Chapter 4

The next morning, I woke to a strange mix of emotions, relief and dread battling inside me.

Last night, I had made a choice, a decision that could give me the life I wanted. But in the quiet of the early morning, as the packhouse began to stir with life, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t over.

I lay in bed for a while, staring up at the ceiling, trying to push away the thought of Aiden.

The mate bond was supposed to fade after a rejection, wasn’t it?

So why did I still feel the pull, the constant hum of energy that tethered me to him?

It wasn’t as strong as before, but it was there, a faint reminder of what I was trying to leave behind.

A soft knock on my door snapped me out of my thoughts.

“Layla? You awake?”

It was Sarah. I sat up quickly and called for her to come in.

She poked her head through the door, her blonde curls bouncing as usual. “I made coffee,” she said with a grin, holding up two mugs. “Figured you could use some after last night.”

I smiled gratefully as she handed me a cup and sat on the edge of my bed.

I could always count on Sarah to know when something was off. Even though I hadn’t told her everything yet, she had this knack for sensing when I needed comfort.

“Thanks,” I said, blowing gently on the hot liquid.

The warmth of the cup grounded me, pulling me away from the tangled mess in my head.

“So,” she began, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. “How did it go with James?”

I hesitated for a moment, then gave her a small smile. “It went well. We... we talked, and I think we’re going to try being together.”

Sarah’s eyes widened, her excitement palpable. “Oh my Goddess, Layla! That’s amazing! I knew it. I knew you two would end up together.”

I chuckled softly, her enthusiasm infectious. “It feels... good. Like I’m finally moving forward.”

But even as the words left my mouth, I knew they weren’t entirely true. Because while I was moving forward with James, a part of me still felt stuck in place, tangled in the web of my bond with Aiden.

“So, when’s the big date?” Sarah asked, leaning forward with a teasing smile.

“We haven’t set anything yet,” I said. “It’s still... new.”

Sarah’s grin widened, and she raised her mug in a mock toast. “To new beginnings.”

“To new beginnings,” I echoed, clinking my mug against hers, even though the phrase felt hollow.

We sipped our coffee in silence for a moment, the early morning sun casting golden light through the small window of my room.

For a while, it almost felt normal. Like I was just another omega, getting on with life and love like everyone else.

But then, reality intruded.

A heavy knock sounded on the door to the omega quarters, followed by a voice that sent ice down my spine.

“Layla, report to the Alpha’s office immediately.”

It was one of the Beta guards, his tone clipped and formal.

Sarah shot me a confused look, her eyebrows knitting together. “What does he want with you?”

I shook my head, my heart pounding. “I don’t know.”

But I had a feeling.

Aiden.

He had kept his distance since the rejection, and I had hoped that maybe, just maybe, he would leave me alone. That he would let me move on.

Clearly, that hope was misplaced.

“I’ll be fine,” I said, more to myself than to Sarah, as I set the mug down and stood up.

Sarah looked like she wanted to argue, but she stayed silent, watching as I grabbed my jacket and headed for the door.

The packhouse was quiet as I walked through the corridors toward Aiden’s office. Every step I took felt heavier, as though an invisible weight was pressing down on me.

By the time I reached the Alpha’s wing, my legs were trembling.

I stood outside the heavy wooden door, taking a deep breath.

The last time I had been this close to Aiden was that night in the woods when he rejected me. Now, facing him again, I felt a strange mixture of anger and fear bubbling up inside me.

But before I could knock, the door swung open, and there he stood.

Aiden.

His presence filled the doorway, his tall, muscular frame blocking the light from the room behind him.

His dark eyes, those same eyes that had once looked at me with indifference, were now unreadable, as though he was trying to keep something hidden.

“Come in,” he said, his voice low.

I hesitated, then stepped inside, keeping my distance as the door closed behind me with a soft click.

The office was spacious and elegantly decorated, with large windows that let in the morning light.

It was a room that spoke of authority, power, and control. And yet, the atmosphere felt stifling.

Claustrophobic.

Aiden moved behind his desk, his eyes never leaving me. For a long moment, we stood in silence, the air between us thick with unspoken tension.

“I thought we had an understanding,” he finally said, his tone cold. “You were supposed to keep this... secret.”

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. “I haven’t told anyone, Alpha.”

His eyes narrowed slightly at the formal address, but he didn’t correct me.

“Then why is it,” he continued, “that I hear rumors of you and James? Of you... moving on?”

My stomach twisted. Of course, he would have heard.

The pack was small, and gossip traveled fast, especially when it involved a Beta and an omega. Still, I hadn’t expected Aiden to care, he had rejected me, after all.

He had made it clear that I meant nothing to him.

“I didn’t think it would matter to you,” I said quietly, my heart pounding in my chest. “You rejected me, remember?”

Something dark flickered in his eyes, and he stood abruptly, his hands gripping the edge of the desk. “That doesn’t mean you’re free to do whatever you want.”

I blinked, confusion and anger swirling inside me. “What do you mean? You rejected me. You chose Zara. I’m not bound to you anymore.”

Aiden’s jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought I saw something close to regret in his expression. But then, his face hardened again, his Alpha mask slipping back into place.

“You’re mine, Layla,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You always will be.”

I took a step back, my hands trembling. “That’s not how it works. You rejected me. You made your choice.”

Aiden moved around the desk, closing the distance between us in a few swift strides.

His presence loomed over me, and the bond, the one I thought was fading, flared to life, pulling me toward him even as my mind screamed to stay away.

“Do you think I wanted to reject you?” he growled, his eyes darkening with emotion. “Do you think I didn’t feel the bond? That I didn’t want you?”

I stared at him, stunned by his words.

This wasn’t the cold, indifferent Alpha who had rejected me that night. This was something else, something raw, conflicted.

“If you wanted me,” I whispered, “then why did you push me away?”

His hands clenched into fists at his sides, and for a moment, I thought he wouldn’t answer. But then, he spoke, his voice strained.

“Because I had no choice. Because this pack needs a strong Luna, and Zara...”

“Zara’s not your mate,” I interrupted, the words spilling out before I could stop them. “I am.”

Aiden’s eyes flashed with anger, and he stepped even closer, until I could feel the heat of his body, the overwhelming power that radiated from him.

“I’m the Alpha, Layla,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “I don’t get the luxury of choosing my mate. I have to think about the pack, about what’s best for them.”

I looked up at him, my heart racing. “And what about me? What about what I want?”

For a moment, his expression softened, the mask slipping again. But then, just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by the cold, calculating Alpha once more.

“It doesn’t matter,” he said. “You’re mine, Layla. And you will stay mine.”