The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 147: Chapter 147

Derek POV:
“They’re retreating! Drive them out!” I roared, my voice hoarse from yelling.
My muscles burned, and my fur was matted with sweat and blood.
The lobby of the Magnus Hotel was a mess. Broken furniture, shattered glass, and the stench of blood filled the air.
Thorne’s mercenaries had come back for another fight, but we were ready for them this time.
“They thought they could catch us by surprise. They thought we were weak.” My wolf snarled.
“They’re learning their lesson the hard way.”
We fought like cornered wolves, fueled by the need to protect our home, our pack. Even the elders, old and creaky, joined the fight.
Their loyalty to the pack was stronger than their fear.
We pushed Thorne’s men back, driving them towards the shattered entrance. But the victory felt hollow. There were so many of them, and they had guns.
And the news from the spirit realm, the worry about Catrina and Lucas… it was a dark cloud hanging over me.
Suddenly, a new smell hit me. It was strange, unfamiliar. It was ancient, powerful, and… evil.
“What is that?” my wolf growled, his hackles rising. “That smell… it’s wrong.”
A figure stepped out of the shadows. He was tall, cloaked in darkness, his eyes glowing with a sickly red light.
“You’re fighting a losing battle, Beta,” he said, his voice a raspy whisper.
“Your pack is broken. Your Alpha is weak. Join me, and I’ll give you the power to crush your enemies, to take back what you’ve lost.”
Fear stabbed at me. But there was also… a pull towards the darkness that radiated from him. A temptation.
“He’s dangerous, Derek. But he’s offering… power.” My wolf’s voice was a low rumble, a warning mixed with temptation.
“Who are you?” I growled, my hand instinctively going to the silver dagger at my hip.
The figure chuckled, a dry, rasping sound.
“Names don’t matter,” he said. “I am… opportunity. A path to power. A chance to change your destiny.”
He stepped closer, and the air around him crackled with dark energy. It made my wolf whimper.
“Your pack is weak, Derek Magnus,” he whispered, his voice venomous.
“They’re clinging to the past, to a crumbling legacy. Your brother… he’s not the Alpha you need. He’s too soft, too trusting, too blinded by his love for that… useless omega.”
Anger flared inside me, hot and protective.
“Don’t talk about Rowan like that!” My wolf snarled, ready to attack.
But the figure held up a hand, stopping me with a gesture that radiated power.
“I offer you a different path, Beta,” he said, his voice smooth and seductive.
“A path to true strength. Join me, and you’ll have the power to rebuild the Magnus pack, to crush your enemies, to take what is rightfully yours. The Alpha title. The respect of the pack. Even… the woman you desire.”
He knew. He knew about my feelings for Isabelle, feelings I tried to hide, feelings that were forbidden.
“Don’t listen to him, Derek! He’s twisting your thoughts, using your weakness against you!” My wolf growled, but his voice wavered. The temptation was strong.
The power he offered was intoxicating. I could see myself, strong and respected, leading the pack, with Isabelle by my side, her eyes looking at me with admiration, with… love.
It’s a lie. He’s a trickster. Don’t give in.
“What… what do you want from me?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
“Just a… small sacrifice,” he said, a cruel smile on his face. “A pledge of allegiance. A taste of your… loyalty.”
He held out his hand, a swirling vortex of dark energy pulsing in his palm. It was alluring, terrifying, a promise and a threat.
“Don’t do it, Derek! It’s a trap!” My wolf howled, fear finally winning over temptation.
But before I could pull back, a roar ripped through the lobby, shaking the whole building. It was Uncle Jarrett, his grey fur bristling, his amber eyes blazing with fury.
“Get away from him, you monster!” He slammed his cane into the figure’s chest, sending him staggering back. The dark energy around him flickered and faded.
“Derek, don’t listen to him!” Jarrett shouted. “He’ll destroy you! He’ll destroy us all!”
Jarrett’s words snapped me out of my trance. The vision of power, of Isabelle, vanished.
The truth hit me cold and hard. This creature, whoever he was, was dangerous.
Evil. He’d use me and then throw me away, just like he’d used my father.
“Get back to the shadows where you belong,” I growled, my voice stronger now, my wolf standing tall beside me.
The fear was gone, replaced by loyalty, by the need to protect my pack. “We don’t need your power. We have our own. We’re the Magnus pack, and we’ll fight our own battles.”
The figure hissed, his eyes full of malice.
“Foolish wolves,” he snarled. “You think you can defy me? I am the darkness inside you. I am your hunger for power. I will be back. And you’ll be begging for my help.”
He vanished into the shadows, leaving behind a stench of decay and a chilling silence.
We’d won the fight against Thorne’s mercenaries, but the victory felt empty.
The hotel was a wreck, and the threat of Damien, the sorcerer who was toying with us, loomed over us.
I looked at the wounded pack members, their fur matted with blood, their eyes filled with fear, and my heart ached.
“We can’t stay here, Derek.” My wolf whimpered. “It’s not safe anymore.”
Jarrett came over, his face etched with weariness. “We need to talk, Derek,” he said, his voice urgent.
We moved away from the others, into a quiet corner of the lobby.
“Thorne will be back,” Jarrett said, his amber eyes serious.
“He’ll come back with more men, more weapons. We can’t keep fighting them off. We’re outnumbered.”
“I know,” I said, the weight of responsibility heavy on my shoulders.
“But this is our home, Jarrett. My father built this place. We can’t just leave it.”
Jarrett put a hand on my shoulder. “This hotel… it’s just a building, Derek. What matters is the pack. Their safety. Their future.”
He looked around the ruined lobby, sighing. “We can’t keep them safe here, Derek. Not anymore. We need to find a new home. A place to rebuild. A place where we can be strong again.”
I looked at the battered hotel, the place where I’d grown up, the place where Rowan became Alpha. Sadness washed over me.
Uncle Jarrett’s right. We can’t stay here. We have to move on.
“Where do we go?” I asked, my voice tired. The thought of leaving, of starting over, was overwhelming. But I knew we had to.
“Somewhere safe, Derek,” Jarrett said, his eyes holding a glimmer of hope. “Somewhere away from Thorne. Somewhere… we can be a pack again.”