When my paws landed in the cave I scrambled for a place to hide.
My heartbeat thundered in my chest, my wolf was in a daze.
Rules.
I had to remember them.
I needed to be good.
I froze.
Don't touch the Alphas things.
My eyes scanned the den. I was on his land, everything was his. I wasn't in a packhouse so there was an unknown factor to the rules. Could the ground get me in trouble? Was I supposed to sit, stand, lay down? Should I sit up so that only two paws touched the den's floor?
What would my punishment be if I chose wrong?
Was this a test?
Rules, I needed to obey.
Never show fear.
I could do it. I could hide it, I would hide it. I wasn't scared, I wasn't.
My thoughts were barely believable but I needed to try. I needed to please, needed to meet the Alphas expectations of a good Omega.
Don't make any noise.
I was loud. My heart pounded harshly like a beating drum, and my panting also brought forth too much noise. I needed to calm myself. My thoughts seemed loud to my ears as well.
I could do this, I could be a good Omega.
I cou—
"Omega!" I didn't turn my head towards Lilah's voice.
Was I allowed to be near her?
Was this a test? What was the right choice? Obey her or only the Alpha?
A hand touched my back and unconsciously I jumped away from her. My ears going flat against my head and eyes widening with the fear I was desperately trying to mask.
"Calm yourself, Aegis is strong, whoever is here will be gone soon." Her words were gentle but they did nothing to soothe the panic I felt. They did nothing to deter me from remembering the rules. Did nothing from the plague that was deteriorating my mind.
I clenched my eyes closed. I needed to calm my heart.
My wolf whined, he didn't know the rules as well as I did, he felt the need to be good but was confused for the reason why we were trying to be good. I would have to teach him.
I was too caught up in my own head that I didn't notice the small fire being lit nor the burning of herbs until the smell wafted into my nose. The smell was almost soothing.
Lavender.
I redirected my eyes to face the flickering flames and where Lilah was tending to her small fire.
Don't make eye contact.
I kept my eyes on the orange flames where fresh lavender was slowly being burned, filling the den with its therapeutic scent. My heart rate slowly calmed itself but I didn't move. This scent used to aid me in sleep when I was a child, but that only lasted until the older Omega had died.
I shook my head of the wayward memories and moment of reminiscing. I didn't need to go down that path, not right now.
My eyes moved around the den, I didn't feel safe here, not with him nearby. My wolf refused to shift, his unease with my manic thoughts and his own anxiety was causing our instincts to go haywire. Hold habits clashing with a primal side didn't mesh well. Instincts wanted us to get further away from here, find somewhere safer, even just being near Aegis would possibly appease the need, but we had rules to follow and instincts didn't have a place next to the rules. My wolf was slowly understanding the need for them; he saw their purpose and the rewards that could follow.
Please our Alpha. That's what we needed to do. That's what we would do.
For hours I didn't move from my spot. The herbs were causing me to become tired but I hadn't been given permission to sleep so I stood in place. Lilah had attempted to speak to me but she had given up early on, realizing that I wouldn't shift, even her wolf had made a fruitless attempt at comforting me.
Was I being disobedient? Fear ran through me at the possibility, but I tried to squash the feelings.
Day soon turned into night when I finally heard the running steps. The dulling scent of the Alpha finally being refreshed as he made his way in. I couldn't help but to close my eyes and inhale the security that scent brought.
"Aegis..." I didn't look, I kept my head bowed and neck angled perfectly in submission. I tried to keep my tail from wagging, I was good! I would be rewarded for my obedience.
A growl ripped through the cave, I almost jumped but I steeled myself. A tinge of apprehension going through. I wasn't too sure if the growl was one of anger or not.
"I told you, he became like this the moment you were out of sight," Lilah spoke softly. "I worry for his mind."
"Has he eaten?" Aegis's voice caused flutters within my stomach. I was grateful the male returned.
"He won't even move a muscle, I figured it was pointless to offer him food." Her voice sounded tired, drained.
"Go and tend to the wounded." His voice was quiet but it held authority.
I stayed rooted in place, as Lilah's retreating footsteps slowly disappeared.
"Toby, will you shift?" The male spoke gently as I felt his approach from behind.
I didn't want to shift. My wolf didn't want to shift. It felt safer being in our fur, we could run faster.
Do not run.
But, I wanted to obey.
Had his question been a command?
"Calm down, you don't have to shift." A hand tentatively made contact with my back and I all but jumped away. Shocked. I couldn't control the reaction, my body having turned so that I was now facing the Alpha.
Fear consumed me. My tail swiftly tucked under my stomach my body started to tremble. Aegis just stared, an unknown emotion flickering across his face as he took a step away from me and sat down. He put just enough distance between us that he felt close but was also giving me space. It was respect.
He was respecting my space.
I felt strange at having the distance, the small gesture confusing me but causing my wolf to perk his ears. I tried to not think much of what we offered and just focused on him without meeting his eyes. The cave was barely illuminated by the small fire but he was easy to see, my eyesight undeterred by the lack of light.
He looked beat up, a few gashes lining his stomach were almost healed. Dry blood outlined how long and thick the gashes had been and guilt ate at me. Even his face sported a few bruises, although he didn't seem too phased the guilt of knowing I was the cause behind the marks had me realizing that I put him in unnecessary danger.
"You can relax, the wolf that trespassed was chased out." His voice was smooth and it washed over me. His wolf slowly let his scent out, coaxing me into a calmer state.
I struggled. I hadn't been good enough.
This was all my fault.
Beta came here because of me.
I didn't even follow the rules taught to me.
I had jumped away. Denied his request to shift.
Surely he would punish me. I deserved it.
The Beta was still alive, maybe this Alpha knew it had been my fault for his corrupt state?
Maybe the Moon led him to the right path? She knew of my fate better than anyone, the Goddess surely would find a way to speak of my traitorous ways.
I stared at Aegis but saw through him as my mind continued its wayward path.
Pierce, he knew the type of wolf I was.
"Did you enjoy it?"
I didn't but I did.
I didn't mean for things to happen.
"You're mine."
"It's time to be punished."
"He will mate with Sid."
I could hear them all.
Pierce, Beta, my Alpha, Avalon...
"You killed her."
Kain.
They were screaming at me.
I tried. I didn't want to be bad. I didn't want them to hate me.
I didn't want to disappoint them.
The Moon wanted my blood, I tried to give it to her.
Ba-dum
I prevented the life from living.
I fixed one mistake but it hurt.
I tried to breathe but the air couldn't make it in.
My chest tightened with every word. My ears laid flat against my head as I listened to them, believed them.
The truth they spoke tore at my core. Their words reminding me that I wasn't meant for more.
That I was meant for death, and death alone.
The tremors grasped my frame in a way that forced me to the floor. My vision swam as lack of oxygen failed to reach my lungs. My wolf tried to break into my mind but I was too far gone.
Aegis saw me for who I was.
A mistake.
A growl, a growl sounded and sucked me back to reality.
It was loud and I felt myself cower at the sound it made. The male had shifted. His wolf laid in front of me, his head resting on the ground with either paw on the side of his head. Staring and growling. The growl had been loud and fierce, but it had snapped me back to the now and I realized that had been his goal.
A whine left my throat, I was still having trouble breathing but Aegis stayed still. He made no effort to move from his position.
A submissive position.
I felt his wolf, I felt my wolf.
I felt the relief from mine. He was still panicked and he was distressed but was also holding on better than me. My mind still raced but Aegis's form was distracting me.
His wolf's probing at my mind was confusing me.
His scent filled the den, and it was automatic comforting.
I laid my head on the ground, mimicking him, and I whined again, I wasn't sure what I was doing, or requesting. I just needed something.
Aegis perked his head up and slowly inched forward, he was nonthreatening, and the need to be closer to him only grew. I whined again and that was all the additional coaxing he needed.
The Alpha got up and moved to my side, positioning his body around my smaller one; he laid down. The moment he settled, my head fell into his paws. I couldn't contain my pitiful whines, but Aegis never left my side. His tail wrapped itself over mine, his head resting over my body as he growled lowly. His scent also blanketed us and entwined with my own. It was a delicate moment, a action he gently weaved.
Safety.
Comfort.
My wolf was at the surface next to his. We were all one. Each experiencing the moment together. It was new, and I basked in it because at the moment Aegis made it all ok.
His touch erasing fears.
His growls preventing the voices.
His scent chasing away bad memories.
His wolf bringing me security.
I wasn't sure when I fell asleep, but the Alphas beating heart and soft growls were all it took to put my mind to rest.
It was a sleep that was needed.
A dreamless sleep that I so desperately craved.
••••••••••••••••••••••
AN: Hey! On a roll with somewhat timely updates. Let's enjoy this moment. This was going to be a double update but I didn't make it in time.
Anyways on my wall, I asked if anyone had questions and didn't get too many responses, which is fine! I just wanted to make sure there wasn't too much confusion with the story. I see questions get asked in the comments but I don't always answer because usually, the answer is in future chapters.
If you have a question you want to be answered now is the time to ask and I'll answer it to the best of my ability.
But here's a few that were asked:
Q: How many chapters are left of the story?
A: I don't have a number, however, the very last chapter is finished.
Q: Is he(Toby) finally going to find himself and be strong?
A: I feel like we are building up to this currently. It might not seem like it, but Toby is trying to change, and the character development may be small, but considering the past 18yrs he's only known one way, so he's not going to change overnight. It would be weird and too fast-paced for me if he woke up one morning and was like "Bitch I'm going to kick ass and succeed." He doesn't have the tools or the mental ability to do that. He will become stronger but he'll need help along the way and that's where we are at now.
Q: Does the moon really hate Toby or is that just what he thinks?
A: Hmm, I want to say it's what he thinks but there's also some play on the Moon's plans for him. I wouldn't rule out the Moon's feelings at all.
Q: Does his brand prevent him from being with his mate?
A: The brand does currently prevent him from taking a mate. There are two different ways to free Toby of the brand, but you'll just have to wait and see what happens.
Q: Why does Clyde want Toby so much? What's so special about him?
A: Omega's are pretty rare in this Universe, and they are highly sought after. An Alpha mating with an Omega would produce offspring that would be stronger and more capable, but typically an Omega only mates with a Werewolf who've lost a mate. Omega's don't even go into heat until they've decided on who their mate will be, and it's usually their wolves who make this decision. Toby was groomed and forced into the state he's now in because of Clyde's influence.
Breeding with an Omega also increases the chance of birthing another Omega. In Clyde's eyes, he sees Toby as a power source in creating the ultimate pack as well as using any Omega offspring to only strengthen his empire. Don't count Clyde out of this story just yet either, the wolf will turn up eventually.
Q: Is the new guy Tobys actual mate?
A: Maybe?