The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 180: Chapter 180

Catrina POV:
“So, you’re sure you can start tomorrow?”
The man behind the counter smiled, his teeth a little too sharp, a little too white.
I tried to smile back, to be polite, but the intensity of his red eyes sent a shiver down my spine.
“Yeah, tomorrow’s good,” I said, my voice a little too high-pitched, betraying my nervousness.
I glanced around the small coffee shop. It was cozy, with the aroma of coffee and cinnamon rolls, but I couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling that clung to me.
The memory of Rowan, his anger, his accusation, his scent, lingered like a shadow.
“He’s wrong, Catrina. You’re not mated. You don’t belong to anyone.” My wolf’s voice was a growl of defiance, but I could hear the desire for him.
It had been a week since he’d shown up at my dorm, the memory of his touch, the way he’d pulled away from me, the coldness in his voice when he accused me of being with another Alpha… It haunted me.
“He doesn’t remember. He doesn’t care.”
The voice of doubt, the voice that said omegas were weak and unworthy, echoed in my mind.
I’d taken off the necklace the next day, the silver wolf pendant hidden away in a drawer.
I didn’t want to anger Rowan, didn’t want to… tempt him.
“He’s dangerous, Catrina. Stay away from him.” My wolf growled, reminding me of the pain, the rejection.
But I couldn’t shake the feeling that he was the key to unlocking my lost memories, the whispers of a past I couldn’t grasp.
“Great. Welcome to the team, Catrina.” The man behind the counter smiled again, his red eyes unsettling.
They made my wolf bristle, her claws wanting to come out.
She sensed something different about him.
“I’m Kael. The owner. And you’re a lifesaver. No one wants to work the night shift.”
“I’m happy to help,” I said, forcing a smile, looking away from his intense gaze.
It felt like he was seeing right through me, and it made me uncomfortable.
“I… I need the money. And the late shift works for me.”
“Excellent. Then it’s settled.” He held out his hand, his grip a little too strong, a possessiveness that made me flinch.
For a small moment, a strange sense of recognition washed over me, a memory, a dream, of a moonlit garden, a whisper of a name…
“What was that?” My wolf whimpered, confused.
“Why does his touch… his scent… feel so familiar?”
I shook my head, dismissing the thought. It was probably just my imagination, the stress of starting a new job, the lingering effects of my amnesia.
My past was a blank slate, a puzzle with missing pieces.
“I… I’m looking forward to working here, Kael,” I said, betraying the unease I felt.
The coffee shop was quiet, the only sounds the hum of the espresso machine and the soft chatter of a few customers.
I wiped down the counter, my mind replaying my encounter with Rowan, his anger, his accusation and the scent of his wolf – a potent mix of pine and leather and raw power that both thrilled and terrified me.
“He’ll be back, Catrina.” My wolf’s voice was a low rumble, a promise and a threat.
But even as she spoke, doubt crept in.
He’s an Alpha, Catrina. The heir to the Magnus pack. And you’re just… a nobody. An omega with a broken past.
I sighed, the emptiness inside me a heavy weight.
The hours passed slowly. I served coffee, made small talk with the customers, trying to focus on the present, on the normal human world.
But my thoughts kept drifting back to Rowan, to the intensity of his gaze, the warmth of his touch, the scent that lingered in my memory.
“He’s your mate, Catrina. You can’t deny it.”
My wolf was right. I couldn’t deny the pull I felt towards him, the feeling that we were meant to be together.
But he chose to ignore it.
And I was left with this aching emptiness, this longing for a love that was lost.
My shift finally ended, the clock ticking past midnight. The city streets were deserted, the silence broken only by the distant wail of a siren.
The bus stop was empty, the streetlights barely working.
“Be careful, Catrina.” My wolf growled. “We’re vulnerable here. Alone.”
I huddled deeper into my jacket, the chill of the night air a reminder of my own fragility, my human vulnerability.
It was so different from the warmth, the power, I’d felt in my dreams, the dreams of the silver she-wolf, strong and fearless.
“He’s coming, Catrina.” My wolf growled, her voice a mix of fear and anticipation. My heart pounded in my chest.
And then, I saw him. Rowan.
He stumbled out, his walk unsteady, his amber eyes clouded with alcohol.
He looked different, the carefree edge gone, replaced by a shadow of… something… I couldn’t name.
“Rowan?” I whispered, surprised. A tiny spark of hope flickered inside me.
“What are you… what are you doing here?”
He stopped, his gaze fixing on me.
But then his expression hardened, his jaw clenched, and his eyes turned cold.
“You… you smell like him again, Catrina,” he growled, his voice a low rumble.
His words were a slap in the face, a confirmation that he didn’t remember, that he didn’t want me.
“Why? Why are you doing this to me?”
“Doing what, Rowan?” I asked, my voice trembling.
My mind is full of confusion and hurt. I didn’t understand what he was talking about.
“I don’t… I don’t understand.”
“Don’t lie to me, Catrina,” he snarled, his anger fueled by the alcohol.
He took a step closer, and his wolf’s possessiveness radiated off him, making me back away.
“I can smell him on you.His… claim. That necklace… it wasn’t just a gift, was it? You’re with him. Whoever it is.”
“No, Rowan, I’m not!” I protested, my voice rising, a spark of defiance flaring inside me.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I’m not with anyone! I haven’t… I haven’t seen anyone since…”
My voice trailed off, the memory of that night at the party, the way I’d throw myself at him, flooding back.
Shame washed over me, hot and suffocating.
“Since… what, Catrina?” he pressed, his voice a low growl, his amber eyes burning into mine.
“Since… you begged me to… to take you? To claim you? To be your… Man?”
His words, laced with bitterness, confused me.
My wolf growled, a low rumble of defiance, a yearning for a connection that felt impossible.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about, Rowan,” I whispered, my voice trembling, my mind spinning.
Everything was so confusing. I didn’t understand what he was accusing me of.
“I… I haven’t… I haven’t been with anyone. I swear.”
“Liar,” he spat, his eyes blazing with fury.
I shrank back, my wolf cowering, wanting to escape his anger.
“You reek of him, Catrina. You can’t hide it from me. I’m not stupid.”
He turned away, his shoulders slumped, his head bowed. He looked so lost, so broken.
“I… I thought… maybe…”
He hesitated, his voice cracking, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of vulnerability, a hint of the Rowan I’d glimpsed at the prom.
“But… I guess… I was wrong.”
He took a step back, the distance between us widening like a chasm.
“Just… stay away from me, Catrina,” he said, his voice a low growl.
“You’re… you’re better off… without me.”
And then, without another word, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness.
His scent faded into the night.
“Leave me alone!” I screamed, my voice breaking, tears finally spilling down my cheeks.
The pain of his rejection, the confusion, the fear… it was all too much.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I don’t understand! Just… leave me alone!”
But my words were lost in the wind.
He was gone, and I was alone, the moonlight cold on my skin, his words echoing in my head.
“He’s gone, Catrina.” My wolf whimpered, her voice full of despair. “And this time… he’s not coming back.”