Aiden stared at the den's wooden door.Waiting.
His knee bounced restlessly, his nails digging small half-moons into his palms. The air was thick, heavy, the silence broken only by the thud of his heart.
Why do I wait?
His thoughts spun circles, each one hitting the same wall. He hated Theron, didn't he? The Alpha King—the reason his whole life had flipped inside out, the one fate had bound him to against his will. And yet… his ears twitched at the faintest sound of footsteps, his tail gave an involuntary flick of excitement before he forced it still.
"Pathetic," he muttered, burying his face in his hands.
The door creaked.
Aiden's head shot up despite himself.
Theron stepped in, silver eyes sharp as ever, hair damp with sweat, chest rising with quiet fury. He looked dangerous—more dangerous than usual—but for reasons Aiden couldn't place. He smelled of earth, pine, and something acrid… rogue blood.
"Where were you?" Aiden asked before he could stop the words. His voice cracked, too soft, too eager. He tried to mask it by sitting straighter, arms crossing over his chest.
Theron's gaze flicked to him, assessing. "Out." His tone was clipped, businesslike. He crossed the room and placed something on the table. A single strand of golden hair.
Aiden froze. His lungs locked. His body screamed to move closer, to scent it, to know—but some instinct told him not to. Instead, he forced out, voice small:
"I can smell Evelyn on you."
Theron's jaw tightened, his expression carved from stone. "Not just on me," he said at last, voice low, steady, but dangerous. "On the rogues. On the trees at the border. On the trail that led straight out of our territory."
Aiden shook his head, lips parting, words tumbling out before he could stop them. "No… you're wrong. You must be. She wouldn't—" He stood abruptly, ears pinning back, tail fur bristling with anger.
Theron's hand slammed against the table, the sound cracking through the den like thunder. The golden hair trembled against the wood. His silver eyes burned into Aiden's, sharp enough to strip away every excuse.
"She was there, Aiden. I smelled her myself. I saw the paw prints leading away. I found her perfume clinging to the branches. Evelyn called them here."
The air rushed from Aiden's lungs. He shook his head so violently his hair fell into his eyes. His fists clenched, chest heaving, claws half-slipping from his fingertips as his body readied for a fight.
"You're wrong!"
"She—she loved me," he yelled, anger spilling out, his voice cracking. "She wouldn't betray me like that. She—she wouldn't!" Aiden struck Theron's chest with his fists, his wolf growling, teeth itching to bite deep enough to make the Alpha cry out. But instinct coiled around his fury, holding him back. A whisper deep inside him hissed: submit. Don't anger him.
Theron's gaze softened—but only slightly. He stepped forward, slow, controlled, every inch the Alpha King. "She already did."
Aiden's throat worked as he swallowed, eyes stinging, but he couldn't look away. His heart screamed denial, but the bond twisted, telling him the Alpha was telling the truth.
And that truth hurt more than claws ever could. Yet he didn't want to believe it.
"I'll go see for myself. I'll find her and ask," Aiden said, pulling away from Theron, eyes locking on the door.
"I…" His voice broke, barely audible. "I don't believe you."
Theron's eyes flickered with anger, something dangerous burning in them. "You what?" He grabbed Aiden's arm. "You think I'll let you go find her? You don't get to walk out of our pack territory. You don't get to leave—"
Aiden yanked at his arm, but Theron's grip held firm, iron-strong. His ears pinned tighter, his tail lashed with fury.
"Let me go!" he snarled again, claws half-extended.
"No." Theron's voice was low, steady, but it carried the full weight of an Alpha's command. The air between them thickened, pressing down like storm clouds ready to break.
Aiden's chest heaved, his wolf fighting against that invisible leash. "You can't keep me here like some prisoner! I don't belong to you, Theron! I don't—"
"Enough!"
The word cracked through the den, rattling in Aiden's bones. Theron's eyes burned silver-bright, his voice tearing past his control.
"You think i'm just going letting you act like an alpha? like an beta? you not." he growled, stepping closer, pinning Aiden in place with sheer dominance. "Aiden open you eyes, you can't continue to act like you omega nature doesn't exist"
Aiden froze, breath caught in his throat. His nails bit into his palms. "Shut up."
"It's because you're an omega."
The words ripped out of Theron, harsh and raw, and for a moment the world seemed to stop.
Aiden stared at him, eyes wide, ears ringing. The word echoed inside him, tearing at walls he hadn't even realized were there. Omega. Not beta. Never beta.
he knew, it ever since that curse heat...
"No…" His voice shook, cracking, he shook his head violently, stumbling back. "I'm not—"
"You are." Theron's voice was softer now, but unyielding, his silver gaze fixed on Aiden like he could anchor him there. "You've felt it. You know it. Your wolf knows it."
"Shut up!" Aiden's scream broke, raw with denial. "I'm not weak! I'm not—" His throat closed before he could finish. His chest hurt, his instincts snarled and whimpered all at once.
Tears stung his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He wrenched free of Theron's grip with a burst of strength he didn't know he had, stumbled toward the door, and slammed it open so hard it rattled on its hinges.
"Aiden!"
He didn't stop. His feet pounded the earth, his breath harsh in his ears as he bolted into the forest. Branches whipped at his face, roots clawed at his boots, but he didn't care.
Anything—anywhere—was better than hearing that word again.
Omega.