The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 228: Chapter 228

Carson POV:
“Yes, Marcus,” Isabelle’s voice was barely a whisper.
But it was like a thunderclap in the silent room, shattering the tiny bit of hope I’d been clinging to.
“I choose… Derek.”
I stood there, frozen, my breath stuck in my throat.
The blueprints in my hands crumpled, forgotten. I’d only come to give a quick update on the search for Rowan.
But I’d stopped outside the office door, drawn by the sound of their voices – Isabelle and Marcus.
They were arguing.
My wolf, loyal as ever, had urged me to knock, to announce myself.
But something darker, more selfish, had kept me glued to the spot, my ear pressed against the door.
Shame burned in my gut, but I couldn’t help myself. I had to know what they were saying.
“She’s talking about Derek, Carson.” My wolf whimpered, sensing my turmoil.
My own jealousy, the longing for Isabelle, the mate who would never be mine, was a constant ache.
And then I heard it.
Isabelle’s confession.
It was a whisper that shattered my world.
She’d chosen Derek.
Her fiancé’s brother… he was the one she wanted.
“She doesn’t love you, Carson.” My wolf howled, a mournful sound, a lament for a love that would never be.
Pain, sharper than any wolf’s bite, ripped through me.
I stumbled back from the door, my vision blurring, the blueprints falling from my numb fingers.
It was like my dreams, the hopes I’d held onto for so long, were shattering around me.
“She loves him, Carson”. My wolf whimpered, his pain a mirror of my own. “She loves Derek. And you… you have to let her go.”
But how could I? How could I let go of a love that had burned inside me for centuries, a love that had transcended lifetimes?
Memories, fragmented and bittersweet, flooded my mind.
A love that had defied the laws of our world, a love that had shattered our pack, a love that had led to her death.
A love that had ended in heartbreak… for both of us.
It was a different life, a different time. But the pain, the rejection… It felt the same.
“It’s the same story, Carson… the same heartbreak.” My wolf sighed, his voice filled with a weary resignation.
I turned and walked away, my footsteps echoing in the silent hallway.
The weight of my broken heart, the scent of grief, clung to me like a shroud.
I had to get out, to escape the suffocating atmosphere of the packhouse, the weight of her rejection, the pain of a love that would never be mine.
“We have to leave, Carson. We can’t stay here.” My wolf’s voice was desperate, urging me to run, to hide, to find solace in the solitude of the forest, where I could lick my wounds, mourn the loss of a love that was never meant to be.
I stumbled out of the packhouse, into the cool night air. My feet carried me towards the woods, the trees a blur as I ran.
The moon, a sliver of silver in the cloudy sky, mocked me, a reminder of Isabelle, the she-wolf who’d captured my heart, but who belonged to another.
“Why, Carson?” My wolf whimpered, his voice broken.
“Why does this keep happening? Why are we always… the Beta? The loyal friend? The one who watches as she… chooses someone else?”
I didn't have an answer. Not this time.
It was like a cruel echo of the past, a reminder of a love that had been forbidden, a destiny that had been denied.
Maybe… maybe some things are just not meant to be.
My wolf’s voice was quiet, laced with sadness.
I collapsed beneath a giant oak tree, its branches a comforting overhead.
I buried my face in my hands, the tears I’d been holding back finally spilling over, a silent testament to a love that was lost, a destiny I couldn’t escape.
“It’s okay to grieve, Carson. “
My wolf’s voice was gentle now, a soothing presence in the midst of my pain.
“Let it out. Then we'll pick ourselves up and move on. We’ll do our duty. We’ll be strong. For the pack. For Isabelle.”
I clung to his words, a lifeline in the darkness. It wouldn’t be easy.
The pain was real, the heartbreak a heavy weight.
But I was a Mondragon. A Beta. And I would honor my duty, even if it meant burying my own feelings, even if it meant watching the woman I loved… love another.
A twig snapped nearby, and I lifted my head, my wolf’s senses instantly on alert.
Someone was approaching.
I could smell her scent before I saw her. Isabelle.
“She’s followed you, Carson.” My wolf growled, his voice a mixture of hope and despair.
I quickly wiped away the tears that had stained my cheeks, hating my own weakness.
I had to be strong.
“C-Carson?” Her voice was soft, hesitant.
I didn’t look at her. I couldn’t.
I didn't want to see the pity in her eyes, the confirmation of my own foolish hopes.
“Did you… follow me?” I asked, my voice cold.
“Yeah, but…” She hesitated.
“Don’t,” I said, my voice sharp. “I don’t want your excuses, Isabelle.”
“But you’re…”
“I’m your what, Isabelle?!” I shouted, unable to hold back the anger, the pain, any longer.
“Your Beta? Your loyal dog? The one who cleans up your messes while you… you chase after your fiancé’s brother?”
“That’s not fair, Carson!” she cried, her voice rising.
“You’re my friend! I don’t want you to be hurt, but…”
“But you chose him,” I said, my voice hollow.
“We… we’re mates, Carson,” she said softly.
“I can’t… I can’t deny the bond. I didn’t want to hurt you. I was waiting for the right time… to talk to you.”
“Save it, Isabelle,” I said, my voice cold and empty. There was nothing she could say, nothing that could take away the pain.
“We have to find Rowan.”
I stood up, wiping the dirt from my jeans. I had to focus on my duty, on finding the Alpha.
“Come on,” I said, turning away.
My gaze fixed on the dark forest path, a path that led towards danger.
“For the pack. For her.” My wolf whimpered, the echo of my own silent vow.