The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 183: Chapter 183

Catrina POV:
“So, I was thinking… maybe we could all meet at my place this weekend to brainstorm ideas? I’ve got tons of books on Shakespeare. We could order pizza, watch a movie, you know, make it fun.”
Emma’s voice was bright and cheerful, but I felt a knot of dread in my stomach.
Professor Davis had just assigned a new group project – a presentation on Romeo and Juliet.
And, of course, he’d put me, Rowan, Emma, and Brock together.
“Perfect. Just perfect.” My wolf grumbled.
Stuck between a jealous ex and a lovesick human, with an Alpha who can’t even look at me.
“Yeah, that sounds… great, Emma,” I said, forcing a smile.
The thought of spending an afternoon at Emma’s place, with Brock staring at me and Rowan all tense and silent, made my skin crawl.
But I couldn't think of a way to get out of it.
“Perfect! It’s a date then!” Emma beamed.
Her smile was a little too wide, a little too fake.
I could practically smell the jealousy coming off her.
Brock nodded eagerly, his eyes glued to me.
“He’s still trying, isn’t he?” My wolf sighed. “He doesn’t get it. It’s over.”
I glanced at Rowan, hoping to gauge his reaction.
He was staring at the floor, his jaw clenched, his hands fisted. His amber eyes were shadowed, avoiding mine. He looked miserable.
“He’s hurting, Catrina.” My wolf murmured, a touch of sympathy in her voice. “He’s fighting against the bond, but it’s tearing him apart.”
I knew she was right. Ever since that night at the coffee shop, when he’d accused me of being with another Alpha, he’d been distant, withdrawn.
He was trying to push me away, to pretend the connection between us didn’t exist.
But it did. I could feel it every time he was near, a constant hum of energy, a pull I couldn't ignore.
And lately, he’d been near a lot. Every day, he was there when I finished my shift at the coffee shop.
He wouldn’t say anything, just stand across the street, hidden in the shadows, watching me.
His scent – pine, leather, and raw power – would drift over, making my wolf whimper with a mix of longing and frustration.
“He’s trying to protect you, Catrina.” My wolf had said. “He knows something’s wrong. He can sense the danger.”
I didn’t know what to believe.
He’d rejected me, called me a liar.
But his actions, his constant presence, his shadowed eyes… it didn’t make sense.
It was a puzzle I couldn’t solve.
“So, Saturday afternoon, at my place?”
Emma’s voice, sharp and demanding, snapped me back to reality.
“Two o’clock? Don’t be late.”
“I won’t,” I mumbled, my gaze sliding away from Rowan’s.
He was finally looking at me, his amber eyes filled with a mix of… what?
Anger? Resignation? couldn't tell.
The rest of the week was torture. Every class, every stolen glance, every accidental brush in the hallway, the air would crackle with tension.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong, that something dangerous was coming.
The dream I’d had after receiving the necklace, the vision of the silver she-wolf, the shadowy figure, the baby’s cry… it haunted me.
Saturday afternoon finally arrived. I stood outside Emma’s apartment door, my heart pounding.
I took a deep breath and knocked.
The door swung open, and Emma stood there, a bright, fake smile plastered on her face. She was wearing a short, tight dress, her blonde hair perfect, her makeup flawless.
But her eyes were cold, and her scent was laced with possessiveness.
“She’s afraid, Catrina. Afraid of losing him. Afraid of… you.” My wolf growled, amused.
Brock was sprawled on the couch, flipping through TV channels.
He looked up as I entered, and for a moment, his blue eyes lit up with hope.
But it faded quickly when he saw my expression.
“Hey, Cat,” he said, his voice a little too eager, his gaze lingering on me.
“Hey, Brock,” I replied, my voice flat.
The memory of his betrayal was still too fresh.
And then the door opened again, and Rowan walked in.
The air thickened with tension, his scent filling the room.
My wolf whined, I wanted to run to him, to be near him, but…
“No, Catrina. He doesn’t want you.”
He looked different. More serious, more… like Alpha he should be.
His amber eyes were shadowed, haunted.
He wore a plain black T-shirt and jeans, but I could see the muscles beneath, the power he was trying to control.
His gaze met mine for a fleeting moment, and a jolt of electricity shot through me.
It was a spark of recognition, a pull that defied logic.
And then he looked away, his jaw clenched, his expression hardening.
He was putting up a wall between us, trying to deny the bond that still existed.
“He’s fighting it, Catrina.” My wolf whimpered, her voice full of sadness. “Fighting his own wolf instincts.”
“Hey, Rowan,” Emma said, her voice too bright, her smile fake.
I could sense the jealousy simmering beneath the surface. “You’re late. We were just about to get started.”
“Sorry,” Rowan muttered, not looking at me. His scent, held a hint of… regret?
But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by coldness, distance.
“Practice ran long.”
He sat at the far end of the table, as far away from me as possible. The tension in the room was suffocating.
I could feel Emma’s glare, Brock’s longing gaze, Rowan’s wolf restless and frustrated.
It was like a pot about to boil over.
“We’re trapped, Catrina.” My wolf growled, her voice low and frustrated.
“Trapped in this web of lies and desires”
We started discussing the project, but it was a disaster.
Emma kept interrupting, her voice sharp, her words laced with hostility.
Brock made snide comments, his eyes glued to me.
And Rowan… Rowan was silent, his gaze fixed on the book, his jaw clenched, his wolf a restless shadow.
The air crackled with tension, the scent of wolves and unspoken desires filling the room.
I felt trapped, suffocating. I needed to escape, to get away from this unbearable pressure.
“We have to get out of here, Catrina.” My wolf whined. “This place is suffocating.”
But I couldn’t leave. Not yet.
I was bound by duty, by the project, and the sake of my human facade.