The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 165: Chapter 165

Rowan POV:
“Bro, that girl hasn’t taken her eyes off you all morning.”
Derek nudged me with his elbow, a playful smirk on his face. I could tell he was both amused and a little envious.
“Who? Catrina Blanc?” I asked, pretending to be casual, but I could hear the interest in his voice.
His eyes lingered on Catrina, who was chatting with her friends by the refreshments table.
Even from this distance, I could catch a faint whiff of her lavender scent, a delicate fragrance that stirred something primal in my wolf.
“She’s just a classmate,” I muttered, looking away, a strange mix of guilt and annoyance twisting in my gut.
“Just a classmate you can’t stop staring at?” Derek chuckled, his golden eyes glinting with mischief.
“Come on, Rowan, spill it. What’s the story? Secret werewolf girlfriend?”
“She’s not my girlfriend,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended.
My Alpha authority flared, a force I rarely used on Derek. But something about his interest in Catrina, the way he was looking at her… it made me want to put him in his place.
“And it’s none of your business.”
I was tired. Exhausted. This whole graduation ceremony felt like a nightmare, a never-ending parade of fake smiles and meaningless congratulations.
The weight of expectations, of a future I wasn’t sure I wanted, was suffocating.
And Isabelle’s presence, her amber eyes watching my every move, her Alpha aura a constant reminder of our arranged marriage, only made things worse.
I just wanted to escape.
“Dad, Derek, we’re going to get some dinner,” I said, After the ceremony ended.
I looked at my father, hoping he’d understand my need to get away from the crowd, from the pressure.
“Isabelle and I… we have things to discuss.”
My father, Marcus, his face impassive, nodded.
“Of course, Rowan,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
He glanced at Isabelle, a glint of approval in his amber eyes.
Derek started to protest, his emerald eyes flashing with disappointment, but I cut him off with a look. He knew his place.
“We’ll… catch up later, Derek,” I said, softening my voice a little.
I felt a pang of guilt. Derek was my brother, after all, and I knew he was hurting, too.
I couldn’t deal with it now.
I steered Isabelle toward my truck, her scent—lavender, vanilla, and a cool, crisp authority—filling the air. It was a reminder of the power she held, the challenge she presented, a challenge that both lured and frightened me.
As I slid behind the wheel, the familiar roar of the engine usually brought a sense of freedom.
But today, I just felt the weight of responsibility, the pressure of Isabelle’s presence, the knowledge that this… charade of a relationship was just beginning.
“Why did you lie to your father?”
Isabelle asked, her voice sharp, her emerald eyes narrowed.
“About needing to discuss things?”
“Say what?” I countered, my voice defensive.
I couldn’t meet her gaze. Her Alpha presence was intimidating, a reminder of the power imbalance between us.
“It was… a lie, Rowan,” she said, her voice softer now, but no less forceful.
“You just wanted to get away. From them.”
“It’s not… personal, Isabelle,” I mumbled, focusing on the road, the scenery a blur.
I was trying to block out the conflicting emotions inside me – the desire to be near Catrina, to unravel the mystery surrounding her, battling with my duty to my pack, to my father, to the she-wolf sitting beside me.
“It’s just… a lot of pressure. You know? The graduation, the ceremony… everything.”
“I understand pressure, Rowan,” she said, her voice low and steady, a hint of steel underneath the silk.
She was reminding me that she was an Alpha too, that she understood the weight of leadership, the sacrifices it demanded.
“I know what it means to lead, to put my pack first.”
Her words made my chest ache with guilt. She was right.
I was being selfish, running away from my responsibilities, from the future that had been chosen for me.
We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the rumble of the engine.
The tension between us was thick, a mix of unspoken questions and forbidden desires.
“Where do you want to eat, Isabelle?” I finally asked, my voice weary.
I knew we had to keep up appearances, to pretend we were a happy couple, for the sake of the alliance.
“I should return to my pack,” she said, her voice cold and distant.
It was a wall she’d built around herself, a defense against vulnerability.
I knew she wanted more, a real connection, but she’d learned to bury those desires.
“We’ve reached an agreement. The alliance is secure. For now.”
“But… we should at least have dinner together, Isabelle,” I said, my voice pleading. We had to keep up the charade, at least in public.
“Even if you… dislike me… surely you can stand to have a meal with me? I’ll take you anywhere you want. Consider it… a peace offering.”
“I don’t dislike you, Rowan,” she said, her voice softening a bit. A crack in the icy facade.
“I just… have responsibilities. My pack needs me. And this… this pretending… it’s exhausting. I’d rather be… honest. Even if it hurts.”
Her words surprised me. They were honest, raw, and vulnerable.
“You’re right, Isabelle,” I sighed, a wave of relief washing over me.
It felt good to acknowledge the truth, even for a moment.
“I’d rather be honest, too. But… we both know honesty isn’t always an option. Not in our world.”
“No,” she agreed, her voice a quiet murmur. “It’s not.”
I glanced at her, my gaze lingering on her profile.
“She’s probably thinking about Derek, Rowan.” My wolf growled, a low rumble of annoyance and a strange respect. “She wants him.”
I’d seen the way Derek looked at her, the hunger in his eyes. He was playing with fire, and I knew it.
He’s going to get burned.
“So… what do you want to do, Isabelle?” I asked, my voice carefully neutral, trying to hide the turmoil inside me.
“Since you’re such a… smart Alpha… you must realize that this marriage… this arrangement… it’s not exactly what you want. What your pack needs.”
I watched her closely, my wolf’s senses on high alert. I saw a flicker of defiance in her eyes, a hint of the untamed spirit she usually kept hidden.
“I know the… political reasons for our… arrangement, Rowan,” she said coolly.
But her voice trembled a little, and her fingers tightened on the armrest. She was trying to hide her feelings, but I could see the desire in her eyes.
“But my personal feelings… they don’t matter. I will do my duty. I will honor my commitment to the alliance. King Alaric must be stopped. And this marriage… it’s the only way.”
Her words, spoken with unwavering conviction, made me admire and resent her at the same time.
She was strong, loyal, willing to sacrifice her own happiness for the greater good.
It was a responsibility we both shared, a burden that weighed us down.
“And what about… Derek?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
I worried for my brother, knowing his heart was already tangled up with Isabelle.
“What about him, Rowan?” she countered, her voice sharp.
“Are you concerned for him? Or are you just trying to… justify your own… mistakes?”
Her words stung. She was right. I was a hypocrite.
I’d sought solace in Catrina’s arms, a forbidden love, a bond that I’d been forced to break, but that still haunted me.
“I… I don’t want him to get hurt, Isabelle,” I said, my voice low, my gaze meeting hers.
It was a confession of brotherly love, a plea for her to understand.
“He… he cares about you. A lot. And I… I don’t want him to hate me.”
My voice trailed off, the unspoken truth hanging in the air.
My own actions, my pursuit of a forbidden love, had started this chain reaction.
“You’re a fool, Rowan. A selfish fool. And now everyone will pay the price.” My wolf snarled, a bitter reminder of the darkness inside me, the legacy of my father, the destiny I couldn’t escape.
Isabelle was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on the road, her face unreadable.
I could sense the turmoil inside her, the conflict between her duty and her desires.
“He’ll be fine, Rowan,” she finally said, her voice a sigh of resignation.
It was the same resignation I felt, the acceptance of a world where love was often sacrificed for duty, for power.
“He’s a Magnus. He’s strong. He’ll find his own path.”
But even as she said the words, I saw the lie in her eyes, the flicker of pain, the longing for a connection she couldn’t have.
We were both trapped, both pawns in a game we didn’t control.