting a higher position, but each time, they were crushed by the Fenrir or Drago clan and remained at the 9th rank.

"Well, I can imagine why you are upset, as you are all Mature werewolves, almost Elders... So having a nearly awakened wolf who just reached adulthood would be annoying." Viktor winked at Nikolai but then turned to face the other members.

"That is why anyone who wishes to complain or make a challenge for the 1st Seat held by the Volkov clan may send someone from their family who has reached Adulthood within five years, and in a month, Nikolai will defeat the challengers."

"What?!" Turim's eyes widened. He was a member of the Etin clan and ranked 4th, but when he heard this, he seemed stunned by his old friend.

"May I ask what is in it for the young Volkov pup to fight our young ones?"

The beautiful female with brilliant blonde hair and a holy aura sitting in the rank 5 seat was Seraphina Volkova, a branch of the Volkov clan.

Instead of gaining the supreme physical power, they could use their celestial aura to heal wounds, both themselves and others.

"Lady Seraphina, there is, of course, something for Nikolai to gain." Viktor smirked at the honest werewolf, who gazed at him with calm pupils. "If he defeats all twelve of your clans, then he will be crowned the heir of the Alliance." Discover exclusive content at empire

Suddenly, the room began to whir with the voices of each seat: excitement, confusion, outrage and delight.

"Then..." A beautiful female werewolf with red hair, a scar on her cheek and a panther lay beside her. She spoke in a deep and raspy voice. "What if he loses?"

The moment she asked, her eyes widened as she noticed that instead of looking shocked, the old man sitting at the Head of the table showed a smile...

"Crazy... that Viktor smiling?!"

"Why does he look so happy... what's going on, is it a trap?"

The murmurs continued in favour or filled with fear at the sudden changes, but the man himself just leaned forward, interlocking his hands.

"Should Nikolai fail to live up to the expectations of the Volkov family, not only will he lose the title of heir to the alliance, but the Volkov family will step down from the first seat."

Viktor didn't say this without plans—rather, his goal was to root out those who were rotten. From the core, he would use Nikolai to crush the families that have become complacent.

'Grandfather looks so happy...'

Nikolai, who could see the movement of his aura and the feelings of other people, could only see joy and confidence coming from his grandfather.

The same was true for Nagisa.

However, some of the ones who supported his grandfather now showed a slight colour of fear and confusion.

'There are families that showed clear aggression and disloyalty to Grandfather...'

"We, the Karpov, Accept!"

"We the Zorya Accept!"

"The Fenrir accept~ do your best son-in-law!"

"We accept..." Turim's face looked glum, his worried eyes fixated on Nikolai.

"The Drago Accept!"

"Karpov follows the Head!"

All the clans accepted the bill, some reluctantly, but the most loyal would never oppose Viktor even if they worried about the Alliance.

This was the oath the clan leaders took when taking their seats in the council.

However, some seemed to have become corrupt over the years.

"Nikolai... this concerns you the most do you accept the task?" Viktor looked at Nikolai with a distinct look, not that of a grandfather and grandson but a leader and his heir.

'This is something I would have needed to do one day, why hesitate!'

To respond, Nikolai stood up with his hand on his heart, a common werewolf salute and greeting used during official ceremonies. He trailed his eyes across the twelve seats, his eyes narrowed, and his nose lifted high.

"I shall accept the challenge of crushing and putting the clans who have become insolent in their place, Grandfather."

Vasili Morozov and Lev Markov snorted at Nikolai's words.

However, the next moment, when his aura suddenly spread out, their eyes widened. Because he had not used his Volkov blood but the evil god's blood, which had increased his power to a level that no other physical type of werewolf could match.

"Send your strongest; no matter who you use, I will send them back on their knees... It seems I will have to remind you all who stand at the top of the 12 seats and who leads this Alliance."