‎

‎ "He rejected me," I started to explain myself to my father as he took slow and intentional steps toward me. A part of me knew it was useless, explaining myself. There was nothing I could possibly say that would stop him from doing whatever he wanted."You saw it, he didn't want anything to do with me," I added."And he said it's because you're an omega. A weak one. Which isn't exactly a lie, now, is it?" He asked me darkly.A small, rebellious part of me had the urge to snap at him and tell him he had his role to play in this as well. He was the beta who had betrayed Alpha Kaelen's father. Even if I wasn't an omega, it would have been hard for him to accept me as his mate anyway.I barely had any time to collect my thoughts when he exploded like a wildfire."You humiliated me!" He screamed like a man without flaws and faults. "You stood there and exposed your weakness without even standing up for yourself!"What was I supposed to say when my mate was attacking me with hurtful words? I was in shock."I told you to catch his attention, not disgust him!" He roared at me as his face twisted with pure hate. "Do you ever get anything right in your miserable little life?!"I did catch his attention. What disgusted him was not me exactly, but what I had been broken to become. And my father's history as well."I regret the day you were born into this world. You have always been a mistake," he spat with venom.His words didn't hurt anymore. They were simply refrains of what he had said before. There was nothing he would insult me with that I hadn't heard from him before. "I tried," I whispered weakly. My voice cracked from the slight effort. "I just...I didn't know things would end this way and-"A sharp slap across my cheek cut me off. My head jerked sideways, giving me a momentary whiplash. The sting of the slap was immediate and hot, reminding me of what kind of man I called my father."You were born wrong!" He hissed at me. "How else can a man strong enough to be a beta like me have something so cursed like you, an omega? I needed a weapon for a child. One that would carve a path for me. Why couldn't you be strong like the others?! Why did you have to shift at sixteen instead of when you turned ten like every other normal wolf out there?!"I remembered the night I had shifted clearly. Four years ago, sixteen without any hope of having a wolf after I had missed the chance to shift on my tenth birthday. It had happened so suddenly. One minute, I felt nothing. The next, my bones were shifting and turning.There was nothing I could say in response. He didn't need me to explain myself. All he wanted was for me to bleed, and I could tell."No, please!" Even then, I still couldn't fight off the urge to beg him to spare me as he grabbed my hand and dragged me down to the basement where I had been kept prisoner more than I would have liked.There was a dim light hanging from the ceiling, casting eerie shadows along the walls of the basement. Shadows that had spoken to me on lonely nights in the basement. I had been brought down here a lot as punishment.But it was different this time, and I could feel it."What... No, no, no. Please, don't do this. I admit that I made a mistake," I pleaded as he grabbed a leather I was familiar with. It was carefully threaded with silver so that only the person holding it would control where the silver touched so it wouldn't burn.Peter didn't care. He grabbed my hands and strapped them with the leather."I've had enough of you being weak," he said as he smeared something cold and dark across my chest. From the strong smell of iron emanating from it, I knew it was blood. And then he started to chant words I'd never heard before."I'm done waiting," he muttered under his breath. "If the goddess didn't bless me with a powerful child, I'll just have to make do with the one she gave me. I'll awaken something in you, Seraphina. Something even the most powerful alphas will have no other choice than to bow to."And that was how it started. Days of torture. He kept me tied up in the basement, bringing food and water only once daily before he would start his strange rituals.He would burn herbs, slice the palm of his hand, chant spells I didn't think he was supposed to even know about. Each night, there were more cuts and more symbols. My bones ached with fatigue.But I didn't cry. Not anymore. Something in me was changing, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I started to feel strange. Like something was crawling beneath my skin. I would wake up in the middle of the night with a burning ache in my chest, drenched in my own sweat. Worst of all, it felt like these emotions weren't mine. There was pure rage and so much loneliness.Kaelen.It had to be him. Each time I felt it, I also felt the tug of the mate bond.I felt his fury pulsing through me like fire. I felt his rage at everyone, everything, and even himself. He was clinging so tightly to control, desperately fighting the madness that clawed at his mind."Goddess," I whispered one night as I felt his hunger. It was so wide, so vast, that it didn't have a start or an end.Hunger for me.I felt his longing and his need every night, rendering me unable to sleep. The mate bond wasn't breaking, but it was evolving. It seemed to be growing.I soon started to lose track of time. The only thing that would wake me up to what was happening around me was Peter's voice. His methods were even more brutal than the last.One day, without warning, he burst into the basement in a hurry that made me panic. He moved fast as he untied my wrists. The silver burned, but I didn't scream."Go into your room now. Go put on something decent. Make sure it covers your sleeves and your wrists. Cover your bruises," he ordered me as he yanked me out of the basement and pushed me into my bedroom.With each stair I climbed, my muscles felt even more sore and my skin more raw.I picked a navy blue dress. It fit snugly across my skin, comforting me like the hug I longed for but never got. I smoothed my hair back and hurriedly put makeup on my face as I heard Peter's approaching footsteps."Well, come on!" He whispered aggressively at me as he grabbed my hand and led me out of the bedroom.My stomach twisted into knots when I smelled him. Pine and rain. Something natural and so familiar.Kaelen.I froze at the bottom of the stairs as my gaze collided with his. He stood in the center of the living room, his black coat wet from the drizzle of rain outside. His chest rose and fell like he had been running, and his eyes were so ferocious and locked onto mine, never leaving.I could tell without anyone saying anything to me. He was there for me.  

‎

‎ Neither Kaelen nor I said anything for a long time. His eyes roamed over me as if he was trying to figure something out. Perhaps he was internally asking himself why he was here.Peter's hand clenched tighter around my wrist as he pulled me forward."She's ready for you now," he said. I almost scoffed at how airy his voice was with such fake pride for me.Kaelen didn't respond to him. His gaze flickered over to where Peter's hand held mine, and something dangerous flashed in his eyes. It was there for only a split second, but I caught it."Let her go," he commanded my father flatly.Peter hesitated, then he dropped my wrist as if it burned him.With a tilt of his head, Kaelen gestured at me as he told me, "Come with me."As he led me out of the door, I really hoped I wouldn't have to return to the house. The rain drizzled slightly over us, but not enough for us to run for shelter.He led me through the pack grounds in silence, his hands in his pockets as if this was his pack and he owned everything in it. You would think he wasn't the alpha of another pack entirely.The air was cool and crisp, almost as if it was trying hard to slice the tension between us. Walking beside him felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, and his next words could either be a push to my death or a pull to save me."You felt it," he finally said, breaking the silence but not looking at me.I didn't need him to explain what he meant by that. All those nights of feeling what he wa feeling. Of course he knew I felt it too."I did," I replied."Everything," he said, waiting for my confirmation."Everything," I answered."And the pull?" He asked."It gets stronger every day," I confessed.He finally stopped walking, making me stop in my tracks as well. We were alone now, deep in the trees. He turned toward me as his eyes burned with something between frustration and need."I don't understand it," he growled. "The bond should have broken the first time I rejected you.""I know," I whispered in response. "But it didn't."I didn't want to have to tell him, but I hoped he would understand that this was probably the will of the goddess. She didn't want us separated. Not like this."It just got worse," he said, his voice dropping lower. "It got unbearable."I blinked back the tears that burned in my eyes. His fists clenched at his sides."I have torn my house apart. I haven't slept. I can't even eat without choking on the scent of you filling my head. It's like you're everywhere. And the more I try to reject you again in my thoughts, the bond-""Got stronger," I finished it for him."Maybe it's not meant to be broken," I said, daring to step closer."Or maybe it's a curse," he said so harshly that I flinched."I can't lead with someone like you by my side," he said. "You're too weak to be a luna. You can barely even stand on your own, and your father still treats you like a child. And of course we cannot forget what your father did to mine."I turned my face away like he had just slapped me."I don't want a luna who cowers in corners when there's something hard. I don't want a luna who's okay with being abused by her father and kept in the basement. You barely even fought to get out."I snapped my head at him, shocked that he knew about it."Don't think I'm stupid, Seraphina. Of course I knew. I'm not a child. You barely cover your bruises well, and you wince in pain when you make certain movements. If you're too weak to stand up against your own father, then how can you-""That's not fair! How am I supposed to-""I need a warrior by my side," he interrupted in return.I felt my throat closing up as the truth started to hit me and I realized he wasn't here to take me to his pack like I had allowed myself to believe."So, that's it?" I asked. "You're going to reject me again?"He nodded once, and I could feel my heart breaking before he said the words."I, Alpha Kaelen of Crimson Wood Pack, reject you, Seraphina as my mate."We stood in silence as the bond didn't weaken. Instead, it surged.My heart slammed in response. As if he felt the same thing, his eyes widened and I saw his pupils dilate.He swayed forward like something unseen had yanked him toward me. I felt it as well. It was a pull, almost as if gravity had paused its work. His breath hitched and his eyes dropped to my mouth.He leaned in, so close.I felt the heat of his body and the storm in his eyes as he fought with himself internally while our lips almost brushed.He pulled back sharply, his breath ragged."This is wrong. You are wrong.""Don't leave me here. Please!" I begged as he turned around and started to walk off, but he didn't care to stop."Kaelen, please don't-""I won't be returning," he said over his shoulder, not giving me a look. "Not even if the goddess comes down to earth and begs me to."And just like that, he was gone.~When I was back at the house, Peter was waiting for me. As if he knew what had happened and could read it from my face, his face flushed with fury that made the walls around us tremble."You let it happen again!" He screamed at me, shoving me so hard that I hit the table in the middle of the living room. "You've humiliated me again!""I didn't mean to-"Like always, he didn't listen."Do you enjoy this?! You enjoy waiting me lose everything? Is this your revenge? You want power over me?! Fine. I'll give you power!"He dragged me down to the basement. The ritual circle was already drawn. The symbols were darker this time, more dangerous. There was something so wrong in the air now."I'll awaken whatever darkness sleeps in you," he said. "And you'll thank me for it."He began to chant. The silver was tighter around my wrist, burning and sizzling. The blood on my chest burned. The air thickened with pressure until I thought I'd shatter.And then something snapped."GET AWAY FROM ME!" I screamed out, and it sounded like something strange had woken up within me. The dim bulb hanging off the ceiling shattered, and I watched my father fly into the wall behind him.I pulled my arms and pulled myself free from the leather he had bound me in. I panted as I looked at the damage I had done. Peter was struggling to stand up, and I knew that was the chance I had."Seraphina!" He called after me, but I didn't listen.I was out of the basement in no time, rushing out of the house and into the woods until I was out of the pack borders and now running on uncharted and unclaimed land.I didn't know how long I ran, but I continued to go until my legs and my lungs gave out at the same time and I found myself on the ground, panting."You look like a mess."I gasped and turned around to find an unfamiliar man standing there with his hands on his waist, his head tilted as he took a good look at me.And maybe I should have stayed back. Maybe I should have run all the way to Kaelen's pack to beg him to let me stay.Because this mystery man would be the beginning of my problems.

‎

‎

‎

‎I need food....

‎

‎The thought slipped out of my mouth in a tired whisper as my stomach growled loudly in protest. I pressed a hand against my abdomen and exhaled slowly, trying to ignore the sharp emptiness clawing at my insides. I had been on the road for far too long. Days blurred together when you were a rogue, when the forest became your only shelter and the ground your only bed.

‎

‎The strange thing was how quiet everything had become.

‎

‎

‎Normally the forest would be alive with movement deer grazing somewhere in the distance, rabbits darting through the bushes, the occasional rustle of small creatures hiding beneath fallen leaves. But tonight there was nothing. No animals. No movement. Just the distant chirping of birds settling in their nests and the gentle whisper of the evening breeze weaving through the tall trees.

‎

‎It felt wrong.

‎

‎I lowered myself to the ground beside a large tree, leaning my back against the rough bark as I tried to catch my breath. The exhaustion in my body was starting to settle deep in my bones. Being banished from my pack had forced me to survive alone for longer than I cared to remember, but nights like this still reminded me how lonely the life of a rogue could be.

‎

‎My eyes drifted closed for a moment until a faint sound reached my ears.

‎

‎Footsteps.

‎

‎My eyes snapped open instantly.

‎

‎The sound came again, slow and careful, as if someone was trying not to be heard. I pushed myself to my feet, every muscle in my body alert as my instincts sharpened. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, restless and curious.

‎

‎I inhaled deeply, letting the forest air fill my lungs as I searched for a scent.

‎

‎An Omega.

‎

‎The realization left my lips in a quiet whisper as I began to follow the trail.

‎But something about the scent made my brows slowly knit together. It was strange... unpleasant even. Weak, almost fading, but mixed with something darker that I couldn't quite place.

‎

‎Curiosity tugged at me as I moved silently through the trees, stepping carefully over branches and roots while tracking the unfamiliar smell. The deeper I went into the forest, the stronger it became.

‎

‎Finally the scent led me to a small clearing And that was when I saw her.

‎

‎A young girl stood several feet away with her back facing me. Her shoulders were tense as if she expected danger to jump out from the shadows at any moment. Her clothes were torn and dirt stained the fabric, making her look like she had escaped from somewhere she was never meant to leave.

‎

‎I paused where I stood, watching her carefully.

‎

‎She was small. Petite. From the outside she looked like nothing more than a fragile Omega who had wandered too far from safety.

‎

‎But something about her presence made my wolf stir uneasily.

‎

‎There was more to her than what the eyes could see.

‎

‎It's was Power.

‎

‎I stepped a little closer, letting a faint smirk tug at the corner of my lips.

‎

‎"You look like a mess," I said casually.

‎The reaction was immediate.

‎

‎She spun around in panic, her bright blue eyes wide as they locked onto mine. Her breathing quickened and she stumbled a step back before quickly grabbing a piece of wood from the ground and raising it in front of her like a weapon.

‎

‎"Who are you?" she asked me

‎

‎I raised both hands slowly in surrender, the smirk still resting on my face.

‎

‎"Easy," I said calmly. "I'm not here to hurt you."

‎

‎Her grip on the stick tightened, her knuckles turning pale as she pointed it directly at me. The determination in her expression was almost amusing considering how weak she looked.

‎"That didn't answer my question," she snapped, her voice firm despite the nervous tremble beneath it. "Who are you?"

‎

‎A chuckle slipped out of my chest.

‎I glanced at the stick she held like it was supposed to protect her from a rogue wolf and shook my head slightly.

‎

‎"Relax," I said, amused. "That thing isn't going to do you any good."

‎

‎I paused then, realizing pushing her any further would only make her more defensive.

‎

‎"River," I finally said, lowering my hands slightly. "My name is River. I'm a rogue."

‎Her eyes flickered with something that almost looked like surprise. Slowly, the tension in her shoulders eased and the stick lowered a few inches.

‎

‎"You don't have a pack?" she asked quietly.

‎

‎I shook my head.

‎

‎"No," I replied simply. "I was banished."

‎For a moment she just stared at me. The sharp fear in her eyes softened slightly and something like sympathy crossed her face.

‎

‎"Oh," she whispered.

‎

‎The stick slowly slipped from her fingers and fell to the ground beside her feet.

‎"Your turn," I said after a moment, folding my arms loosely across my chest. "Who are you?"

‎

‎She hesitated before answering.

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‎"Seraphina."

‎

‎I studied her carefully, tilting my head slightly as my gaze traveled from her tangled hair to the dirt smeared across her clothes.

‎

‎"Seraphina," I repeated thoughtfully. "What is an Omega doing all the way out here alone?"

‎

‎She didn't respond immediately.

‎

‎"So what happened?" I continued, raising an eyebrow. "Did your pack banish you for being lazy and weak?"

‎

‎Her head snapped up instantly as she shook it.

‎

‎"No."

‎

‎The firmness in her voice caught my attention.

‎

‎"Then why are you here?" I asked.

‎She opened her mouth to speak but stopped halfway, her expression shifting as if she had suddenly reconsidered whatever truth she had been about to reveal but Instead she forced a small smile.

‎

‎"I ran away."

‎

‎The answer came too quickly. Too easily.

‎I knew she was lying.

‎

‎But I didn't push her. Everyone had their secrets, especially in the world we lived in.

‎"Alright," I said with a low growl of acceptance. "So where are you heading?"

‎Her shoulders slumped slightly.

‎

‎"I don't know," she admitted quietly. "I don't have anywhere to go."

‎

‎I studied her for another moment before shrugging lightly.

‎

‎"Well since you're basically a rogue now," I said, "you might as well stay with us."

‎Her head lifted instantly, confusion flashing across her face.

‎

‎"Us?"

‎

‎I chuckled.

‎

‎"Yeah. I'm not the only rogue around here. There's a group of us living deeper in the forest. We decided to make this place our home."

‎

‎She stared at me for a moment longer before speaking again, her voice softer this time.

‎

‎"Your wolf... feels different," she whispered. "It's special."

‎

‎A grin spread across my face.

‎

‎"I hear that a lot," I teased.

‎

‎Though deep down I knew my old pack had never called it special.

‎

‎They had called it cursed.

‎

‎I cleared my throat awkwardly, pushing the thought aside.

‎

‎"Come on," I said finally. "Let's get you somewhere safe. You look like you could use a place to rest."

‎

‎I reached out to take her hand, but she immediately pulled back as if the contact burned her.

‎

‎Her expression hardened slightly.

‎

‎"I can walk," she said.

‎

‎I raised my hands again with a small sigh.

‎

‎"Alright," I muttered. "Suit yourself."

‎

‎She gestured forward with a small nod.

‎"Lead the way. I'll follow."

‎

‎Shaking my head slightly, I turned and began walking deeper into the forest, the sound of her quiet footsteps trailing behind me as the darkness slowly swallowed the path ahead.

‎