Sixteen-year-old Cael stood apart, hiding behind an oak tree, his heart heavy with longing as he watched the group of kids his age playing soccer. Laughter and shouts filled the air as they chased each other, their energy contagious and wild.
All he had ever wanted, ever since he was a child, was to join them—to belong, to play, to just be a kid. But that was never meant to be.
He had been raised with a singular focus: to be strong, to lead, to protect.
"Cael!" The voice of his Beta, Jason, sliced through the air like a blade, pulling him back to his reality. "It's time to train!"
With a heavy heart, he pushed himself off the tree and made his way to the training area. He hated the way his heart sank at the command, but it was a familiar feeling. This had been his life since he could walk—training, then food and rest breaks, then homeschooling, and then more training. He even studied before sleep. All he had ever wanted was to play with his peers, to be one of them, since he was a child.
Sighing, he turned to face Jason. "We have work to do! You can't afford to waste time watching them play. You're above them. You'll have to protect and lead them one day, and that requires discipline. You are the future of the pack!"
"The future of the pack…" The words felt heavy on his chest, pressing down on him, suffocating him. It was a life he never asked for. A life he would never escape.
Sometimes, Cael could swear he heard hatred in Jason's voice as he followed him to the training room.
The training area was a harsh space, filled with practice dummies, gym equipment, and all kinds of weapons. As Cael practiced, tears pricked at his eyes, but he refused to let them fall. He swallowed hard, anger swirling inside him like a storm. Jason was right—he had responsibilities. But what about his own happiness?
As the hours dragged on, Jason pushed him harder, demanding perfection until Cael could barely move. By the end of the session, he was drenched in sweat, his muscles screaming for rest.
Finally, when Jason declared the session over, Cael trudged away, his heart heavy. He walked back toward the clearing, catching sight of the children again. They were still playing, it was Saturday, and Cael felt a sense of finality settle over him. He could never join them completely. He was trapped in a world of duty and expectation.
That night, as he lay in bed, he made a silent vow to himself: "I'll leave," he promised himself as a child. "When I turn twenty, I'll leave. Find my mate. Live a little. Then I'll return, take over, and prove myself. But until then, I'll endure. My father is still strong enough to lead until I'm ready."
The memory of that vow filled him with bitterness now, and the moment seemed so far away.
And yet, it was that night, years later, when he would meet Elisa—the omega whose presence would disrupt everything.