One Omega

Chapter 11 - one step forwards, two steps back

---Zayne's POV---
I didn't know how much time we spent in that bathroom, most of the pack settling down on the floor, talking softly to each other while the others simply observed as Marcus washed me from head to toe. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew I should be fighting tooth and claw to get out of Marcus' hands or out of the water but I felt as if I was stuck outside my body.

Calloused fingers gently massaged the soap through my fur, making it stick up in awkward angles as they found countless of knots and matted furs. The quiet snipping of the scissors when he gently removed patches that were beyond repair accompanied his soothing voice as he kept talking to me.

My ears flickered slightly when he washed them, shivering against his skin when water ran over my head and muzzle, eyes blinking against the droplets running over my head and muzzle.

"There we go." Marcus crooned before gently lifting me out the tub, settling me down on soft towels as I shivered, glancing around slightly. My eyes stopped at my reflection in the mirror and I mentally scoffed. No wonder the Alpha always picked on me. I'm pathetic.

"You certainly are not Zayne and I'd appreciate it if you stopped thinking like that about yourself." Lee said kindly, though I could hear the command in his tone. Spreading my ears to the side, my head drooped in defeat. "Yes Alpha. Sorry Sir."

Lee sighed, opening his mouth before stopping and shaking his head. "I know you've had a rough time kid, but we wish to help you. You're part of our pack now and we look after our own." I didn't understand, only stared in confusion before I jumped when a towel was wrapped around my soaking body, long slender fingers rubbing my fur dry.

Seth flashed me a weak smile as he dried me while Marcus got out of the bath, water running off of his body in torrents before he grabbed a towel and dried himself. His eyes remained fixed on me though, even if Seth moved the towel to my head to dry me completely.

Eventually I was left huddled in a fresh towel, ears twitching as I was lost in thought. Everything I've come to know as truth was left unhinged. These wolves showed me that pack-life didn't need to be torture, they even acted as if I was equal to them.

It all just left me extremely confused as I simply stared down at my damp fur, my wolf's usual spirit to fight and defend gone. It made me nervous, wondering if my wolf has finally given up on me as well.

Everyone does eventually.

---Marcus POV---
It was disheartening to see the pup just sitting there, letting everything happen. His golden eyes still flashed with fear but they lacked the spark that gleamed in them before.

I knew it was Zayne's wolf accepting us as pack and lowering its guard but coupled with Zayne's thoughts, it gained a whole new meaning.

Zayne lost his will to survive.

And that had me on edge, gritting my teeth as I ran several thoughts through my mind, all of them containing Zayne's former pack and the great pleasure I would have in exterminating it. My wolf snarled, snapping with its teeth in agreement; that pathetic excuse for a pack needed to be erased.

I could hear Terrance linking with several other pack's of Pack Law, discussing battle strategies and ways to circle the pack to make sure nobody could escape. The horror and anger in the officials' voices was satisfying and I just knew that Zayne's story was going to spread under Pack law, pushing everyone to inspect the packs around them to make sure this wouldn't repeat in the future.

We were going to set things into motion, a snowball effect that would change everything on its path as it hurdled down the hill.

But even while I listened in on the rest of the pack as they settled down, I couldn't help but freeze in shock when Zayne crawled up my chest, hiding his muzzle underneath my chin and settling down with a sigh.