The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 40: Chapter 40

Catrina POV:
I woke up groaning. My body hurt all over. The bright morning sun coming through the window hurt my eyes. For a second, I didn't know where I was.
Then I remembered. My desperate attempt to escape. Isabelle's strange forgiveness.
I put my hand on my belly, making sure our pup was okay.
"You're awake. That's good," a soft voice said.
I turned to see Dakota sitting in a chair next to my bed. She looked tired, but happy I was awake.
"How are you feeling?" she asked, her green eyes full of worry.
"I checked on you all night, but you were sleeping really hard."
I remembered her holding me just in time after I fainted after discussing with Isabelle. I tried to smile, but it felt more like a grimace.
"Sore, but...I'll live," I croaked. My throat was so dry it hurt to talk.
Dakota must have noticed. She poured me a glass of water and helped me sip it through a straw. The cool water felt amazing.
"Slow down," she soothed when I tried to drink too fast.
"Your body needs time to heal."
I nodded weakly. Even drinking was tiring me out. I lay back, closing my eyes as Dakota took care of me.
But even though I was in pain and sleepy, all I could think about was Rowan.
My mate, my other half, was out there somewhere alone and hurting just like me. I whimpered without meaning to.
"I know, I know," Dakota murmured, understanding what I meant. "You're worried about Rowan."
I opened my eyes and looked at her, begging her to understand.
After I overheard a conversation between Beta Carson and the third in command, I tried to be hopeful that Rowan escaped from Magnus's pack Jail... Every hour that passed put more distance between us.
Dakota could see my fear. She frowned.
"From what I heard, Isabelle hasn't sent anyone to look for him. It seems like she's fine with letting him run away."
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course she is," I rasped. "Why would she miss a chance to get rid of the only one she thinks can challenge her power?"
"Catrina..." Dakota protested gently, taking my hand.
"Isabelle may be cruel, but she still needs a united pack to rule. I can't see her letting anything bad happen to the heir of the-"
"You don't know her like I do," I interrupted, maybe too harshly.
Dakota's eyes widened, but I couldn't stop myself.
"Not really. Isabelle only cares about power. As long as the Mondragon legacy continues, she doesn't care who she hurts to get there…"
I put my hand on my belly. "Including Rowan."
We sat in silence. Kind, sweet Dakota just couldn't understand how evil Isabelle could be.
She still thought Isabelle cared about protecting the Mondragon pack.
But I knew better. I knew the terrible things she was capable of, how she would easily get rid of anyone she saw as a problem, even her husband.
Dakota's face fell as she finally understood what I meant.
"You...you really think she'd let Rowan..." Her voice trailed off, unable to say the awful thought out loud.
I gave her a sad smile. " I know she’ll do anything to stay in control."
The room was silent as we both thought about what this meant. I almost felt bad for ruining Dakota's image of Isabelle.
She had been through so much already.
Before I could say anything else, we heard a knock at the door.
We both looked up as it opened slowly to reveal Yara standing nervously in the hallway.
"Sorry to interrupt," she said softly, looking down at the floor.
"I just wanted to see how Catrina was doing, see if she needed anything..."
Yara was a quiet, shy omega. She glanced at me quickly, like she was afraid of getting in trouble for being here.
It made me sad to see how scared she was just to check on another pack member.
But then I saw something new in her eyes. A spark of determination, a hope for something better.
And I knew that what I had done, standing up to Isabelle had given her and the other Mondragon omegas a new sense of possibility.
My anger at Isabelle faded a bit.
"I'm...doing okay, all things considered," I said, trying to smile. "Thank you for caring, Yara."
My words seemed to make her stronger. She lifted her chin. We heard more movement and soft voices from the hallway. She wasn't alone.
One by one, other omegas I knew appeared in the doorway.
Talia, Jamila, even tough Lucia, who looked unusually thoughtful.
Soon, all the Mondragon female omegas were there, watching me with open curiosity and...something more.
Hope, I realized. Despite everything Isabelle had done to me, they had heard about how I stood up to her and refused to give in. And it gave them hope.
I sat up a little straighter, feeling a sense of responsibility. These women had suffered for so long under Isabelle's rule.
But in me, they saw someone fighting back. They saw that it was possible to survive Isabelle's cruelty and keep opposing her.
"We, umm..." Talia spoke up, twisting her hands nervously. "We wanted you to know you're not alone in this, Catrina. We're here for whatever you need."
She gave me a shaky smile and then glanced down at my belly. "For the pup."
The other omegas stood taller, their faces determined.
Even Lucia gave me a small nod of support, something she rarely did.
It was amazing. Right there, in Isabelle's own house, a rebellion was starting. These women saw me as a symbol of hope, a sign that they could take back their power.
The weight of it all was almost too much for me. I wasn't a warrior, not some brave hero. I was just a mate who wanted to be with the one I loved.
These omegas represented generations of suffering under alphas like Isabelle. But no more.