The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 16: Chapter 16

"What did you say?" Rowan's angry voice made me turn around.
My breath caught. Rowan's face was swollen and bruised, cuts marking his features. He looked awful.
"Rowan! Are you hurt from the fight?"
Worry seized me despite his anger. He narrowed his eyes. "Is that important to you?"
I frowned, confused by his hostile tone. "Of course! I don't want you injured…"
Rowan seethed more at my concern. "You just said you plan to abandon our baby?"
My heart dropped. Derek tried to intervene.
"She didn't mean it. She's just confused about what Dad said."
"Don't interrupt me!" Rowan snarled.
Derek flinched back. I shrank away too, scared by Rowan's outburst. My wolf whimpered.
But I met his blazing stare. "What if it would be better for everyone if I left after the baby's born?"
Rowan and Derek looked confused.
Rowan sneered. "Then you are like every omega? Using pups as bargaining chips?"
"No! I didn't mean-"
He cut me off. "Save it. I don't have time for your manipulative games."
Each word stung. Rowan looked at me with contempt.
"You know, my father had you pegged - a scheming whore after money and status."
My heart shattered at his vile words. He continued venomously.
"I may have fallen for your act, but I see you now. Just another omega too happy to spread her legs and get knocked up to trap an alpha."
Tears rolled down my cheeks as I shook my head frantically. "No, Rowan, please! I never wanted to trap you! I..."
"It doesn't matter what you wanted," he cut me off coldly. "All that matters is what you are - a manipulative bitch in heat."
I sobbed brokenly as hatred and disgust poured from him, the man I loved.
"I gave you a chance to be something more, Catrina. But now I see my father was right - you're just an omega whore unworthy of my name or family."
His harsh words sliced me apart. I wanted to protest but his cruelty stole my fight.
Rowan turned away. "I don't want to see or hear from you again until the pup is born. Then we'll handle this family stain."
He started walking away, crushing my heart into dust. I collapsed sobbing.
Derek walks around nearby, indecisive. Finally, Derek sighed heavily and knelt beside me. He didn't try to touch or comfort me.
"He didn't mean it. Rowan will come around eventually."
I looked at him through tears, desperate for it to be true but knowing better.
Rowan had decided - to walk away from me and our baby.
Derek spoke again, voice firm.
"I'm serious, Catrina. Don't give up on him yet."
I sniffled, trying to compose myself. "How can you say that after how he spoke to me?"
Derek was quiet for a long moment. Then he said heavily, "Because I know my brother better than anyone..."
He paused, seeming to search for the right words.
"Look, Rowan has a lot of deeply ingrained prejudices about omegas driven into him by our father's toxic beliefs. It's twisted his thinking."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Derek held up a hand to stop me.
"I'm not making excuses for him. The cruel things he said were unforgivable. But you have to understand the psychological conditioning he's been subjected to since birth."
Tears rolled down my cheeks again as painful understanding set in.
"Your father really did ruin Rowan's ability to see me as an equal, didn't he?" I whispered brokenly.
Derek's mouth set in a grim line as he nodded once.
We sat in heavy silence for several long moments. Finally, Derek let out a frustrated sigh.
"Rowan may have been raised to look down on omegas," he said gruffly.
"But even he's not immune to the laws of nature and the pull of a true mate."
The words hung in the air, giving me the faintest flicker of hope. Before I could respond, Derek pushed himself to his feet.
"I'm going to go talk some sense into that thick skull of his," he said, jaw set in determination.
"Don't go anywhere."
I could only nod numbly as he strode away. Alone in the quiet hallway, I let the tears flow again.
My hand drifted to rest on my swollen belly as a thousand worries swirled through me.
I choked back a sob, feeling more alone and hopeless than ever before. After everything we'd been through, was this really the end for Rowan and me?
The sound of approaching footsteps made me lift my head. At first, I thought Derek had returned so quickly.
But it wasn't Derek's tall, muscular frame striding towards me. It was the last person I expected to see.
Isabelle Mondragon fixed me with an icy glare as she slowed to a stop in front of me.
"Well, if it isn't the pathetic little omega," she sneered, looking me up and down with disdain. "I have to say, you've really let yourself go, haven't you?"
My mouth went dry with dread as I took in her exquisitely beautiful face. Rowan's fiancée radiated poise and power - everything I could never hope to be.
Sensing my intimidation, Isabelle's blood-red lips curved into a mocking smile.
"What's the matter? Afraid of a real powerful alpha that can put you in your place without effort?"
She took a step closer, her expensive stilettos clicking on the marble floor.
"Let me put your little omega mind at ease. You have nothing to fear from me when it comes to that bastard pup growing in your disgusting womb."
"In fact, once Rowan and I are married, I plan on granting you a very special courtesy."
Her smile turned predatory as she leaned down until we were eye-to-eye.
"I'm going to allow you to remain in the area to raise your little mutt...for a price, of course."
I just stared at her, feeling numb and confused. I couldn't fully understand what she was saying. Isabelle laughed at my confusion.
"Don't you see, you naive little fool? I'm offering to let you stay and live with Rowan's unwanted child...if you agree to be my personal maid and breeder."
The way she said it made my stomach turn. I was too shocked to speak as the cruel alpha continued.
"Think about it - a pretty omega like you could make you dozens of pups like the bitch you are, and sell them to help the pack."
Her lips curled in a look of complete disgust.
"You'd get to keep the bastard Magnus baby inside you as payment, and I'd have a steady supply of pups to make money from. It's a win-win for everyone, really."
I finally felt a surge of angry rage break through my shock, giving me the strength to find my voice.
"You're completely crazy if you think I would ever agree to something so disgusting!" I spat, my lips trembling with fury.
But Isabelle just laughed, not bothered at all by my outburst.
"Oh, I don't expect you to agree right away," she said in a smooth voice, her eyes shining with dark amusement.
"But I have a feeling that once Rowan officially abandons you, you'll change your mind."
I flinched as if she had hit me. The brief burst of bravery I had felt crumbled under the weight of her cruelty. Isabelle watched me deflate with a look of vicious satisfaction.
"That's what I thought," she sneered.
"You omegas are all the same - tough talk until an alpha puts you in your place as the worthless, sex-crazed bitch you are."
She leaned in closer, so close that I could smell her expensive perfume.
"But don't worry, I'll make sure to take very...very...good care of you and your mutt"