Chapter 4
1232 Words
Chapter Four
The cold woke her first.
It crawled beneath Rumi’s skin like claws, biting deep into her bones until every breath hurt. Her body felt heavy and numb
For several seconds, she didn’t move. Her mind was empty and foggy and then the pain came back
Not physical at first, but the kind of pain that felt like your heart was being ripped out of your chest violently and there’s nothing you can do about it.
‘From this moment on… I reject you.’
Alpha Rolan’s voice echoed through her head.
Rumi’s eyes snapped open. A gasp tore from her throat as she lurched upright, clutching her chest.
Pain exploded through her body instantly and she cried out and nearly collapsed again.
The forest spun around her—dark trees, damp earth, endless shadows swallowing the night whole. The moon hung high overhead, pale and cold.
Alone.
She was alone.
The realization hit harder this time. She had no home, no pack, no shelter, a gaping hole in her heart from the absence of the bond and no home she could call her own.
Her chest tightened so painfully she thought it might split apart.
Rumi pressed trembling fingers against the center of her chest as though she could hold herself together physically.
It still hurt.
God, it still hurt.
She could still feel the place where the mate bond had been ripped out; an empty, bleeding hole inside her soul.
A broken sound escaped her throat; wretched and ugly. And for the first time since she was cast out Rumi allowed herself a good cry. Her body shaking with each miserable sob.
“Why?” she whispered hoarsely. Her voice disappeared into the forest.
But no answer came back.
Not even the moon shining brightly tonight had answers for her, was the goodness even listening? Why would she care about someone as lowly as her?
The pack was probably celebrating right now.
She imagined Madeline Sandstorm smiling beside Alpha Rolan while the entire pack praised their future Luna.
And Rumi…Rumi was lying in the dirt like an abandoned animal.
Her throat tightened violently.
She pushed herself up on shaky arms, forcing her weak body to move. Staying still meant freezing to death. Or worse.
The forest outside pack territory was dangerous even for trained wolves. For a defenseless Omega without a wolf however, It was suicide.
Rumi stumbled forward through the trees, wrapping her arms around herself tightly. Every step hurt. Her legs felt unstable beneath her.
The bond severing had done something to her. She felt drained and hollow, like Alpha Rolan had ripped the life out of her along with the bond.
The memory hit again.
‘You are nothing’
Rumi squeezed her eyes shut.
Stop…Please stop, she pleaded silently but her mind wouldn’t listen. She could still see the way everyone had looked at her.
The laughter and the disgust, the satisfaction on Madeline’s face.
And worst of all—The complete absence of regret in Rolan’s eyes.
He hadn’t hesitated. Not even for a second.
Rumi staggered suddenly as dizziness hit her hard. Her vision blurred.
She reached for a nearby tree, steadying herself against the rough bark.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
A strange heat flickered beneath her skin.
I wasn’t fever no, it was something else. Something alive.
Her breath caught as a strange growl echoed faintly inside her chest; low, deep and ancient. Rumi froze
No. Impossible.
She had never heard a wolf inside her before. That was the entire reason the pack despised her.
Because she was defective but now—
Another pulse of heat rolled through her veins, stronger this time. Rumi gasped as her knees buckled.
Pain exploded across her spine so suddenly she screamed, the sound ripped through the forest.
Birds burst from nearby trees.
Rumi collapsed hard against the ground, shaking violently.
“What’s happening to me?” she choked. Her body arched painfully.
It felt like something inside her was trying to claw its way out. Bones. muscles, skin.
Everything hurt.
“Stop—”
A twig snapped nearby and Rumi froze instantly.
Fear shot through her. She wasn’t alone.
Slowly, painfully, she lifted her head. Nothing but darkness stretched endlessly between the trees.
Silent. Waiting and watching.
Then a pair of glowing eyes appeared and Rumi’s blood turned cold.
Rogue Wolf.
The massive creature stepped from the shadows slowly, its fur dark gray beneath the moonlight. Scarred. Dangerous.
Another pair of eyes appeared behind it. Then another…
Rumi’s stomach dropped. Three rogues, maybe more.
The first wolf inhaled deeply. Its lip curled back instantly.
“Well,” a rough male voice said as the wolf shifted into human form, “what do we have here?”
Rumi’s heart slammed painfully against her ribs.
The man standing before her was large, heavily scarred, and completely naked like most wolves after shifting. His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.
“A little Omega,” he mused.
Another rogue shifted beside him, grinning.
“She smells weak.”
“No,” the first man corrected slowly, stepping closer. “She smells strange.”
Rumi tried to stand but failed.
Fear clawed up her throat.
“I don’t want trouble,” she whispered.
The rogues laughed.
One crouched in front of her suddenly, gripping her chin roughly.
“Pretty thing,” he mocked. “you’re far from home, lost your pack?”
Rumi jerked away from his touch instantly.
His expression darkened.
“Oh, she’s got teeth.”
The slap came so fast she didn’t see it.
Pain exploded across her face and Rumi’s back hit the ground hard.
“Please,” she gasped.
“Please what?” the rogue sneered. “You think anyone’s coming for you?”
No. No one was and she had made peace with that.
Alpha Rolan had ordered that she be thrown away himself.
The rogues smelled it too; the rejection,and abandonment.
One of them grabbed her arm, yanking her upright painfully.
“We can sell her,” the second suggested. “Some packs pay well for Omegas.”
“Nah,” the scarred rogue said, staring at Rumi with unsettling interest. “There’s something off about her.”
Rumi’s pulse quickened. That heat beneath her skin was growing stronger now.
Too strong it burned through her veins like fire.
The growl inside her chest rumbled louder.
The rogues heard it, all three froze.
“What the hell was that?” one whispered.
Rumi shook violently.
She didn’t know, she didn’t know what was happening.
Pain ripped through her spine again. A scream tore from her throat.
And suddenly her eyes burned.
The rogues stepped back instinctively.
“What the—”
Rumi looked up.
The scarred rogue’s face changed instantly from amusement to fear.
His eyes widened. “her eyes are bright red.”
Silence crashed over the forest.
Rumi’s breath caught.
No.
No, that wasn’t possible.
But the rogues were staring at her in horror now.
The nearest one stumbled backward. “That’s impossible,” he whispered.
Rumi’s heart pounded wildly.
Heat exploded through her body.
The growl inside her chest became deafening.
Mine.
The voice th
undered through her head.
Wild, ancient and hungry. And for the first time in her life Rumi felt something awaken completely inside her.
Something terrifying and powerful, something that absolutely did not feel like an Omega.
- Writer
