The Omega Fated to Michelle

8. Michael Point of View

The next morning, I woke to the warmth of Michelle still curled up against me. The scent of vanilla and cinnamon surrounded me, grounding me in the moment, making me wish I could freeze time and keep her here, safe in my arms, forever. But the moment I opened my eyes, reality crashed back in like a tidal wave.

My family.

The pack.

The Elders.

None of them would ever allow this.

And the longer I held onto Michelle without telling her the truth, the worse it was going to get.

I had barely moved when my phone vibrated against the nightstand. I groaned, shifting just enough to reach for it without disturbing Michelle. The second I saw Jason’s name on the screen, a weight settled in my chest.

We need to talk. Now.

I exhaled slowly, running a hand down my face. I didn’t need to ask what this was about. I already knew.

Gently, I untangled myself from Michelle and slid out of bed, tucking the blanket around her before grabbing my shirt from the chair and pulling it over my head. She shifted slightly but didn’t wake, and for that, I was grateful. I wasn’t ready to explain why I was about to leave.

The moment I stepped out of the room and closed the door behind me, Jason was already waiting for me down the hall, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. Mark stood beside him, leaning against the wall with his usual mix of indifference and quiet intensity.

Neither of them looked happy.

“I figured this was coming,” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck as I walked toward them.

“You figured right,” Jason said flatly. “Dad knows.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I stiffened, my fingers curling into fists. “What?”

Mark sighed. “He knows you’ve been spending time with Michelle. He knows she’s not just some girl to you.” He glanced at Jason before continuing, his voice lowering. “And he knows she’s your mate.”

I cursed under my breath, my pulse hammering. “How the hell does he know?”

Jason’s jaw tightened. “The Elders suspected something was going on, so they started watching you. They saw how you act around her. It wasn’t hard to put the pieces together.”

Of course they had been watching me. The pack had never fully trusted me, not as an omega, not as someone who was supposed to be weak, disposable. And now, they had every reason to tighten their grip.

Mark stepped forward, his gaze hard. “You need to be careful, Michael. Dad was already pissed that you weren’t following orders, but now? Now, he’s considering pulling you from school entirely. He doesn’t want you anywhere near Michelle.”

A cold wave of anger crashed over me. “He can’t do that.”

Jason scoffed. “He can and he will if you don’t tread carefully.” He lowered his voice, stepping closer. “Michael, you know how this works. The pack doesn’t allow human mates. They see it as a weakness, a liability. They will do whatever it takes to keep you from her, whether you like it or not.”

I felt my control slipping, my wolf clawing at the edges of my consciousness. The idea of being forced away from Michelle, of being made to stay away from her, made something dark and primal stir inside me.

“What do I do?” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jason hesitated, then sighed. “For now? You lay low. Keep your head down, don’t give them any more reasons to be suspicious. If you fight them on this now, they’ll only tighten the leash. But if you wait, if you bide your time… we can figure something out.”

Mark nodded. “We’ve got your back, but you need to be smart about this. The Elders aren’t above forcing separation if they think it’s for the good of the pack.”

The implication was clear.

If the Elders truly believed Michelle was a threat, they wouldn’t just take me away from her. They would eliminate the problem entirely.

I clenched my jaw, every instinct in me screaming to fight, to protect, to do something. But Jason was right. If I made a move too soon, it would only make things worse.

For now, I had to play the game.

I nodded stiffly. “Fine. But if they try anything, I’m not just going to sit back and let it happen.”

Jason sighed but didn’t argue. “We’ll figure it out.”

I turned to leave, but Jason called my name again, his voice quieter now.

“Michael… I get it. I do. I know you feel like she’s your whole world, and maybe she is. But the pack doesn’t see it that way. And if you’re not careful, they’ll do whatever it takes to make sure she’s out of the picture.”

I didn’t respond.

I didn’t need to.

Because I already knew that no matter what the pack did, no matter what the Elders decided, nothing—nothing—was going to keep me from Michelle.

Once Jason and Mark left, I didn’t return to bed. I couldn’t—not with the pack’s threats circling in my mind like vultures. Instead, I threw on my gear and headed straight to the training grounds before the sun had even broken through the trees. My fists needed something to hit more than my thoughts needed peace.

The clearing was empty when I arrived, the dew still clinging to the grass. I started with footwork drills—forward, back, side pivot, feint, repeat. The rhythm calmed my thoughts but didn’t quiet the fire in my chest.

By the time Liam arrived, I was already sweating, my pulse high from the weight circuits I’d added to my routine. He didn’t say anything at first—just tossed his duffle down and pulled off his shirt, exposing the battle-hardened lines of an Alpha-in-training.

“I’m not going easy today,” he said as he stepped into the ring.

I smirked. “Wouldn’t be fun if you did.”

We circled each other like wolves—not shifted, but just as lethal. The moment he lunged, I ducked, twisted, and drove my elbow into his ribs before rolling away. His growl was low, threatening. I heard Mateo laugh in the back of my mind.

He hates that you’re faster.

Every day, Liam and I trained together. And every day, it became less about getting stronger and more about dominance. He hit harder; I hit smarter. He burned with Alpha pride; I danced with precision honed by years of having to be better than everyone just to be seen.

He came at me again, this time trying to grapple me to the ground. I twisted my body, using his momentum against him and flipping him onto his back. The thud was satisfying.

“You’re slipping,” I said, panting.

He snarled as he stood. “You’re getting cocky.”

“No,” I replied, stepping back into my stance. “I’m getting tired of pretending I don’t belong here.”

It wasn’t just about me anymore. It was about Michelle. About proving to the pack, to Liam, to everyone, that I was more than an omega. That I could protect her, stand beside her—even against someone like him.

We sparred until the sky lightened to pink and our bodies were slick with sweat and bruises. Liam landed some solid hits—my jaw would be sore for days—but by the time we ended, I was still standing.

And he was the one fuming.

“You’re going to overstep one day, Michael,” he warned as we toweled off. “And when you do, I won’t hold back.”

I met his gaze, unflinching. “Neither will I.”

As I walked off the field, sore but steady, I felt the weight of what was coming press heavier on my shoulders. But I welcomed it. Because every punch I threw, every hit I took, was for her. For Michelle.

Let them try to take her from me.

I’d be ready.

Liam Point of View

Every morning, before the sun crested over the ridge of our territory, I stood at the edge of the training grounds, watching Michael.

He wasn’t like the rest of them.

He was faster.

Sharper.

Hungrier.

And worse—he was starting to beat me.

It didn’t happen all at once. At first, he slipped past my blocks with unexpected footwork. Then came the silent dodges. The perfect timing. The bone-jarring hits that made my ribs ache.

The first time he knocked me flat on my back, I thought it was a fluke.

But it wasn’t.

The second time, he did it in front of two of the junior Alphas. The third time, in front of my father.

Now? Now he was doing it on purpose.

Every. Single. Day.

The pack hadn’t said anything—not yet. But they saw it. They saw the way Michael moved like a ghost through the obstacle courses. How he could shift and strike before most of us finished our first warm-up rounds. How the Omega nobody had once deemed too weak to defend a pup was now taking down future Alphas like they were made of paper.

And they were starting to whisper.

About him.

Not me.

I clenched my fists as I watched him today, shirt clinging to his sweat-slicked chest, his movements fluid and effortless as he flipped one of the Beta trainees over his shoulder like it was nothing. His eyes glinted when they met mine—like he knew.

Like he enjoyed being better.

I stepped into the sparring ring without a word, and Michael followed, wiping his face with a towel and tossing it aside. He didn’t flinch as I stalked toward him. He even grinned.

“Another round?” he asked casually.

“You’re not special,” I said coldly, circling him. “You’re just lucky.”

Michael didn’t rise to the bait. “Maybe,” he said with a shrug. “But lucky or not, I’m still winning.”

I launched forward before the last syllable even left his mouth.

Fist met forearm. Knee met ribs. He dodged, twisted, landed a punch under my chin that snapped my head back and nearly made me bite my tongue in half. I stumbled but caught myself.

The crowd was silent. Watching.

Judging.

By the fifth exchange, I was bleeding from my lip and Michael hadn’t even broken stride. His breathing wasn’t even strained.

And that’s when something inside me snapped.

I walked off the mat.

Not because I couldn’t keep going. But because I couldn’t take the way they looked at him.

Like he was Alpha.

Like he was the future.

I stormed to the lockers, grabbed my phone, and linked Kody.

We need to talk.

About what? Kody replied lazily, probably still in bed.

Michelle. I hesitated for only a second before typing the next part.

If you really want to keep her away from Michael… I’ll help you.

There was a pause.

Then, finally:

Where and when?

Tonight. My side of the forest. Don’t be late.

I ended the link and stared at my reflection in the glass door of the training hall. My hair was wild. Blood on my chin. Eyes rimmed with something I didn’t recognize anymore—bitterness.

Michael was rising. Too fast.

If the pack kept looking at him like that… like he was more than what he was born to be…

Then I’d make sure Michelle never laid eyes on him again.

Even if it meant breaking every rule to do it.

Watching Michael train used to be something I tolerated. Encouraged, even. He was an omega with potential, and I believed every wolf deserved the chance to grow stronger, to prove themselves. That belief was easy to hold—until he started beating me.

Day after day, he sparred harder. Landed faster hits. Recovered quicker. At first, I chalked it up to luck. Maybe a fluke. But it wasn’t long before the flukes became patterns, and patterns became something undeniable.

He was better.

Not in rank. Not in bloodline.

But in skill.

And every time I hit the mat, staring up at the smug expression he didn’t even mean to wear, something inside me cracked.

Michael was just an omega.

An omega.

And I was the future Alpha.

The pack watched these fights. Warriors. Elders. Even my father had come to observe once or twice. Each time I faltered, I felt their eyes burn into my back. Each time Michael helped me up, offered me a hand, or worse—didn’t offer at all—I heard whispers.

“He’s faster than Liam now.”

“Michael’s really stepped up.”

“How long until the Elders notice?”

I wanted to snap their necks just for breathing.

I started doubling my training. Pushing myself harder, running longer, lifting more. I skipped meals. Missed sleep. But no matter what I did, Michael stayed ahead.

And Michelle—sweet, stubborn Michelle—kept choosing him.

She didn’t even know what he was. What we all were. But she kept looking at him like he was her entire world. Like he mattered more than the truth.

It made something vile curl in my gut.

So, I made a choice.

If Michael wouldn’t stay away from her, then I’d help someone who would keep her away from him.

I found Kody behind the school gym, leaned against the wall like the world owed him a favor. His expression was unreadable—part cocky, part cold—but when I told him my plan, he listened.

“She doesn’t know what she’s doing,” I said, my voice low and controlled. “She’s getting dragged into something dangerous. You want to protect her, don’t you?”

Kody didn’t answer right away, but then he nodded. “Fine. But we do it my way.”

And for a time, it worked.

I gave him excuses to pull her away. Helped him reroute class schedules. Got her picked up early for fake family errands. Did everything I could to keep Michael from seeing her alone.

But it didn’t last.

Because Kody—i***t that he was—had a change of heart.

He came to me one afternoon, his eyes flashing with something I hadn’t seen before. Guilt. Or maybe something worse—loyalty.

“I’m done,” he said. “She’s not a pawn, Liam. And I’m not helping you control her.”

My jaw clenched. “Control? I’m trying to protect her. From him. From what’ll happen when she finds out what he is.”

“She’s stronger than you think,” Kody said. “And Michael—he’s not the enemy here. You are.”

It happened before I could stop it.

I punched him.

Hard.

He hit the ground, wiped his bleeding lip, and didn’t even bother hitting back.

“We’re done,” he said quietly. “Don’t ever come near her again.”

And just like that, the last shred of our friendship shattered.

I stood alone in the shadows of my own decisions, seething with resentment. Michael had Michelle. Kody had turned his back. And every day I woke up knowing I was the one being left behind.

And I wasn’t sure how much longer I could take it.