It's Either You, Alpha, or the Rogue

006: The bond

Chapter 6

~Aria~

I kept my head down as I walked toward Xander. I couldn't bring myself to look him in the eyes, not after everything. My heart felt heavy, I was sad. Why did he save me? If he hated me so much for being his mate, for being an Omega and not a Beta, why would he step in? He could have let Collins and Selena finish what they started.

But no... Xander had come for me. He rescued me. And now, here I was, standing before him, unsure of what to feel. The man who had made it clear I was nothing more than a mistake in his eyes was also the one who had stepped in when I was in danger. It didn’t make sense. I couldn’t figure him out.

My mind raced as I stood there in silence. He had mentioned earlier that he had a big announcement to make. Ever since then, my gut had been twisting with anxiety. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.

"What if the announcement has to do with me?" I thought, biting my lip. What if this is it... the moment I’ve been dreading since the day I realized I was his mate? What if he plans to reject me in front of everyone, in front of the whole pack at the upcoming feast celebration?

The very idea made my stomach turn. My mind wouldn’t stop playing the worst scenarios over and over. If he wanted to reject me, it would be a spectacle. The pack would be there to witness it, to see me humiliated in front of everyone. The thought alone made my throat tighten.

I chanced a quick glance at Xander, but immediately dropped my gaze again when I saw him watching me. His expression was unreadable, as always. Cold, distant, like I didn’t mean anything to him. I hated that. I hated how hard it was to figure out what was going on in his mind.

Maybe I was just overthinking. Maybe the announcement had nothing to do with me. But I couldn’t shake the fear gnawing at the back of my mind.

I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing. I couldn’t let him see me break. Not now. Not ever. No matter what Xander had planned, I had to stay strong. Even if it meant watching my worst nightmare unfold in front of the entire pack.

Xander cleared his throat, and my heart skipped a beat. All I could do was stand there, waiting for the moment that would change everything.

I braced myself.

~Xander~

I stood there, looking at Aria, and finally found the words I needed. “You shouldn’t feel like I saved you,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. The truth was, I didn’t want her to think I had acted out of some noble instinct. No, I wanted to make sure she understood that this was about punishment. I knew deep down she hadn’t stolen anything; it was all a misunderstanding. But admitting that I saved her on purpose? I wasn’t ready for that.

“Let me get this straight into your brain, Aria,” I continued, my tone sharper than I intended. “I didn’t spare you. I just want to punish you myself. You don’t know it’s a crime to steal?” I watched her face drop, and a part of me felt guilty for putting her through this. But I had to maintain control. I had to remind her of her place.

“I would wipe you off the pack’s memory if you ever lie to me again,” I warned. I could see the fear flash across her eyes, and it twisted something in my gut. I hated how afraid she looked, but I couldn’t back down now. I had to stay firm. I had to keep my distance.

For years, I had fought hard to maintain my authority as Alpha, and showing any softness towards her would only undermine that. I knew she was scared. I needed her to understand that there were consequences for crossing lines, even if those lines seemed trivial.

“Do you understand?” I pressed, leaning in closer. I didn’t want her to see the conflict in my eyes, the part of me that wanted to protect her. Instead, I needed her to see the Alpha, the leader of the pack who would not tolerate disobedience.

Aria nodded slowly, and I could see her struggling to keep her composure. I almost felt sorry for her, standing there vulnerable and broken, but I quickly pushed that feeling aside. I couldn’t allow myself to care too much. Caring would only complicate things.

“Good,” I said, stepping back to put some distance between us. “I’ll let you off this time, but remember this moment. Don’t let it happen again. You don’t know it’s a crime to steal?" My voice was cold, almost detached, but I could see the effect my words had on her. She was trembling slightly, trying to hold herself together, but the fear was written all over her face. I pushed on, unwilling to let her off that easily. "You’re a liar, Aria."

I didn’t believe for a second that she had actually stolen anything. Deep down, I knew the truth. But I wasn’t about to admit that I saved her on purpose. No, I needed to maintain control, to remind her of her place. She was an Omega, and I was the Alpha. There were rules, and I couldn’t bend them just because I felt... something.

As much as I hated it, there was something about Aria that made me curious, made me feel things I didn’t want to feel. But we were from two different worlds. She was an Omega, and I was the ruler of this pack. There was no space for emotions between us.

I watched as she struggled to speak. "Alpha, I didn’t steal anything. Collins lied," she said, her voice shaking but firm. "He tried to take advantage of me, and when I refused, he made up the story to get me in trouble."

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. Collins? Trying to take advantage of her? The thought of it made my blood boil. How dare he touch my mate, even if I hadn't fully accepted her as mine? The idea of Collins laying a hand on her sent a wave of anger through me.

"Collins lied to me?" I growled, stepping closer to her. "You expect me to believe that? A Gamma lying to his Alpha, just to cover his own skin?" I could feel the anger rising in my chest, not just at the thought of Collins’ betrayal, but at the fact that I had almost let him get away with it.

Aria didn’t back down, though. She looked me straight in the eye, her fear still present but overshadowed by her determination. "Yes, Alpha. He lied because I refused him."

I clenched my fists, trying to control the rage that was threatening to take over. Collins had dared to try and take what was mine. Even though I hadn’t claimed Aria, she was still my mate. The bond between us, no matter how much I tried to deny it, couldn’t be ignored. And now, knowing that Collins had tried to take advantage of her... it made my blood burn.

"You’re telling me the truth?" I asked, my voice low and dangerous. Aria nodded, still holding my gaze.