Damien We gathered around Aunt Hera's final resting place, with a dark cloud of sorrow hanging above us. The cemetery was so quiet, with only the rustling of leaves in the wind and occasional mournful sniffles. I stood at the front of the grave, feeling lost and alone. It was upsetting to see Aunt Hera inside the casket, lifeless. We each held bunches of flowers as we stood in silence, paying our final respects. Penelope, Aunt Hera's adopted daughter, wept uncontrollably. I wrapped an arm around her, trying to comfort her as best I could. The mourners were gloomy. Leo, Isadora, and Anysia stood beside me. Xena and her husband held each other, with Xena sniffing into her handkerchief. My heart ached with grief. I remembered all the good times I had with Aunt Hera – her warm smile and infectious laugh, her meals that filled me, and her words of encouragement. "Being an Alpha is a giant responsibility," she'd always say. "Always remember to keep your friends close and your enemies
Katana I stood there, silent with my mouth opening and closing like a fish, not having an answer to his question. Zayn shook his head and scoffed. "You like him, don't you?" "Come on, Zayn, what is wrong with you? Can you stop making this more difficult than it is," I said, exasperated and tired of his accusations because my stupid wolf was mocking me. "Rules are rules, Zayn. Damien doesn't like me, and you shouldn't beat yourself up over him. Let's try to make the best of this situation." "Yeah right," he scoffed, angry and hurt, staring at me with disgust. I stared back at him without knowing what to say. Later that evening, a sea of omegas surged forward as we trudged along the dusty path, carrying our possessions on their backs or in hand-woven baskets on their heads. Little children held tightly onto their parents' hands and the elderly males and females who were bent and wrinkled shuffled along. A long line of people stretched into the distance as we went past the pack
Damien I stepped out of the omega house after a handful of them had gathered to express gratitude for my kindness. Responding with a nod, I walked away, heading back to the main pack house with a burden in my chest. My heart nursed my confusion and longing for Katana. At first, I lied to myself that I wasn't helping the omegas for Katana and assured myself I was going to put as much space between us as possible but I couldn't control myself and ended up in the omega kitchen in search of my mate. My body had become a slave to my need and the flaming desire for her burned bright but I couldn't have her. The distance between us was too wide to bridge.I couldn't belittle myself to mark an omega and end up losing the respect of my pack mates. But Katana's presence brought an animalistic hunger, filling me with raw need. I wanted her so badly that it manifested as physical pain. Unfortunately, our society's standards were like a stone wall separating us forever. A flashback of how
Katana's POV I woke up to the sound of loud bells that pierced through the peaceful silence of the room. Groaning loudly, I rubbed my eyes, shaking off the sleepy fog that clouded my mind. The softness of the bed cushioned my body, and I realized with a start that I hadn't slept so soundly in a long time. But the joy of a good night's rest was short-lived when I figured that the bells signaled the start of the compulsory pack run that my mother had told me about the night before. My heart beat hard against my chest, and I thought of escaping or hiding, but my mum was up, giving me a knowing smile. "Mum, do I have to go? You know I hate running." "It's compulsory, sweetie. You of all people should know that. It's still too early for us to have problems with our leaders." I collapsed on the bed, knowing I'd have to face Alpha Damien during the run and the thought alone caused an ache in the back of my throat. The other pack members buzzed with excitement, rushing to get ready fo
Katana Shocked, I couldn't believe what I was hearing and I tried to process the news that my mate already had a pregnant girlfriend. The reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks, and my heart ached. Why would the moon goddess pair me with someone who was already taken? Zayn, sensing my discomfort immediately stood up and shouted at the elder. "This is bullshit!" he yelled, his fists clenched at his sides. "There's no way I'm letting Katana clean the Alpha's quarters and serve his girlfriend!" Elder Logan laughed and Elder Quinton shook his head, a look of amusement on his face. "Zayn, your stubbornness would land you in deep trouble one day. The distribution of morning duty can't be changed. We all have to do our part and serve the pack so we don't get into trouble. Besides, the Alpha won't look at your girlfriend a second time. She's not his type." "Yeah right! " Zayn scoffed and walked away, cursing loudly. The thought of being close to the Alpha, serving him a
Damien Seeing Katana locked in an embrace with another male under the oak tree filled me with a burst of jealousy that threatened to rip me apart I stood off to the side, my eyes fixated on the couple as they kissed passionately. My wolf was pissed. So pissed that I had to control it, but my heart ached with longing as I watched them, wishing it was me in her arms instead. I’d returned from work earlier, itching to see my mate, and at the same time, filled with conflicting emotions. My friends had warned me about getting too close to her, but I couldn't help the way I felt no matter how hard I tried. Sometimes I wondered if it was a mistake letting the omegas in. Before coming downstairs, I headed to my unborn baby's almost completed nursery. I stood in the doorway, taking in all the details of the room. The blue walls with white accents, the white wooden crib, and the matching changing table all blended to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. Anysia didn't want the gender of
Katana I rushed inside the house, the rain, cold, and unshed tears following close behind me, and sighed at the warm atmosphere of the living room. My eyes searched around for Zayn, hoping he wouldn't probe me with questions. The room was lit by the soft glow of the fireplace, casting shadows on the walls. Some omegas were huddled together in the room, chatting animatedly and enjoying the warmth of the fire. I approached the fireplace, feeling its heat on my skin and breathing in the smoky and earthy scent of the burning logs. My mum caught sight of me standing beside the hearth and she eyed me from head to foot with a frown. "What were you doing out there in the rain?" Without saying anything, I shrugged my shoulders. Her frown disappeared, replaced with concern. "Katana, are you okay?" Another nod. "Come on now, you can tell me," she prodded, not believing my silence. The sound of the rain tapped against the windows. I blinked back tears, trying to keep my emotions in
Damien's POV At the morning run, my eyes searched for Katana among the group of omegas. They still looked uncomfortable under the scrutinizing gaze of the higher-ranking werewolves. I took a mental note to address this issue, it was unacceptable for anyone, especially the omegas. They needed to feel safe. Katana was nowhere to be found. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't stop thinking about her. She was always there, even in my dreams. The knowledge that we could never be together was a constant weight on my chest. Xena ran beside me, her breath heavy with exertion. "Dude, what's with the long face?" she asked, her tone lighthearted. "You look like a storm cloud is following you. Did someone steal your favorite ice cream?" I rolled my eyes, feeling a knot form in my throat. "I'm good, thanks for noticing.” The sun beat down on us, making us sweat and our breathing became heavy. Xena wouldn't let up, "Come on Damien, what's wrong? Is it the Omega girl?" Slowing down, I sighe