The Orphaned Omega

Chapter 6

[Ian’s POV]

Sunlight was just beginning to filter into the room when I woke up. I had managed to beat my alarm and reached for my phone on the nightstand. I rolled over to grab it, and realized a girl was in my bed. I froze, staring down at her as she slept. Confusion swept over me, and my sleep-logged brain had to really work to understand what was going on.

‘Mate!’ Thorin announced proudly in my head.

I scrubbed a hand down my face as everything from the night before started to come back to me. Thorin had completely taken over when we’d finally had the chance to break free of our commitments. I hadn’t stood a chance in taking back control when he’d spotted her. ‘You absolute i***t! Please, for the love of the Goddess, tell me you didn’t mark her.’

He growled at me. ‘No. I did not mark her...yet. Why are you mad? Its mate!’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Because she’s an omega, Thorin. Can’t you smell that?’

‘So?’

‘So, you know we can’t take her as a mate. No one would accept her.’ I looked at the sleeping girl, letting out a sigh. I’d be lying if I said she wasn’t beautiful. Her long, soft hair was dark and a contrast to her smooth, ivory skin. Her dark, chocolate hair looked a lot like a bird had nested in it, tangled up from sleep. She had plump, pink lips – still slightly swollen from our night before. The memory of her bright, light green eyes rolling to the back of her head as I plunged my c**k into her tight p***y flashed in my mind. I knew most of what I was feeling was just the bond trying to push me closer to her, drawing me in. And yet, I couldn’t help it when I reached out and trailed my fingers down her arm. She shivered in her sleep and wriggled closer to me in response. The sheets fell away from her n***d body when she moved, revealing those perfect t**s and my c**k twitched at the sight. I quickly looked away from her, gritting my teeth. If I spent one more second watching her, surrounded by her heavenly scent, I’d find my c**k buried deep inside of her again.

I pried myself out of my bed and headed to the ensuite bathroom to take a cold shower. My thoughts swirled around as I processed all that had happened in the past 12 hours. I’d gone from just Ian to Alpha Ian, found my mate, f****d her, and woke up to realize that I’d made a huge mistake. Or rather, Thorin had made a huge mistake.

‘No, I did not!’ he crowed.

‘Shut up, Thorin. You slept with a girl we don’t even know the name of. A girl we cannot possibly introduce to our parents.’ I shut Thorin out, hoping this would let me think clearer. Of course, he didn’t care about the consequences of being with this omega. He was only thinking about the mate bond – that was his nature. But I had to think about all the social ramifications, and I had to think about the pack. Dark Pine would never accept an omega as their Luna. I groaned in frustration and leaned my forehead against the cool shower tile. Leave it to my horn-dog Lycan to get us in this shitty situation.

I finished my shower and stepped out, grabbing my towel to dry off. I peeked out from the bathroom, glad to find the girl was still sleeping. I slipped into my closet to get dressed. When I was walking out, I heard her let out a soft groan as she began to wake up. I clenched my jaw, trying to steel my nerves for what I knew I had to do. I stepped out of the closet and looked over at her. Her green eyes were blinking into awareness, and she looked so adorable as her button nose scrunched up in confusion. “Morning,” I started.

[Dorothea’s POV]

I was awoken by a sudden chill, feeling like I had just lost my source of warmth. Even before I could open my eyes, the pain in my head made itself known. A pounding headache was starting, and my stomach felt like it was tied up in several knots. I groaned, already hating this hangover. I was never drinking again. I opened my eyes, about to move to get up when I realized something was very wrong. This was most certainly not my room.

I heard a husky, delicious voice say, “Morning.”

My eyes flicked up to see Alpha Ian Weller walking out of his closet, dressed in jeans that did nothing but highlight his powerful thighs, and a black Henley tee shirt that stretched across his muscular chest. His biceps looked like with one wrong move they’d tear his sleeves. I drank in the sight, immediately lost to the mate bond again. Wait! The mate bond! Oh, crap.

I gasped as the evening’s events rushed back to me and I sat bolt upright, clutching the sheets to cover my n***d body. The movement made my muscles groan in protest, and I realized how sore my whole body was. Had I really slept with Ian Weller? I eyes met and I quickly looked away out of reflex, turning my gaze down in submission. I realized that his eyes were back to their normal hazel color, meaning his Lycan was no longer in control. I tried to think of something, anything, to say, but came up completely blank.

He cleared his throat. “Get dressed,” Alpha Ian said. His tone was short and brisk. Not quite cold, but certainly not thrilled.

I nodded my head, clamoring out of the bed and quickly finding my dress on the floor by the foot of the bed. I couldn’t find my underwear and remembered that they were probably on the floor of the hallway downstairs. My cheeks flushed bright red at that thought, and I hurried to put on my b*a and wiggle the dress over my head. When I was done, I clawed at my hair to try to get some of the tangles out. I glanced back up at Ian to find him with his gaze toward the ceiling and his jaw clenched tight. “Um…I’m dressed,” I said quietly. “I’ll, uh…go?” I took a step toward the door.

“No!” he snapped, launching into movement. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me away from the door. I wasn’t expecting the motion and I careened into him, crashing against his chest. He caught me quickly, and I found my footing again. Every place our skin touched exploded with those tantalizing sparks. He let go of me quickly, as if the sparks he felt burned him. “We need to talk.”

I looked up at him through my eyelashes, not daring to look him directly in the eye for too long. Mates or not, he was still an Alpha, and I was an omega. It had been ingrained in my brain since I was young that I needed to be quiet, submissive, and accommodating. An omega was nothing. We were not supposed to have opinions, and we were supposed to blend into the background. Never truly seen or heard. “Okay,” I whispered.

He snorted, rolling his eyes. “Look, this was a mistake. Thorin took over and…well, that shouldn’t have happened.”

I snapped my gaze up to him, a lump forming in my throat. I should have known this was coming. Hell, I had known this was coming. There was no way Ian would take me as a mate. Anger coursed through me out of nowhere, white hot and blinding. I had to bite my tongue to keep myself from moving. Something in me wanted to reach out and smack him. How dare he sleep with me only to reject me! I’d been a virgin before last night. I couldn’t say I was only mad at him, though. I was angry with myself for having allowed it to happen at all. Why didn’t I speak up? Maybe if I’d reminded him yesterday of who I was and what I was, I wouldn’t be standing here preparing to get my heart broken. I knew why I hadn’t, I just didn’t like it. The stupid mate bond had snapped into place so fast, and I was so ill prepared for its effects that I had succumbed to it entirely. I hadn’t stood a chance.

“You’ll tell no one here,” he said, his Alpha tone coming out. The feel of it brushed along my skin, and I knew I should have felt compelled to obey the command but for some reason I didn’t. I’d never truly felt swayed by an Alpha’s power the way others of my rank seemed to be. But I nodded my head anyway; I knew well enough by now to just pretend. “What is your full name?”

I drew in a slow, deep breath to steady myself. I didn’t want my voice to shake when I spoke. “Dorothea Adele Watts.”

His teeth ground together, and he was quiet for a moment. I watched a myriad of emotions cross his beautiful face. Anger, sadness, frustration. His eyes flashed that almost-black color of his Lycan and back again. Was he fighting with Thorin? Finally, he began to speak again. “I, Ian Harold Weller, Alpha of Dark Pine, reject you, Dorothea Adele Watts, as my mate and Luna.”

It felt like I had been punched straight in the chest and the wind was knocked out of me. I stumbled, coughing once at the feeling. I spat out the words quickly. “I, Dorothea Adele Watts, Omega of Dark Pine, accept your rejection and forfeit my…” I sucked in a breath as a wave of pain smashed into me. “My position as your mate and Luna.”

As the words came out of my mouth, I swore I could hear a soft voice in the back of my head whisper ‘I’m sorry’. It was then that the pain lashed through me like a lightning strike. I clutched at my chest, gasping for air. The rejection felt like my heart was literally being torn in two. Ian looked at me with a blank, emotionless expression. He stood stock still, not a single muscle moving. The pain was so excruciating I couldn’t believe he was just standing there. Did he not feel it too? I stumbled toward the door, and he didn’t make a move to stop me this time. My vision started to go fuzzy along the edges, and my stomach rolled. I knew if I didn’t get out of here right this second that I’d probably be sick all over the carpet and may just pass out. My hand found purchase on the doorknob, and I yanked it open, spilling out into the hallway.

I was glad to find the hallway empty, but I didn’t have time to think about that or about the voice I’d heard as I took off down the stairs. I dashed for the front door of the packhouse and made a beeline for the cottage. It was by the grace of the moon and stars that I didn’t run into any one along the way. I could feel the pain beginning to ebb as I got away from Ian’s heady scent, my breathing getting easier. I all but flung myself onto the porch of the cottage and hurried inside, slamming the door shut behind me. I finally let myself relax, safe inside these four walls. I sank down to the floor, my back against the door as I crumbled.

I let out one loud sob, clutching my chest and squeezing my eyes shut. I felt the tears well up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Alpha Ian Weller would not break me down; he was not worthy of my tears. I had held my tears in for too long to let one measly male break me. I folded my arms on my knees and laid my head on them, focusing on slowing my breathing to help calm me down and to work through the heartbreak. I felt foolish for feeling so wounded over his rejection. I didn’t love him. I’d even go so far as to say that I didn’t even like Ian before last night – as a friend, lover, or even as an Alpha. Logically, I shouldn’t feel this way. But the mate bond went beyond logic, went beyond simple emotion. It was something forged deep within your very DNA, and the loss of it left me feeling cold and fragmented.

My thoughts were a vicious, swirling storm cloud, and the words Kelsey had said to me came back. Maybe no one would ever love me. Maybe I wasn’t even worthy of love to begin with. I felt truly, utterly alone. This is what broke through and I couldn’t hold back the tears as they spilled down my face. I sobbed into my knees until I had nothing left to give. Until I no longer felt the throbbing in my chest, replaced now with a chilling emptiness. I cried until I was exhausted, my eyes swollen and puffy. I curled up on the floor and gave in to the darkness of sleep - a welcome reprieve from the emotions of the morning.

-x-

I woke up a few hours later, still laying in the same spot on the ground. My already sore body was now stiff and achy from laying on the wooden floor. I groaned, rolling onto my back, and stretching out my body. I felt my bones creak and groan in protest. I forced myself up and wiped at my tear-stained face as I hobbled to the kitchen to get myself a glass of water. I drank the whole thing in one long chug and poured myself another to take with me to my bedroom. I still felt so stupid, unable to comprehend how I had let myself get into this situation. Why had I let things go so far last night? I sighed, shaking my head. I could beat myself up over it for days, weeks, years, but what good would it do? I couldn’t change the past.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand where I had left it last night. I picked it up to find several texts from Lori and Fran.

Lori, 2:33 am: Sorry we couldn’t find you before leaving last night. Hope you made it home okay.

Lori, 8:00 am: Thea, please text me to know you are okay when you wake up.

Lori, 9:37 am: I’m worried about you. You never sleep this late.

Fran, 10:06 am: Lori and I are worried, Thea. Please text or call us ASAP.

Lori, 12:02 pm: If we don’t hear from you by 1:00, we’re coming over!

I glanced at the time. 12:45 pm. I hurriedly texted out a response to both Fran and Lori.

Sorry, sorry. Fell asleep late, and my phone died overnight. I’m fine. No need to check up on me!

I let out a sigh of relief when I saw Lori’s name pop up on my phone again. I didn’t think I could handle seeing either of them right now.

Lori: Thank the Goddess. Get some rest. See you tomorrow.

I tossed my phone back onto the bed and headed to get a shower, hoping I would feel more like myself if I got out of this dress and makeup. By the time I got out of the shower and dressed in my usual athletic pants and tee shirt, my thoughts had darkened again. I was hit with the realization that my only hope of getting out of Dark Pine – finding my mate and leaving with him – was gone. With Ian having rejected me, the only other choice I had was to go rogue. I got up and frantically ran around my room collecting things and shoving them into a duffle bag. I was about to throw my toothbrush in there when I came to my senses. I couldn’t go rogue. I didn’t even have a wolf and I didn’t have any idea how to truly survive in the forest. I let out a scream of frustration and threw the duffle under my bed, so I didn’t have to look at it. I worried a hand through my hair, plopping down on my bed as I contemplated things. Running away just wasn’t an option, as great as it sounded. The idea of having to see Ian every day was a punch to the gut for sure. The wound would just keep getting rubbed raw. But I had no alternative. I had nowhere else to go. If I ran away, I would either get killed out there, starve to death, or eventually turn feral. A wolf or Lycan with no pack could lose their humanity when alone for too long. And I didn’t have any legal documents that would allow me to find work in the human world – when my father died, any chance of finding my birth documents died with him. It was like when he brought me to Dark Pine, he brought nothing of our past with him.

Suffice to say, I only had one, singular choice left in this life – I had to prove myself as something other than just a lowly wolf who’s only worth was the care and keeping of the packhouse. I had to become a warrior, and a good one. Maybe then I’d have a chance of living a half-decent life, or even getting out of Dark Pine.

[Ian’s POV]

Watching Dorothea run out the door shattered my thin resolve. The door clicked shut and I fell to my knees, the pain of the bond snapping shuttering through me. I crawled toward the bathroom and proceeded to vomit into the porcelain bowl. I’d been in several skirmishes and been through hellish training days, but this feeling was worse than all of that. I think I would rather rake myself over hot coals than feel a second more of this agony. I leaned against the cold side of the tub, gasping for air.

Thorin was an absolute mess inside of my brain. He was howling, the severing of the mate bond even more excruciating for him. Lycans, and even wolves, were even more attached to their mate than we as humans were. Thorin hadn’t cared that Dorothea was an omega. He didn’t care that she was a werewolf. He had wanted her and forcing that connection to break was tearing him in two. It was also giving me a splitting headache.

‘You stupid, stupid human!’ Thorin roared at me. ‘Why did you do that?! We could have made it work! She was made for US, and you threw her away!’

I groaned, rolling my eyes. “No, Thorin. The Moon Goddess clearly made a mistake. We are from a pure-blooded Lycan Alpha line. She is an omega, and a werewolf. She is weak, she is pathetic, she is beneath us. Not only would the pack not accept her but imagine what our father would do. Imagine her having to face Harry.”

Thorin fell quiet. He knew I was right. Our father was notorious for looking down on both omegas and werewolves. Before the Queen had outlawed wolf s*****y, I am pretty sure our pack had plenty of them. I remember being a child and my father being angry about the new law. He’d even executed some of the wolves, rather than letting them go free. We hung in a delicate balance now with minimal werewolves in our ranks, and those we had were strictly the lowest ranked among us. I didn’t even want to think about what my father would do if he found out about Dorothea.

Besides…wasn’t I worth more than being matched with someone so beneath me? I deserved at least a gamma’s daughter. There was no way that girl would be able to be strong enough to lead a pack. She could barely even look at me. I ground my teeth together, finding myself getting angry over it. The Moon Goddess mated me with a freak. There was no reason I could see for why I would be paired with her. She was weak – personality wise, and by being a werewolf. I’d have to spend my entire life worrying if she was going to get herself killed. I’d have to spend the first part of my Alpha reign trying to convince my entire pack to accept her. It was just out of the question. I knew I had done the right thing. I had to have. There was no going back, after all. Maybe this was a test, and I was supposed to reject her. Maybe the Moon Goddess had really made a mistake, and I’d find a second chance mate. If not…I guess, I’d just have to take a chosen. It wasn’t ideal – a chosen mate wouldn’t have the same benefits as a fated mate. Without a fated mate, I may not reach my full potential. We supposedly were stronger with our mate, a better Lycan, a completed being. The idea that I may not reach that strength made me angry all over again. Why would the Moon Goddess be so cruel to keep that from me!?

I slammed my fist onto the ground in frustration, forcing myself up. The pain of the rejection had subsided for the most part, just leaving a slight ache in my chest. I needed to get out and run to get this pent-up anger out. I opened the mind-link to Hudson and Finn. ‘Guys? Up for a run, then a spar?’

There was silence for a minute before Finn answered me. ‘Meet you out back in 5, Alpha.’

I quickly changed into some athletic shorts and put on tennis shoes, heading out the door. I jogged down the staircase and out into the backyard. I found Finn waiting for me, yawning.

“Hey,” Finn said, giving a short wave.

“Hey,” I greeted. “Hear from Hud?”

Finn shook his head. “Think he found his mate last night. Probably won’t hear from him until dinner.”

“He did?” I asked, raising an eyebrow. “Who is she?”

“I lost him after Shy smelled her and they took off. I don’t know much else,” Finn admitted. Hudson’s Lycan’s name was Shiloh, and we often called him Shy. The nickname was ironic, considering both Hudson and Shiloh were anything but shy. Both were boisterous, Hudson being loud and often quite the prankster and Shiloh being mischievous and the first to jump into a brawl.

“Hm. I guess we’ll meet her later,” I said. I clenched my jaw. It wasn’t going to be easy to see one of my friends completely enraptured with their mate when I had just rejected mine. “Come on. I could use a run.”

Finn nodded, letting the conversation drop. I could tell he wanted to say more, his eyes were glittering with a question. But he didn’t push it further, just taking off after me as I started at a jog toward the tree line. I was always grateful for Finn. He was a steady, even-keeled guy and all his moves were well calculated. He knew when to push me, and when to back off by now. Both of us shifted into our Lycans when we hit the trees, shaking out our coats.

Thorin stretched his legs out, letting out a short howl. Thorin towered over Finn’s Lycan – Onyx – but I knew Onyx could weave through this forest faster than Thorin, and probably do it without being detected. He could slip into the shadows and disappear like a ghost. Onyx also lived up to his name – he was jet black, his bright yellow-green eyes that looked almost eerie against his dark fur. Thorin was a ticked dark gray, with a full black mask and muzzle. He was strong, and a natural born fighter. Thorin’s ears pricked when Onyx returned his howl, and both of us took off at a sprint through the forest.

We ran for over an hour before slowing, taking a break at a thin creek that fed into the river and spring system on our territory. Thorin bent down to take a drink of water, sides heaving from the exertion of the run. Onyx waited, keeping his ears pricked and surveying the trees for any sign of a threat.

‘What about you?’ Finn said through our mind-link. ‘Where did you go last night?’

‘What do you mean?’ I asked, stalling for time.

‘Well, you kinda just disappeared too.’

‘I just got tired of the crowds. Went to bed.’

Onyx looked over at me, and even though it was a Lycan staring me down, I could feel Finn’s penetrating stare through his eyes. Again, he dropped the conversation. Onyx’s big head swung as he shook it, but he just dipped his head to get a drink from the creek.

I turned away, pretending to take up the scouting position. But I was just relieved that my best friend didn’t push it. I could tell he didn’t truly believe me. I wasn’t sure what the giveaway was, but I wasn’t about to offer more information. I didn’t want to tell anyone about rejecting my mate. Not yet. Maybe not ever.

We took our time on the route back, more patrolling than running. This part of the territory was quiet, pretty far from our border, but it was still important to be sure no threat was creeping toward the packhouse. Finn and I were quiet the whole time back, me lost in my thoughts and Finn seemingly content with the silence. We reached the tree line bordering the back of the house and shifted back.

“Breakfast?” I asked, realizing how hungry I was as my stomach let out a loud growl.

Finn chuckled. “Yeah, sure.”

We headed inside and into the casual dining room, finding a large spread laid out already. The omegas in the kitchens always prepared a buffet for our meals, and it looks like they hadn’t cut any corners this morning. There were mountains of waffles, pancakes, muffins, eggs. There were huge platters of sausages and hams and bacon. I grabbed a plate and piled it high, tossing a few pieces of toast on top and grabbing a bottle of water. We were turning toward a table when Hudson walked in.

He was grinning from ear to ear, his brown eyes sparkling. “Hey guys. Sorry I missed the run. I was getting my own cardio in if you know what I mean,” he winked.

“I heard you may have found your mate,” I said. I wasn’t in the mood for his jokes, and I already regretted engaging in this conversation.

“I did,” he said proudly. “She’ll be here any second. I can’t wait for you guys to meet her.”

“Congratulations,” Finn smiled.

Hudson turned around when the dining hall door opened again, and in walked a familiar looking red head. It took me a second, but as she reached Hudson’s side, I remembered who she was. Shelby, the daughter of Red Moon’s Alpha. A flicker of rage ran through me. Wasn’t Shelby more fit to be my mate? She was an Alpha’s daughter! Don’t get me wrong, I was happy for my friend. But I was pissed that he had pulled an Alpha’s daughter, and I had been paired with an orphaned omega.

“Guys, this is Shelby. She’s from Red Moon. She’s their Alpha’s daughter,” Hudson introduced, puffing his chest out a bit in pride. “Shelby, this is Alpha Ian, and Beta Finn.”

“We met last night,” I nodded. My mouth was dry, and it felt like I had swallowed chalk. “I’m glad that our packs could unite like this.”

Shelby nodded her head. “My father is happy too. I’m excited to be here.”

“Welcome,” Finn said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Before I could get pulled into what would be an awkward breakfast for me, I decided to find an excuse to leave. “Well, I think I better head up to my office. I’ve already wasted some of the morning and I’ve got a lot of work to do. I’ll see you all at dinner.”

I skirted around them, plate in hand, and made a beeline for the dining hall door. I breathed a sigh of relief when I reached the foot of the stairs without interruption and made my way to my office. I closed the door behind me, glad for the silence and the time to be alone again. I could already tell that this was going to be a long week. Maybe even a long month.