The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

Rowan POV:
I tossed and turned in my little hideout in the woods. I couldn’t sleep. Bad memories and worries kept popping into my head. I dreamt about the past…
I was just a tiny pup, peeking around the corner of our cozy den in the pack house. Mom was there, her pretty face all sad-looking while she stuffed stuff into a backpack really fast.
"Mommy?" I squeaked in my little voice. "Where are we going?"
She turned around, her eyes getting teary.
She grabbed me tight and hugged me super hard all of a sudden.
"Somewhere better, sweetie," she mumbled into my fur. "Somewhere your dad can't find us."
"But why?" I whined, nuzzling into her nice smell. "Doesn't Daddy want us anymore?"
Mom got all stiff, and she looked really hurt.
"Your dad..." she whispered, "he's not the same anymore. He's become bad. We're not safe with him."
I didn't get it all, but I could feel how scared she was, like a scary storm coming.
Then, a loud BANG made the door fly open. Dad stood there, looking crazy with his messy fur.
“Vivian!” he roared. I hid behind Mom. “What are you doing? Where do you think you’re going?”
Mom hugged me tighter and backed away. “Please, Marcus…don’t make this harder. I can’t watch you become a monster.”
Dad—no, Alpha Marcus—got angrier. “So, you want to take my only son? Turn him against his own pack?”
In a flash, he grabbed Mom’s arm. She cried out in pain.
“The only thing you’ve taught him is cruelty!” she yelled, even though she was scared. “I won’t let our pup be poisoned by your hatred of omegas!”
Marcus snarled and ripped me away from Mom. He threw her to the ground. I cried.
“You’re ungrateful!” Marcus yelled, holding me up by the back of my neck. “I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me? By weakening my bloodline?”
Mom sobbed on the floor, trying to get up. “I just want to protect our son from your hate! To give him a better life!”
Marcus was furious. “Then you’ve made your choice, omega. You’re banished from the Magnus pack! Get out—I don’t want you as my mate anymore!”
With those mean words, he turned and stormed out of the den, still holding me tight.
I reached out with my little pup arms towards Mom, who was laying on the floor hurt.
"Mommy!" I cried as we got farther away.
"Mommy, no! Don't let him take me!"
But she could only watch, tears rolling down her face, as Dad carried me away. It felt like his bad thoughts were controlling me.
I woke up with a gasp, sitting straight up in my rough bed of leaves in the forest.
Moonlight peeked through the branches, making creepy shadows dance on the ground.
My heart pounded like crazy as that memory from when I was little faded away.
I hadn't thought about Mom in forever - Dad trained me to forget those feelings a long time ago.
But now, on the run from my own pack, desperate to get back to my mate and our pup…it felt just like what Mom went through.
But I wouldn’t be like Marcus. I would never abandon Catrina and our child. Protecting them was all that mattered now.
I took deep breaths to calm down. Getting upset wouldn’t help. I had to stay focused.
Once I was calm, I snuck out of my shelter. I walked carefully through the woods, watching out for danger, heading to the meeting place my Uncle Jarret told me about.
His message was risky, but it was the only way to get news without Marcus finding out.
I hoped the news was good. I hadn’t seen Catrina in so long. I was so worried about her.
Finally, I reached the meeting place—an old hunting cabin. I peeked inside, making sure it was safe. Then I opened the door a crack.
“Come out,” I said in a low voice. “Unless you want to get hurt.”
A figure appeared. Even in the dark, I knew it was Jarret.
“It’s okay, nephew,” he said calmly, holding up his empty hands. “I’m alone.”
I let him inside the cabin. He looked tired.
“Good to see you’re safe,” he said with a small smile. “Too bad about all this, though.”
“Just tell me what’s going on,” I said. “How crazy is Marcus about Catrina being with the Mondragons?”
Jarret’s face turned serious. “He’s losing it, I’m afraid. He’s paranoid and suspicious—the whole pack house is on lockdown.”
I cursed. My father, the once-powerful Alpha, was falling apart. All because of his own prejudices.
“He keeps saying You’re trying to embarrass him,” Jarret continued. “He sees insults everywhere. It’s…scary to watch.”
I paced the cabin, angry. I couldn’t believe how far Marcus had fallen. He used to be a good leader. Now he was a tyrant.
“And he thinks you’re trying to take over the pack,” Jarret said quietly. “He’s convinced you want to be Alpha.”
I laughed. “Take over? After what he’s done to this pack?” I looked at my uncle.
“You know I just want Catrina and our child. He can keep his stupid pack.”
Jarret looked at me for a long moment. “I figured, but I had to ask. You’re a good man, Rowan. Better than Marcus.”
His words should have made me feel good. Instead, I just felt sad for the Alpha my father used to be.
But there was no point in thinking about the past. I had to focus on rescuing my family.
“Do you know anything else about Catrina?” I asked. “Is she safe?”
Jarret shook his head. “I’m sorry. The Mondragon Alpha is hiding her well. He knew Marcus would retaliate.”
My stomach twisted with worry. My poor Catrina…stuck in the middle of this mess just because of me. If something happened to her or the pup because of my family…
Jarret put his hand on my shoulder.
“Don’t give up hope, Rowan. We’ll find your mate and bring her back to you. No matter what we have to do to your crazy father...”