The only thought whirling through my mind when I uttered those words was: It was at this moment he knew... he had fucked up.
And yeah, it couldn't have been truer.
My father let loose a snarl, his eyes glowing an eerie blue as he stomped toward me. But before he could get too close, my mom's hand shot out, stopping him dead in his tracks.
I didn't cower as I usually did when facing his wrath. No. His hostility only pissed me off—me and Orion both.
I snarled right back, letting him know I wasn't afraid anymore. Orion surged forward inside me, itching for a fight. I glared up at my father, refusing to back down.
"Easy, both of you!" my mom snapped, stepping between us and slapping a hand on each of our chests.
My father's gaze shifted to hers, and after a tense moment, he snorted. "At least you finally grew a backbone, boy."
I clenched my fists so tightly my claws broke skin. Warm blood dripped into my palms. "Well, Father," I said, voice low and tight, "maybe you should grow another pair of ears and start listening. I'm. Not. Going. Anywhere."
Before he could react, Justin stepped in between us.
"Caleb," he said calmly, "just... cool it."
I turned my glare toward him. Seriously? Him, of all people? Wasn't he supposed to be on my side? The betrayal stung more than I cared to admit.
"I'll be there," he added, "when you talk to the Elders and my father. Nothing's going to happen."
"How can you be so sure?" I asked, stepping back from my father. "They don't just invite pack members in for a friendly cup of tea."
Justin chuckled. "They just want to talk to you. That's it."
Yeah. Right.
I didn't buy it. The Elders never got involved unless it affected the pack. If they were calling me in, it wasn't for tea—it was for leverage. My gut was already twisting in warning.
My father scratched his beard and then stormed out of the room. "Just get dressed and meet us at the Alpha's office before I order your brothers to drag your ass there."
His voice echoed down the hallway.
Fuck, I hated him...
My mom gave my shoulder a gentle rub, then left the room without another word.
"Get dressed before your father acts on that threat," Justin said, giving me a look before following her out.
I was alone again. And the pit in my stomach only got deeper.
🌕🩸🌲🌙🐾 Deputy Omega 🐾🌙 🌲🩸🌕
Walking toward the pack house, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread snaking its way around my body. The Elders were a conniving bunch of old coots clinging to their fading glory before they finally kicked the bucket.
It didn't help that every pack member I passed stared at me. Some with awe, others with curiosity, and the rest with that vaguely stunned look, like their brains had short-circuited. Male omegas weren't exactly common. I was the newest freak show in town, and everyone was eager to gawk.
Too soon for my liking, I reached the Alpha's office. My fingers hovered over the cold metal handle. A part of me wanted to bolt and tell the Elders to go lick their own nuts.
Before I could act on that thought, the door opened—and there was my father's usual bitch face.
"Come in and stop wasting our time," he grumbled, stepping aside.
The Alpha's office was as grand as expected. Modern and sleek, with a large window behind the desk that bathed the space in natural light. The Alpha himself sat behind a wide glass-and-metal desk, a laptop to his right.
As I stepped in, his aura washed over me. Intense, commanding… but it didn't hit me the way it used to. Not anymore. Omegas were technically alphas in their own right. We had to be, especially since some wolves still didn't understand what the word "no" meant. The major difference? We didn't run around marking our territory like overgrown toddlers throwing tantrums.
The Alpha's thick brows furrowed when I didn't react. He withdrew his aura, leaned back in his chair, and ran a hand over his bald head, his fingers brushing the claw marks on the side of his scalp. His bluish-gray eyes lingered on me a moment longer… then flicked past me.
I turned just as my father let two men into the room.
They were huge—bigger than the Alpha. Their muscles strained against crisp white dress shirts as they moved a few steps inside.
They might have been werewolves, but I sniffed the air, honey and freshly dug-up dirt.
"They're bear shifters," Orion yawned lazily. Typical nap-loving mutt.
The dread coiled tighter in my gut. Why were they here?
"I don't like this."
I turned to the Alpha and scowled. "Why are they here?"
The Alpha waved me off. "Don't be alarmed, Caleb. Everything will be clear in a moment."
An Elder seated on the olive-green couch to my left spoke up. "The reason we called you here is to discuss the way forward."
"Forward?" I said, snapping. "I didn't realize I needed any of your input on my future. I may be an omega, but I don't need anyone to hold my hand."
A growl rumbled through the room—my father, of course.
"Show the Elder respect, boy," he barked. "Your mother and I didn't raise you like this."
I laughed bitterly. "You raised me? Since when?"
I turned to the Beta, eyes narrowed.
"You've never taken an interest in me. You've got three children you care about, and I'm not one of them. The only time you look at me is when you want to bark about how I should act like your 'pride and joy.'" I jabbed a finger toward my brothers, who flinched under the sting of my words. "So don't take credit where it's not due."
If looks could kill, his glare would've melted my skull. But he said nothing, because he couldn't. It was the truth. My mom was the only one who ever gave a damn about me.
"We're getting off-topic, aren't we?" the old crone drawled. "Unfortunately for you, Caleb, now that you're an omega, you fall under our jurisdiction. The Alpha and Elders are custodians of all omegas in the pack."
"…Which means?" I clenched my jaw. I didn't like where this was going.
She adjusted her thick silver bracelet before continuing. "We're in charge of your safety and your future. As of yesterday, the Alpha entered your name into the global Genex database under the omega classification. This will ensure—"
"This will let you toy with my life however you see fit!" I snarled, and even the Elders flinched.
"Do you even realize what you've done?!"
The urge to rip the old hag apart crawled up my spine like fire.
A rough hand clamped down on my shoulder. I yanked it off and shoved my father hard enough that he nearly toppled into another Elder's lap.
"Enough!" the Alpha roared, slamming his palms against the glass desk. How it didn't shatter, I didn't know. "Get a hold of yourself, Caleb. It's not as bad as you're making it out to be."
I scoffed at the blatant bullshit. My life was over, and everyone in this room knew it. When Alpha Goodwin registered my name into the Pack Database, he sealed my fate. I couldn't enroll in any college, university, or trade school without their approval. Hell, I couldn't even apply for a damn job unless they signed off on it. If the Alpha so wished, he could keep me caged within the pack until the day I died.
And that wasn't even the worst part.
"I'm not brain-dead, Alpha. I know exactly what you did."
The man leaned back in his chair, face unreadable. With a casual motion, he pulled a yellow file from the drawer beneath the desk and dropped it in front of him with a soft thud.
"Caleb," Justin said, stepping toward his father. He stood beside the Alpha, suddenly looking smaller. "He's not trying to ruin your life. But you know how brutal it is for omegas outside of pack protection. As much as you want to go to college... you can't."
"It's not your decision to make!" I snapped, heat rising under my skin. "I won't give up my dreams. Not for any of you."
The Alpha sighed and rubbed his face, weariness clinging to the lines around his eyes. "Then I'll have to disappoint you."
A heavy silence fell. My heart pounded in my ears.
"As Alpha, I have to make the hard calls, balancing the needs of many against the dreams of a few."
I narrowed my eyes. "What are you getting at?"
The Alpha folded his hands over the folder. "We didn't anticipate you presenting as an omega. It complicates things, but not beyond repair. I've contacted the Northern Ridge Pack, our oldest allies. Their Alpha and Luna have three daughters, none of whom manifested as alphas. It's a crisis for them."
I frowned. "And?"
He continued, unfazed. "Two of those daughters are omegas. We've arranged for Katherine and Katelyn to visit. They'll spend time with Justin. The hope is... a mating compact."
My head jerked toward Justin. "Didn't you say you wanted to find your own mate?"
Justin scratched the back of his neck, refusing to meet my gaze. "I did. But years ago, we visited the Ridge and... I hit it off with Katelyn. I just want to see if the spark's still there."
My stomach turned. Something was wrong, off-balance, and a sliver of dread wormed its way into my stomach.
"And what does this have to do with me?"
The Alpha lifted his hand to silence Justin. "The Northern Ridge Alpha, Alito, fell in love with his mate, Cilia, when they were young. She's not an omega, just a regular werewolf. Against all odds, he mated with her, defying the Elders' warnings."
I crossed my arms. "And let me guess, they never had an alpha heir."
"Exactly," the Alpha nodded. "Now, after twenty-two years, the pack is desperate. If no alpha child is born, Northern Ridge could be absorbed into the Royal Line. To preserve their legacy, they asked for help."
Justin shifted awkwardly, staring out the window. My brothers were silent until now, and suddenly found their phones fascinating.
"And how are you helping?"
That's when my father, quiet until now, walked past and sat down across from me. His eyes were cold, and resolute.
"We offered your services," he said.
Time froze.
Every sound in the room dulled under a flood of white noise. My chest tightened. My limbs locked. I stared at my father, unable to believe what I'd just heard.
"The bitch said what?!" Orion growled, pacing in my head with hackles raised and fury dripping from his tone.
I forced down the bile rising in my throat. My voice was razor-edged. "And by services, you mean...?"
The Alpha answered, tone quieter than before. "Most packs aren't progressive, Caleb. Male omegas rarely get matched with high-ranking wolves. Instead, they're often used to strengthen bloodlines."
"Ah, yes. Toxic masculinity at its finest," I muttered. "Alphas are terrified their dicks will fall off if they mate a guy."
To my surprise, the Alpha chuckled. "I wouldn't deny it."
Then he turned serious. "The service your father mentioned is... surrogacy. You'd bear a child for Alito and Cilia."
My brain stuttered to a halt.
"You mean... you want me to—"
"Yes," my father cut in, standing firm. "You'll carry their child. It's an agreement between our packs."
I didn't think. I didn't speak.
I punched.
My knuckles met his jaw with a satisfying crack. My father reeled back with a roar of pain, and I didn't stop. A second, then third punch followed before someone grabbed me from behind.
"Go fuck yourselves!" I snarled, thrashing against the arms holding me back. "You have no right to make that kind of deal! I'm not some disposable baby-making machine!"
Blood dripped from my father's nose as he staggered to his feet. "We have every right! The King's Law provides for it. You'll do your duty!"
"Like hell I will!" I roared—and kicked him square in the chest.
He crashed through the glass table behind him with a thunderous shatter.
Before I could move again, a sharp sting pricked my neck.
My world tilted, then went black.