The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Rowan POV:
I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard the voice. I spun around, teeth bared, ready to fight. My eyes darted around, trying to find where the voice came from.
There, at the edge of the clearing, was a woman. She looked human, but even from far away, I could smell a faint wolf scent on her.
She was older, with reddish-gray hair pulled back in a simple ponytail. Her green eyes watched me calmly, not scared at all by my growling. She just looked curious and a little worried.
"Easy there, easy..." she said, her voice gentle, like you would talk to a scared animal. "I won't hurt you, big guy."
Even though she seemed friendly, my gut told me to be careful. She moved with a confidence that most humans her age didn’t have, like she was always on alert. Maybe she was a rogue.
"You look like you've been in a fight," she continued, her eyes looking over my cuts and scrapes.
"And from the sad howling I heard earlier, I'd guess you have a broken heart, too."
Her words surprised me. It was like she could see right through me.
The woman took a step closer. "Why don't you let me take a look at those cuts? I have a place nearby with some bandages."
I bristled at her getting closer. My wolf instincts screamed at me not to let her see how weak I was, even if she seemed nice.
She stopped and held up her hands, like she was surrendering.
"Alright, alright. I get it, lone wolf," she said with a tired smile.
"How about I just leave you some water and bandages? You won’t heal well with all those wounds."
She carefully put down an old canteen and a small first-aid kit a little way from me before backing away. She never took her eyes off me or made any sudden moves.
I had to admit, I was impressed. She knew how to act around wolves. It made me curious about who she was.
Maybe she knew I was interested because she sat down and said, "My name's Maggie. My husband Henri and I have been living out here in the forest for a few years now."
She didn’t wait for me to respond. "We used to be part of a pack when we were younger. But, well... let's just say we had a bad falling out with the alpha."
When she talked about packs, my ears perked up.
Maggie saw that, and a small, sad smile crossed her face. She looked like she knew exactly what I was thinking.
"I bet you're out here looking so beat up because of something that happened with your pack, am I right?" she asked.
She was right, but I didn’t want to tell her that. I just stared at her, trying to relax so she wouldn't feel threatened.
Maggie seemed to understand.
"Can't really blame you for not wanting to talk about bad memories. I get it," she said.
She went quiet, lost in thought. I wondered what bad things had happened to her in her old pack.
Finally, she blinked a few times, snapping out of it.
"You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. But I will say this..."
She leaned forward and pointed at the ground between us.
"If the Magnus pack had anything to do with what happened to you, I'm really sorry."
As soon as she said those words, a strangled sound escaped my throat. It was like a mix of a bitter laugh and a groan of despair.
Of course. Of course my messed-up family, and my horrible upbringing in that terrible pack, would follow me even here. It felt like the universe was against me.
Maggie watched me, her eyes full of understanding. When I was able to look at her again, she just kept looking at me calmly.
"I'm sorry, kid. I know that look - the look that says you've gotten mixed up with the Magnus pack," she said. Her voice was full of sadness.
"I wish I could say I'm shocked they're still causing trouble, but I'm not surprised at all."
"You knew them," I croaked, my voice rough from not speaking in a while. It wasn’t a question, more like I was just stating a fact.
Maggie’s lips twitched. So, she really smelled it in my scent. She was a smart woman.
"Henri and I were part of that pack for a few years, yeah," she confirmed with a grim nod.
"Well, more like pawns in Marcus' twisted games. At least until we finally got smart and left."
Her voice was full of hatred when she said my father's name, and it sent a shiver down my spine. I waited for her to tell me all the awful things he had done, my stomach twisting with dread.
"You'd think losing his mate, would have taught that arrogant jerk a lesson," she hissed, her eyes flashing with anger.
"But no, losing Vivian just made him even crueler with his own pack."
A heavy silence fell over the clearing as her words hung in the air. I never knew how bad my father had gotten after Mom left.
I had seen him become colder, more impatient, and crueler.
He had impossible expectations and punished us harshly. But some part of me always hoped he had some limits, that even he wouldn't go too far in his quest for power.
That some part of him was still...sane.
But now, hearing what he had done to this woman and her mate? I felt sick, realizing how truly evil he was.
Maggie seemed to sense my turmoil.
"You didn't know how bad it was, did you?" she said, her voice soft. It wasn't really a question.
She sighed and ran a hand through her messy hair.
"Of course you didn't. Why would he let you see how wicked he was?"
I must have made a small, sad sound without realizing it, because Maggie’s eyes sharpened.
"Wait...don't tell me Marcus is still alpha? Did he take back control after we left?"
There was no point in lying, so I just nodded slightly. Maggie went pale, and fear filled her eyes.
"No...no, Henri and I worked so hard to weaken him, to take away his power," she whispered, more to herself than to me.
"We thought we had finally gotten rid of him..."
I didn't know what to say, what words could comfort this woman who had suffered so much because of my father.
Maggie seemed to shake herself out of her shock and looked at me again, her eyes intense.
"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name," she said.
"We've been so busy talking about the past, that I forgot my manners."
I took a deep breath and forced myself to speak.
"I didn't give it," I rumbled.
She blinked at me, confused for a moment, and then understanding dawned on her face.
She chuckled sadly and shook her head.
"Rowan," she murmured, my name sounding like a dark secret revealed. "I should have figured that out sooner. You have your mother's eyes."
The way she said my name, with such sadness and acceptance, confused me. How could she possibly know who I was, see the resemblance to Vivian, unless...?
"Marcus' son," Maggie stated flatly as if she had read my mind. "The heir he became obsessed with rising after your mother left."
She let that sink in. I just stared at her, my mind spinning. I had no idea how to react.
Seeing my shock, Maggie's expression softened a little.
"I won't lie, part of me wants to run away now that I know who you are. Sins of the father and all that."
My heart sank. Her words stung, even though I knew she was right. Of course, someone who had suffered because of my father wouldn’t want anything to do with his son.
But then she surprised me. She held up a hand and shook her head slowly.
"No...no, that wouldn't be right. You're not him, even though you share his blood. And from the looks of you, I'd say you've suffered because of that connection, too."
I stared at her, my throat tight, looking for any sign that she was lying. But her gaze was open and kind, even though I could see the pain in her eyes.
"We've all suffered because of Marcus," Maggie said, her voice weary. "It seems only fair that we share our stories if you're willing."