The pack knelt, frozen in disbelief. My neck burned as the mark pulsed violently. Kaiden's eyes narrowed, his usual control slipping.
"You're hiding something," he said, voice low, dangerous.
"I'm not," I whispered, though doubt twisted inside me.
Murmurs swirled—cursed bond, bad omen. Humiliation rose, heavier than rejection itself. Weak Selene, the joke of the pack, causing chaos again.
Kaiden's sharp gaze pinned me. "Leave."
For a moment, I thought he meant the pack. But his words hit me like a blade. "You are no longer part of this pack."
Exile. My chest tightened. Every step away felt heavier than the last. Behind me, whispers of fear and confusion trailed like shadows.
The mark pulsed again, hotter now, alive, demanding attention. Something ancient stirred in the darkness. Powerful. Watching. Waiting.
A sharp crack echoed. Three massive wolves emerged from the shadows—rogues, killers. Their leader grinned. "Easy prey."
I stepped back. "I don't want trouble."
The largest lunged. Instinct took over. My arms shot up. The mark ignited. White light burst outward, a shockwave ripping through the forest. The rogues crashed into trees, wind howling behind them.
Silence fell. I stood trembling, hands glowing faintly. "What… was that?"
A slow clap echoed. A figure emerged from the shadows, tall and controlled, power radiating off him. Calm. Dangerous.
"That was unexpected," he said. His eyes studied me, sharp, calculating. Not with fear, only interest.
"Who are you?" I whispered.
He ignored the question, staring at my neck. The mark. His shock was real. "That's impossible."
"What?"
"Do you know what you are?"
"I… I'm just an Omega," I muttered.
He chuckled, dark, amused. "No. You're definitely not."
Then distant howls pierced the night. Closer. My former pack.
"They're coming," he said, calm but alert.
"Who?"
"They know something they shouldn't. You're… valuable."
Valuable? I had never been. Ignored. Mocked. Tolerated.
"You're wrong," I whispered.
"Am I?" He stepped closer. "Your power forced an entire Alpha pack to kneel. That makes you dangerous."
My chest tightened. "No…"
"Good. That means you're not corrupted yet."
Another howl sounded, nearer now. He extended a hand. "Come with me. Survive."
For the first time, I realized: the rogues weren't my real danger. It was him.