The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 270: Chapter 270
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Derek POV:
“You’re making a mistake, Derek.”
Elder Thorne’s voice, a gravelly rasp that grated on my nerves, echoed through the pack meeting room.
I sat at the head of the long, oak table, my knuckles white as I gripped the arms of the Alpha’s chair, a chair that felt too big, too heavy, a constant reminder of the weight of responsibility I now carried, a burden I wasn’t sure I could bear.
“This alliance with the Mondragons… it’s unnatural. Unnecessary. It weakens us. It goes against everything our pack stands for.”
His words, a challenge to my authority, a blatant disregard for the sacrifices that had been made, the lives that had been lost, made my wolf snarl, his claws itching to extend, to silence the old wolf, to remind him who was Alpha now.
But I couldn’t. Not yet.
I was still finding my footing, still learning to navigate the treacherous waters of pack politics, the ancient laws, the unspoken rules that governed our world.
And I was… grieving.
The losses of my father and brother, their memories a constant presence, shadows that lurked in every corner of the Magnus packhouse.
It was a reminder of my own failures, my inability to protect them, to save them.
“Elder Thorne,” I said, my voice a low growl, trying to control my anger, to project an Alpha’s authority I didn’t fully feel.
“The alliance with the Mondragons is not… up for discussion. It was forged in blood, in sacrifice. And it’s the only thing that’s keeping King Alaric from… from…”
My voice cracked, and I couldn't finish the sentence. The thought of Alaric, his power-hungry ambition, his ruthless disregard for anyone who stood in his way, was a constant threat, a shadow looming over our pack, our world.
“From what, Derek?” Elder Thorne pressed, his gaze sharp, his voice a challenge.
“From destroying us? From claiming our territory? From… taking that omega?”
His words, a venomous jab, aimed at Catrina, at the love she’d shared with Rowan, made my wolf snarl.
“Catrina is part of this pack, Elder Thorne,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze.
“And she’s under our protection. Just like… any other Magnus.”
But even as I spoke the words, a flicker of doubt, a whisper of insecurity, echoed in my mind.
Was I truly capable of protecting her? Of protecting the pack? Of being the Alpha they needed?
I’m not Rowan, my wolf whimpered, his voice a mournful echo in my heart. I’m not strong enough. Not smart enough. Not… worthy.
“You’re not Rowan, Derek.”
Isabelle’s voice, soft but firm, cut through my thoughts.
She stood beside me, her hand resting on my arm, her touch a warmth, a comfort, a reminder of the love that was both my strength and my weakness.
“But you’re… you. And you’re… enough.”
Her words, a simple truth, a quiet reassurance, brought a flicker of hope, a spark of the Alpha I was trying to become.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” I murmured, my gaze meeting hers, a silent conversation passing between us, a love that defied the rules, a bond that gave me strength.
But the weight of the elders’ disapproval, their whispers of doubt, their accusations, still pressed down on me.
“You think this… alliance… will protect us, Derek?” Elder Thorne scoffed, his gaze flickering towards Isabelle, a mix of suspicion and disdain in his eyes.
“You think the Mondragons will… sacrifice themselves… for us? When they have… their own pack to protect? Their own… Alpha to serve?”
“Isabelle is more than just an Alpha, Elder Thorne,” I said, my voice a low growl, my wolf bristling at his disrespect.
“She’s… she’s our Luna. And she’s… she’s carrying… my pup.”
The words, a declaration of our love, a reminder of the bond that tied us together, a future we were building, silenced the room.
But the silence was heavy, filled with unspoken disapproval, the weight of tradition, the ancient laws that frowned upon an Alpha mating with another Alpha, a she-wolf challenging the established order.
“And what about Rowan, Derek?” Elder Thorne’s voice, a venomous whisper, cut through the silence.
“What about your own brother? Where was your loyalty… when he… when he…”
His words trailed off, the unspoken accusation hanging in the air, a poison that seeped into my soul, twisting the grief I already carried into a burden of guilt, a weight I couldn’t bear.
“He’s dead, Thorne,” I snarled, my voice raw with pain, the memories of that night.
“And it’s Damien’s fault. Not mine. Not Isabelle’s. Not anyone’s… but Damien’s.”
“But you were there, Derek,” Elder Thorne pressed, his eyes narrowed, his voice a relentless pursuit. “You were there, and you… you did nothing. You let him… you let him…”
“Stop it, Thorne!” Isabelle’s voice, a sharp command, cut through the tension.
She stepped forward, her lavender scent filling the room, a mix of Alpha power and omega vulnerability, her eyes blazing with a protective fire that made even the oldest, most stubborn elders cower.
“You’re out of line. Derek is your Alpha. And you will… respect him.”
Her words, a reminder of the authority she carried, the power she wielded, silenced the room.
But the tension still lingered, thick and heavy, a constant reminder of the disapproval, the whispers, the accusations that followed us, that haunted me.
“You think you can control us, Isabelle?” Elder Thorne scoffed, his gaze meeting hers, a challenge in his old, weary eyes.
“You think you can manipulate Derek? Turn him against his own pack? Against his own… family?”
“I’m not controlling anyone, Elder Thorne,” Isabelle said calmly, her voice a low rumble that resonated with an Alpha’s power. “And I’m not turning Derek against anyone. He’s… he’s his own wolf. He makes… his own choices. And he’s chosen… me. He's chosen our pup. He’s chosen… our future.”
“A future that… was built on lies, on betrayal, on… on Rowan’s death,” Elder Thorne hissed, his words a venomous jab, aimed at my heart, twisting the grief, the guilt, the love, into a weapon against me.
“You… you killed him, Derek. You and your… traitor whore. You… you betrayed him. You betrayed… us all.”
His words, a cruel accusation, a blatant disregard for the truth, the sacrifices that had been made, the love that had endured, unleashed a fury within me unlike anything I’d ever known.
“That’s enough, Thorne!”
I roared, slamming my fist on the table, the wood cracking beneath the force of my anger, my grief, my pain.
My wolf, a golden creature of rage and protectiveness, surged within me, his claws wanting to tear, to shred, to avenge.
I stood up, my amber eyes blazing, my Alpha aura radiating outward, silencing the room, reminding them who was in control now, who carried the weight of leadership, the responsibility for the pack, the love that would protect us all.
“You will not speak of Catrina that way. You will not accuse me… of betraying my brother.”
My voice cracked, and for a moment, the mask of Alpha control slipped, the pain I’d been trying to bury surfacing.
But I quickly regained my composure, my gaze hardening, my voice firm.
“Rowan died fighting Damien, fighting for his pack, fighting for the woman he loved. And I will not let you… disrespect his memory… with your… your… lies!”
I turned to the other elders, their faces pale, their scents a mix of fear and grudging respect, their wolves cowering beneath my Alpha’s power.
“I understand your concern,” I said, my voice calmer now, but still firm, a leader’s voice, an Alpha’s command.
“I know the alliance with the Mondragons… it’s… it’s different. It’s not what we’re used to. But it’s necessary. We need their strength, their resources. We need… their Alpha.”
I looked at Isabelle, her amber eyes meeting mine, a silent conversation passing between us, a love that defied everything, a bond that made us stronger.
“We need… our Luna.”
“And as for Rowan…” I paused, the grief, the guilt, the love, a knot in my throat, “I will… I will honor his memory, elders. I will… I will lead this pack… with the same strength, the same courage, the same… love… that he… that he showed us. I will… I will be the Alpha… that he… that he believed… I could be.”
I turned back to Elder Thorne, his gaze unwavering, his old eyes filled with a mix of resentment and a grudging respect, a recognition of the Alpha power I was finally embracing.
“And as for your accusations, Thorne…” I paused, my voice a low growl.
“I will not tolerate them. Not anymore. I am the Alpha of this pack. And my decisions… are not… up for discussion.”
I dismissed the elders, their scents a mix of anger and fear and grudging acceptance as they filed out of the meeting room, their whispers fading behind them.
Isabelle stepped closer, her lavender scent a comfort, her touch a warmth on my arm.
“You were amazing, Derek,” she whispered, her gaze meeting mine, her eyes shining with a love that made my heart soar.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” I murmured, my gaze dropping to the floor, unable to sustain the intensity of her love, the weight of my responsibility, the darkness that still lingered.
“But it’s… it’s not enough, Isabelle. It’s… it’s never enough.”
“What do you mean, Derek?” she asked, her voice soft, her concern echoing my own.
“You… you were perfect. You were… an Alpha. You were… everything they… they needed to see.”
“It’s not about them, Isabelle. It’s about… me. I’m… I’m still… I’m still…”
I hesitated, unable to voice the truth, the insecurity, the fear that I would never be good enough, that I would never live up to Rowan’s legacy, that I would never be… the Alpha he was.
“You’re still grieving, Derek,” she said softly, her words a balm to my wounded soul.
“And that’s okay. It’s… normal. It takes time to… to heal. To… to accept.”
She cupped my face in her hands, her touch sending a wave of warmth through me, chasing away the chill, the fear, the doubt.
“But you’re not alone, Derek. You have… me. You have… the pack. You have… our pup.”
Her words, a reminder of the love we shared, the future we were building, sparked a flicker of hope, a strength I’d almost forgotten.
But even as I clung to her words, her love, the image of Rowan’s face, his amber eyes filled with a love for another, a destiny he’d been denied, a sacrifice he’d made, haunted me, a ghost in my heart, a shadow I couldn’t escape.
“It’s still not enough, Isabelle,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’ll never be… him. I’ll never be… Rowan.”
And as a dark, chilling premonition, a whisper of a prophecy, a fear that had haunted me since the battle with Damien, echoed in my mind.
“He’s coming back, Derek,” a voice, cold and menacing, whispered in the shadows of my soul, a reminder of the darkness we thought we had defeated, the love that had been twisted, the destiny that was still unfolding.
“He’s coming… for her.”
“You’re making a mistake, Derek.”
Elder Thorne’s voice, a gravelly rasp that grated on my nerves, echoed through the pack meeting room.
I sat at the head of the long, oak table, my knuckles white as I gripped the arms of the Alpha’s chair, a chair that felt too big, too heavy, a constant reminder of the weight of responsibility I now carried, a burden I wasn’t sure I could bear.
“This alliance with the Mondragons… it’s unnatural. Unnecessary. It weakens us. It goes against everything our pack stands for.”
His words, a challenge to my authority, a blatant disregard for the sacrifices that had been made, the lives that had been lost, made my wolf snarl, his claws itching to extend, to silence the old wolf, to remind him who was Alpha now.
But I couldn’t. Not yet.
I was still finding my footing, still learning to navigate the treacherous waters of pack politics, the ancient laws, the unspoken rules that governed our world.
And I was… grieving.
The losses of my father and brother, their memories a constant presence, shadows that lurked in every corner of the Magnus packhouse.
It was a reminder of my own failures, my inability to protect them, to save them.
“Elder Thorne,” I said, my voice a low growl, trying to control my anger, to project an Alpha’s authority I didn’t fully feel.
“The alliance with the Mondragons is not… up for discussion. It was forged in blood, in sacrifice. And it’s the only thing that’s keeping King Alaric from… from…”
My voice cracked, and I couldn't finish the sentence. The thought of Alaric, his power-hungry ambition, his ruthless disregard for anyone who stood in his way, was a constant threat, a shadow looming over our pack, our world.
“From what, Derek?” Elder Thorne pressed, his gaze sharp, his voice a challenge.
“From destroying us? From claiming our territory? From… taking that omega?”
His words, a venomous jab, aimed at Catrina, at the love she’d shared with Rowan, made my wolf snarl.
“Catrina is part of this pack, Elder Thorne,” I said firmly, meeting his gaze.
“And she’s under our protection. Just like… any other Magnus.”
But even as I spoke the words, a flicker of doubt, a whisper of insecurity, echoed in my mind.
Was I truly capable of protecting her? Of protecting the pack? Of being the Alpha they needed?
I’m not Rowan, my wolf whimpered, his voice a mournful echo in my heart. I’m not strong enough. Not smart enough. Not… worthy.
“You’re not Rowan, Derek.”
Isabelle’s voice, soft but firm, cut through my thoughts.
She stood beside me, her hand resting on my arm, her touch a warmth, a comfort, a reminder of the love that was both my strength and my weakness.
“But you’re… you. And you’re… enough.”
Her words, a simple truth, a quiet reassurance, brought a flicker of hope, a spark of the Alpha I was trying to become.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” I murmured, my gaze meeting hers, a silent conversation passing between us, a love that defied the rules, a bond that gave me strength.
But the weight of the elders’ disapproval, their whispers of doubt, their accusations, still pressed down on me.
“You think this… alliance… will protect us, Derek?” Elder Thorne scoffed, his gaze flickering towards Isabelle, a mix of suspicion and disdain in his eyes.
“You think the Mondragons will… sacrifice themselves… for us? When they have… their own pack to protect? Their own… Alpha to serve?”
“Isabelle is more than just an Alpha, Elder Thorne,” I said, my voice a low growl, my wolf bristling at his disrespect.
“She’s… she’s our Luna. And she’s… she’s carrying… my pup.”
The words, a declaration of our love, a reminder of the bond that tied us together, a future we were building, silenced the room.
But the silence was heavy, filled with unspoken disapproval, the weight of tradition, the ancient laws that frowned upon an Alpha mating with another Alpha, a she-wolf challenging the established order.
“And what about Rowan, Derek?” Elder Thorne’s voice, a venomous whisper, cut through the silence.
“What about your own brother? Where was your loyalty… when he… when he…”
His words trailed off, the unspoken accusation hanging in the air, a poison that seeped into my soul, twisting the grief I already carried into a burden of guilt, a weight I couldn’t bear.
“He’s dead, Thorne,” I snarled, my voice raw with pain, the memories of that night.
“And it’s Damien’s fault. Not mine. Not Isabelle’s. Not anyone’s… but Damien’s.”
“But you were there, Derek,” Elder Thorne pressed, his eyes narrowed, his voice a relentless pursuit. “You were there, and you… you did nothing. You let him… you let him…”
“Stop it, Thorne!” Isabelle’s voice, a sharp command, cut through the tension.
She stepped forward, her lavender scent filling the room, a mix of Alpha power and omega vulnerability, her eyes blazing with a protective fire that made even the oldest, most stubborn elders cower.
“You’re out of line. Derek is your Alpha. And you will… respect him.”
Her words, a reminder of the authority she carried, the power she wielded, silenced the room.
But the tension still lingered, thick and heavy, a constant reminder of the disapproval, the whispers, the accusations that followed us, that haunted me.
“You think you can control us, Isabelle?” Elder Thorne scoffed, his gaze meeting hers, a challenge in his old, weary eyes.
“You think you can manipulate Derek? Turn him against his own pack? Against his own… family?”
“I’m not controlling anyone, Elder Thorne,” Isabelle said calmly, her voice a low rumble that resonated with an Alpha’s power. “And I’m not turning Derek against anyone. He’s… he’s his own wolf. He makes… his own choices. And he’s chosen… me. He's chosen our pup. He’s chosen… our future.”
“A future that… was built on lies, on betrayal, on… on Rowan’s death,” Elder Thorne hissed, his words a venomous jab, aimed at my heart, twisting the grief, the guilt, the love, into a weapon against me.
“You… you killed him, Derek. You and your… traitor whore. You… you betrayed him. You betrayed… us all.”
His words, a cruel accusation, a blatant disregard for the truth, the sacrifices that had been made, the love that had endured, unleashed a fury within me unlike anything I’d ever known.
“That’s enough, Thorne!”
I roared, slamming my fist on the table, the wood cracking beneath the force of my anger, my grief, my pain.
My wolf, a golden creature of rage and protectiveness, surged within me, his claws wanting to tear, to shred, to avenge.
I stood up, my amber eyes blazing, my Alpha aura radiating outward, silencing the room, reminding them who was in control now, who carried the weight of leadership, the responsibility for the pack, the love that would protect us all.
“You will not speak of Catrina that way. You will not accuse me… of betraying my brother.”
My voice cracked, and for a moment, the mask of Alpha control slipped, the pain I’d been trying to bury surfacing.
But I quickly regained my composure, my gaze hardening, my voice firm.
“Rowan died fighting Damien, fighting for his pack, fighting for the woman he loved. And I will not let you… disrespect his memory… with your… your… lies!”
I turned to the other elders, their faces pale, their scents a mix of fear and grudging respect, their wolves cowering beneath my Alpha’s power.
“I understand your concern,” I said, my voice calmer now, but still firm, a leader’s voice, an Alpha’s command.
“I know the alliance with the Mondragons… it’s… it’s different. It’s not what we’re used to. But it’s necessary. We need their strength, their resources. We need… their Alpha.”
I looked at Isabelle, her amber eyes meeting mine, a silent conversation passing between us, a love that defied everything, a bond that made us stronger.
“We need… our Luna.”
“And as for Rowan…” I paused, the grief, the guilt, the love, a knot in my throat, “I will… I will honor his memory, elders. I will… I will lead this pack… with the same strength, the same courage, the same… love… that he… that he showed us. I will… I will be the Alpha… that he… that he believed… I could be.”
I turned back to Elder Thorne, his gaze unwavering, his old eyes filled with a mix of resentment and a grudging respect, a recognition of the Alpha power I was finally embracing.
“And as for your accusations, Thorne…” I paused, my voice a low growl.
“I will not tolerate them. Not anymore. I am the Alpha of this pack. And my decisions… are not… up for discussion.”
I dismissed the elders, their scents a mix of anger and fear and grudging acceptance as they filed out of the meeting room, their whispers fading behind them.
Isabelle stepped closer, her lavender scent a comfort, her touch a warmth on my arm.
“You were amazing, Derek,” she whispered, her gaze meeting mine, her eyes shining with a love that made my heart soar.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” I murmured, my gaze dropping to the floor, unable to sustain the intensity of her love, the weight of my responsibility, the darkness that still lingered.
“But it’s… it’s not enough, Isabelle. It’s… it’s never enough.”
“What do you mean, Derek?” she asked, her voice soft, her concern echoing my own.
“You… you were perfect. You were… an Alpha. You were… everything they… they needed to see.”
“It’s not about them, Isabelle. It’s about… me. I’m… I’m still… I’m still…”
I hesitated, unable to voice the truth, the insecurity, the fear that I would never be good enough, that I would never live up to Rowan’s legacy, that I would never be… the Alpha he was.
“You’re still grieving, Derek,” she said softly, her words a balm to my wounded soul.
“And that’s okay. It’s… normal. It takes time to… to heal. To… to accept.”
She cupped my face in her hands, her touch sending a wave of warmth through me, chasing away the chill, the fear, the doubt.
“But you’re not alone, Derek. You have… me. You have… the pack. You have… our pup.”
Her words, a reminder of the love we shared, the future we were building, sparked a flicker of hope, a strength I’d almost forgotten.
But even as I clung to her words, her love, the image of Rowan’s face, his amber eyes filled with a love for another, a destiny he’d been denied, a sacrifice he’d made, haunted me, a ghost in my heart, a shadow I couldn’t escape.
“It’s still not enough, Isabelle,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I’ll never be… him. I’ll never be… Rowan.”
And as a dark, chilling premonition, a whisper of a prophecy, a fear that had haunted me since the battle with Damien, echoed in my mind.
“He’s coming back, Derek,” a voice, cold and menacing, whispered in the shadows of my soul, a reminder of the darkness we thought we had defeated, the love that had been twisted, the destiny that was still unfolding.
“He’s coming… for her.”
End of The Alpha's forbidden omega mate Chapter 270. Continue reading Chapter 271 or return to The Alpha's forbidden omega mate book page.