The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Catrina's POV:
Even though I had slept, I didn't feel any better…
I couldn't stop thinking about the scary idea that I might be related to Rowan. His crazy dad kept saying my dad was the twin brother of Rowan's mom, and it wouldn't leave my head.
Even though I wanted to believe Marcus was just a madman, I had this little doubt. His words seemed to match some weird things from my childhood.
My parents were always secretive and kept us away from other packs. We moved a lot because my dad said it was for our safety.
Back then, I thought it was just normal parent behavior. But what if there was a darker reason?
A cold shiver hit me as old memories came back despite trying to forget them.
Like that time in middle school, when I was late coming home from trying on Hoco dresses.
My parents freaked out, asking where I was in scared whispers. When I told them I was at the mall, they looked terrified.
"You didn't tell anyone about us, did you?" My dad's growl always froze me with fear. "Not another word to anyone, you understand?"
I just shook my head, too scared to talk. My mom looked ready to cry, wringing her hands.
"We have to move again, Henri. Before it's too late," she whispered, looking at me like I was a threat.
My dad nodded, and they started packing right away, like they'd done it a million times before.
By morning, we were on the road again, leaving me with more questions about their obsession with secrecy.
I felt dizzy thinking about all this as I stared at the ceiling. Things were fitting together in a scary way. But I was afraid of what else I might find out.
I took a deep breath, putting my hand on my pregnant belly. I had to stay strong for my baby's sake. I needed facts, not endless worries.
I sat up on the luxurious bed, deciding to stick to my usual routine. Keeping busy might help.
Since I wouldn't see Rowan until later, I decided to help in the pack nursery. Taking care of the puppies always cheered me up.
Dakota, my friend, was already there, trying to manage a group of playful pups. But when she saw me, she looked away and busied herself even more.
"Hey, you okay?" I asked, picking up a mischievous pup. "You seem out of it today."
Dakota laughed awkwardly, not meeting my eyes. "Yeah, just a rough night."
Something was clearly bothering her, but I didn't want to push.
"If you need to talk..."
"I said I'm fine!" she snapped.
I flinched, hurt by her sharp tone. The pup in my arms whined, sensing the tension.
Dakota looked guilty. "I'm sorry, I should go. I'll just make things worse."
She left quickly, leaving me confused and hurt.
What was going on? Dakota and I were close. She'd never acted like this before.
Unless... was this about Marcus' rant about my connection to the Magnus pack? If word was spreading, it made sense why Dakota was scared of me.
The thought of being an outcast again was painful. Marcus had caused a big mess with his words.
I blinked back tears and stood up. I needed some air to clear my head.
Maybe I could find Rowan and get some answers. He said he wanted to investigate, so he might have found something.
Determined, I left the room, ignoring the silent, wary looks from some omegas. If they judged me before knowing the facts, that was their problem.
I kept my head high, reminding myself I could handle this. I'd faced worse before.
As I walked towards the residential area, I heard intense voices from a nearby parlor. It was Beta Carson and the Gamma Nadia.
"...and he didn't tell anyone where he was going?" the Gamma was asking. "Not even his mate?"
Carson's voice was low. "If he did, he didn't tell me. The Alpha just left without a word."
"This is strange behavior," the Gamma said.
"Especially after his father's rant about his bloodline."
My chest tightened. They were talking about Rowan and Marcus' claims.
"You don't think the Alpha is losing it, do you?" The Gamma's voice was worried. "Omegas have gone feral over less."
There was silence, then Carson spoke. "Let's hope not. A feral Alpha would be disastrous. We might need to take... measures."
My heart dropped like a stone into my stomach at the dark meaning behind their words. Were they actually talking about getting rid of Rowan if they thought he was unstable?
The blood was pounding so loud in my ears that I almost missed the Gamma's reply, spoken in a quiet, secretive tone.
“You would really go that far? Move against our Alpha’s partner just because of his father’s crazy claims about his lineage?”
Carson answered quickly and firmly, leaving no room for argument.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to protect this pack,Nadia. Even if it means removing any threat to our stability by... permanent means.”
A chill ran down my spine at his cold words. It was clear - he saw Rowan as a problem and would take drastic steps, including violence or even... killing him?
My hands shook uncontrollably at the thought of them trying to hurt my mate in such a ruthless way.
I felt dizzy and swayed on my feet, my mouth dry like cotton.
All this time, I thought I was safe under Isabelle’s protection in the Mondragon pack. But now, thanks to one crazy Alpha’s words, everything felt unsure.
I was like an outcast again within minutes - but this time with a bigger threat looming over me.
I had to find Rowan. I had to warn him about the conspiracy behind his back.
Even if he didn’t fully believe me, he needed to be on high alert.
Trying to stay quiet, I backed away from the parlor door, my mind racing. Where could Rowan have gone without telling anyone?
He wouldn’t just leave like that without a good reason.
A small voice in my head suggested he might be investigating our possible family ties on his own, with or without help from the pack.
The thought made my heart race with mixed feelings of hurt, fear, and pride. His stubborn determination was one of the Alpha traits that attracted me to him so strongly in the first place.
My thoughts were interrupted by a loud crash from inside the parlor, making me jump.
Through the cracked door, I saw Beta Carson turn toward the noise, ready for a fight, reaching for his gun...