Chapter 2: The Mark of Secrets Anna POV

"That symbol..." I couldn’t take my eyes off the strange marking. It was jagged and rough, as though it had been carved quickly yet had been placed in this location for a reason. "Why is it here, Leo? What does it signify?"

Leo looked away, his eyes haunted, and he rubbed the back of his neck while taking a trembling breath. "When I first saw this symbol, Anna... It was on the floor, just where I discovered you."

His words knocked the air out of my lungs like a physical blow. "What?" My voice was almost heard as I whispered.

Leo went on, sounding distant as though he were reliving the event. "It was a night like any other," he said. "I found you laying in a little clearing at the boundary of the area when you were a baby. And that precise marking was there, etched into the ground surrounding you."

As I glanced at him, I found it difficult to understand his words. "So, when you found me, this mark was with me? And it's here now?"

His forehead furrowed as he nodded. "Yes. There's more. That symbol is something I've seen in the pack house once. In Alpha Oliver’s private chambers."

My heartbeat accelerated. "Oliver’s room? But… why would he have it?"

"I don’t know, Anna," Leo said in a shaky voice. "But it means something. You have a relationship with that symbol. And it can't be good if Oliver knows anything about it."

Even though I made an effort to comprehend everything, it was like assembling a puzzle with half of the pieces missing. "So you think Oliver knows something about… about where I come from?"

"Or he’s keeping it from you." Leo's expression clouded. "It is risky, whatever it is. Anna, you must exercise caution around him. More than before."

A loud, piercing horn sound broke the stillness between us as it reverberated through the night. Recognizing the call that required the presence of every pack member, we both recoiled.

"That’s Alpha Oliver calling a meeting," Leo said in a grim voice. "And knowing him, he doesn’t call these for nothing."

A shiver ran down my back. "You don’t think… this has anything to do with me, do you?"

Leo let out a sigh and looked at me with concern. "I would not rule anything out for Oliver, but I'm not sure. Anna, keep your head down. If at all possible, just blend in."

By the time we got there, the pack house was already starting to fill up, with all of the members congregating in the spacious meeting room. As we made our way through the crowd, I stayed by Leo's side, sensing that many were watching us. As usual, most people disregarded me, dismissing me as the invisible omega, while some sneered and others scowled.

Oliver stood in the center of the room, surveying the audience with his sharp eyes. It was difficult to ignore his commanding presence; he demanded loyalty and acquiescence at every turn. Tonight, though, I felt a shudder go through me because of something deeper in his eyes.

Oliver's eyes flicked to me as I shifted to the side of the room to wait with the other omegas who would be bringing refreshments. Every nerve in my body begged me to go, but I forced myself not to shiver as his eyes lingered, cold and calculating.

"Members of the pack," he said in a deep, menacing voice. "I’ve called you here tonight to address a… matter of security."

The throng was murmuring with tension and interest. Oliver's face darkened as he proceeded, lifting a hand to silence them.

He paused and looked across the room, lingering on me once more before turning away. "Recently, I’ve been made aware of… certain threats," he continued. "Threats that could endanger not only my leadership but the stability of our pack."

A wave of uneasiness swept across the audience. A few of the more senior wolves looked at each other, their faces becoming tight.

Is he referring to me? His comments and the way he looked at me gave the impression that he was addressing me directly without mentioning my name.

Leo had cautioned me and advised me to keep my head down, but I wasn't sure how long I could remain undetected. Oliver seemed to be focusing on me, waiting for me to make a mistake, regardless of what he knew or suspected.

Oliver went on, "Be on your guard," in a steady yet foreboding tone. "We cannot allow any weakness, any… hidden agendas to threaten the pack."

As I busied myself with the tray of beverages, raising it and going about the room as the omegas were told to do, I swallowed hard and tried to maintain a neutral expression. I had to appear helpful, unnoticeable, and submissive.

However, as soon as I arrived at the front of the room, where Oliver was standing with his inner circle, I felt a searing agony in my brain. Like a hot spike being pushed into my head, it came suddenly and brutally. I gasped and stumbled to keep my footing, almost spilling the tray.

A slight buzzing sounded in my ears, and I felt my hold relax. The faces of the pack members twisted and blurred as though they were submerged in water, and the room seemed to swirl around me.

I was startled out of the fog by a harsh voice that yelled, "What are you doing?" Oliver's bitter, enraged eyes were fixed on me when I blinked and looked up.

"S-sorry," I stumbled, attempting to regain my composure. However, the agony persisted, gnawing at my thoughts, making me lightheaded and confused.

He scoffed, his lips quivering in contempt. "Clumsy omega," he said. "Can’t even handle a simple task, can you?"

I sensed that the pack was watching me, and their laughter and contempt washed over me like a tsunami. I lifted the tray again and forced myself to look down, ignoring the discomfort.

However, as I continued walking, I noticed that my vision was becoming blurry and that the buzzing in my ears was getting louder. The air was heavy and oppressive, and the room was too hot. I was unable to think or breathe...

The tray abruptly fell out of my grasp, and the glasses shattered as they struck the ground. Before I could stop myself, I staggered forward, my hand slapping against something warm and solid as cold liquid sprayed over my hands and arms.

I was horrified to see who I had just dumped the drink on as I looked up.

Alpha Oliver.

There was silence in the room. Everyone was staring at me, and I could feel their disbelief and astonishment bearing down on me like a real weight.

Oliver's eyes narrowed as he gazed down at the wet spot smearing across his shirt, his face contorted in anger. "You worthless omega," he growled in a low, lethal voice. "How dare you..."

"Do you think you can just waltz in here and make a fool of me in front of the entire pack?" Even though his voice was gentle, it carried a warning that chilled my blood.

As I struggled to free myself from his hold, I muttered, "I… I didn’t mean to," but he simply tightened his hold while grinning cruelly.

"Pathetic," he spat. "Do you realize that you are nothing? Nothing but a stain on this pack."