Bound by Destiny: The Omega's truimph

Liam’s POV Though I had followed many times before the journey to the Moonstone Circle, tonight it felt different. The trees all around me appeared darker, their shadows stretching excessively long as though they were attempting to alert me of something invisible. I turned aside, discounting the uneasy sensation that sank firmly into my bones. I was the alpha in waiting. One thing I let myself indulge in was not fear. "The Alpha's mate must be strong, Liam," my father's words kept coming back to me. We are the basis of the pack's future, not only leaders. Make intelligent decisions. As though I knew nothing about it before. As though the whole pack, including him, never examined every choice I made. Ahead the Moonstone Circle loomed, the holy stones like old sentinels. The ceremony was really straightforward. See your destined partner, commune with the Moon Goddess, and proceed with the pack's destiny under assured control. Most of the Alphas in front of me had done—always seeing a vision guiding them toward a strong, high-ranking she-wolf—an ideal match for an Alpha. They had done without trouble. Still, I felt a flutter of anxiety even as I strolled. Tonight seemed strange in several ways. I turned it off. Not in this capacity, not for me, there was no space for uncertainty. Entering the circle, the familiar hum of power burst forth loud and heavy. The light of the moon illuminated the stones, thereby accentuating the engravings. I dropped down, closed my eyes, and let the vitality flood over me. Show me what I wanted. I considered all of my will directed on the current work. Show me your friend. There was just stillness for a minute, the wind hardly moving the trees. And suddenly the vision emerged. It was initially only flashes—blurred pictures of the pack, the trees, a man in the distance. I blinked, trying to understand it, then she materialized. Stone Aria. I practically jerked out of sight. Her name alone sent one a wave of uncertainty and incredulity. An Omega? My destined partner was an Omega? This must have been a mistake. The vision did not seem correct. Apart from the sporadic cursory glance, I had not even noticed her. Far from the heart of the pack, she scarcely existed in our world living in the healer's home. But there she was, standing before me, her black hair cascading in waves down her back, her amber eyes shining with an intensity that made my heart hammer. Even in the vision, I sensed the draw—the clear link developing between us. It was unbounded and difficult to ignore. The picture dimmed, leaving me gasping, and I opened my eyes to see myself alone in the circle, the weight of what I had just witnessed crushing down on me. It cannot be occurring this way. How would the Moon Goddess have matched me with an Omega? It disproved what I had been taught, all the pack believed in. Strong, reflecting his strength and prestige, the Alpha's mate was supposed to be How could someone at the base of our system, an Omega, ever play that role? Rising to my feet, my hands closed into fists as frustration bubbled inside me. This went against anything I could accept. I would turn it down. Somehow the tie has to be broken. This error cannot permit the Bloodfang Pack's future to be endangered. Turning swiftly, I started to go back toward the pack house, but I hardly got far. She was there, standing as though waiting for me just outside the circle. "Liam," she said, her voice kind but still full of doubt. The sound of her voice squeezed my chest. She had never had direct conversation with me before. I knew not what to say. I became enraged, mingled with a bewilderment I quite grasp. Not an Omega, I had anticipated meeting someone powerful, someone I could respect. Not from her. I scowled at her, expecting the intensity of my look would drive her away, but instead she stood still, her amber eyes locked with mine. I hadn't noticed previously a calm resilience there, a tenacity that surprised me. It scared me. I answered coldly, attempting to calm the turbulence inside me, "This doesn't change anything." Aria, you are not suited here. Not among me. Not in our lifetime. Her face clenched, the sting of my comments obviously striking their target, but she did not waver. "I didn't ask for this either," she murmured softly, staring straight ahead. Still, it has occurred. We cannot turn away from it. "I can," I yelled, the irritation pouring out before I could stop it. I had to. The pack requires power, not frailty. Her mouth closed, and for a second I could see the fire in her eyes flutter. "Just because I'm an Omega doesn't mean I'm weak, Liam." Her certainty in voice shocked me. She spoke as though she thought she was already standing on level ground with me. She was not, though. She is not able to be. The pack would not accept it. I couldn't let it go. I snarled, advancing toward her, not giving a damn about what you believe. "I'll figure out how to separate this link. You do not represent my mate. Her eyes blazed with pain, but she remained still. She said gently, "You can try," but "I don't think the Moon Goddess will let you." That she was correct infuriated me. No matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I could feel the genuine link tugging at me, guiding me to her. It was disgusting. How might someone meant to lead the pack be related to an omega? I retreated, having to space us before I spoke from a distance from which I cannot undo. I said, "This isn't over," turned my back on her and headed off. I couldn't get rid of the sensation that Aria was correct as I vanished into the darkness—that no matter how much I battled it. This did not end. Not by a long stretch. I saw Liam bolt, his rage obvious even from a distance. My heart was still pounding, his rejection weighing on my chest. I had known he wouldn't take me, that the concept of an Omega becoming his mate would overwhelm him. Still, it causes more pain than I had anticipated. I inhaled deeply, attempting to cool the tempest within me. I had not sought for this either. To me as much as it shocked him, our relationship was as surprising. On the margins of pack society, invisible and unseen, I had lived my whole existence. The thought that I might be the mate of someone as strong as Liam Drax beyond anything I had ever thought possible. Still, it was true. The vision had made that very evident. Turning to exit the circle, my mind spun in a thousand other directions. This would imply what for me? about the pack? Though deep down I knew the truth, Liam would resist it with everything he possessed. The link was unbreakable. And fate tied us regardless of his will to ignore it. Whether or not we found it appealing.