The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 32: Chapter 32

I barely slept that night. My brain wouldn't shut off, tossing and turning with worries.
What if Carson was right, and Rowan really left me? Would I be stuck here forever, alone, just having pups for the pack?
The next morning didn't bring any answers, just more questions swirling in my head.
I decided I had to find out what was going on, no matter what trouble it might cause.
Someone in this house had to know something useful.
After getting dressed, I went downstairs hoping to find someone nice to talk to. Most of the people who worked here avoided me completely, probably because I was an unmated breeder.
But then I saw Dakota, and I hurried over to her.
I found Dakota in the kitchen helping make breakfast.
"Good morning" I said nicely. "Can you tell me what omegas usually do here?"
Dakota smiled a little shyly. "Sure! We help clean, cook, fix things around the house, stuff like that. Typical omega jobs."
I nodded. "And how do they treat omegas here? Are they nice to you guys?"
Dakota looked down at the floor, her cheeks turning pink. "Well... the alpha and the higher rank members, they kinda see us like things they own. Like they can make us do whatever they want."
My stomach lurched. "That's awful! Don't omegas deserve to be treated with respect?"
Dakota whispered her answer, like she was scared someone might hear.
"The old pack rules say no. Alphas are in charge, and we gotta do what they tell us or...get in trouble."
I shivered. "What kind of trouble?"
I didn't want to hear the answer, but I had to know.
Dakota looked around nervously. "Punishment. Like whippings, if the alpha in charge thinks you deserve it. Sometimes omegas even vanish if they cause too much trouble."
My insides burned with anger. How could anyone treat another person like that?
"Thanks a lot, Dakota," I said sincerely. "You being nice to me means a lot, more than you know."
She squeezed my hand gently and then hurried off, saying she'd try to find out more about what was going on. I waited, feeling anxious, hoping she'd learn something about my situation.
Seeing two older omegas cleaning nearby, I decided to ask them too. They seemed friendly, and they stopped cleaning to smile at me.
"Sorry to bother you," I said politely, "but do you know anything about what happened with the Magnus alpha ceremony?"
The older omega lady pursed her lips. "There's talk, but nothing for sure. People say Alpha Marcus got super mad and wouldn't let his son become the new Alpha"
The other omega lady nodded. "And some say our Alpha Isabelle, got involved to help him and their pack deal. But nobody knows for sure what she's really planning."
I gulped hard when they mentioned Isabelle being in charge. What bad things could she be planning now?
The other omega lady, her eyes wide with juicy gossip "They're even saying Isabelle, only agreed to this whole 'alliance' thing with the Magnus pack 'cause they promised her something huge."
An alliance? What kind of alliance?
"But what could be so important that she'd marry a total stranger?" the first omega wondered, shaking her head.
"Especially with all the rumors flying around..."
The second omega scanned the room nervously, like a squirrel looking for an escape.
"What rumors?" I blurted out.
"Well," the first omega started whispering, glancing at me in a way that sent shivers down my spine.
"some say Alpha Rowan's true mate is actually an omega, from a rogue family."
My breath caught in my throat. Did they mean...?
"But apparently," the second omega continued, "that whole thing fell through somehow. Now Isabelle's stuck with this grumpy young alpha who won't even sleep in the same bed with her!"
"Can you imagine the humiliation?" the first omega clucked, her voice dripping with sympathy.
"A powerful Alpha like Isabelle rejected by her own mate? No wonder she's been in such a mood lately.”
My head spun. Rejected mate? Shame? It was all starting to make a terrible kind of sense.
These ladies had no idea they were gossiping right in front of the person they were talking about…
They must have noticed how pale I looked because they exchanged a worried glance.
"Don't worry, honey," the first one soothed, her voice gentle.
"Things aren't always as bad as they seem. You're strong, and so is your little one." Her hand rested lightly on my pregnant belly.
I managed a weak smile. Their kindness only made me feel worse, like I was somehow causing trouble for everyone – not just Isabelle, but the whole Mondragon pack.
But kindness wasn't what I needed right now. I needed answers. And a way to get out of this fancy prison.
Luckily, Dakota came back right then, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Come with me, Catrina. I found someone who might have some information for you."
She led me outside to the stables, a big area with fancy horsehouses that smelled like hay and horses. An old man with messy hair was cleaning the stalls. He stopped when we got closer.
"This is Caleb," Dakota said with a grin.
"He sometimes hears the alphas talking about pack stuff."
Caleb wiped his dirty hands and bowed politely. "Nice to meet you, miss. Ask me anything, and I'll try my best to answer, even if I ramble a bit."
I didn't waste any time. "Please, tell me everything you know about what happened to Rowan Magnus the night he became the alpha."
Caleb scratched his beard thoughtfully.
"Well, from what I heard, there was a big fight between Alpha Rowan and his Father. They were yelling at each other something awful."
I leaned in closer, my heart beating fast. "What happened next? Did Rowan lose his chance to be the leader?"
Caleb nodded seriously. "Sounds like it. But then our Alpha Isabelle, Rowan’s claimed mate, stepped in and said everyone had to wait until they figured things out."
Dakota gasped. "So she's in charge of both packs now?"
Caleb waved his hand dismissively. "Nobody knows for sure, maybe it has something to do with pack deals or something. But anyway, she's leading for now..."
He shrugged and looked at us sadly. I leaned against the stable wall, my head spinning with this new information.
So Rowan really wasn't the Alpha anymore?
But then, a tiny spark of hope flickered in my chest. Rowan was strong and wouldn't give up easily.
If anyone could get back what they lost, it was him.
No matter what happened next, I had to believe in him and our bond.
Dakota squeezed my hand tight. "Don't give up, Catrina. There's always a chance, no matter what."
Her positive attitude helped me feel braver. I stood up straight and looked at Caleb with a determined look.
"Thanks for everything you told me," I said honestly. "I won't forget your help."
Then I said goodbye to them and went back to my room. My head was spinning with all this new information, and I was worried about what would happen next.
But I also felt a little spark of fight in me now. I wasn't going to give up easily. My future with Rowan wasn't over yet.
As night fell again, I couldn't stop feeling restless. I paced around my fancy room, thinking about Rowan all the time. He was out there somewhere, fighting against stuff I couldn't even see.
Was he still trying to become alpha? Or had he given up?