Hello my beautiful readers!
I know it's been a while and I am sorry for the delay but thank you so much for all the comments that I continue. Unfortunately, I was locked out of my account for about a month, in addition to this chapter proving difficult to write. It has been written and rewritten several times and I'm still not sure everything comes across as it should. Also, I apologize if I missed something in editing. I still haven't found a new beta reader and after so many attempts at writing, I got sick of looking at this chapter. This is also one of the few times I've written a fight scene, so if it's bad, I'm sorry. I tried really hard. In light of my recent absence, I feel I should let you know, this is NOT the last chapter. Hope you all are well. I sincerely hope you all enjoy this chapter... as best you can. I will try to write again soon.
Much love, xx
Frank's Pov:
I never meant for things to happen this way. I mean, when I was younger, I wanted the same thing all beta's want: to serve the King as a second or third and to have a mate of my own. A mate that adored me and who would allow me to do anything to or with them. For that kind of devotion, I needed an omega. Unfortunately for me, right when I came of age, my brother, Owen, was thrown out of a neighboring pack he'd married into: Lotus Pack.
Apparently, my brother had gotten drunk one night and ended up raping the Queen's sister and during his trial, it was brought up that the little omega he'd mated had also been abused. As a result, he was cast out of Lotus Pack and King Maxwell vowed to never let Owen return to Shadow Pack. Honestly, he was lucky to escape with his life. Unfortunately for me, the trial caused any beta or omega that had ever shown interest in me, to fully reject me instead. No one wanted me, not even those from the other twelve packs, and it wasn't even my fault.
Due to the fact that no one really wanted to be around me, besides Maxwell of course, I ended up spending a lot of time with Owen, away from everyone else. In a matter of weeks, Owen's friends, mostly humans that were criminals to their own kind, became my friends as well.
I think about back then a lot and I wonder if my life would have turned out differently, had I never indulged my brother with my company. Every time I visited, he would conduct some sick sort of experiment on a living creature before putting it out of its misery. Every time I left his place I felt dirtier and dirtier, as if he were corrupting my soul by witnessing his cruel acts. Even my wolf was becoming more violent in his own tendencies. If we ever hunted, he would play with his food before killing it, forcing me to watch the way my brother did and eventually, I loved it.
When Owen could tell I was becoming more like him, he cranked his actions up to eleven and began to apply his torture methods to humans; runaways and prostitutes mostly. I only watched. For a long time I felt sick over what my brother would do to the weak little humans but, eventually, I became numb to their pleas and cries for mercy.
One day, my birthday actually, Owen invited me over and presented me with a gift, my very own victim. Only this time, it wasn't a human. It was an omega. The boy had just come of age, was breathtakingly beautiful and completely untouched. His long white hair fell in waves over his shoulders and he gazed up at me with terror in his forest green eyes. It was enchanting. The only problem was, he smelled horrible. I could scent every single unimportant emotion that the little omega was experiencing; it was as if I could read his mind. Small price to pay to defile such beauty.
Owen was ecstatic to add the omega to his collection of boys, especially because he was a Lotus. Neither Owen nor I had ever forgiven Lotus Pack for ruining our lives and he was thrilled to have a way to even the score. I was thrilled to have an omega to play with. It wasn't all good though because I always had to share. Eventually, I tired of way my brother abused the boy.
He was going to kill the omega when he grew bored, that much I knew, and something deep inside me couldn't let the little wolf die like that. So, instead, I made sure Owen would never hurt another living soul. No one, besides Fae, ever knew what I did to my brother and the omega would never dare to tell anyone. Due to Owen's status as a rogue, no one missed him once he was gone. His death was a relief in many ways but over time I've felt my soul decay. I no longer recognize my wolf. He's too dangerous to let out. I never shift anymore. Maybe I'm worse now, than my brother was? I don't really know but sometimes I care to.
All I know for sure is that day on, the omega was mine and I made it a point to treat him better than Owen ever did. Maybe I wasn't good enough to have a mate, and maybe I could never have a family, but the Alpha King of Shadow Pack was my best friend. I had a position of power and I had my little omega slut that would obey my every whim. Nothing and no one would ever take what little good life had given me.
Especially not another rogue.
*******
Cain's Pov:
My heart pounded in my chest as my wolf ran for all we were worth. As I raced, every mistake I'd ever made flashed before my eyes, punishing me, just in case I arrived too late. When I could finally see Frank's home, I promised my wolf once more, that no matter what happened next, I would be a better man, a better alpha. As I ran closer, my wolf suddenly sensed that Frank was not alone but it was too late for me to react.
Instantly, four beta wolves surrounded me. I tried to block. To evade. I snarled defensively, showing I had no intention of backing down. The bravado caused one of them to attack. I tried to dodge, only to be met with another set of snarling teeth, sharp teeth. A howl ripped out of my chest. Pain radiated through me. Teeth, lodged into my flank. My wolf again howled in agony as we shook the beta off. Loosing a chunk of flesh in the process.
I whipped around to the attacker only to feel another set of teeth on my back. I lashed out wildly, focusing on the one in front. I caught his paw in my jaw and clenched my teeth together, only satisfied by the crunch of bone. I shook my prey viciously causing the beta to whimper in pain. The other three were on me in an instant, forcing me to let go of my prey. I caught their flesh with my claws. Their bright red blood started to run down my legs but the defense barely made a difference.
I growled, long and low, as they stalked me, backing me where they wanted while I tried to ignore my open wounds. Blood was everywhere, slippery and thick as I backed away.
I didn't notice the dip in the road.
Suddenly, I tripped, landing on my back and the four lunged down. Each claiming a chunk of my body as their own. The four knew how to attack in perfect synchronization. I never had a chance. After several minutes I could barely breathe. The harder I fought, the weaker I felt. I was being beaten. What hope did I have? One of the beta's attached itself to my leg. Dragging me out of the ditch to finish me off. My mind began to crumble in on itself, showing me that I was wrong. I wasn't strong because I was an alpha. I was weak, I was nothing. I could never be the hero. Fae would probably die now for sure. I couldn't save him.
No.
I roared with fury as the image of the omega laying still and lifeless flooded my brain. At that moment, I shut off every human instinct, letting my wolf guid me. I needed to trust it, fully. I needed to give in to my true nature.
I no longer thought about how to win. I simply fought to save my mate. To survive. I could feel myself growing stronger, bigger, more aggressive. It felt as if I was finally coming into myself, accepting what I was and could be.
