3
Noah closes his eyes, taking a deep breath. When he opens them again, his eyes are stark yellow. “You’re right.”
Before he can flip around, seven burly men stream from the forest thickets behind Noah, setting their sights on us. Not a single pup makes a sound, cramming themselves behind Noah’s protective form as Rainn huddles into my side. Her frantic glances over pup heads as she counts them beneath her breath sends my heart into overdrive, all her ease from earlier erased.
Are these pack members? Wait, they have to be, otherwise Noah would’ve chased them from Greenfield. Even still, they look furious. How concerned should I be for our safety? I shuffle a few pups behind me, reassuring two little ones who grip my thighs with my hands on their heads.
The men still haven’t said anything. I’m on the verge of panic; we can’t stop all of them if they attack, not with this many pups to protect.
But our Alpha doesn’t panic.
Noah crosses his arms. “Class is in session. I’m not available.”
A pale, muscled man with auburn hair flashes a sharp smile, his semi-shifted incisors on display. He comes to a halt ten feet from us, leaning one shoulder against a tree before crossing his arms to mirror Noah. “We didn’t want to have to interrupt playtime either. Unfortunately, you’ve left us no choice.”
The bearded, scowling man to his left doesn’t look as relaxed. “Let’s get to it. I’m wasting my lunch break for this, and we have urgent demands for our family’s safety that require your attention.”
Noah nods, motioning to a clearing about 30 feet to our left. As Noah strides toward it, the Alphas follow without complaint.
Rainn and Aliya, feel free to continue class. They won’t bother the pups,Noah mindlinks.
Rainn meets my eyes, fear creasing her forehead. As she herds the pups away, I can’t bring myself to follow.
My head is fuzzy and my knees weak. I don’t like something about those Alphas’ scents. Noah walks further from me by the millisecond, and the sight of his back turned gnaws at my stomach.
Before I can stop myself, my wolf takes charge: I scamper back to Noah’s side.
His sharp stare meets my face over his shoulder. Yellow irises flip my heart.
“Our future Luna is joining us?” The grinning Alpha asks. Except he’s not really asking; his eyes sweep my body before I’ve even had a chance to say hello.
Noah puts himself between us with his next step, tucking me into his side. My guts churn, but Noah’s voice is still calm. “Of course she is. She’s your future Luna. Show her respect.”
The Alpha laughs. “Of course, Alpha Noah. I’ll be a true gentleman, at your request.”
“That wasn’t a request. It was an order.”
I don’t want to say hello anymore. We walk in silence, and I burrow deeper into Noah’s side.
Are you okay?I ask.
Yes, I know these guys. Which is why I’m more worried about you. They’re extremely sexist, so the second you feel too uncomfortable or triggered, please allow yourself to leave. Noah’s jaws tighten. But you have to walk when you go, Omega. Absolutely do not run.
I swallow hard. All those years Mom warned me to never run from a wolf, was she actually warning me about Alpha Lycans in particular?
One of the silent Alphas meets my eyes, and I shrink. He must smell my petrified scent. Now that I’ve figured out how to track Noah’s scent, it’s easier to single out others. These guys and their grungy, angry scents didn’t come to praise Noah’s leadership skills.
As we come to a stop in the open clearing, putting distance between our two groups, I can breathe a little deeper.
Noah releases my side, his arms crossing back over his chest. “Alright, Alphas. What’s on your mind?”
“It’s been three years since you signed the Fair Territory Act into law, and it’s still far from fair. Things are becoming unsustainable,” the auburn-haired Alpha says.
My eyebrows furrow. I have no idea what that law entails, but its title doesn’t sound bad.
But Noah’s heaving sigh only tenses the Alphas’ shoulders. His voice is low and commanding. “No matter how many times you return to debate this with me, I will not take any land away from Omegas or Betas in favor of Alphas. Every wolf has their equal share. That has been, and still is, my final word on the Fair Territory Act.”
A man with dark brown hair speaks up. His voice is as shaky as his trembling, rapid hand gestures. “But there’s nothing ‘fair’ about it. You should know this. Alphas are naturally superior, and a large majority of us are mated to Omegas and Betas that rely on us. We can’t protect them without more resources for our bigger, stronger bodies. You’re taking away from everyone by taking away from Alphas.”
Noah shakes his head. “I haven’t taken anything from you. I’m refusing to give you an unfair advantage just because of your pheromones.”
“Unfair? How is it unfair when, biologically, we—”
“No sex is superior. We are all Lycans,” Noah says.
The Alphas meet eyes, shaking their heads. The largest of them has been silent this entire time, but as he steps forward, I’m tempted to step back; he’s a little wider than Noah, and almost as tall, his hazel, brooding eyes not sparing me a single glance.
When he speaks, there’s a subtle growl behind each deep syllable. “It’s no wonder other packs think we’re weak. You let so many Rogues in that our Omega population exploded. Do the math. Alpha allocations are only getting smaller.”
“I don’t know who told you that, but again, nothing of yours is shrinking. The math is that everyone who joins our pack is provided for. We’re sheltering refugees of all sexes in the Community Center temporarily, and unfortunately, yes, things are getting crowded there. If you’d like to help us construct new housing, I’d be happy to direct your applications to Dave. We can even give you provision bonuses in return if a bigger share is what you’re looking for.”
The man shakes his head. “You’re avoiding the subject. We’re talking about Rogues invading our pack due to your weak influence around ‘Omega abuse,’ giving Omegas a pass just because they’re Omegas. But all Rogues are Rogues, Alpha. Not refugees.”
Noah uncrosses his arms, standing taller. The Alphas freeze at the sight. But as acid burns through my veins, I can’t stop myself.
“Are you seriously implying these Omegas all lied about their abuse, just for an excuse to invade your land?” I ask.
With my angry, pointed stare, the men remain silent.
“Do you know how painful it must’ve been for these Omegas to have to question their mate bonds in the first place? Their abusive mates forced them to defy what they must’ve hoped was the Moon Goddess’s blessing, crushing their hearts when they’re left hurt instead of loved. Then, in order to escape, their souls have to be literally ripped apart. There’s nothing easy about how any refugees got here.”
The Alphas fidget a little, but not a single one of them meets my eyes more than a glance.
Except the man with auburn hair.
He laughs. “Now, that’s a reach, Luna. It’s unfortunate that a few of them have struggled, but a vast majority haven’t—”
Noah huffs out a dark, interrupting laugh. “Wow, that sounds so much better. So basically all of these abuse survivors are faking it, except a rare few that aren’t master-manipulators? What a fucking joke, man.”
“You don’t need to be a dick. This is a serious issue,” the auburn-haired Alpha snaps.
“Yeah? But you’re telling me that based on conspiratorial bullshit, I should exile pack members I’ve already vetted. If that’s not a big fucking joke, then you agree you’re threatening the livelihood of other pack members, and we’ve got a bigger problem here. And it’s not with Rogues. I hate to break it to you for the millionth time, but they already belong here.”
Spittle escapes the Alpha’s lips as his face blazes red. “I’m not talking about them all, just some. Enough to make a sizable dent in what you owe us.”
With his smile erased, the Alpha’s bared fangs look even longer. It sets my blood on fire. My wolf howls to run.
But Noah’s hand settles on my back. A gentle sweep of his fingertips soothes my pounding heart, but it’s not enough. The Alpha eyes me, and I swear I can feel his gaze burning my skin. I almost wish he had that snarky grin back.
“Big mistake.” Noah steps in front of me with a growl. “Do not intimidate your future Luna.”
My heart flips. I grip the back of Noah’s shirt, afraid of what he’ll do. But to my surprise, his show of dominance makes the Alphas relax, their focus turning to the trees or floor—anything but Noah’s stoic stare.
The auburn-haired Alpha sighs. “Alright, whatever. Here’s the thing, man. We’re cramped, so what the hell are you doing about it?”
“The Community Center is cramped, not our territory. It’s one of the largest in the US.”
“You won’t claim more land? We’d help you fight for it.”
Noah somehow grows larger, his chest expanding with each breath. “That will never be an option. This is its maximum size. I refuse to wage unnecessary wars with our neighbors to make it any larger, and I disagree with the packs causing so many Rogues to flee in the first place, so a merger is off the table. We can comfortably house our new pack members with proper materials and time. There will be no bloodshed.”
The Alpha scoffs. “But it’s an Alpha’s Goddess-given right to dominate—”
“Fuck, no. There will be no bloodshed, especially not in the name of Alpha domination. Do you understand me?”
The auburn-haired Alpha stares deep into Noah’s eyes, and every bird silences for miles. I hold my breath, afraid the slightest movement will set them all off.
But the auburn-haired Alpha drops his head with a scowl. “I understand, Alpha.”
As I struggle to catch my breath, my eyes race between the Alphas. Noah’s wolf stands guard over mine in our bond, and his human form tucks me tighter behind his back.
He must’ve seen it coming: from behind Noah’s back, I recognize the dark brown-haired Alpha’s growling tone as he invades Noah’s personal bubble. “What are you so afraid of? That one day soon, you’ll have to face the truth from the Alphas around you? That if you try to expand Greenfield territory, the other pack leaders will find out you’re more Omega-like than some Omegas we know? Are you afraid they’ll hunt you down, or deep down, do you think it’s rightfully so, because this isn’t your true place, Alpha?”
All I can do is gape wide-eyed into Noah’s back. What the hell is this Alpha talking about? If their philosophy is that Alphas are defined by pure-blooded muscle, no one is more Alpha than my mate. But for whatever reason, Noah’s wolf bristles, baring his teeth in defense.
I grip his shirt tighter. Noah was right, this is triggering; they sound exactly like Steven, but the Lycan version. And if these Alphas are like Steven, unpredictability is in their nature. I’m afraid they’ll be set off at whatever Noah says next. What should I do? Should I mindlink Yasmine? Dave?
No, Noah acted like this ambush was normal. He’ll know what to do, won’t he?
God, does Noah have to deal with aggression like this every day?
But as Noah’s wolf expands, his human form stands as tall as he can. His next words are quiet, but I can hear his dark grin in his deep voice. “Alright, so what if I really was an Omega?”
Noah steps forward, out of my hands. With one step, all seven Alphas take three steps back.
“You can’t handle being smaller than an Omega? Weaker than one?”
I grip my heart as it pounds harder and faster than I’ve ever felt it.
I was wrong: Noah was slouching. He’s at least three inches taller than the bearded Alpha, and with his muscles tensed, he’s twice as wide. My mate backs multiple large men into the thickets with just two steps.
The auburn-haired Alpha swallows hard. “No. We’ll never tolerate being dominated by one. That’s an insult to our genetics and intellige—”
“Enough,” Noah growls.
We all hold our breaths, blinking rapidly as Noah’s Alpha musk burns our eyes.
“You’ve wasted my morning spouting sexist shit. Get the fuck out of my sight.”
The Alphas don’t take another breath before turning their backs to Noah, shuffling through the leaves in retreat. But they don’t leave without a few mutterings.
“Sexist, what the fuck?”
“Dude, maybe he really isn’t an Alpha.”
Noah laughs, but his unenthused tone is chilling. “Uh-huh, whatever. Challenge me face-to-face if you really want to prove those superior genetics.”
A few of the Alphas look back. But with one glance at Noah’s fanged grin, they shut up and scurry away.
I can’t be relieved. I grip Noah’s taut bicep, placing one hand over his heart. The poor organ races beneath my palm.
“God, what is their problem?” I breathe. “Are you okay?”
Noah sighs, closing his eyes. He takes a deep breath. And another. When he speaks, he shakes his head. “More or less.”
With a hand on my back, Noah guides me back to Rainn, leaving the Alphas in the distance with large strides. I struggle to follow after him on my short legs, but Noah’s steps only stretch wider. His voice is even, but agitation charges through our bond.
“These Alpha-domination asshats show up every now and then, but I don’t want you to think this is widely accepted behavior in Greenfield. It’s just that there’s so many of us in our pack that some ignorant Lycans are bound to show up.”
“That makes sense,” I say.
Noah huffs. His words race faster with every sentence. “I wish it didn’t. Everyone’s entitled to opinions, sure, but I don’t tolerate when those opinions harm the lives of other pack members.”
My stomach rolls. “Are they mainly against Omegas? It sounded a lot like classic human misogyny, but I don’t really know if it’s right to compare Omegas to human women or not.”
Noah bites his lip, mulling over my words for longer than I expected him to; normally he answers my questions about Lycans in a heartbeat. But with another harsh huff, Noah’s anxiety spikes in our bond. “Remember how I told you that I believe pheromones are more based around personality and emotions, and that other wolves don’t really agree with me?”
“Yes, back when we first met. I know it’s not the same thing as gender identity for humans, but it still made me relieved that I could introduce you to Kira without worrying about her safety as a trans woman.”
Noah blinks a few times before giving me a weak smile. “O-oh. That’s comforting to hear, actually.” He pulls me closer, his grip tight on my hand. “Traditionally, we were taught our wolf sexes are hard-wired as an Alpha, Beta, or Omega based on our dominant pheromones. It’s implied that most cis men are born Alphas, most cis women are born Omegas, and most intersex people are born Betas, and each one has certain expectations on how they’re traditionally supposed to behave. But I really don’t agree with that; everyone’s just so different. Pheromones go up and down constantly depending on how we feel, and since the traditional belief also relies on Alpha strength being a genetic superiority thing, it rubs me the wrong way.”
My heart drops. I almost don’t know what to say, especially as the pieces fall into place: Noah is far more trapped into his pack leadership role than I realized. I knew he was watching his back for dominance challenge attacks at any moment, but he’s also having to monitor his every miniscule behavior that might appear socially as weakness—as in, a sign he has Omega in him. Would he express more of his sensitive traits out in the open if he wasn’t in this top Alpha role?
No wonder those Alphas were giving him a hard time about not asserting dominance; they can’t understand why any Alpha would deny what they see as an inborn superiority.
The further my emotions dip into fear, the tighter Noah’s shoulders tense. “Anyway, these guys take those traditional beliefs to another extreme, saying shit like they said today about their ‘Goddess-given right to dominate.’ As someone who has lived with Omegas my whole life, that’s just fucking gross.”
“That really is.” My voice is soft despite my chaotic thought overload. It doesn’t feel like the right time to tell Noah that the more he describes this Alpha domination thing, the more familiar it sounds—like Steven’s thoughts on his God-given right as a man to reign over me as a woman.
But Noah is far too worked up to notice my hesitation. “Between us, I have these guys classified as a cult in my personal database. They’re small, not much more than 10 or 15 extremist Alphas, but I have my eye on them. I really didn’t want you to have to hear that shit. Fuck—”
“Noah.” The sharpness of my voice stops Noah in his tracks. He faces me, wide-eyed and breathless. I comb his choppy hair back into order, running my shaky fingers through it. “Are you really okay?”
He shrugs, his forehead creasing. “I-I don’t know. I’m really worried that could’ve made you feel less safe here. I find that— U-upsetting.”
I can’t help myself, breaking into a sad smile. “I still feel safe.”
“You do?”
“Of course, love. Especially hearing you verbally kick their asses by standing in your truth. I love you to pieces.” I smile as Noah relaxes, drawing me to his chest. Breathing in his protective scent blankets peace over me. I loosen just enough to release my innermost thoughts. “These concepts aren’t new to me, anyway. They sound a lot like a Lycan version of Steven.”
Noah’s arms tense.
Before I can blink, he steps back from me, gripping his forehead.
But he doesn’t say anything.
“Noah? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be an extra downer—” I reach for him, but I gasp. Yellow eyes stare back, his wolf on full alert.
“Do you think he’s an Alpha-domination Lycan?” He rasps. “He could be in one of those shitty neighboring packs, just like I’ve been worried about.”
I shake my head. Not because I don’t believe Noah, but because I don’t want to. The thought of Steven morphing into a giant, raging beast sends my nervous system reeling, my vision fading into black and white.
“Fuck, I’m sorry.” Noah grabs my cheeks. “Breathe. Keep breathing. You’re safe. I’m right here with you, and we’re safe.”
I take slower, shaky breaths, clinging to Noah’s shirt. Within a minute, my heart settles. Dropping my forehead against Noah’s chest, I rapidly shake my head, accidentally letting a thought-clearing compulsion slip through.
But as a new thought crosses my mind, I perk up. “Wait, he has to be human. Wouldn’t Amy have noticed Steven’s pheromones on me if he was an Alpha Lycan?”
Noah deflates.
Oh, God. By the sinking ache in our bond, I’m terrified of what he’ll say next.
Noah’s forehead ripples. “Not necessarily. I’m honestly impressed you could smell those Alphas. Maybe it’s because you were already tracking my Alpha pheromones, but I didn’t notice them at first because a lot of hunting Alphas use scent-blocking drugs. It’s a common practice.”
My heart ticks into my throat. “What? Why would they need to do that? No, why would they be allowed to? Wouldn’t that help them get away with crimes?”
Noah sighs. “Yeah, but barring all Alphas from their meds would be discriminatory too. It’s available freely for Lycans with overpowering pheromones, just like rut suppressants. A lot of Lycans are hell-bent on not having to rely on human society to survive, and they use scent blockers to hunt for food because, honestly, we reek—just like the pups told me today. So even if those Alphas weren’t actively hunting, I don’t have time to prove they aren’t planning to, and they’ll usually catch a squirrel or something if I try.”
Within a millisecond, my mind creates an exhaustive list of ways power-hungry Alphas could abuse this substance. Prey doesn’t have to be limited to small game. It could look like other Omega Lycans. I’m a small, unprepared animal too.
With my heart hammering faster and faster, I clutch Noah’s sleeve. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Aliya—”
“Has there really been territory allocation debates from so many extra Rogues?” I cut Noah off. I know I’m giving into my PTSD’s avoidance tactics by changing the subject, but I can’t help it. My mind isn’t in a good place to keep talking about anything else severely triggering today.
Noah sighs, kissing the top of my head. “Yeah, I’ve been really stressed. I don’t know what to do because more and more Rogues are hearing we’re a sanctuary every year, and they’re mostly Omegas since they hear rumors that we’re a sanctuary when most packs have Alphas that treat Omegas like... Well, like shit.”
I bite my lip, closing my eyes. I guess I chose the most triggering question possible.
Noah groans, squeezing me to his chest. “I’m so sorry you had to see that. Fuck, you were so happy, and—”
“No, Noah, I hate that you have to see this too, and that you’re so stressed. How can I help?”
“Just keep your heart and mind safe for me, please. I don’t want you to have to be exposed to more of their bullshit if it becomes too triggering.”
I pull back, meeting Noah’s eyes. “But something in this is triggering for you too, isn’t it? I can feel it.”
Noah can’t hold my gaze, zipping his focus to the trees beside us. He chews on his lip, his forehead knotted. “I-I— I guess so.”
A twinge of his pain stings my heart. I pull Noah closer, craving to soothe him. “Then that’s exactly what I find so admirable about what you’re doing to help others who have been through horrible things too. There’s really no way to avoid all triggers, so I’d rather let them pass through me as they come. In the meantime, I can show up for our pack, just like you do.”
Noah frowns. “You and I both know there’s a point where triggers become too strong that it doesn’t work to power through. I’m not sure that’s healthy or okay to do to yourself.”
“Well I’m still okay, right? I’m not great, but I’m okay.” I stroke his hand, and Noah gives me the biggest puppy dog eyes. “Let me decide what’s safe for me, and I’ll let you know if it’s too much. You can’t do that for me.”
“O-okay, you’re right. Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I get it; I don’t want to watch you hurting either.” I plant a soft kiss on his cheek. “But right now, I want to prepare myself to be a trustworthy, safe Luna by your side someday. So far, I don’t know as much as you do about how this all works. That’s not very Luna-like.”
A smile finally breaks through Noah’s worried frown. He takes a few breaths, stifling his prancing wolf at the thought of me becoming Luna. I giggle, and Noah drops his head with a grin.
“T-then maybe we can show you around the Community Center. It was a huge relief for Rainn and I when you offered to give us your thoughts on the Forest School, so maybe you could also check out how things are for the Rogues?” He runs his hands down my arms before slipping his fingers into mine. “I have a feeling they’ll trust you to hear how everything really is for them. Most Rogue Omegas are skittish around Alphas, so all they’ll tell me is that things are perfect, which is absolutely not true. I wish it was, but I know it’s not.”
My heart throbs, imagining myself being there for other Omegas—Omegas who have been hurt before, like I have. I could make a difference for them, being the person I needed back then. That feels more Luna-like than anything I’ve ever imagined myself doing.
“Yes,” I breathe. “Yes, I’d love to.” I grip Noah’s hands. “But are you sure they’ll feel okay around me?”
Noah’s forehead softens with his shy laugh. “Oh, absolutely. Talking to you can make anyone feel safe.”
I breathe through Noah’s words as endorphins chime throughout my heart. “That’s how I felt from the moment I met you.”
Rainn’s voice echoes throughout the trees nearby, chatting with the pups now that the danger has passed, but I don’t turn to spot them; I’m too busy gazing deep into Noah’s eyes. He melts as he stares back, every fear in our bond washing away.
Noah’s big fingers weave into the back of my hair, drawing me close. As our lips meet, my heart lifts above the trees, imagining what we could create together. It might not feel completely safe here now, but with Noah’s guidance, I trust it can happen. It will, and I want to play a role in getting us there.