POV: Logan
THUD!
My book hit the ground as I jumped up from the garden bench. Across the road, a small omega child had fallen and was crying loudly. His knee was scraped and bleeding, and tears streamed down his face.
I started to move toward him, but someone else got there first.
Maya.
She dropped the heavy supply bags she'd been carrying and knelt beside the little boy. Her voice was soft and gentle as she checked his hurt knee.
"Hey there, Tommy," she said kindly. "That looks like it hurts. Let's get you cleaned up, okay?"
She pulled a clean cloth from her pocket and carefully wiped away the blood. Then she did something that made my heart skip - she kissed the top of his head and whispered something that made him giggle through his tears.
"All better," she stated, helping him stand up. "But you need to be more careful running on these stone paths."
Tommy nodded seriously and hugged her leg before running off to play with his friends. Maya watched him go with a smile, then picked up her heavy bags and continued on her way.
I stood there frozen, my book forgotten on the ground. That whole scene had lasted maybe two minutes, but it showed me everything I needed to know about Maya Chen.
She was different.
I'd been watching her for months, though I'd never say that to anyone. While my brothers focused on training and leadership tasks, I noticed the quiet moments that everyone else missed. Maya wasn't just another omega worker - she was special in ways that had nothing to do with rank or genes.
Like how she always saved the biggest cookies for the omega children when she served afternoon snacks. Or how she listened - really listened - when the senior pack members told their long, boring stories. She remembered birthdays that everyone else forgot and somehow always knew exactly what to say to make someone feel better.
But I couldn't talk to her. Not really.
As the Alpha's son, everything I did was watched and judged. If I spent too much time with an omega girl, people would talk. They'd say I was being inappropriate or that I didn't understand my place in the pack order.
So I watched from a distance, wishing things were different.
"Logan!" Ryan's voice interrupted my thinking. "There you are. Mom wants us in the main hall. Some kind of emergency pack meeting."
I picked up my book and followed him inside. The hall was already crowded with worried-looking pack members. Dad stood at the front with a grim face, and Mom looked upset beside him.
"What's going on?" I asked Ethan, who was standing near the wall.
"Rogue attack," he said softly. "Hit the Northern border guard about an hour ago. Three of our warriors are hurt."
My stomach dropped. Rogue strikes were serious business. These were wolves who'd been kicked out of their packs for breaking laws, and they moved in dangerous groups, stealing and hurting innocent people.
"How bad?" I asked.
"Bad enough that Dad's calling for extra security at the festival," Ethan replied. "He thinks they might try to attack during the ceremonies when everyone's distracted."
Dad's voice boomed across the hall. "All non-essential personnel will stay inside the main compound until further notice. No one goes anywhere alone. Warriors will patrol in groups of four."
I looked around the crowd and found Maya standing near the back with the other omega workers. She looked scared but was trying to hide it. When one of the younger omegas started to worry, Maya put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
Even in the middle of a crisis, she was taking care of others.
"Logan," Dad called out. "I want you to arrange with the interior security team. Make sure all the exits are properly guarded."
I nodded and started toward the security office. It was boring work - checking doors and windows, making sure the guards were at their places - but it was important. If rogues got inside the complex, they could hurt a lot of innocent people.
Hours passed as I made my rounds. The sun was setting when I finally finished checking the last guard post. I was heading back to the main house when I heard voices coming from the kitchen courtyard.
I stopped and listened. Two women were talking in low, angry tones.
"...don't belong here," one voice was saying. "It's not natural."
"She's just an omega," answered another voice I recognized as Beta Karen. "What harm could she possibly do?"
"You don't understand. I've been watching her. She's different. The way she talks to people, the way they respond to her. It's like she has some kind of power over them."
My blood ran cold. They were talking about Maya.
"That's ridiculous," Karen laughed. "She's just a kitchen worker."
"Is she? Have you seen how the children flock to her? How even the elders seem to light up when she's around? That's not normal omega behavior."
I pressed closer to the wall, trying to hear better.
"What are you suggesting?" Karen asked nervously.
"I'm saying she's dangerous. And with these rogue attacks happening, we can't afford to have suspicious people in our compound. What if she's working with them?"
My hands clenched into fists. How dare they accuse Maya of being a traitor? She was the nicest person in the entire pack!
"You're being paranoid," Karen said, but she sounded uncertain now.
"Am I? Or am I being careful? I think we should report our worries to the Alpha."
I heard footsteps moving away and quickly ducked behind a wall. The two women walked past without seeing me, but I caught a glimpse of who Maya's accused was.
Sophia's mother, Mrs. Torres.
This was bad. Very bad. If Mrs. Torres convinced other pack members that Maya was suspicious, it could destroy her life. Being accused of working with rogues was serious - people had been removed from the pack for less.
I had to warn Maya.
I found her in the kitchen, cleaning up after dinner. She was alone, cleaning pots at the big sink. Her shoulders looked tired, and there were dark rings under her eyes.
"Maya," I said quietly.
She spun around, nearly dropping the pot she was holding. "Logan! I mean, Mr. Blackwood. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in."
"Just Logan is fine," I said, moving closer. "I need to talk to you about something important."
She dried her hands on her apron, looking nervous. "Did I do something wrong?"
"No, you didn't do anything wrong. But someone thinks you did." I quickly told her about the talk I'd overheard.
Maya's face went pale. "Mrs. Torres thinks I'm working with rogues? That's crazy! I would never hurt anyone in this pack."
"I know that," I said firmly. "But if she shares rumors, other people might believe her. You need to be extra careful for the next few days."
Maya nodded, but I could see fear in her eyes. "Thank you for warning me. I don't know why you're being so kind to me, but I appreciate it."
Because you're worth saving, I thought. Because you make everyone around you better. Because when I watch you, I see everything I want in a mate.
But I couldn't say any of that out loud.
"Just... be careful," I said instead.
I turned to leave, but Maya's gasp stopped me cold.
"Logan!" Her voice was filled with pain and fear.
I spun around to see her clutching her wrist, her face twisted in pain. Bright silver light was spilling out from under her sleeve, so bright it hurt to look at directly.
"What's happening?" she cried.
The light pulsed, and suddenly fire burst through my chest. It felt like my heart was being ripped apart and put back together. Every nerve in my body screamed, and I could barely breathe.
Maya stared at me with wide, frightened eyes as the impossible truth hit us both at the same time.
The mate bond.
But how could that be possible? I was an Alpha's son. She was an omega.
And why did I feel like this was only the beginning of something much bigger and more dangerous than either of us could imagine?