Logan's POV
The wind blew the Omega's hair as we pulled up in front of the Beta's mansion.
She clung to me tightly, her hands gripping my jacket as if she was holding on for dear life.
The old stone house stood in front of us. I killed the engine of my bike, the sudden silence almost too loud.
"Thanks," Emma said softly, her voice barely above a whisper, as she slipped off the bike.
Her head stayed down, staring at the ground as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.
I don't know what got into me, but before she could take another step, I reached out, cupping her chin. Her skin was soft, much warmer than I expected. I lifted her face gently, forcing her to look at me.
And there they were, those eyes I had only gotten the chance to see close-up.
Emerald green with sprinkles of blue, the kind of eyes that seemed like they could see through everything, yet still held a fear so deep it made my chest tighten. She looked terrified, though she tried to hide it.
"Thank y…you, young Ma…master" she muttered again, this time quicker, the words almost stumbling out of her mouth as she pulled away from me. She turned on her heel and hurried toward the mansion, her shoulders hunched as if she was trying to make herself disappear.
I stood there for a second, just watching her. My hand was still in the air, where her chin had been. I shook my head, dropping my arm. Why the hell did I lie to her? Why did I tell her I was heading this way just to drop her off? An Omega.
Sebastian, my wolf, stirred in the back of my mind. "You like her"
"Shut up, Sebastian. I can't like her in my dreams"
He growled, but it wasn't an angry growl. It was more… teasing. "You helped her because you felt pity? Don't lie to yourself."
I'm not lying. I could feel my irritation bubbling up, but I knew better than to argue with him. He never stopped the teasing. "Mind your own business."
Sebastian snorted, clearly unimpressed. "Her scent though. It's… different."
I cursed under my breath. I didn't need him pointing out things I was already thinking about. Yeah, her scent was different, alright. Soft, sweet, almost like lavender. It lingered in the air even though she was already halfway up the steps to the mansion.
She wasn't pretty. Not by normal standards anyway. Her clothes were torn, worn out, like she'd been through hell. Her hair was tangled, and her skin had patches of acne. But those eyes, and those long lashes framing them, they were… I don't know. Something about them just grabbed me, and wouldn't let go.
" Thinking about her again?"Sebastian's voice was filled with amusement now.
I ignored him, shaking my head and forcing myself to snap out of it. 'She's an Omega, Logan. Get it together.'
I mentally scolded myself as I turned the bike back on and sped off. The roar of the engine helped drown out Sebastian's laughter in the back of my mind.
When I pulled into the driveway of our house, the massive iron gates creaked open, and I parked next to my dad's car.
The mansion looked cold, like always. Grand? sure, but it didn't feel like home. It felt like a place built for show. For status.
I walked inside, nodding to the staff as I headed straight to my room. Being the next Alpha meant I wasn't allowed to waste time on schoolwork or trivial things.
That's what they said, anyway. I still went to classes like every other kid, but my father, the current Alpha, made sure to remind me that training was my real focus.
After a quick shower, I threw on a pair of training shorts and headed to the gym. As soon as I walked in, I saw my younger brother, Jax. He was sparring with one of the trainers, and from the looks of it, he was winning.
Of course, he was. Jax was the golden boy. He was homeschooled and kept away from the rest of the pack's kids because my father thought he was too powerful to waste time in regular classes.
I, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky.
My father, who was watching Jax with his usual look of admiration, spotted me. "Logan. Come spar with your brother."
I clenched my jaw but nodded. This was always how it went. Jax this, Jax that. If I didn't step up, my father made it clear that Jax would take my place as Alpha.
But today, I wasn't going to back down. Today, I was going to prove to him that I was more than capable of leading this pack.
I stepped into the ring, cracking my neck as I shifted into my wolf form. The transformation was quick, my bones reshaping, muscles stretching as my fur became obvious.
Sebastian surged forward, taking over almost immediately. That was the thing with my wolf—he was wild, strong, but hard to control. And when I tried to control him, he punished me by slowing down which in turn made me weaker.
Jax shifted too, his wolf was just as powerful as ever. He didn't have the same issue I did. His wolf was obedient, in sync with him. They worked together like they were a team.
The fight began, and I went all out. I couldn't hold back. I couldn't afford to. I dodged Jax's attacks, countering with as much force as I could muster. For a moment, it felt like I had the upper hand.
But Sebastian began resisting me. I could feel him pulling back, slowing my movements just enough for Jax to notice.
Jax lunged at me, but I managed to sidestep him, barely. I retaliated with a strike, my claws grazing his side. He growled, and I could see the surprise in his eyes. I'd never gotten that close before.
With a final surge of energy, I tackled him to the ground, pinning him with my claws digging into his shoulders. He let out a sharp whimper before submitting. I had won.
I shifted back into my human form, panting, sweat dripping down my forehead. My muscles ached, and Sebastian growled in annoyance. "You're lucky I didn't take control. He would be lying dead by now"
"Shut up." I snapped at Sebastian in my head.
When I looked up, my father's face was unreadable. No pride. No acknowledgment of my victory. He simply turned and walked out of the room without a word.
I stood there with my fists clenched. No matter what I did, it was never enough.
Jax's wound wasn't deep but the meds hurried over to his side and began treating his wounds.