Once Upon A Past

FLASHBACK - SEVERAL MONTHS AGO

Although River belonged to the lowest rank of the pack, she still hung out with Damien, the son of the second-highest-ranked wolf in her Pack, Beta Smith.

Their pair was a sacred one and an absolute abomination to the Pack.

Low-ranked wolves like River were not to be seen with high-ranked wolves like Damien, the son of a Beta.

Nobody was to be seen with the Omegas.

In the Packs in the North, if you were to be seen with an Omega, you'd be branded as one - an Omega.

And being branded as an Omega only meant one thing - subjection to bullying and humiliation.

However valid that rule may be, Damien was immune to it.

After all, he was the Beta's son - strong, powerful, and definite.

No one except the Alpha of his Pack and his family possessed any right to question his decisions.

Therefore, nobody questioned his decision to be seen around River.

She, on the other hand, instead of being subjected to bullying as expected of an Omega, became immune to it. Subjected instead to the exact opposite - envy.

And, all for one reason - her familiarity with Damien.

The best part of her life as an Omega had been her friendship with Damien.

Until Caden made an entrance into her life and made a mess of it.

After Caden's cruel rejection came the humiliation and bullying, twofold of what an Omega was meant to receive. 

Every humiliation and bullying River didn't receive when she was enjoying the privilege of Damien's friendship, she had gotten a twofold portion after Caden's rejection.

Caden walking into her life, unlike Damien, was a curse.

His presence in her life was only to cause her misery and regret that she had ever met him for the rest of her life.

The first time she met him, Caden bursting through the bar doors was a promise of ruin.

His steps towards her poised threats of doom.

His presence in her life was only to cause her misery and regret that she had ever met him for the rest of her life.

The first time she met him, Caden bursting through the bar doors was a promise of ruin.

His steps towards her poised threats of doom.

His lustful gaze on her as he walked towards the booth where she and Damien were settled was an oath for a miserable life.

And, she knew not any of this.

Even as she watched his glorious step - black plain t-shirt, blue cargo pants, white alluring sneakers - blushing foolishly as his oceanic gaze remained pinned on her.

Damien and River were out to celebrate Damien's first anniversary in bloodhound pack, and he had said Caden would be joining them shortly.

River’s reaction to the information was a deadpan because she had never been interested in him, despite countless times of the people in the Pack fawning over his looks.

However, as he slipped into their booth, sitting across River, she saw the reason they'd fawned over him.

When their knees knocked briefly, River heart had skipped. And, she checks herself out, confirming that her black mini dress wasn't too mid for Caden's style.

Actually, she had worn that dress to impress some other guy in her physics class, but things did change, and she is glad she wore the dress, anyway.

River hadn't seen the cruel intent in his gaze as it remained on her even as Damien engaged him in a conversation.

"Hey bud, are you even listening?"

Damien's question got both their attention, and River realized they were staring at each other all the while Damien had blabbered on.

Caden followed every of her moves, watching as she stirred her lemon juice with her straw, pretending to pay attention to Damien. And River had stolen glances at Caden more times than she had breathed. 

River cleared her throat, sipping from her lemon juice as Caden's husky and extremely sexy voice responded to Damien. 

River had never heard him speak, and neither had she ever known what he sounded like. And, like she had pointed out earlier, Omegas were not to be seen with high-rank wolves.

Everyone in the Pack had a similar description of him - hot and stunning in all his beautiful glory - which she had always believed to be an exaggeration.

But, hell yeah, was it?

Caden suddenly turned to Damien, throwing a glance at River before he did.

"Aren't you going to tell me who the third person is on this table?"

"Oh, right. Where are my manners?" Damien suddenly turned to River, his lips wide with a grin. "River, meet Alpha Caden. I'm sure you've heard of him."

River nodded, struggling to avoid Caden's gaze on her. He had stared at her interestingly as if he was ready to oggle her and jump her.

Anyone who saw his gaze on her would tell right away that he found her attractive.

"Alpha Caden, meet River. My friend."

"River," Caden repeated. "When did you come to our Pack?"

Alpha Caden asked in a calm tone, ringing for an order.

River swallowed. It was hard for her to concentrate when the most attractive man she had ever met had his gaze and full focus on her.

"Uhm, I was born here." River responded, thanking the heavens that she hadn't stammered when it seemed she was going to.

The waiter stops by their table and takes Caden's beer order. River ordered another glass of iced lemon juice as well because she was certain she was going to need it.

"What clan? I've never seen you in the territory."

He spoke with so much intimidation and charisma. The Alpha title was really meant for him. No one would ever hear Caden speak and not feel anxious. He spoke with so much command. Like he owned the world.

He spoke like a god.

Meanwhile, Damien was in his own world, busy on his cellphone as she typed with his gaze pinned on the screen in concentration. 

He was definitely chatting with someone.

"You might have. Given my rank, I'm frequently not around the main pack house."

Somehow, River had clenched her teeth after saying that. She believed Alpha Caden would snap back to his senses and realize that he was chatting with an Omega. Or, he was flirting with an Omega.

A lowly Omega.

"You should. The territory around the main packhouse has been upgraded. It's like a whole new world now."

Caden relaxed into his seat, keeping his gaze on River.

"I can show you around." He paused as the waiter returned with their order, settling it before them. River had thought he would wait till the waiter left before he proceeded, but she was wrong.

"There is a new jacuzzi with a BH shape - the Pack's initials - I can let you use that."

River swallowed as the waiter blinked in disbelief.

She was a wolf. Her rank was a Gamma family line. Most of the workers at cafés and restaurants were from the Pack or the Packs in the region. So, she must have recognized him as the Alpha of BloodHound Pack and the soon-to-be Alpha of the Regional Packs.

"Where is that?"

River barely managed to let out, feeling wanted underneath his gaze.

"The backyard of my bedroom."

Caden responded in a husky, masculine voice, causing the waiter to spill the drink on the table.

She quickly moved to wipe it off when Caden threw a glare at her.

Meanwhile, River had her throat tightened at Caden's offer.

Did he just offer to have her in his bedroom?

"Uhm, I don't think that's appropriate, Alpha." 

River responded, sipping a mouthful of her lemon juice. At this point, she'd have to order at least five glasses if her conversation with Alpha Caden proceeded.

The waiter bowed to Caden and strode off awkwardly. 

River was certain she would tell about her encounter with Caden flirting with an Omega to any ears that cared to listen. She was doomed.

"I'm the Alpha. Nobody dares question me."

Right. River had forgotten that. But, what about her? When he forgets that she ever existed the next day, will she go back to fighting bullies in the Pack? Would she be back to her life as an Omega before she became friends with Damien.

Should she risk all of that for just a fling?

"Alpha, you—"

"Caden." Caden cuts in, taking a swig of his beer as his gaze remained pinned on her. "Call me Caden." 

"Caden." River corrects. "Caden, you are an Alpha, the ruler of this Pack. Hence, once this is over, you'll not have anything to lose. I, on the other hand, the news will spread that I had a fling with the Alpha and—"

"A fling?" Caden interrupted, curving his brow as he sipped from his drink. "Who said this was a fling?"

"Alpha, I—”

"River, what do you think my intentions are? I'm a responsible man, and I'd never sit here, speaking to a random girl for the pleasure of it."

Caden spoke in a low hush to prevent Damien from listening - who, by the way, had a deeper frown on his face.

"I feel drawn to you for some reason unknown. I don't like things that yield fruitless results. I'm offering you into my life because my wolf feels like you'd complete me."

River’s heart pants even faster, threatening to rip out of her ribcage at this confession. 

"My intentions are pure, River. I like you. And, I want you to tell me you feel the same."

Caden said calmly, leaning closer to River.

River regarded him for a while, contemplating his words.

She couldn't believe the Alpha was asking her out, and she was contemplating his words.

But, she had to think of the consequences she was bound to face if they broke up. What if she wasn't his mate? Would he break their relationship and leave her for his mate?

But, she still felt she should give it a try. There was no harm in trying.

And, if they did break up, Alpha Caden would make sure she was not subjected to bullying. He seemed like the person who would do that.

So, slowly and gradually, she nods to Alpha Caden’s request.

However, she felt a pair of eyes piercing through her. Someone who wasn't Caden was staring at her. She gazed around and found nothing but people minding their businesses. But, there was a bit of commotion at the entrance of the bar. People gave way for a man as he stepped through the crowd. Some dashed out of his way as soon as they set their eyes on him, and some did all they could to avoid him. 

One of the waitresses had said as she passed by, "That's Alpha Ryker. I felt goosebumps staring at him.”