The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 185: Chapter 185

Henri POV:
“Dad? You still there?”
Catrina’s cheerful voice filled my ears. It was a stark contrast to the thoughts swirling in my head.
The worry for her, the constant fear, was a heavy weight on my heart.
“Yeah, sweetheart, I’m here. Just… taking a break from chores.”
I forced a smile, trying to sound upbeat, to match her energy.
“How’s college life treating you?” I asked.
I was leaning back against the wall of our cabin, the familiar scent of pine and woodsmoke a comfort.
It was a reminder of the life we’d chosen, the world we’d embraced – a world away from the society that had rejected us, branded us as rogues.
“It’s amazing, Dad! It’s everything I hoped for! The classes are hard, but the professors are cool, and everyone’s so friendly. It’s so different from high school. People here are more… open-minded. It’s like a whole new world.”
Her excitement warmed my heart. I was so proud of her, of the strong, independent she-wolf she’d become.
“She’s finding her place, Henri” My wolf rumbled, his voice full of pride.
But beneath that pride, the fear lingered.
The fear for her safety, the weight of the promise I’d made to Vivian, the knowledge of the destiny that awaited her.
“That’s… that’s wonderful, sweetheart,” I said, my voice a little rough with emotion.
“I’m so happy for you, Catrina. You deserve all the good things in life.”
“Thanks, Dad. It means a lot.” Her voice softened. “What about you? How are things… out there?”
She hesitated, always careful about bringing up our life as rogues, the life we’d been forced to live after being banished from the pack.
“It’s… quiet, Catrina. Peaceful. The forest is our home now,” I said, my gaze drifting to the trees outside the window.
They swayed in the breeze, a reminder of the freedom we’d found out here, but also of the isolation, the danger.
“We’re… managing.”
It wasn’t a lie. We’d found a rhythm to our days, a balance between our human needs and our wolf instincts.
But it was a fragile peace, a simple life that wouldn’t last.
Catrina was an omega, and a powerful one.
She was destined for a life far more complicated than ours.
“That’s… good, Dad,” she said, but I could hear the doubt in her voice, the worry she couldn't quite hide.
“Listen, Catrina, I know you’re busy, but promise me you’ll be careful out there. The city is… different from the town. It can be dangerous.”
It was a warning, a father’s plea, but it felt empty.
How could I protect her from a destiny she couldn’t escape, from the dangers of our world?
“I know, Dad. It’s just college. What could happen?” She sounded distracted now, her voice a little breathless.
There was a nervous energy in her tone that made my wolf growl, a low rumble of warning in my chest.
“And guess what? I’m in a literature class with Rowan Magnus! Can you believe it? He’s—”
Her excited chatter stopped abruptly. The phone went silent.
“Catrina? Sweetheart, you still there?” I asked, worry knotting my gut.
“What was that? Why did she stop so suddenly?” My wolf growled, his amber eyes clouded with a worry that went beyond a father’s natural concern.
It was a primal fear, a deep, unsettling feeling that something was wrong.
“She’s hiding something, Henri,” Maggie said softly, her voice confirming my fears.
I could smell her worry, mixed with her scent. It did little to calm the unease in my gut.
“She mentioned Rowan Magnus,” I said, the name heavy on my tongue.
It brought back the memory of Vivian, Rowan's mother, her desperate pleas for me to guide Catrina, to prepare her for a destiny that involved her son.
But Vivian’s warnings had been vague, shrouded in the mysteries of the spirit realm.
I didn’t fully understand what danger she’d foreseen.
“They’re in a class together,” I continued, my voice a low growl.
“And then… she just… hung up. Like someone walked in on her.”
“Maybe… she just didn’t want to talk about him,” Maggie suggested, but her voice was hesitant.
I could see the doubt in her eyes.
“He’s the Magnus heir, Henri. And she’s… an omega. It’s complicated.”
“It’s more than complicated, Maggie. It’s… fate.” My wolf growled, restless.
He paced, his claws scraping against the wooden floor. I felt the same restless energy inside me.
“She’ll be alright, Henri,” Maggie said, placing a calming hand on my shoulder.
“She’s strong. She’s smart. And she has her wolf to protect her.”
“But her wolf… she yearns for him, Henri.” My wolf’s voice was a low warning rumble.
“He’s her Alpha. Her destined mate. She might not understand it, not yet, but the pull is there. And it can be dangerous.”
“I know, Maggie,” I sighed, my gaze drifting towards the window, towards the forest, our sanctuary, our prison.
“But Rowan Magnus… he’s different. He’s the Alpha heir. Destined for greatness. And Catrina… she’s just… an omega.”
The words left a bitter taste in my mouth. I knew the prejudice omegas faced.
I’d lived it myself.
It was a legacy of pain I wanted to protect my daughter from. But deep down, I knew there were some things you couldn’t escape.
Fate had a way of finding you, no matter how hard you tried to run.
“She's caught in a web, Henri. A web of destiny, of ancient magic, of a love that could either save her… or destroy her.”
My wolf's words echoed the fear in my own heart. I felt a shiver run down my spine, the hairs on my arms standing on end.
The air in the cabin felt charged, electric. It was then that I felt it - a cold wave washing over me, a presence I couldn't ignore.
"Henri..."
The voice was a whisper in my mind, faint but familiar.
Vivian.
“Vivian? Is that you?” My wolf growled, his hackles rising.
I could feel the disbelief in my own heart.
It had been so long since we'd heard from her, felt her presence.
“Henri… listen to me.” Her voice was urgent, laced with a fear that sent shivers down my spine.
“Something is wrong. Terribly wrong.”
“What is it, Vivian?” I whispered, my own fear rising. “What’s happening?”
There's a darkness coming, Henri. Her voice was a chilling whisper. *A darkness that threatens Catrina. You have to protect her. You have to get to her, now. *
“But… what kind of darkness? What are you talking about?” I asked, my mind racing. “Damien is gone.”
“He’s not gone, Henri.” Her voice was full of dread. “Not completely. His magic… it lingers. It’s found a new… a new host.”
"A new host? What does that even mean?" I asked, my wolf pacing restlessly, his claws scraping against the wooden floor. My own anxiety mirrored his.
"I don't know, Henri," Vivian's voice was a wail of despair. “But I can feel it. It’s strong. It’s… evil. And it’s coming for Catrina.”
“We have to warn her, Henri,” Maggie’s voice broke through the haze of fear and confusion that clouded my mind.
She was standing beside me, her hand gripping my arm, her scent, a mix of lavender and vanilla, grounding me.
“We have to tell her everything. About the prophecy, about Damien… about everything.”
“But we don’t know anything, Maggie,” I argued, my voice shaky.
“Vivian’s warnings are vague. She doesn’t even know what Damien is planning.”
“It doesn’t matter, Henri. We can’t take the chance. We have to get to Catrina. We have to protect her.” Her voice was firm, resolute. She was right.
We had to do something.
We couldn’t just stand here and wait for the darkness to find her.
I nodded, my resolve hardening.
I would protect my daughter, even if it meant facing a threat I didn’t understand.
“You’re right, Maggie,” I said, my voice tight with worry. “We have to go to her. Now.”
We hurried to pack a few essentials, a sense of urgency driving us.
I couldn’t shake the feeling that time was running out, that Catrina was in danger, a danger I couldn’t see, couldn’t comprehend, but one that filled me with a primal dread, a father’s fear for his pup.
“We have to get to her, Henri. Before it’s too late.” My wolf’s voice echoed the desperate plea in my heart.
We left the cabin, the forest silent around us, the shadows lengthening as the sun began to set.
I could feel Vivian’s presence, faint but watchful, as we walked.
It was a small comfort, but it wasn’t enough to quell the fear that gnawed at my soul.
“Please, Moon Goddess, protect her.”
I silently prayed, my wolf adding his own desperate plea to mine.
We were racing against a darkness we didn't understand, a danger we couldn't see.
And the fate of our daughter, the fate of our world, hung in the balance.