Zarek's POV

I ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. The only thing on my mind was reaching the forest. I needed to get away—away from Akiri, away from Kaidon, and especially away from their pitying gazes. Aegis wouldn’t help me. We weren’t on speaking terms, and I didn’t trust him to take control even if he wanted to. All I could do was keep running, hoping the woods would offer some solace, a place to hide and think.

“I’m sorry,” Aegis whimpered suddenly, his voice soft and full of regret. “I had to do it to protect you.”

I clenched my jaw and ignored him. I didn’t want to hear it. His excuses meant nothing to me right now.

As the forest loomed closer, a small sense of relief washed over me. Back in the Red Claw pack, when the Alpha left for visits to other packs, I’d often sneak out to the woods just outside our pack house. It was the only place where I could find peace. That’s what I was looking for now—a reprieve from the chaos in my mind.

But before I could reach the tree line, a low growl sounded to my right. I froze, turning slowly toward the noise. My heart rate spiked, and my anxiety shot through the roof when I saw him: an Alpha. His eyes glinted with an unmistakable, predatory lust.

Damn it. I cursed myself silently. How could I have forgotten about my heat? The betrayal I’d been dealing with had been so overwhelming that I’d ignored the warning cramps.

“Go away,” I pleaded, backing away as the Alpha approached. “I have a mate.”

The Alpha snarled, his lips curling in a sinister smile. “Where’s your mate now?” he asked mockingly, his voice low and threatening. “Not here, which makes you fair game.”

“I hate Alphas,” Aegis whimpered in the back of my mind, his voice trembling. “Shift. Let me run.”

“I’m not listening to you,” I snapped, refusing to rely on him. “You’ve given me no reason to trust you.”

“I’m your wolf!” he protested, desperate.

“You stayed silent for twenty years,” I retorted bitterly, “and then you chose to talk to another wolf before ever speaking to me.”

The Alpha loomed over me, invading my space. He leaned in close, his nose brushing against the scent glands on my neck. “Show me your neck,” he murmured, his tone a mixture of command and hunger.

“N-no,” I stammered, trying to pull away.

The Alpha’s grip tightened on my arm, and I pushed him back, scrambling to escape. But before I could get far, his hand caught my leg, dragging me down. Panicked, I screamed as loud as I could, praying someone—anyone—would hear me.

“Shut up,” the Alpha growled, clamping a hand over my mouth to stifle my cries. “There aren’t enough Omegas around here. I’m not letting you go.”

I struggled against him, but he was too strong. Aegis was no help—he was cowering, whimpering, and trying to suppress the instinct to submit. I felt utterly alone, powerless against the Alpha’s strength.

Just as his hand moved to my hair, a low, menacing growl rumbled from behind us. The Alpha froze, turning to face the source of the sound. Relief flooded me when I saw Kaidon approaching, his expression a mask of fury. Behind him stood Akiri and Axel, with Astrid hovering near the edge of the house.

I pushed myself against the wall of the house, drawing my knees to my chest. My breaths came in shallow, shaky gasps as Astrid rushed to my side. She knelt beside me, pulling me away from the confrontation and toward Axel and Akiri.

The Alpha growled at Kaidon, who responded with a snarl of his own, stepping closer. “Snap out of it,” Kaidon ordered, his voice cold and commanding. “Don’t make me force you.”

The Alpha snarled again before shifting into his wolf form, a massive brown beast with blazing eyes. Kaidon followed suit, his black wolf with golden eyes emerging in a fluid motion. The two circled each other, growling and waiting for the other to make the first move.

I watched in disbelief, my body trembling. “Why isn’t anyone stopping this?” I whispered to Astrid.

She sighed, her hand resting gently on my shoulder. “That’s Sage,” she explained, nodding toward the brown wolf. “He’s an unmated Alpha. In a pack like ours, where everyone is equal, if an Omega in heat is attacked, the unmated Alphas sometimes challenge the Alpha for dominance. Kaidon has to beat him to reassert his position.”

“What if he doesn’t...” My voice trailed off, the thought too horrifying to finish.

“Kaidon’s the strongest wolf here,” Astrid assured me, rubbing my back in soothing circles. “He won’t lose. I promise.”

I nodded, biting my lip to keep from saying anything else.

Astrid sat down beside me, clutching her baby bump, and motioned for me to do the same. I sank to the ground, absently plucking at the grass as snarls and growls filled the air. Each sound made me flinch, memories of Ryker and the Red Claw pack flashing through my mind.

“It’s okay,” Astrid murmured, her pregnancy pheromones washing over me like a calming wave. I let out a shaky breath, leaning against her and taking in the soothing scent.

“Thank you,” I whispered, closing my eyes and letting her presence ground me.

Minutes later, Astrid nudged my arm. “It’s over,” she said softly.

I looked up to see Kaidon’s wolf pinning Sage to the ground, snarling into his face. Both shifted back into their human forms, dressing quickly. Sage knelt before Kaidon, speaking in hushed tones before Kaidon waved him away.

“Axel, will you and Astrid take Zarek back to my room and help him relax?” Kaidon asked, his voice void of emotion. He didn’t even look at me. “I have a few things to handle.”

Axel and Astrid helped me to my feet, guiding me back to the pack house. As we walked, I reflected on the past few days. Kaidon had explained that only his most trusted friends lived in the pack house. Axel, as his Beta, lived here with Astrid, and I’d learned there were others away on pack business. Akiri’s presence had surprised me earlier, as I hadn’t seen her since the car ride to the Blue Moon pack.

“You should take a bath,” Astrid suggested once we reached Kaidon’s room. “It’ll help wash away Sage’s scent and calm you.”

“What’s going to happen to him?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. The thought of facing Sage again filled me with dread.

Axel helped Astrid sit down before answering. “He’s young and unmated, so he’ll be forgiven. Even the best of our warriors struggle when they catch the scent of an Omega in heat. You won’t have to see him unless you want to.”

“Sage is a good kid,” Astrid added, though her tone was tinged with sadness. “It’s just bad luck that he ran into you. He’ll probably come begging for forgiveness.”

I stared at the floor, guilt twisting in my stomach. “I don’t want to ruin his life,” I mumbled.

“You didn’t,” Axel said firmly. “These things happen. That’s why Omegas are supposed to stay home during their heats.”

Her words stung, and guilt burned hotter in my chest.

“Stop making him feel bad!” Astrid snapped, glaring at Axel.

Axel lifted her hands in surrender. “I’m just saying! You’ve never left the house during heat!”

Astrid rolled her eyes, turning back to Axel with a smirk. “If this baby’s as stubborn as you, I want a refund.”

I shut the bathroom door, blocking out their banter. Turning on the tub, I stripped off my clothes and sank into the water, letting its warmth soothe my aching body.

“Zarek?” Aegis’s voice was timid, hesitant.

“What do you want?” I muttered, closing my eyes.

“Could you try to accept our mate? Please? Corban says it’s hurting him that you won’t give him a chance.”

“You say that like I have a choice,” I replied bitterly, letting the water ripple around me.