The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 186: Chapter 186
You are reading The Alpha's forbidden omega mate, Chapter 186: Chapter 186. Read more chapters of The Alpha's forbidden omega mate.
Catrina POV:
“Nailed it! I totally nailed it, Kael!”
I grinned, tossing my backpack on a stool behind the counter.
I was excited, my heart still racing from the cheerleading tryouts.
For the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine spark of happiness lit up inside me…
Maybe things were finally looking up.
Kael, my boss, chuckled. His red eyes, which still made my wolf a bit nervous, crinkled at the corners.
“I knew you would, Catrina,” he said. “You were born to be a star.”
“Thanks, Kael.” I grabbed an apron and tied it around my waist.
The coffee shop was quiet, just a few students working on laptops. The smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls filled the air.
“I’ve been practicing like crazy,” I said, my voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
“After that whole… mess… with Brock, I needed something to focus on, something to make me feel normal again.”
“It’s good to see you smiling, Catrina.” Kael leaned against the counter, watching me thoughtfully.
“You’ve been carrying a lot of sadness lately. It’s good to see you letting go.”
He was right. The past few weeks had been tough.
The incident with those guys at the party, breaking up with Brock, those weird encounters with Rowan… it was a lot to handle.
But since Rowan and I had decided to be “friends,” things had felt a little lighter.
We’d started working on our class project together, spending hours in the library, arguing over Shakespeare.
We even stole a few glances at each other when we thought the other wasn’t looking.
It was nice having him near.
Even though he was still distant, guarded, I felt a sense of rightness when we were together. Like a missing piece had been found.
“He’s trying, Catrina.” My wolf purred, a hopeful rumble in my chest.
“Trying to fight the bond, keep his distance. But he can’t deny it forever.”
"Things have been… better, I guess," I admitted, wiping down the counter, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened when I thought about Rowan, the way my wolf stirred with anticipation whenever he was near.
“Things with Brock… well, they’re over. And Rowan and I… we’re friends now. It’s… nice. It feels… normal.”
Kael raised an eyebrow, his red eyes narrowing slightly.
"Friends?" he echoed. "Are you sure that's all it is, Catrina? Are you sure that's all he wants it to be?"
His words, spoken softly, hit me like a splash of cold water.
He’s right. My wolf whimpered, her voice full of sadness.
“Rowan’s an Alpha heir. He’s meant to be with a strong Luna, not a… weak, broken omega like me.2
Doubt crept into my heart, a shadow over the fragile hope that had been building. Maybe I was kidding myself. Maybe Rowan was just being kind.
Maybe… he didn’t really want to be my friend.
“I… I think so,” I stammered, looking down at the counter.
I couldn’t meet his gaze. The weight of his question, the truth in his words, was a burden I wasn’t ready to face.
“He’s… he's been acting… different. Distant. He’s been coming by the coffee shop every night after my shift, but he doesn't say much. He just… watches me.”
My voice trailed off, the memory of his shadowed gaze, the anger and longing in his eyes that night at the frat party, a confusing mix of emotions.
“He’s the future Alpha of his pack, Catrina,” Kael said gently.
His voice was kind, understanding, even though those red eyes still unnerved me.
“He’s bound by duty, by tradition. He has responsibilities, expectations… things you might not understand.”
He paused, his gaze holding mine, and for a moment, those red eyes didn’t seem so unsettling. They seemed wise, even… protective.
“Be careful, Catrina,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
“Don’t let your heart… lead you astray. Wolves… especially Alphas… they can be dangerous. They can hurt you.”
His words echoed the doubts in my own mind.
Rowan, despite the bond we’d shared, the memories we’d made, was a creature of a different world, a world of primal instincts, of ancient magic, a world that could easily consume me, shatter my carefully constructed human life.
“He’s right, Catrina.” My wolf whimpered, her voice full of heartbreak. “He’s not yours. He’ll never be yours.”
But even as my wolf gave in to the truth, a tiny spark of defiance, a flicker of hope, remained.
We can’t give up on him, Catrina. Not yet.
I shook my head, trying to clear away the doubts, the fear. “Thanks, Kael,” I said, forcing a smile. “I appreciate the advice.”
He nodded, his gaze lingering on me with a warmth I couldn’t quite understand.
“Just… be careful, Catrina.” His voice was a soft whisper, a warning echoing in my heart.
I finished my shift, the coffee shop empty and quiet. The city streets were deserted, the streetlights casting long, creepy shadows.
It was a concrete jungle, full of hidden dangers. As I waited for the bus, the cool night air did little to soothe the turmoil inside me.
“He’s watching you, Catrina. I can feel him.” My wolf growled, a mix of fear and anticipation in her voice.
And then I saw him. Rowan. Standing across the street, hidden in the shadows of a tall oak tree.
His amber eyes were fixed on me, intense and unwavering.
“He’s here, Catrina. And he’s not going away.”
He pushed away from the tree, his tall frame a shadow against the moonlight. He walked toward me, the air crackling with tension.
My heart pounded as he stopped in front of me. His scent, pine and leather and raw power, filled my senses, making my head spin.
“Catrina,” he said, his voice a low rumble, his eyes searching mine. “We need to talk.”
“I’m listening.” I hoped my voice didn’t betray the nerves twisting in my gut.
"It's about… your boss." Rowan hesitated, his gaze intense. “I’ve seen him, and…”
“And what?” I asked, unsure what he was getting at.
“…He’s not trustworthy, Catrina.”
“Are you serious right now?” I asked, anger flaring. “Are you telling me who I can and can’t trust?”
“No! I just… well, he did something…” Rowan looked away, his jaw clenching, like he was struggling with something.
“What did he do?”
“He… he put his energy into that gift he gave you.” Rowan’s voice was low, urgent. “That’s not something a normal werewolf can do.”
“What gift?” I was confused. What was he talking about?
“The necklace,” Rowan said. “The wolf pendant. He gave it to you, didn’t he?”
The necklace. The one I’d received in the mail. But how could Kael have sent it? I hadn't even met him then.
“No, you’re wrong,” I said. “I got it before I even met him.”
“But, Catrina, I’m sure it has his scent on it.” He sounded insistent, worried. “Are you sure?”
My head started to pound, and a sudden flash of memory, vivid and terrifying, filled my mind.
I saw a powerful sorcerer in a dark, ancient temple, his eyes glowing red with malice.
What’s going on? I whispered to myself, my voice full of fear. What is happening to me?
“Nailed it! I totally nailed it, Kael!”
I grinned, tossing my backpack on a stool behind the counter.
I was excited, my heart still racing from the cheerleading tryouts.
For the first time in what felt like forever, a genuine spark of happiness lit up inside me…
Maybe things were finally looking up.
Kael, my boss, chuckled. His red eyes, which still made my wolf a bit nervous, crinkled at the corners.
“I knew you would, Catrina,” he said. “You were born to be a star.”
“Thanks, Kael.” I grabbed an apron and tied it around my waist.
The coffee shop was quiet, just a few students working on laptops. The smell of coffee and cinnamon rolls filled the air.
“I’ve been practicing like crazy,” I said, my voice bubbling with enthusiasm.
“After that whole… mess… with Brock, I needed something to focus on, something to make me feel normal again.”
“It’s good to see you smiling, Catrina.” Kael leaned against the counter, watching me thoughtfully.
“You’ve been carrying a lot of sadness lately. It’s good to see you letting go.”
He was right. The past few weeks had been tough.
The incident with those guys at the party, breaking up with Brock, those weird encounters with Rowan… it was a lot to handle.
But since Rowan and I had decided to be “friends,” things had felt a little lighter.
We’d started working on our class project together, spending hours in the library, arguing over Shakespeare.
We even stole a few glances at each other when we thought the other wasn’t looking.
It was nice having him near.
Even though he was still distant, guarded, I felt a sense of rightness when we were together. Like a missing piece had been found.
“He’s trying, Catrina.” My wolf purred, a hopeful rumble in my chest.
“Trying to fight the bond, keep his distance. But he can’t deny it forever.”
"Things have been… better, I guess," I admitted, wiping down the counter, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened when I thought about Rowan, the way my wolf stirred with anticipation whenever he was near.
“Things with Brock… well, they’re over. And Rowan and I… we’re friends now. It’s… nice. It feels… normal.”
Kael raised an eyebrow, his red eyes narrowing slightly.
"Friends?" he echoed. "Are you sure that's all it is, Catrina? Are you sure that's all he wants it to be?"
His words, spoken softly, hit me like a splash of cold water.
He’s right. My wolf whimpered, her voice full of sadness.
“Rowan’s an Alpha heir. He’s meant to be with a strong Luna, not a… weak, broken omega like me.2
Doubt crept into my heart, a shadow over the fragile hope that had been building. Maybe I was kidding myself. Maybe Rowan was just being kind.
Maybe… he didn’t really want to be my friend.
“I… I think so,” I stammered, looking down at the counter.
I couldn’t meet his gaze. The weight of his question, the truth in his words, was a burden I wasn’t ready to face.
“He’s… he's been acting… different. Distant. He’s been coming by the coffee shop every night after my shift, but he doesn't say much. He just… watches me.”
My voice trailed off, the memory of his shadowed gaze, the anger and longing in his eyes that night at the frat party, a confusing mix of emotions.
“He’s the future Alpha of his pack, Catrina,” Kael said gently.
His voice was kind, understanding, even though those red eyes still unnerved me.
“He’s bound by duty, by tradition. He has responsibilities, expectations… things you might not understand.”
He paused, his gaze holding mine, and for a moment, those red eyes didn’t seem so unsettling. They seemed wise, even… protective.
“Be careful, Catrina,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
“Don’t let your heart… lead you astray. Wolves… especially Alphas… they can be dangerous. They can hurt you.”
His words echoed the doubts in my own mind.
Rowan, despite the bond we’d shared, the memories we’d made, was a creature of a different world, a world of primal instincts, of ancient magic, a world that could easily consume me, shatter my carefully constructed human life.
“He’s right, Catrina.” My wolf whimpered, her voice full of heartbreak. “He’s not yours. He’ll never be yours.”
But even as my wolf gave in to the truth, a tiny spark of defiance, a flicker of hope, remained.
We can’t give up on him, Catrina. Not yet.
I shook my head, trying to clear away the doubts, the fear. “Thanks, Kael,” I said, forcing a smile. “I appreciate the advice.”
He nodded, his gaze lingering on me with a warmth I couldn’t quite understand.
“Just… be careful, Catrina.” His voice was a soft whisper, a warning echoing in my heart.
I finished my shift, the coffee shop empty and quiet. The city streets were deserted, the streetlights casting long, creepy shadows.
It was a concrete jungle, full of hidden dangers. As I waited for the bus, the cool night air did little to soothe the turmoil inside me.
“He’s watching you, Catrina. I can feel him.” My wolf growled, a mix of fear and anticipation in her voice.
And then I saw him. Rowan. Standing across the street, hidden in the shadows of a tall oak tree.
His amber eyes were fixed on me, intense and unwavering.
“He’s here, Catrina. And he’s not going away.”
He pushed away from the tree, his tall frame a shadow against the moonlight. He walked toward me, the air crackling with tension.
My heart pounded as he stopped in front of me. His scent, pine and leather and raw power, filled my senses, making my head spin.
“Catrina,” he said, his voice a low rumble, his eyes searching mine. “We need to talk.”
“I’m listening.” I hoped my voice didn’t betray the nerves twisting in my gut.
"It's about… your boss." Rowan hesitated, his gaze intense. “I’ve seen him, and…”
“And what?” I asked, unsure what he was getting at.
“…He’s not trustworthy, Catrina.”
“Are you serious right now?” I asked, anger flaring. “Are you telling me who I can and can’t trust?”
“No! I just… well, he did something…” Rowan looked away, his jaw clenching, like he was struggling with something.
“What did he do?”
“He… he put his energy into that gift he gave you.” Rowan’s voice was low, urgent. “That’s not something a normal werewolf can do.”
“What gift?” I was confused. What was he talking about?
“The necklace,” Rowan said. “The wolf pendant. He gave it to you, didn’t he?”
The necklace. The one I’d received in the mail. But how could Kael have sent it? I hadn't even met him then.
“No, you’re wrong,” I said. “I got it before I even met him.”
“But, Catrina, I’m sure it has his scent on it.” He sounded insistent, worried. “Are you sure?”
My head started to pound, and a sudden flash of memory, vivid and terrifying, filled my mind.
I saw a powerful sorcerer in a dark, ancient temple, his eyes glowing red with malice.
What’s going on? I whispered to myself, my voice full of fear. What is happening to me?
End of The Alpha's forbidden omega mate Chapter 186. Continue reading Chapter 187 or return to The Alpha's forbidden omega mate book page.