Only Omega

Chapter Ten.

The sun was just starting to rise over the horizon when I woke up the next morning to take a shower and get ready for my training session with Caine, Brice, Drake and Liam. 

By the time I walked out of the bathroom dressed in a pair of black running shorts, a grey sports bra, trainers and one of Hayden’s oversized red hoodies, he was on his stomach groaning with his face in one of the pillows.

“Do you have to leave so damn early?” Hayden asked as I worked on tying my hair up in a high pony tail. The clock on the nightstand read quarter to six and I hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

“Yes or else Caine’s going to have my head” I said walking towards the bedroom door, on the way there patting his foot that stuck out from under the blankets.

“Common get up” I ushered, hearing him groan in reply as I headed across the hall to the spare bedroom where Holden was already awake and crying. I opened the curtains then scooped his thrashing body up, cooing at him as I made my way out the door and downstairs to the kitchen.

“Hayden! Up!” I called hearing a low grunt come from the master bedroom.

Downstairs I heated one of Holden’s bottles and started on making coffee. When Hayden walked into the room, stretching and looking like a zombie I was already bottle feeding Holden.

“Tomorrow I’m sleeping in” he grumbled then snatched his coffee up from the kitchen counter to try and wake himself with the use of the caffeine.

“You’re not the one that was up most of the night changing and bottle feeding Holden so stop complaining” I said rolling my eyes at his childish tantrum. Hayden shot me a twitchy eyed look then took a gulp of his coffee.

“He wouldn’t stop crying” Hayden grouched glaring at Holden who had just finished his bottle. Lifting him up I started patting his back to try and burp him like Marie showed me.

“You’re acting like a spoiled brat, now shut up and drink your coffee” he grumbled something to himself under his breath as I worked on whipping the spit from Holden’s mouth with his baby towel.

“It’s not my fault that you’ve got training with the Alpha so why do I have to get up like three hours early?” he asked dumping his empty coffee mug into the sink as I worked on packing Holden’s baby bag since Rebecca offered to take care of him while I trained.

“Because if you want breakfast-.” I paused slinging the baby bag over my shoulder then paused to look at a grumpy Hayden “Then you better start making it” with that I turned and headed for the front door, hearing Hayden complain about something followed by the sound of pots and pans falling and a string of curses.

I laughed shaking my head from side to side as I started towards the pack house with Holden yawning in my arms. I had roughly five minutes to reach the pack house before I'd meet up with Alpha Caine at the training grounds. I got there in under three and luckily Rebecca was already waiting in her nightgown outside on the back porch.

“Morning dear, how is he?” she asked referring to a now fast asleep Holden who had his little fists clenched as he slept.

“Morning Rebecca. He’s doing fine, I bottle fed him this morning so he’s good for at least another hour or so” I informed handing Holden over to her when she held her arms out to take him from me along with his baby bag.

 “Alright dear, Caine’s already waiting for you at the clearing” she said as I retreated down the porch steps and jogged backwards towards the forest tree line.

“Got it! Thanks again for looking after him mom!” the word slipped past my lips before I could stop it and when Rebecca heard it she froze.

“Y-You’re welcome dear” she stuttered blinking at me as I turned on my heels and jogged all the way back to the clearing near the lake house. By the time I got there I was already a few minutes late.

“Sorry I’m late I had to drop Holden off at the pack house before-.” I was cut off when Caine turned to look at me with an understanding gaze.

“Your scent has changed” I unzipped Hayden’s hoodie and tossed it to the side then rolled my shoulders to try and stretch out my aching muscles.

“I did as I was told father” I replied and Brice stepped forward with his arms crossed over his rock hard chest. All four men were tone and built in comparison to Brett, Beau and even Tate.

“Good, by following an order it proves your loyalty to the pack” Caine said then turned placing a firm hand on Drake’s shoulder before looking back at me “Let’s start, shall we? Drake you’re up first” Drake nodded and stepped forward. 

“Let’s see if you’re really as good as you think you are kid” Drake smirked as I got down and pressed my clenched fist against the still damp forest floor.

“I'm not as good as I think I am...I’m better” I said smirking up at the Gamma, just waiting for him to make a move and when his feet shifted I lunged. He dodged every repeated punch I threw until I got agitated when he ducked and was able to trip me. I landed on my back with such force that the air was knocked right out of my lungs.

“Impatient are we?” Drake teased while towering over me. I glared at him then with as much upper body strength as possible I lifted my butt off the ground and sent my foot connecting hard with his face. He stumbled back and by the time he turned to glare at me, I was already up on both feet charging at him. My fist connected with his stomach and my shoulder rammed into his chest. having enough of an impact to throw him onto his back.

“Quick to judge I see” I mocked crossing my arms over my chest as I stood a fair amount of distance away from his fallen form. Drake chuckled as he slowly got up and wiped the blood awat from the corner of his mouth.

“Not bad kid, I’ll give you that” he muttered then without warning he attacked, his fist raised and ready to swing. Thinking fast I sent a side kick to his face hearing a sickening c***k as his fist just barely missed me. He stumbled back in surprise then reached up to examine his nose.

“Dude, you’re getting your ass kicked by a teenage girl!” Liam called from the side lines earning himself the finger as Drake snapped his broken nose back into place. Brice was laughing hysterically while Caine only stood emotionlessly watching in silance.

“Shut up!” Drake growled at both Brice and Liam who were clinging to each other just to stay upright. Drake was so focused on them that I could see the perfect window and took it by kicking up and hitting his jaw. When Drake stumbled back I whipped round and sent a round house kick into his chest knocking him onto his back.

“What the-obstruction!” Drake called past a swollen tongue and spitting blood. That had both Liam and Brice roaring with laughter while Caine looked on with a stone hard gaze.

“Yeah well the enemy aren’t going to wait for you to finish your conversation, now are they?” I asked seeing a smirk make its way onto Caine’s lips as he nodded his head in approval. The look in his eyes was a mix between pride and joy and in that moment I knew that Caine didn’t just help me by allowing me to join his pack, I helped him as well by giving it a future.

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By the time we finished with training and I’d gone a few rounds with Liam and Brice, pack members starting filling in for the regular daily training session. I was downing a bottle of water while Drake was still trying to stop his nose from bleeding. I had a bruise on the side of my face, a busted lip, a slit eyebrow and a crooked nose from the days heated session.

“Not bad kid, not bad at all” Liam complimented raising his water bottle to me before he took a swing. Brice was leaned up against a tree beside Drake who was sitting on one of Zander’s gurneys.

“I’d say she taught you a thing or two huh buddy?” Brice mocked, smacking Drake’s back and gripping his shoulder while he smirked with a teasing glint in his auburn gold eyes.

“Shut up” Drake grunted, sticking another tissue into his nose while Liam chuckled lowly from his place on one of Zander’s medical crates  in the shade of a nearby tree.

“Aw don’t be a sour puss bro, at least you tried” I couldn’t help but smile as I looked at them bickering back and forth and pulling each other’s legs like a couple of teenagers.

“I said shut up Liam” Drake said in a threatening tone as he looked at his best friend who was sporting a busted lip of his own but at least he and Brice both held their dignity by getting a few good blows in.

“Well someone’s pissed they got their ass whooped” Brice taunted, knowing fairly well that he was testing his friends patience and homicidal tolerance.

“I was going easy on her” Drake repeated his excuse to try and regain at least some of his pride. I chuckled along with the rest of them and took another sip of my water when something caught my eye. Brett, Beau and Hayden along with Marie were stood on the other side of the clearing looking at me with wide eyes, shocked that i was interacting with higher ranking wolves.

“What’s up kid?” Brice asked when he noticed my distraction but I shook it off and turned my attention back to the group.

“Nothing just stiff is all, you guys really took it out of me” I grinned especially at Brice who managed to get in the most blows but at the price of a bruise on the left side of his face the size of my clenched fist.

“I think I’m getting rusty” I muttered causing Drake to scoff and Liam to smirk at Brice from over Drake’s wide shoulders.

“Rusty? Yeah right” Drake huffed, causing me to laugh at his damaged ego. While Brice leaned back against the tree with his hands folded behind his head “Bullshit, I just think you needed a good kick start and that right there was your engine revving” I couldn’t help but shake my head at Brice’s way of explaining things. It caused a sincere smile to spread across my face.

“Caine looked pleased though” Liam suddenly said glancing around at the packed clearing before taking another sip of his water. That’s when I noticed that Caine wasn’t there anymore.

“Speaking of, where’d he head off to?” I asked when I couldn’t find his usual tense self, leaning up against a nearby tree with his muscular arms crossed over his chest. Brice shrugged sticking his hands into the pockets of his sweats.

“Said he had to take care of some pack business regarding the Helix” I tried recalling everything I knew about the Helix pack but all I could come up with was that they were a pack in the North with a tendency to mix with Rogues.

“Such filth shouldn’t mingle with Tyrants” Drake spat at the mention of them for some reason having a strong hatred towards them. Liam didn’t look pleased either.

“What could those scums want with us?” he asked and Brice leaned his head back on the tree he was bracing his back against, shrugging his shoulders carelessly.

“Don’t know, my guess is that they want a truce after what happened with Cowen” Brice mumbled while Drake snorted pulling the now bloody tissues out of his nose to toss them aside on the gurney. His nose wasn’t bleeding anymore.

“That son of a b***h got what he deserved” Cowen was the Helix pack Alpha and one of the few unmated Alpha’s to lead a pack without a Luna. Liam grunted rubbing at his still throbbing jaw.

“Just pissed it wasn’t us dishing out the punishment” Brice chuckled lowly always being the one to find something funny in the most serious of moments “Damn Raptors” he breathed smirking up at the gaps in the tree branches above him.

The Raptor pack was a pack known for their animalistic traits and sinister punishments, they’re worse than Rogues and much more lethal.

“They cut those Helix mutts down to size though” Drake pointed out with a grin of his own plastered across his face. I’d heard about the Helix pack being under attack a few weeks earlier from my father but I never suspected it to be the Raptors that attacked them.

“So what’s the deal? They want to form a truce because their scared?” I asked fully interested in the topic. Zander was close by going over some papers on his clip board while the training got underway.

“More like dwindling” Liam put in, glancing out onto the clearing where two guys were going at it but it was Brice who explained “Their numbers have fallen from over a hundred to less than twenty after the attack” 

I nodded fiddling with the water bottle in my hands as I swung my legs back and forth under the berth I was sitting on “Makes sense, if I was Cowen I’d want to do the same for the safety of my pack”

Drake shot me a look out of the corner of his eye for the first time since our fight, having the pride to meet my gaze.

“But then again if you were Caine and you made the pact wouldn’t there be consequences?” he asked turning back to watch the fight. I glanced down at the ground thinking over what would happen if I decided to make the truce.

“The Raptors would come after us for whatever's left of the Helix pack” I muttered and Liam nodded, tipping his bottle back to take a swing.

“So would you make that pact?” he questioned, causing all of their attentions to fall upon me including Zander's attention, who was now interested in the topic.

“No” I plainly stated, shocking both Brice and Zander who were clearly expected me to say ‘yes’. When they only looked at me with furrow brows I continued “The lives of an entire pack out way the lives of a few survivors” if I knew anything from my time spent with my father it was that the Raptors never left any survivors “It’s too big of a risk to take”

Brice’s jaw tightened as he looked at me eyes roaming my form as I focused on the training taking place.

“And if Caine took it, what would happen?” he asked and I flicked my eyes over to his for a split second. Slowly I brought my bottle to my lips.

“War” I said, shrugging as I threw my head back and took a few quick gulps. Zander looked ready to say something but was cut off when a loud c***k rang through the clearing. Tuning in on the fight, I noticed that one of the guys were knocked out cold while the other was being held back by a few other guys.

“Damn it!” Zander exclaimed, rushing towards the knocked out guy with his medical bag in hand. I moved my attention towards the snarling opponent that looked oddly familiar.

“Who’s that?” I asked, jabbing my chin towards the guy still being pinned down by a few others. Drake groaned and Brice chuckled once again slapping his friend's back.

“That’s my son, Tyler” Drake mumbled, shrugging off Brice’s hand that was gripping his shoulder while Liam grinned at his two companions.

“And the next in line Enforcer” Liam put in while I was focused on the guy with dark hair and light hazel eyes who looked exactly like his father. I nodded while Brice decided to start teasing Drake again.

“Like father, like son” Drake shot him a glare which only caused both Liam and Brice to roar with laughter. I wasn’t paying attention though.

“Rachel!” my head whipped round at the sound of the deep and demanding voice only to find Caine stood nearby.

“Father” I breathed standing from my place on the berth, which was then used by Zander for the unconscious fighter, to bow my head.

“To what do I owe the honour?” I asked taking on the role of a future Luna perfectly. Caine crossed his arms over his chest, staring directly at a still struggling Tyler “He wants a fight so give him one” I couldn’t help but grin at his confidence in me as I placed my half empty water bottle down on one of the medical tables.

“It would be my pleasure father” I said untying Hayden’s red hoodie from around my waist and dropping it on the gurney beside Drake who’s jaw was dropped.

“But Alpha he-.” Caine cut him off with a raise of his hand and Drake reluctantly snapped his jaw shut.

“Now” Caine ordered, his hard gaze staring directly at me and I nodded heading out onto the clearing where two males were struggling to hold Tyler at bay .

“What are you? Crazy? Can’t you see he’s losing control?” one of the guys snapped at me as I approached and I ignored him since he clearly didn’t know who he was talking to. I stopped in front of Tyler whose eyes were turning a piercing black.

“Let him go” I said and the other guy looked at me like I was insane with neither of them dropping their hold on Tyler’s arms.

“I said let him go!” I ordered unable to contain the demanding growl in my voice that caught everyone’s attention. One of the guys gulped, the other nodded then they both let go of Tyler hurriedly backing off. 

Tyler dropped to his knees and snarled up at me with his canines extended, challenging me. My wolf didn’t like being challenged and the threat of her fellow pack mate triggered something inside of her to snap. Opening my jaws and exposing my teeth, a loud snarl ripped up from my core as I pinned him down with my hand wrapped around his neck and claws digging into his skin. 

My face was inches away from his as he cowered back and I tossed him down by his throat. Pulling away I squeezed my eyes shut trying to calm my inner Alpha only to have Tyler shift in front of me. Bones cracked and painful cries erupted from his lips, it was a forced shift brought on by his wolf. The dark brown with patches of a lighter chestnut coloured wolf lunged at me, trying to dig its canines into my exposed neck but I leaned back just barely dodging his attack and without thinking I grabbed hold of his muzzle, forcing his mouth s**t which such a force that blood leaked from its corners. 

My eyes were flickering from blue to black as I fought against my wolf to lower a whimpering Tyler down enough so that I could crouched over his trashing body. My wolf snarled at him again until his eyes turned back to a light hazel colour and the fear in them was evident. I threw him to the ground and stood with my fists clenched at my sides and jaw tightened.

“Rachel!” Caine bellowed and glancing back at him from over my shoulder I could see the fear in Drake’s eyes as he stared, gaping at his son.

“We leave tonight for Titan territory!” turning my eyes to look at Caine, I could see the proud gleam in his stormy grey eyes as he stared at me with his usual set in stone features.

“Yes father” I replied, bowing my head in submission then turned to head off in the direction of the pack house. On my way I pushed past Marie, Brett and Hayden while Cameron and Beau shared a look. 

My loyalty and gratitude towards the Alpha stood strong.

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By the time I reached the pack house it was almost midday and Rebecca was sitting on the back porch with Holden in her lap, playing with one of the toys from Zander’s baby bag.

“Hello dear” Rebecca greeted warmly as I took the seat across from her with a heavy sigh.

“Rough day?” she asked as Holden babbled which caused spit to trail down from his plum pink lips. Rebecca quickly wiped it away with his towel before it could get to the blue baby grow he was wearing.

 “You have no idea” I grumbled, sinking further down into the lawn chair as Holden struggled against Rebecca, kicking his feet snuggly wrapped in a pair of white socks.

“Alright, alright you want to go to mommy? Here’s mommy” Rebecca said handing Holden over to me so that he could sit on my lap, still playing with his green dinosaur plush toy .

“He’s a mama’s boy through and through” Rebecca stated shaking her head with a small smile plastered across her face. I took his toy from him and started playing with him, causing him to laugh with his big blue eyes smiling up at me.

“He’s such a sweetheart” Rebecca gushed as I kissed Holden’s tiny cheek, making a loud noise by blowing against his skin. He looked startled at first but then started talking to me in his little baby babble.

“I really can’t thank you enough for this Rebecca” I said as Holden reached for my hair still tied up in a high pony tail. The petite blonde shot me a tender smile as she looked down at Holden with so much love and happiness.

“Nonsense dear, I don’t mind looking after him” she reassured when Holden managed to get his small hands on a lock of my hair, tugging on it in frustration.

“I take it he enjoyed his day with grandma then?” I asked almost teasingly and the woman threw her head back laughing at my words.

“Goodness! Luckily I don’t look that old yet child” she hushed, swatting her hand at me before continuing “But I trust that his day with me and Nattily was durable” 

I grinned pocking Holden’s side and making him giggle happily in my lap. At that moment someone broke through the tree line and looking up I noticed that it was Hayden and Cameron with the others trailing behind.

“You want to go to daddy?” I asked Holden while snuggling my face into the side of his head near where his ear was. He babbled something then started thrashing “Okay let’s go to daddy” with that I stood up smiling brightly as I braced Holden on my hip, heading across the yard towards the group. They all stopped to stare at me as I approached.

“Holden wants his daddy” I said handing Holden over to him and as soon as Hayden had him the baby stuck his hand into Hayden’s mouth. Smiling I leaned in and placed a kiss to my mate's cheek.

“How’s your day been so far?” I asked pulling back to hand Holden’s toy over to him. His small hands instantly reached for the toy, leaving Hayden’s pore mouth alone.

“Tiring” he grumbled, adjusting Holden to sit more comfortably on his hip before he turned to me.

“Yours?” he asked holding his red hoodie that I left at the clearing out for me to take “You forgot this” he added motioning towards the hoodie and I took it, shrugging it on as I worked on re-tying my hair into a pony tail.

“Thanks, it was interesting training with the guys” I said sticking my hands into the pockets of Hayden’s unzipped hoodie. Marie scoffed one hand on her hip.

“Interesting? You were talking tactics like some ex-military tactician!” she exclaimed and I couldn’t help but laugh at her exasperated hand flailing. Beau nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, what was that all about?” he asked crossing his arms over his chest with a slight amused smirk plastered across his face. I shrugged my shoulders.

“Some Alpha business with the Helix pack” I muttered turning around to head back towards the porch where Rebecca was pouring us some lemonade.

“The Helix pack?” Beau asked coming up on my left hand side as we walked with Hayden on my right.

“As in the pack that has an alliance with Rogues and deals in the black market?” he continued giving me an odd look as I stopped to look at him, causing everyone around us to stop along with me.

“Yes, that one” I said then started walking again until I reached the porch. I dropped back into my chair and snatched up one of the already filled glasses “Thanks Rebecca” I thanked, taking a sip of the freshly made lemonade.

“No problem dear” she assured with a heart-warming smile as Beau took a seat across from me with Marie on the porch railing and Brett next to her. Cameron was sitting on the porch steps and Hayden joined me at the table along with Holden in his lap.

“Okay so what do they want?” Beau probed while the rest of them waited expectantly and Hayden tried to get Holden to let go of his ear.

“A truce” I said fiddling with the glass in my hands. Marie reached across and grabbed her own glass shooting a quick ‘thanks’ to Rebecca.

“What for?” Marie asked and everyone turned to glance at her. My eyes stared out at the tree line ahead deep in thought “The Raptors attacked Cowen’s territory and slaughtered off most of his pack members” I replied and it was Cameron’s turn to speak as he turned from his seat to look at me with his back pressed up against the porch railing “Most?” I nodded once taking another sip of the cold lemon flavoured drink before setting the glass back down on the table top.

“More than half of his pack” I informed when Holden started squirming in Hayden’s lap trying to get to me with his tiny hands reaching out for me to take him.

“But why would the Raptors want to take down Cowen’s pack?” Brett asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Taking Holden I gently set him in my lap before focusing back into the conversation “My guess is that it has something to do with the black market” Holden babbled in my lap then put his plush toy into his mouth only for me to take it from him and replace it with a pacifier.

“You’re not wrong” snapping my attention towards the porch sliding glass door, I found none other than Tate with a black eye, a bruised nose and a scar forming on the side of his face.

“Tate” I said lowly while everyone else just stared. He turned his cold, emotionless gaze to me but it held respect instead of anger and rage like I’d expected.

“Luna” he greeted bowing his head in submission before he sat down on the porch’s love seat across from the table “As I was saying, you’re not wrong about the black market hunch” I looked him over with uncertain eyes not shore if I could trust him but when I found no reason not to I nodded leaning forward in my seat to listen.

“Both the Helix and Raptors have bad reputations when it comes to dealing in the black market” I thought it over, taking a sip of my half-finished lemonade. Beau shot Tate a furrowed brow look then glanced back at me when I spoke.

“Cowen could’ve had something that Reign wanted” I mumbled staring down at the wooden floor boards of the back porch.

“So the Raptors attack, get what they want, why would they still be after Cowen’s pack?” Beau asked while Brett and Cameron nodded. Tate ran a frustrated hand through his hair not bothering to look at anyone except me.

“Maybe Cowen still has what they want” I muttered more to myself than anyone else but most of them seemed to hear me including Tate. The muscular giant raised his head from staring at the ground to lock eyes with me.

“That’s what I’m thinking” he said lowly when Holden all of a sudden started tugging at Hayden’s red hoodie that I wore and began crying catching Tate’s attention.

“Cute kid” Tate complimented, jerking his chin in Holden’s direction.

“Thanks, his name’s Holden” I introduced just as Rebecca came out onto the porch with an apron on and a concerned look on her face as she hurried over to me and Holden.

“Oh goodness what happened?” she asked and I just had to smile at her concern for Holden just like a real grandmother.

“He’s fine, he just started crying, has he had his bottle yet?” I assured her and she calmed down tossing the kitchen cloth she was using to dry her hands onto her shoulder.

“Yes dear, I think he’s just tired” she informed, holding her hands out to take Holden from me.

“Here I’ll take him to get some rest, you two should probably start packing for your trip” she said glancing between me and Hayden before shooting Tate a glance as she shifted Holden onto her hip.

“You’re probably right, thanks again for looking after Holden for me, Rebecca” I thanked downing the rest of my drink as I went to stand with Hayden following. Rebecca waved her hand dismissively.

“Like I said, it’s no problem dear” with that she disappeared back into the house with Holden’s baby bag slung over her shoulder and him nearly fast asleep on her side. She was cooed at him softly as she went.

“Well I guess that’s our cue” I said stretching out my sore muscles while Tate stood along with us.

“Luna” he greeted, bowing his head to show respect towards me before he disappeared into the house most likely heading towards Doctor Zander’s medical rooms. Hayden looked at me with furrowed brows as if asking me what got into Tate and I simply just shrugged.

“You did a number on him” Cameron suddenly spoke catching both my and Hayden’s attentions.

“My dad said that Tate told him about how much respect he has for you after what happened” he explained and I nodded in understanding. Most male wolves when forced to submit in a fight tend to give their loyalty and respect to the stronger opponent.

“He even went as far as to say that he doesn’t follow Caine, only you” I stared in the direction Tate went with a clenched jaw and balled fists. Beau and Brett shared a look while Marie leaned back against the porch railing. I didn’t know what to say so I didn’t say anything.

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It was just past eleven PM by the time Hayden and I left to meet up with Caine near the Southern pack border. Holden was fast asleep in my arms with his baby bag slung over my shoulder as Hayden carried the rest of the bags. We’d be gone for at least four days if Caine’s prediction for my father to arrive in the next two days was right. When we got to the border Caine was already waiting with two wolves at his flanks.

“Tate and Tyler will join you on Titan territory as your future Beta and Lead Enforcer” Caine explained motioning from the dark grey almost black wolf with Hazel eyes to the equally as big dark brown-black and chestnut coloured wolf. Tyler’s hazel eyes bore into mine after having met his wolf personally in our fight.

“From there you’ll be escorted into the heart of Hugh’s land where you’ll be protected if anything goes wrong” I bowed my head showing that I understood and was about to make my way towards Tyler when Caine grabbed hold of my arm.

“I prefer you take Tate, he’s stronger and much more capable of protecting you and your pup” he insisted with his usual hard gaze. I nodded, heading for Tate when Caine suddenly pulled me into a bone crushing hug, whispering into my hair.

“Be safe” before he just as quickly let go to address Tate with his usual Alpha stature.

“Protect my daughter” he almost ordered and Tate’s eyes flickered to me before he bowed his head, showing his commitment towards me and my pup. He then knelt down allowing me to climb up onto his back with Holden tightly wrapped in one arm as the other gripped his soft pelt.

“And runt-.” Caine began, turning to look at Hayden for what seemed like the first time since we arrived on Tyrant territory “Take care of her for me or else it’ll be your head, got it kid?” Hayden gulped nodding nervously like he was a teenager meeting his girlfriend’s father for the first time and getting ‘the talk’.

“Yes sir” he said tossing his my duffle bag onto Tyler’s shoulder blades while he shifted his back pack to sit more comfortably on his shoulders.

“Good now get out of here” Caine demanded as Hayden hoisted himself up onto Tyler’s back. I met Caine’s hard gaze and for the first time since I met him I felt something other than a dominating Alpha’s presence.

“Thank you…dad” his jaw clenched and he nodded as Tate took off past the border severing the mind link with the rest of the pack. Tyler followed and easily bolted past because of his thinner frame that made him faster than a bulkier Tate.

‘Caine really thinks of you as his daughter’ Tate’s voice all of a sudden said through the mind link as I pressed myself and Holden closer to his back to fight off the gushing winds.

‘I don’t know why but he’s been more of a father to me than my real one has’ I responded earning myself a curious glance back at me from over Tate’s shoulder. His rusty red eyes met my crystal clear blue ones for a split second.

‘How so?’ he asked swerving through trees and dodging logs as his huge paws bet down on the earth like a mini earthquake.

‘My brother was always the one my father cared about, whatever Dalton did it always made our father proud and I-.’ I trailed off hiding my face in the crook of Tate’s neck with Holden pressed up between us to keep him warm and protected from the harsh winds.

‘You were the one he didn’t bother to notice’ Tate finished for me and I nodded, tightening my one handed grip on his dark fur.

‘I wasn’t important enough’ I whispered through the link knowing all too well that both Hayden and Tyler could hear our conversation from up ahead.

‘Not strong enough’ I continued and Tate once again shot me a look from over his shoulder except this time it was a knowing look ‘I can relate to that’ my eyebrows furrowed up at his words and raising my head to look at him more openly I asked ‘What do you mean?’ 

He stayed quiet at first but as he leaped over a bolder, gaining on Tyler he said with a cold tone ‘I wasn’t strong enough’ I could hear the hurt in his voice as he talked about it almost as if he was lost in the painful memories of what he felt.

‘Tate-.’ I breathed trying to find out more but was cut off when he suddenly went back to his usually cold demeanour ‘It’s nothing, the point is that I know how you feel’ I noticed Tyler shooting a glance back in Tate’s direction like he knew something before focusing back onto dodging the forest brush. 

I decided to let it go and instead tried to focus on the passing scenery but no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t stop myself from wondering what Tate had meant.