Legends of Belariath
Kuma
He hailed from a Tribe of peaceful hunters and farmers, wolven's who for the most part shunned the mixed society of barbarians and city elves. They believed that the only true path was in the path that led to solidarity as a race, and the cultivation and harmonious use of what gifts Gaea and the Seven had bestowed upon them.
Kuma was destined to be an Alpha leader, though not born to the Clan Chief's family, he was born to a long line of proud hunters, warriors; arrogant to a fault, but he bore the marks of ascension with pride. In his own mind, the right to second in line was his, following his pride to insure such things came to fruition.
On the night of the Harvest Moon, he began with claiming the oldest daughter of the Chief as his mate; it was not a willing coupling, but he sewed the seeds of her compliance, a sharp smile and brutally territorial temperment. By no means a charismatic individual, the black furred wolven still commanded respect at the time, and by the laws of the land and by their nature, he was recognized as not only mate, but as candidate to Alpha.
The second step was to win the hearts of the Clan council; not an easy task, the wolven was not bred with a smooth tongued demeanor, he bore Fenr heavily in his ways. It was his mate, A'nu, who was able to sway many of the council into his favor, her apparent devotion, her soft spoken ways and the familiarity of her position as the Chief's daughter helped the Council in granting their hard won favor.
Everything was sealed - or so he thought. On the night that the Chief would announce his position, followed by a ritual fight. He was visited by A'nu and her younger sisters, beautiful creatures that promised to reward him and tend to him. Kuma smiled, a lusty creature as much as a savage, he welcomed with open arms such treatment, sure that once he had ascended this would be the norm.
He woke to the taste of sand in his mouth, disorientated and the smell of smoke in his nostrils; rousing, he found himself sprawled over something awkward and large, a knife loosely clutched in his hand. Pushing his own weight up, he stumbled, before discovering the bloodied body of his father in law. Confused, he heard the screams of his mate and his sisters, flames shooting up the sides of the adobe hut they were in.
The Council, giving no mercy for the supposed killer of their leader, wanted to string him up and leave him for the buzzards. And they did; however, Kuma had not gotten where he had without a few skills of his own. He escaped his prison, stalking back to the Tribe to demand answers from his mate on the night of the fire. To his shock, he discovered her with her sisters, and another male, laughing. Happy.
Rage consumed him.
He did not kill his enemies, he was outmatched and wanted them to suffer, not to benefit from his fury. Instead, he left, denying them a chance to see him hanged for deeds not of his doing.
From there he journeyed into the Ilifrian Empire, staying to the fringe of the forest, never fully participating in its civility. There he remains, calmly waiting for the right moment.