After my parents' tragic death, Alpha Reed, my father’s close friend, took me into the Reed Pack. As an Omega, I was grateful for their kindness, though I always felt the weight of my status. On my sixteenth birthday, Rohan Reed, the future Alpha of the Reed Pack, got drunk at the pack’s celebration. He cornered me under the moonlight, his dominant aura pressing down on me, and kissed me with a possessive fervor. “You’re mine, Malia,” he growled, his voice low and commanding. “You’ll always be mine.”

By eighteen, our bond deepened, though he refused to mark me as his mate. Still, he promised me a lifetime of protection, and I believed him. But by twenty-four, when I was ready to solidify our bond, he coldly declared he’d never mark me. “You’re not Luna material,” he said, his tone cutting. “You’re an Omega. The pack needs more than that.”

The tension between us stretched for a month, thick and suffocating. Hoping to mend things, some of the pack organized an outing. That evening, Rohan arrived with a younger female, an Omega like me. Her shy smile mirrored my younger self, and it stung more than I cared to admit. James Crawford, the pack’s Gamma and my loyal friend, was the first to confront him. “What the hell, Alpha Rohan?” he snapped, his voice tight with anger. “What do you take Malia for?”

Rohan’s gaze flicked to James, his expression icy. “Why the strong reaction, Gamma?” he replied, his voice dripping with condescension. “I only see Malia as a sister. Just because she’s lived in the Reed Pack all these years doesn’t mean I have to mark her, right?”

He leaned down to kiss the girl’s hair, his tone softening only for her. “Don’t go spreading rumors about me and Malia,” he warned the room. “My girlfriend might misunderstand. She’s young, not easily reassured.”

James clenched his fists, his jaw tightening. “Alpha Rohan, are you serious?”

We had all grown up together. James knew the truth of our bond, and his protective instincts flared. Rohan looked at him indifferently before lighting a cigarette, his expression cold. “Gamma James, since when did you and Malia become so close? When did it become your place to defend her?” His gaze flickered over mine before he turned to pinch the girl’s cheek. “Be good, wait for me outside. It’s too loud here. I’ll take you somewhere quieter later.”

The girl obediently cast a shy glance at him and left. Once she was gone, Rohan fixed his eyes on me, his voice laced with mockery. “Is it fun, Malia, having everyone push me into marking you?”

Before I could respond, he exhaled smoke, his smirk cruel. “I never claimed you were my mate, did I?”

I looked at the face I’d loved for eight years and suddenly felt its unfamiliar coldness. James stood up, ready to challenge him. “Alpha Rohan, saying things like that—do you even respect the mate bond?”

I held James back firmly, though my hands trembled. “It’s fine, Gamma James,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “He’s made his choice.”

Rohan’s gaze hardened, his voice cutting through the room. “Gamma James, are you so protective because you like her? Fine, I’m done, you go ahead. After spending so many years together, if she isn’t tired, I am.”

No sooner had he finished speaking than Darwin Bell, the pack’s Delta, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, smashed his glass against the table. The sound echoed sharply, drawing everyone’s attention. His stern eyes locked on Rohan, disapproval etched into his features. “Alpha Rohan,” he said, his voice low but firm, “you’ve crossed a line.”

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to choke on. I felt my wolf whimper in the back of my mind, a quiet, pained sound. But I squared my shoulders, refusing to let Rohan see me break. “I’m leaving,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”

As I turned to go, I caught a glimpse of Rohan’s expression—something fleeting, almost like regret. But it was gone before I could be sure, replaced by the cold detachment of an Alpha who had already moved on.

Darwin Bell was the untouchable one in our circle.

When I first came to live with the Reed Pack at twelve, he was the one I feared most. As a Delta, he carried himself with a seriousness that made him seem older than his years. His expression was always stern, his words sparse. No matter what happened between the future Alpha and me—whether it was affection or arguments—he never showed unnecessary emotion. But now, unexpectedly, he'd slipped up.

I was taken aback.

He glared icily at Rohan, his voice low but firm. "You've crossed the line, future Alpha."

"What? Are you here to lecture me too?" Rohan sneered, his alpha aura flaring. "It's funny how everyone seems more invested in the Reed Pack's business than I am. Should I congratulate you on your perceptiveness, Malia?"

When I was sixteen, he had said the same thing to me. It was only because someone had slipped a love letter into my bag during training, and he had discovered it. It happened on my birthday. With a smirk, he’d looked at me and said, "The star student of the pack, writing such cheesy stuff."

That's what he said. But after everyone had left, he stormed into my room, pinned me against the door, and kissed me softly. After the brief kiss, he nestled against my neck, his breath warm as he whispered, "Malia, you can't like anyone else. You're meant for me."

Back then, he was like a forlorn wolf pup, his voice full of yearning.

I averted my eyes from his, the weight of his alpha presence pressing down on me. Everything felt disconnected. A sharp pain pierced my heart. My wolf whimpered softly in the back of my mind, but I silenced her. I knew we had to settle things between us once and for all.

"Future Alpha," I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside, "since everyone's here today, let's lay it all out."

He stubbed out his cigarette, his amber eyes narrowing. "Go ahead."

Though tears threatened to fall, I defiantly raised my head, refusing to let him see my weakness. "As you said, there's nothing between us. From now on, we're going our own ways."

Rohan's hold on his wine glass tightened, knuckles turning white. The air around him crackled with tension. "Malia, are you really cutting me off?"

I pressed my nails into my palm, grounding myself. "You have a potential mate now. Keeping your distance from other wolves is the decent thing to do, right?"

The room fell silent, the weight of my words hanging heavy in the air. Darwin's gaze flicked between us, his jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Rohan's expression darkened, his alpha aura pulsing with barely restrained anger.

"You think it's that simple?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "You think you can just walk away?"

I met his gaze, refusing to back down. "I have to, future Alpha. For both of us."

For a moment, he looked like he might argue, but then his lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Fine. Have it your way, Malia. But don’t come crying to me when you realize what you’ve thrown away."

The words stung, but I held my ground. My wolf howled in protest, but I ignored her. This was the only way forward, even if it tore me apart inside.

I remember when I was seventeen, I went to drop off some training gear for him at the pack’s training grounds. The scent of sweat and pine lingered in the air, a reminder of the countless hours we’d spent there together.

To my surprise, I found Emilia cornering Rohan in the locker room, her voice trembling with desperation. “Alpha Rohan,” she began, her tone pleading, “I’ve had a crush on you since middle school. Can’t you just be with me?”

I quickly backed into a corner, trying to remain unnoticed. My heart raced, not just from the fear of being caught eavesdropping, but from the tension in the air. Emilia was an Omega, like me, and her vulnerability was palpable.

Rohan’s response was cold, his alpha tone sharp and unyielding. “Your feelings for me are your concern, not mine. Step aside.”

Emilia refused to back down. She clung to his hand, tears welling up in her eyes. “Don’t be so harsh. Please, don’t ignore me. It’s really breaking my heart.”

Rohan didn’t soften. He pulled his hand away and looked down at her, his expression unreadable. “I’m interested in someone else. Keeping healthy boundaries is important, isn’t it?”

She stood there, stunned, tears sparkling in her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, and for a moment, she looked like a wounded pup. Then, without another word, she wiped her tears and bolted away.

As I watched her leave, I couldn’t help but think how cold Rohan could be. He was the future Alpha of the Reed Pack, and his dominance was unmatched, but sometimes it felt like he wielded his power without mercy.

Somehow, he’d snuck up behind me, his presence overwhelming even before he spoke. “Quite the spectacle, huh?” he murmured, wrapping his arms around me. “Aren’t you going to compliment me?”

“You’re really cold-hearted,” I replied, though there was no real bite in my words.

He flashed a mischievous smile, the kind that always made my stomach flutter. “Malia, what can I say? You’re the only one I adore.”

“So, you have to love only me, okay?” I said, half-joking, half-serious.

He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. The fresh minty scent of him filled the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of the training grounds. It was a scent that always reminded me of him—strong, commanding, and yet, in moments like this, tender.

“Only you,” he whispered against my lips before kissing me. It was a kiss that captured the spirited essence of youth, a promise of something unspoken but deeply felt.

In that moment, I realized what it meant to be treasured unconditionally by someone. This must be it. For all his dominance and power, for all the weight of his future role as Alpha, Rohan had chosen me. And in the world of werewolves, where hierarchy and loyalty were everything, that choice felt like a gift I didn’t deserve but couldn’t imagine living without.