The Alpha's forbidden omega mate - Chapter 94: Chapter 94

Catrina’s POV:
The hospital room, once a reminder of pain and fear, was slowly becoming a haven.
Sunlight streamed through the windows, painting everything in a warm glow.
Lucas, our perfect little pup, was thriving, his cries growing stronger.
The doctor said I was healing well. The deep gash in my back, a constant reminder of Brock’s betrayal, was already starting to scar over, a testament to my wolf’s resilience.
But the emotional scars… those ran deeper.
Brock’s lies, the whispers of a hidden enemy, the fear that had clung to me like a shadow… it was all still there, lurking at the edges of my happiness.
And then there were the memories.
Since waking up after the attack, they’d been returning in bits and pieces, like a puzzle slowly revealing its image.
Some were good, filled with the warmth of Rowan’s love, the joy of our bond.
Others… not so much.
“Rowan?” I said one afternoon, as we sat together, Lucas nestled contentedly in my arms.
His warmth, his sweet, milky scent, were a balm on my nerves.
He looked up from where he was reading a book, his brow furrowed with concern. “What is it, Catrina? What’s wrong?”
I hesitated, my hand tightening instinctively around Lucas.
“It’s about Brock,” I said, the name leaving a sour taste in my mouth.
Rowan’s jaw tightened, his amber eyes flashing with a fury that sent a shiver down my spine.
Protective, possessive… It was almost comical how easily he shifted from attentive father to fierce protector with just a few whispered words.
“What did he do?” Rowan growled, his voice dangerously low.
“Did you remember something? Tell me, Catrina, and I swear, I’ll—”
“No!” I cut him off, placing a hand on his arm. Violence wouldn’t solve anything, not this time.
Besides, I needed him to listen “It’s not that. It’s… he told me something, before… something about you.”
His brow furrowed, confusion replacing the anger.
“About me? What could that slimeball possibly have said about me that would upset you?”
I took a deep breath, hating how the memory made my stomach twist.
“He took.. Some photos of you. At a college party. With some human girls. And… you looked too friendly.”
There. I’d said it. The words hung in the air between us, heavy with unspoken accusations and the weight of the past hurts.
Rowan went still, his face carefully blank.
Then, he let out a bark of laughter, the sound so unexpected it startled both Lucas and me.
“Brock, that idiot,” he said, shaking his head.
"He really knows how to twist a story, doesn't he? Okay, Catrina, hear me out, this needs a bit of an explanation, but for starters, believe me, there was no one, and I mean absolutely no one for me but you. Never has been, never will be."
He took my hand, his thumb stroking soothing circles against my skin.
The warmth of his touch, the sincerity in his eyes, eased some of the tension in my chest.
I should’ve known better than to let Brock’s poison into my thoughts.
We sat in silence for a moment, the only sound Lucas’s soft breaths.
I knew Rowan would explain everything in time, when he was ready.
The next day, I was trying to coax a smile out of Lucas when the door to our room creaked open.
I looked up, expecting to see Rowan or one of the nurses, but it was Isabelle standing there, her usually stoic expression softened with concern.
“Catrina,” she said, her voice surprisingly gentle.
“I’m glad to see you’re doing better.”
I was taken aback, both by her unexpected visit and the genuine warmth in her voice.
Since our mutual comfort back in the Mondragon mansion, things between us had been… different.
Less hostile, certainly. But still awkward, like we were both navigating uncharted territory.
“Isabelle,” I replied, nodding my head in acknowledgment. “Thanks. Come on in.”
She stepped into the room, her eyes immediately drawn to Lucas.
“He’s beautiful, Catrina,” she murmured, a hint of awe in her voice. “A true blessing for the pack.”
I couldn't help but smile, a wave of fierce pride washing over me.
Even though my relationship with Isabelle was still a bit complicated, her words rang true.
Lucas was a blessing. A symbol of hope for our pack, a new generation to carry on our legacy.
“He is, isn’t he?”
I agreed, my heart swelling with love for this tiny, helpless being who’d already been through so much.
To my surprise, Isabelle walked closer, her eyes softening as she looked down at Lucas.
For a moment, I saw a different side of her – not the ambitious, often ruthless Alpha, but a woman who understood the weight of family, the fierce love that came with protecting your own.
"Rowan told me what happened,” she said quietly. “About Brock. About the danger you were both in.”
I nodded, unable to speak past the lump that had formed in my throat. The memories were still raw, the fear still a fresh wound.
“Catrina,” Isabelle continued, her eyes meeting mine with a sincerity I’d never seen before.
“I just… I wanted you to know that I’m sorry. For everything. For the way I acted, for the things I said… I was wrong. I should've done a better job of making you feel welcome.”
Her words, spoken with such unexpected humility, caught me off guard.
Part of me, the part that still remembered her past rejections, wanted to lash out, to demand to know why she’d changed her tune.
But another part of me, the part that was learning to embrace the strength of forgiveness, simply nodded, accepting her apology.
After all, we were hardwired to protect our own.Isabelle was finally starting to understand that the pack wasn’t just about bloodlines and hierarchy.
“Thank you, Isabelle,” I said finally, my voice thick with emotion. “That… that means a lot.”
She smiled then, a genuine smile that transformed her features, making her look younger, less guarded.
“Good,” she said simply.
“Because we’re going to need each other, Catrina. If what you say about Brock and this… this unknown threat is true, then the Mondragon pack needs to be ready. We’ll need to stand together if we want to survive what’s coming.”
And as I looked at Isabelle, I knew she was right. The fight wasn’t over. It was only just beginning.
"I will, Isabelle," I said, a small, genuine smile touching my lips. "Thank you."
She nodded, a flicker of something that might have been approval in her eyes, before turning and heading for the door. As she left, a wave of optimism washed over me.
The door had barely closed behind Isabelle when Rowan strode back into the room, his scent filling my senses before I even saw him.
“Hey,” he murmured, his voice warm as he leaned down to press a kiss to my forehead.
“How are my two favorite people doing?”
“We’re good,” I replied, my heart giving a happy little flutter at the adoration in his eyes. “Isabelle just stopped by.”
His brow furrowed. “Good, I just saw her” a hint of curiosity mixed with wariness in his expression. "What did she tell you?"
My wolf, always a bit more suspicious than my human side, perked up at the question.
Was it silly to still feel a twinge of jealousy when it came to Isabelle?
She was his wife,all powerful and respected, while I was still just… Well, just a mistress.
The omega who’d gotten lucky enough to snag the Alpha’s attention.
But then I looked at Rowan, at the way his eyes softened when he looked at me, and the foolish insecurity faded.
He’d chosen me. He loved me. And that was all that mattered.
“She just wanted to check on us,” I said, keeping my voice casual.
“She said the Mondragon pack is here to support us, if we need anything.”
Rowan’s grip on my hand tightened, his expression thoughtful.
“And do you trust her, Catrina?”
The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications.
I knew Rowan still had his doubts about Isabelle, especially after everything that had happened to me and the power struggle within the pack.
I hesitated, my eyes down to Lucas, who was sleeping peacefully in my arms.
Trust. It was such a fragile thing, so easily broken.
And yet, it was the foundation of any real relationship, whether it was between mates, pack members, or even former rivals.
“I do,” I said finally, meeting Rowan’s eyes with a certainty that surprised even myself.
“Isabelle has been nothing but kind and supportive since they dragged me to the Mondragon Mansion” I chuckled a little. “I think she really means it when she says she wants to help.”
Rowan studied my face for a moment, his eyes searching mine as if looking for any hint of doubt.
Then, he nodded slowly, his features relaxing. “Okay,” he said, his voice softening.
“I trust your judgment, Catrina. If you say Isabelle’s on our side, then I believe you.”
Rowan trusted me. I felt relieved.
And as we sat there, surrounded by the warmth of our little family, the hospital room no longer felt sterile and cold. It felt like a sanctuary, a place of love and strength.