Chapter 3
Two mornings after my world shattered, I stood at the edge of the Shadowmere forest, arms wrapped tightly around myself. The dawn mist clung to the trees, creating ghostly silhouettes that matched my hollow feeling inside. My name and photos were still circulating through pack networks, each notification on Nathan's stolen phone another knife in my heart.
"Ready?" Sebastian's voice came from behind me, gentle yet strong. He wore simple running clothes, a stark contrast to the formal attire I'd always seen him in.
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I was ready for anything anymore. "I haven't run with a pack since..." Since I was sixteen and my wolf never came, the words hung unspoken between us.
"You don't need a wolf to feel the forest," he said, his eyes holding mine with an intensity that made my breath catch. "Just follow my lead."
We set off along the ridge trail, mist swirling around our ankles. Sebastian kept a measured pace, but even so, I struggled to keep up. My lungs burned, my legs trembled with each step. Years of living as a wolfless omega had left me with little opportunity for physical training.
"I can't—" I gasped, stumbling over an exposed root. Before I could fall, Sebastian's arm was around my waist, steadying me.
"Breathe with me," he instructed, his chest rising and falling in a deliberate rhythm. "In through your nose, out through your mouth. Feel the earth beneath your feet."
I followed his guidance, syncing my breathing with his. Gradually, the burning in my lungs subsided. With his support, I found a new rhythm, my feet moving more surely over the uneven terrain.
As we crested a hill, the morning sun broke through the mist, bathing the forest in golden light. For a brief moment, I forgot the humiliation, the betrayal, the nine wasted years. I felt... free.
Sebastian inhaled sharply beside me, his nostrils flaring. A strange expression crossed his face—surprise quickly masked by casual interest.
"What is it?" I asked, suddenly self-conscious.
"Nothing," he said, but his eyes lingered on me with a new curiosity. "You're doing well. Better than I expected."
We continued our run, and though he never mentioned it, I caught him taking subtle breaths near me throughout the morning, as if confirming something only he could sense.
* * *
Later that day, Sebastian led me to a massive oak tree standing alone in a small clearing. Three figures waited there, shrouded in heavy robes despite the afternoon warmth. Their faces were hidden, but their postures spoke of caution—of prey animals ready to flee.
"You can trust her," Sebastian said, his voice carrying that subtle Beta authority that somehow never felt oppressive. "She's one of you."
One by one, they lowered their hoods. Two women and one man, all bearing the subtle markers of omega status. Their eyes held the same haunted look I'd seen in my mirror that morning.
"This is Natalie," Sebastian introduced me. "And these are Maya, Elise, and Daniel. All former members of the Moonridge Pack."
"Former?" I asked.
"We escaped," Maya said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Some of us more intact than others."
For the next hour, I listened to stories that made my blood run cold. Nathan and his warriors had been preying on vulnerable omegas for years. Some had been drugged at gatherings, others blackmailed or threatened. All had suffered in silence, believing themselves alone.
"Nathan's father knows," Daniel said, his fingers tracing a scar that disappeared beneath his collar. "The Alpha covers for him. Calls it 'training for leadership.'"
"Why hasn't anyone stopped them?" I asked, anger replacing the hollow feeling in my chest.
"Who would believe us against the future Alpha?" Elise replied bitterly. "We're just omegas."
"I believe you," I said, my voice stronger than it had been in days. "And I have proof."
As we parted ways, Sebastian squeezed my shoulder gently. "You're not alone in this fight," he murmured.
For the first time since discovering Nathan's betrayal, I felt something new stirring within me—not just anger, but resolve.
* * *
The Moonridge Pack House loomed dark against the night sky as Sebastian and I approached through the shadows. My heart hammered against my ribs, but my hands remained steady.
"The network room is on the east side," I whispered. "Second floor."
Sebastian nodded, his expression grim. "Stay close."
We slipped through a service entrance I'd discovered during my years of visiting Nathan. The familiar corridors now felt sinister, each shadow potentially hiding one of Nathan's loyal warriors.
At the top of the stairs, a Delta guard dozed in a chair outside the network room. Sebastian stepped forward, his Beta aura unfurling like a physical force.
"Pack business," he said, his voice carrying just enough authority to make the guard straighten without questioning.
"Yes, Beta Quinn," the guard mumbled, clearly intimidated by Sebastian's reputation. "The Alpha didn't mention—"
"The Alpha doesn't share everything with everyone," Sebastian cut him off smoothly. "Take a break. Twenty minutes."
As the guard hurried away, Sebastian gave me a nod. I slipped into the network room, my fingers flying over the keyboard. Years of being overlooked had its advantages—I'd watched the pack technicians input their passwords countless times, never thinking the wolfless omega was paying attention.
The archives opened before me—hundreds of message logs, photos, videos. Evidence of years of abuse, all carefully documented by Nathan and his inner circle. My stomach churned as I copied file after file.
"Hurry," Sebastian murmured from the doorway. "Someone's coming."
I grabbed the flash drive, heart pounding as footsteps echoed down the hall. We had what we needed—proof that could bring down not just Nathan, but the entire corrupt leadership of the Moonridge Pack.
As we slipped back into the shadows, Sebastian's hand found mine, his touch steadying my trembling fingers. In that moment, I realized this wasn't just about revenge anymore.
It was about justice.
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