IN A MORNING
MICHAEL
The next morning, I wished the floor would open and swallow me whole. The hall smelled like roasted bread, spiced meat, and far too much tension. I sat stiff at the long table, Zavier beside me like a shadow I couldn't shake off. His silver eyes glinted every time one of the others so much as looked my way, his arm draped lazily over the back of my chair as though to say mine without a single word. I picked at my food, ears burning. Adrian was the first to try. He leaned forward, his golden eyes softening, voice calm but tight.
"Michael, we should talk… about what happened. About your place here."Adrian started.
I didn't answer. Instead, I shifted a little closer to Zavier without thinking, my wolf humming under my skin. Zavier smirked, the corner of his mouth curling, and tilted his head toward Adrian.
"He already has a place. Right here. Don't pretend you didn't hear him last night."Zavier grinned.
Adrian's jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Then Terrence, storm gray eyes sparking, slammed his fork down hard enough to rattle the plates.
"You think one heat makes you untouchable? You're not the only alpha here, Zavier."Terrence frowned.
I flinched at the sound, but before I could say anything, Zavier's hand slid to my waist, squeezing lightly, steadying me. His silver eyes never left Terrence.
"Funny. He doesn't seem to want you."Zavier grinned.
The low purr that rose in my chest betrayed me, vibrating faintly against Zavier's arm. Terrence's nostrils flared, fury flashing across his face. Xavier's turn came quieter, his dark eyes sharp and measuring.
"Michael. Look at me."He said.
I did, just for a heartbeat. His voice was low, steady.
"You don't have to let him keep you caged. If you-"He began.
Before he could finish, Zavier leaned down, his lips brushing the shell of my ear, his voice pitched for me alone.
"See? They circle like wolves who smell scraps. And yet…" his hand traced a line over my wrist, deliberately slow."…your pulse only jumps when I touch you."
Heat rose to my face, my breath catching. Damn him. My wolf purred louder, tail twitching in my mind. The others heard it, they all heard it. Their faces shifted, anger, frustration, even disbelief flashing across them one after another. I hated the smug satisfaction I felt knowing Zavier had heard it too. He chuckled low in his throat, pulling me just a little closer into his side, his silver gaze sweeping the others.
"Keep glaring. Keep reaching. But you already lost the first round."He smirked.
And I stayed quiet. Because despite every furious stare around me, I didn't move away. Not from him. The food on my plate had gone cold, untouched, but the tension at the table could've been carved with a knife. Zavier was relaxed at my side, silver eyes sharp, one hand still settled over my wrist like an anchor. The other three burned holes into me with every glance, their frustration thick in the air. I was tired of it. Tired of being stared at like a prize, tired of their silence simmering like a storm waiting to break. So I said the one thing that had been sitting on my tongue since the night before.
"…Charlie should be here."I said coldly.
The words dropped heavy into the hall. Adrian froze mid breath, amber eyes widening slightly. Terrence cursed under his breath. Xavier's dark eyes narrowed to slits. Even Zavier went still beside me, though his grip didn't loosen. I lifted my chin, forcing the words out.
"He's the real saint omega. Not me. I never asked for this. Not your bond marks, not your goddess games. Rose will bring him back, and when he comes…" My voice cracked, but I kept going. "When he comes, you won't need me anymore. I'll be free."
Selene's chair scraped against the floor as she shot to her feet, her golden eyes blazing like fire. The smug curve of her lips was gone, replaced by raw fury.
"Ungrateful boy-"Selene frowned.
She lunged forward across the table, hand raised, palm snapping through the air toward my face. But it never landed. A hand caught her wrist mid-swing, iron-strong and unyielding. Zavier. His silver eyes glowed like a storm barely leashed, his voice a growl that sent chills down my spine.
"Touch him." He said, low and dangerous. "And you'll lose that hand."
The room went deathly quiet. Selene hissed, trying to yank her arm back, but Zavier's grip was unbreakable. His silver eyes locked on hers, daring her to test him. I couldn't stop the way my wolf purred again, deep and traitorous in my chest, pressed against Zavier's arm for safety. The bond mark on my neck pulsed warm, reminding me of the truth I didn't want to admit. Selene finally wrenched free, glaring between us, her fury barely restrained. But she didn't try again. She wouldn't not with Zavier watching. And in that silence, Zavier leaned closer, his lips brushing the edge of my temple, his voice pitched low for me alone.
"Free?" He murmured. "Don't fool yourself, little wolf. You're not leaving me. Not now. Not ever."
My face burned, heart thundering. My wolf rumbled its agreement before I could even think to argue. The hall had gone dead silent after Zavier caught her wrist. Selene's silver eyes burned with a fury I hadn't seen before, her pale hand still trapped in his grip. I sat stiff beside him at the long breakfast table, heart hammering, my wolf pacing under my skin. She tugged once, twice, but Zavier didn't let go. His silver eyes gleamed like a storm about to break.
"You raise a hand to him again." He said, voice low, a warning edged with steel. "And I'll make sure even your goddess notices."
Selene's lips curled into a smile far too sharp.
"Careful, Zavier. You forget who gave him to you in the first place. He is mine to use. Mine to shape. And if he dares to speak of leaving-" Her eyes slashed to me, cold, cutting. "-I will remind him what happens when omegas disobey."
That was it. Something inside me snapped. The wolf surged, claws scraping against the floor beneath the table. My chest heaved as the growl tore through me, not weak, not pleading, but commanding.
"ENOUGH."I growled.
The word shook the air, deep and guttural, vibrating through the walls like thunder. Plates rattled. The flames in the sconces guttered. Adrian flinched back. Xavier froze mid breath. Terrence's wolf snarled but his body locked, unwilling. Even Selene, smug, calculating Selene, stumbled half a step, her eyes wide for the first time since I'd known her. The growl rolled again, low and heavy, pressing down like gravity. My wolf's power, an omega's true voice.
"You will NOT touch me." My words cracked like a whip, louder than my own heartbeat. "You will NOT decide for me. Not anymore. Not ever."
And then the air shifted. Silver light spilled across the table like water, rippling from nowhere. Selene gasped, jerking her hand back from Zavier as the temperature of the entire room dropped to a cool, moonlit chill. The voice that followed wasn't mine. It wasn't anyone's in that room. It was silk, sharp and delighted, echoing through every stone in the walls.
"Oh, little wolf." The Moon Goddess teased. "You found your voice."
Every alpha stiffened. Adrian's amber eyes flicked wide in shock. Xavier muttered a curse under his breath. Even Terrence, storm gray and iron willed, lowered his gaze as if fighting the weight pressing down. Selene's face twisted, part fury, part disbelief.
"My Lady-" She began.
The Goddess's laughter cut her off. It rang like silver bells, wicked and pleased.
"Oh, Selene. You thought you could keep him soft, malleable. But look at him, listen to him. His wolf sings, and even your threats bow before it."She smirked.
Her voice rippled through me, not cruel, not sharp, but teasing. Warm enough to make my skin burn.
"You growl like that, Michael." She whispered. "And every alpha in this room will remember who you are. Not a vessel. Not a pawn. A wolf. And mine."
Zavier's hand pressed firmer against my back, proud, protective. My wolf purred under the touch, even as the bond mark on my neck thrummed in response to the Goddess's approval. Selene shook, her lips pale as she spat.
"He is still the wrong one. Charlie is the saint omega! Not him-"She frowned in annoyance.
The Goddess's voice cut through her venom like a blade wrapped in honey.
'Charlie will return, yes. But this one…" Her laughter slid through the room, delighted. "…this one is better than perfect. And he already purrs for the alpha who claimed him. Did you hear it, Selene? Even his instincts betray you."
Heat rose in my face, but my wolf rumbled deep, proud, pleased by her words. Zavier leaned closer, lips at my ear, voice a soft growl meant only for me.
"See? Even she knows. You were always meant to be mine."She grinned.
My chest rose and fell fast, fury and shame and strange pride all tangled. The Goddess chuckled once more, her voice fading back into the silver air, leaving only her final words ringing like a brand.
"Remember this morning well, my chosen. Your growl has bound them all. And soon, your choice will bind even more."Moon Godness smirked.
The light vanished, leaving silence. My claws still dug into the wood. My chest still heaved. Every pair of eyes was on me, but for once, for the first time I didn't care. Because they had all heard it. They had all felt it and Selene, furious and pale, had no power left to deny it.