CassiusThe day had been long. Too long. But it wasn't as though I had a choice in the matter. My father had been insistent, and with every passing moment, the weight of my obligations grew heavier. Dinner had been arranged, and with it, the expectation that I, Cassius Blackwood, would be on my best behavior, smiling and pretending for the sake of the alliance.As I dressed in my formal attire, I could feel the tension creeping up my spine. The event tonight wasn’t about me—at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. It was about the Blood Fang Pack and securing our future. But the truth was, I was suffocating. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I straightened, taking a deep breath, and opened the door to find my father standing there, a wide grin stretched across his face.“Ready, son?” he asked, his voice warm and expectant.I grunted in reply, offering a half-hearted smile that didn't reach my eyes. My father, as always, seemed oblivious to my discomfort. His world r
LorienThe words hung heavy in the air."Is that all you’ve got?"I stared up at Alpha Matthias, my chest heaving, ribs throbbing beneath the bruises. His towering figure blocked out the sun behind him, casting me in shadow. Everything about him was calm, collected, but there was something piercing in the way his eyes bore into mine. Not cruel, just… unrelenting. Like he saw straight through every crack in me.I remembered Cassius’s words from days ago. "An omega like him is beneath me."I clenched my fists against the cold, damp ground.No. I wasn’t beneath anyone. I wouldn’t be.With effort, I pushed myself up, biting back a whimper as pain lanced through my side. “I… I wasn’t at my best today,” I said quietly. “I’ve been sick. I didn’t want to miss training, so I—”“Enough.”His voice wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be. It shut me up faster than a slap to the face.“There is no room for excuses in my pack, Lorien,” he said, stepping down from the platform. “You want to be strong?
LorienI sat on the cot, my gaze drifting over the rough wooden beams of the ceiling. The steady sounds of movement outside filtered into the room—guards preparing for the day’s training, the clang of metal, the soft murmurs of conversation. But none of it reached me fully. My mind was elsewhere, as it always seemed to be now. The door creaked open, and Kieran stepped inside. His eyes quickly scanned the room before settling on me. There was a slight frown on his face, though he tried to hide it with his usual easygoing demeanor."Hey," Kieran began, shifting uncomfortably, his hands fiddling with the hem of his jacket. "Just checking on you."I smiled faintly. "I’m fine." I said it more for myself than him, though. I’ve been worse, I thought, but didn’t say.Kieran didn’t seem convinced. He stepped closer, sitting down beside me on the cot. His eyes were full of concern—there was no denying that. “You know," he said quietly, "Alpha Mathias is a good man. He doesn’t do things for hi
LorienMy chest tightened, the sound of my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. Kieran’s grip still lingered like phantom heat on my wrist, but the moment had twisted too fast, too unexpectedly. I couldn't breathe. I couldn’t think. I stumbled back, nearly tripping over myself.“Lorien—wait—”But I was already bolting.The night air hit my face like a slap. Cold, sharp, and cruel. My legs moved on instinct, pushing me through the thinning woods just beyond the bonfire clearing. It wasn’t far—I couldn’t go far—but I needed space. I needed silence. I needed anything other than Kieran’s voice echoing in my head.Why did he grab me like that? Why did I let him? Why did it feel… safe?I reached a grove, my lungs heaving, and collapsed against a tree. My fingers shook. My throat closed in on itself. Everything was crashing in again. My heart ached with a pressure I couldn’t contain. My eyes burned.Stop it. You’re fine. You’re okay. No one knows.But then I heard footsteps behind me.I did
CassiusI was on my throne and he was on his knees.Lorien—gods, it was him. His mouth was stretched around my cock, eyes glassy, cheeks flushed, his hands digging into my thighs like he was starving and I was the only thing he’d ever craved. My hand tangled in his hair, yanking his head back just to see that look of devotion—of complete surrender.But then—Click.A gun was pressed to his temple.His eyes widened. He whispered my name, mouth trembling.And I—I froze.******I woke up with a ragged gasp, bolting upright in bed, drenched in sweat and breathing like I’d run a damn marathon.“What the f—”I rubbed a hand down my face, clenching my jaw so tightly I thought it might crack.“Ridiculous,” I growled to myself, throwing the covers off.What kind of fucked up dream was that? And why the hell was it him?Lorien Vale.The one I rejected. The one I crushed.The one I—No.I wasn’t going there. Not again.But still… my heart wouldn’t slow. That dream—it had felt real. Too real. The
CassiusI stayed by his side, clutching my father’s hand like I could will strength back into his body. His skin felt papery, cool. Nothing like the man I’d grown up fearing—and respecting.Alpha Corbin Blackwood was no ordinary wolf. He was a legend. My benchmark. The reason I trained until I bled and clawed for every ounce of dominance I had.And now he looked… breakable.“I’m not ready to let you go,” I whispered under my breath.Before I could say more, Julian’s voice cut in from the doorway.“You should let him rest, Cassius. His vitals are unstable. Every second counts.”I didn’t even look back. “And if he dies while resting? Will that make you feel better?”Julian’s jaw ticked. “That’s not what I meant.”My father’s voice, gravelly and low, beat both of ours.“No.” He coughed harshly, crimson streaking the corner of his mouth. “I need to speak with my son. Now.”Julian opened his mouth again, likely to insist otherwise, but I beat him to it.“He said he wants to speak to me. Al
LorienThe school hallways were always loud, filled with the sound of laughter, footsteps, and conversations. But for me, they were a battlefield. I kept my head down, moving quickly as I navigated through the crowd, clutching my books to my chest like a shield. If I made myself small enough, if I didn’t make eye contact, maybe today would be different. Maybe they’d leave me alone. But I knew better. A hard shove from behind sent me sprawling forward. My books slipped from my grasp, scattering across the floor. The hallway erupted in laughter. "Oops," a voice drawled mockingly. "Didn’t see you there, omega." I swallowed hard, my hands shaking as I reached for my books. "Pathetic," another voice chimed in. "I swear, the pack gets weaker just having you in it." I didn’t look up. The sheer amount of disgust dripping from the words let me know exactly who it was. Cassius Blackwood. The future Alpha. My worst nightmare. He stood with his usual smirk, arms crossed, exudi
LorienCassius had been furious. I saw it in the way his jaw clenched, in the storm raging behind his dark eyes. When our bond was revealed, he didn’t just reject me—he recoiled, as if the Moon Goddess had played a cruel joke on him. “A mistake,” I had heard him mutter under his breath before he stormed out of the hall, his heavy boots echoing down the corridor. That was about two hours ago, but his reaction still burned. My mate—the one person who was supposed to love me, cherish me—had looked at me like I was nothing. Less than nothing. I curled up on my cot, staring at the ceiling of my tiny dorm. The night was quiet, but inside, my thoughts were anything but. Was this it? Was I doomed to feel this pain for the rest of my life? The mate bond was unbreakable—at least, not without rejection.Honestly, I might have been more surprised than him at finding out we were mates. It almost never happened that a man was mates with another man. It was almost unheard of, and it was seri
CassiusI stayed by his side, clutching my father’s hand like I could will strength back into his body. His skin felt papery, cool. Nothing like the man I’d grown up fearing—and respecting.Alpha Corbin Blackwood was no ordinary wolf. He was a legend. My benchmark. The reason I trained until I bled and clawed for every ounce of dominance I had.And now he looked… breakable.“I’m not ready to let you go,” I whispered under my breath.Before I could say more, Julian’s voice cut in from the doorway.“You should let him rest, Cassius. His vitals are unstable. Every second counts.”I didn’t even look back. “And if he dies while resting? Will that make you feel better?”Julian’s jaw ticked. “That’s not what I meant.”My father’s voice, gravelly and low, beat both of ours.“No.” He coughed harshly, crimson streaking the corner of his mouth. “I need to speak with my son. Now.”Julian opened his mouth again, likely to insist otherwise, but I beat him to it.“He said he wants to speak to me. Al
CassiusI was on my throne and he was on his knees.Lorien—gods, it was him. His mouth was stretched around my cock, eyes glassy, cheeks flushed, his hands digging into my thighs like he was starving and I was the only thing he’d ever craved. My hand tangled in his hair, yanking his head back just to see that look of devotion—of complete surrender.But then—Click.A gun was pressed to his temple.His eyes widened. He whispered my name, mouth trembling.And I—I froze.******I woke up with a ragged gasp, bolting upright in bed, drenched in sweat and breathing like I’d run a damn marathon.“What the f—”I rubbed a hand down my face, clenching my jaw so tightly I thought it might crack.“Ridiculous,” I growled to myself, throwing the covers off.What kind of fucked up dream was that? And why the hell was it him?Lorien Vale.The one I rejected. The one I crushed.The one I—No.I wasn’t going there. Not again.But still… my heart wouldn’t slow. That dream—it had felt real. Too real. The
LorienMy chest tightened, the sound of my own heartbeat thundering in my ears. Kieran’s grip still lingered like phantom heat on my wrist, but the moment had twisted too fast, too unexpectedly. I couldn't breathe. I couldn’t think. I stumbled back, nearly tripping over myself.“Lorien—wait—”But I was already bolting.The night air hit my face like a slap. Cold, sharp, and cruel. My legs moved on instinct, pushing me through the thinning woods just beyond the bonfire clearing. It wasn’t far—I couldn’t go far—but I needed space. I needed silence. I needed anything other than Kieran’s voice echoing in my head.Why did he grab me like that? Why did I let him? Why did it feel… safe?I reached a grove, my lungs heaving, and collapsed against a tree. My fingers shook. My throat closed in on itself. Everything was crashing in again. My heart ached with a pressure I couldn’t contain. My eyes burned.Stop it. You’re fine. You’re okay. No one knows.But then I heard footsteps behind me.I did
LorienI sat on the cot, my gaze drifting over the rough wooden beams of the ceiling. The steady sounds of movement outside filtered into the room—guards preparing for the day’s training, the clang of metal, the soft murmurs of conversation. But none of it reached me fully. My mind was elsewhere, as it always seemed to be now. The door creaked open, and Kieran stepped inside. His eyes quickly scanned the room before settling on me. There was a slight frown on his face, though he tried to hide it with his usual easygoing demeanor."Hey," Kieran began, shifting uncomfortably, his hands fiddling with the hem of his jacket. "Just checking on you."I smiled faintly. "I’m fine." I said it more for myself than him, though. I’ve been worse, I thought, but didn’t say.Kieran didn’t seem convinced. He stepped closer, sitting down beside me on the cot. His eyes were full of concern—there was no denying that. “You know," he said quietly, "Alpha Mathias is a good man. He doesn’t do things for hi
LorienThe words hung heavy in the air."Is that all you’ve got?"I stared up at Alpha Matthias, my chest heaving, ribs throbbing beneath the bruises. His towering figure blocked out the sun behind him, casting me in shadow. Everything about him was calm, collected, but there was something piercing in the way his eyes bore into mine. Not cruel, just… unrelenting. Like he saw straight through every crack in me.I remembered Cassius’s words from days ago. "An omega like him is beneath me."I clenched my fists against the cold, damp ground.No. I wasn’t beneath anyone. I wouldn’t be.With effort, I pushed myself up, biting back a whimper as pain lanced through my side. “I… I wasn’t at my best today,” I said quietly. “I’ve been sick. I didn’t want to miss training, so I—”“Enough.”His voice wasn’t loud. It didn’t need to be. It shut me up faster than a slap to the face.“There is no room for excuses in my pack, Lorien,” he said, stepping down from the platform. “You want to be strong?
CassiusThe day had been long. Too long. But it wasn't as though I had a choice in the matter. My father had been insistent, and with every passing moment, the weight of my obligations grew heavier. Dinner had been arranged, and with it, the expectation that I, Cassius Blackwood, would be on my best behavior, smiling and pretending for the sake of the alliance.As I dressed in my formal attire, I could feel the tension creeping up my spine. The event tonight wasn’t about me—at least, that’s what I kept telling myself. It was about the Blood Fang Pack and securing our future. But the truth was, I was suffocating. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I straightened, taking a deep breath, and opened the door to find my father standing there, a wide grin stretched across his face.“Ready, son?” he asked, his voice warm and expectant.I grunted in reply, offering a half-hearted smile that didn't reach my eyes. My father, as always, seemed oblivious to my discomfort. His world r
LorienI stared at the ceiling of my room, the same sterile white color that made it hard to breathe. The doctor’s words were still ringing in my ears, over and over, like a curse I couldn’t outrun.“You’re pregnant.”I gripped the edge of the blanket, knuckles white.No… no, this can’t be happening.I wasn’t supposed to be able to get pregnant. Male omegas—there were rumors, old wives’ tales about it, but it was rare. Practically unheard of. The doctor herself had looked more surprised than I felt.I had begged her—begged—not to tell Matthias.“You have to understand,” I whispered, voice cracking as I stood there in the small medical room, “he’ll throw me out. I don’t even know what he’d do if he found out. I can’t… I can’t let him know. Please.”The doctor had studied me for a long moment before finally nodding.“I won’t tell him—for now,” she said slowly. “But you have to. You can’t keep training at this pace. Not in your condition. Eventually, he’ll know. And it’s better if it com
LorienI woke up with a gasp, my body jerking upright as panic clawed its way through my chest. My head throbbed painfully, and for a moment, the world blurred around me. The last thing I remembered was being surrounded by those soldiers, their claws ready to strike—then Kieran stepping in. And now… Where was I? The room around me was unfamiliar. The walls were made of dark wood, the scent of pine and fresh air lingering in the air. A large window let in soft morning light, illuminating the neatly arranged furniture. The bed I was in was far too soft, the blankets warm and thick—a stark contrast to the cold forest floor I had been running through just hours ago. I wasn’t dead. But I had no idea what was waiting for me. The door creaked open, and I flinched, my body instinctively tensing. Kieran stepped inside, arms crossed, his sharp blue eyes watching me carefully. He was tall and broad-shouldered, his dark hair slightly tousled as if he had barely slept. "You're awake,
LorienThe wind howled through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine as I ran. My breath came in ragged gasps, burning my throat, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. My legs ached, my lungs screamed for relief, but none of it mattered. I just had to get away—from the sneering faces, the cruel laughter, and, most of all, from him. Cassius Blackwood had rejected me. It wasn’t just the rejection—it was the way he had done it. Publicly. Mercilessly. As though I were nothing but filth beneath his boots. I squeezed my eyes shut as the memory resurfaced, my feet stumbling over uneven ground. "An omega like him is beneath me." His words played over and over in my mind, each repetition slicing deeper, cutting through the fragile hope I had dared to hold onto. I had been stupid. I had been so stupid to believe that last night had meant something. That the way he had touched me, the desperation in his lips and the way our bond had surged between us, had been more than