Kyle pov
"Kyle?"
"Such an unusual name."
The brothers spoke almost in unison.
Burton leaned in slightly, careful not to disturb Seth who still carried me on his back, and gave him a gentle nudge.
"Could you be a little kinder? He's injured, Seth."
"Hmph." Seth muttered something under his breath, too low to catch, but his steps quietly quickened.
Lying across his back, the softness and warmth of his fur slowly eased the tension from my shoulders. Seth carried the faint scent of pine — fresh, earthy — unlike any Alpha I had ever smelled before. It was like a forest after rain: crisp, deep, and strangely comforting.
After what felt like hours weaving through dense trees, we finally arrived at their so-called "village."
Rough-hewn wooden cabins of varying sizes dotted the clearing. Some wolves retained their human forms; others still lingered in wolf shape. They all towered over me, broad-shouldered and alert, their eyes sharp and curious as they studied this foreign Omega in their midst.
I dared not raise my head, clutching Seth tightly. I wasn't sure if he noticed the tremors shaking through me.
Seth carried me to the entrance of a small cabin and nudged the door open with his head. It creaked softly.
Inside, the air smelled of dried grass and herbs. Shelves lined the walls, cluttered with bottles and jars — orderly yet rustic.
Two women stood inside — one with raven-black hair, the other golden blonde. They turned at the sound.
"Seth?" The black-haired woman frowned, eyes landing on me. "You're carrying an... Omega?"
"Found him in the woods," Seth replied shortly. "Injured. Fiona, take a look."
He crouched and helped me slide down from his back. I struggled but managed to land steadily, murmuring a soft "Thank you" that felt dry in my throat.
"Oh, you poor thing," Fiona said tenderly, gently looping her arm around mine as she helped me to a bed. Her hands moved expertly over my swollen ankle and the scrapes on my face — delicate, warm — a stark contrast to the gruff Alpha Seth.
By then, Burton had shifted back into human form. Towering and bare-chested, his shoulder-length brown hair curled slightly at the ends. His eyes now glowed with even more warmth than before.
He approached the blonde woman and exchanged a brief, intimate embrace.
"This is my mate, Samantha," he introduced softly. "She's skilled in herbs as well."
Samantha smiled at me and joined Fiona in treating my wounds. The salve they applied smelled strange — wild, earthy — unlike anything I had encountered in the city. Probably some ancient natural remedy.
As I was still taking in the cabin's surroundings, a sharp cracking noise startled me. I whipped around.
Seth was changing.
His limbs contracted, bones shifting with a series of sharp snaps. Fur retreated swiftly as his form morphed.
Within seconds, the majestic wolf before me became a tall, lean human Alpha.
I held my breath.
Though not as bulky as his brother, Seth's physique was lean and taut — his beauty sharp, contained. His light brown hair fell in loose strands, framing piercing emerald eyes — rare and mesmerizing, like gemstones submerged in a tranquil lake.
He wore nothing but a simple fur wrapped casually around his waist.
Heat rushed to my cheeks; I quickly looked away.
He seemed utterly unfazed by his nudity — as if stripping was as natural to the wolf pack as breathing. Wolves truly were different from us humans.
After Fiona and Samantha finished dressing my wounds, Seth approached.
His tall frame cast a shadow over me.
I had to look up into his cool, calculating emerald gaze, which made my breath hitch in my throat.
"I think... now you can answer my questions properly," he said lowly.
"Why did you trespass into our territory, Omega?"
I swallowed nervously and shrank back instinctively. With the wall pressing behind me, I had nowhere left to run.
"I... I got lost. I accidentally wandered here..." I whispered.
"Don't lie."
Seth's tone hardened instantly, his eyes cutting like knives.
"I'll ask again. Why did you enter our territory, Omega?"
He deliberately emphasized the word "Omega" — heavy with suspicion and dominance — making me want to flee, yet knowing if I didn't tell the truth, they would never let me stay.
I closed my eyes and finally confessed the truth.
"I… I'm the only Omega in my family without a mate," I whispered, my voice trembling. "My mother wants to marry me off to some rich, old Alpha female… I refused, so I ran away. Our family has a lot of power in the city… so the only place I could escape to was out here—in the wild."
By the end, my voice was barely audible, laden with humiliation and a hopelessness I couldn't explain.
Silence fell over the room for a few seconds. No one spoke. Only the crackling fire in the hearth whispered like an unknown heartbeat burning somewhere deep inside.
Before I could process why I'd spoken so freely, a low, furious roar shattered the quiet.
"Seth! You used your Alpha voice on a stranger Omega?!"
I froze. The voice belonged to Burton—his anger crackling like thunder, resonating in the air and tightening something deep in my chest.
"I've told you, Kyle's pheromones are full of fear. Now that you know the truth, are you satisfied?"
I stole a glance at Seth. He stood still, emerald eyes fixed on his brother. After a few seconds, it seemed realization dawned on him. His lips twitched into a tight line; he lowered his head without a word and turned away from the room.
The door shut behind him, leaving an eerie silence.
I looked down at my ankle, unsure if I should say anything. My heart raced, and a strange emotion clogged my throat.
Burton turned to me, offering an apologetic smile and clearing his throat softly.
"Uh… sorry, Kyle. My brother is the leader here, and he's always extremely wary of outsiders — especially Omegas." He hesitated, then added quietly, "He's not a bad person… just not great at expressing himself."
I shook my head and tried to steady my voice.
"It's okay. Thank you for taking care of me… once my foot heals, I'll leave."
"But you… you said you ran away from home. Do you have anywhere else to go now?"
I paused, hesitated, then told the truth.
"No."
He sighed gently.
"The forest is dangerous — you've probably realized that today. Wolves like Atwood aren't friendly to humans."
I nodded, my throat dry.
"And you can't go back to the city, right?" His gaze softened. "If you don't mind… you can stay with us for a while. I'll talk to Seth about it."
I looked at him, feeling a warmth I'd never known — a fleeting sense of understanding and protection.
"…If it's not too much trouble, I'd like to stay." I whispered.
He smiled, sunlight in his expression.
"It's no trouble. Everyone here is welcoming, and we've taken in humans before. There's an empty cabin just right. Come, I'll show you."
He held out his hand, and Samantha came over to gently link her arm through mine. The three of us left the herb room together.
The cabin was small but tidy, with a window framing distant mountain shadows. I'd barely settled when a soft knock came at the door.
"Come in," I responded instinctively.
The door opened. Seth stepped in, carrying a steaming bowl, his footsteps so light it was as if he didn't want to startle me.
He placed the bowl on the table, then stood before me.
"I'm not sure if you'd like our food," he said softly, "so I asked Benny to make some meat broth for you."
I was taken aback. I hadn't expected him to come on his own.
"…Thank you."
"You're welcome." After saying this, he suddenly seemed a little awkward, running a hand over the back of his neck.
"I… I used my Alpha voice earlier," he admitted quietly. "I didn't mean to scare you… I was just too nervous."
I looked at him, unsure how to respond. His eyes—like emeralds deep in the forest—were so clear, so penetrating, there was nowhere to hide.
"…I know you were just worried about safety." I paused. "I don't blame you."
At that, his shoulders visibly relaxed.
"Is your foot still hurting?" he asked suddenly.
"A little," I admitted honestly.
He crouched down, glancing at me and then at the ankle I was elevating.
"I'll help prop your foot up properly. It'll feel better."
Before I could react, he leaned down and lifted me gently but firmly into his arms. I froze, heat rushing to my face. His embrace was unexpectedly warm—and steady.
He settled me back on the bed, carefully arranging pillows beneath my ankle.
He knelt beside me, those piercing green eyes locking onto mine again.
"I won't scare you again, Kyle," he promised.
My heart skipped violently at the word again.
Again… what did that mean?