I continued running, feeling the surge of newfound speed coursing through me. In a matter of minutes, I reached my dilapidated house, my heart still pounding with the intensity of my recent discovery. The tears that flowed uncontrollably surprised me—I rarely cried, as I knew showing vulnerability only made matters worse. In this world, crying invites further pain and torment.

"I can't believe he's my mate," I told my wolf, who responded with a whine of understanding. She reassured me that our mate wouldn't hurt us, but I couldn't accept it so easily. I chose to build walls, keeping my feelings guarded, as she couldn't possibly grasp the depths of my fear and uncertainty. I needed her in my life, and I couldn't bear the thought of her hating me.

The emotions overwhelmed me, and I cried until I couldn't cry anymore. My mind finally quieted, and my wolf yapped happily, sensing my need for solitude. As I apologized to her for pushing her away, she suggested something unexpected.

"Why don't you try to shift?" she softly inquired, mindful of my fragile state. I couldn't believe she suggested it. Shifting? It was a dream I had never dared to entertain.

Letting my wolf guide me, the transformation began. The pain was excruciating as my bones cracked and my skin stretched. I fought to keep my eyes open, a tear escaping despite my resolve. The agony made me want to scream, but it emerged as a growl.

In the midst of the ordeal, the pain finally ceased, and I found myself in my wolf form. It was incredible—my senses heightened to a whole new level. I felt a sense of awe and happiness, though I could only express it as a purr.

My wolf urged me to go for a run, but something caught my attention and confused me. I spoke in my mind, "I'm a... grey wolf?" I had never heard of such a thing. Wolves were usually black (Alphas), had various shades of brown, or were hybrids of colors. White wolves possessed healing powers, but grey? It was unheard of.

"Chloe," my wolf whispered, and the name struck a chord within me. I had heard that name before.

Where was it? The name Chloe lingered in my mind, but my wolf remained silent for a while, choosing not to elaborate. Deciding to let it go, I agreed to go for a run, hoping to distract myself from the tumultuous emotions swirling inside me.

As I ran, the persistent pull of my mate remained, but I forced myself to ignore it. It seemed he didn't care much either, for he hadn't come after me to confront or save me. The thought brought a mix of relief and sadness, but I pushed those feelings aside, embracing the freedom I felt while running.

With every stride, a sense of liberation washed over me. In that moment, I didn't feel weak or powerless; I knew I could fight back if needed. I had my wolf by my side, providing a newfound strength I had never known.

However, the euphoria didn't last long. Suddenly, an unsettling sensation consumed me—his presence was near. Fear replaced the exhilaration as I tried to locate him. The once-pleasurable rush of adrenaline was replaced by apprehension.

I sensed him approaching, and my instincts shifted to a defensive stance, bracing for impact and expecting pain. My growls aimed to ward off the danger, but it seemed futile. His proximity seemed to warm something inside me, conflicting with my desire to remain guarded. My body seemed to betray my will, yearning to lower my defenses in his presence, but I resisted with all my might.

As he drew nearer, I felt a conflict within me, torn between wanting to flee and facing the unknown. Unable to decide, I started running again, hoping to escape from his reach. Fear enveloped me—I didn't want him to come after me, to notice my absence. I simply needed to be away from him.

I rushed back to my small home, my heart still pounding from the intense run. I quickly put on some clothes, but the feeling of being watched persisted. Could it be that he had followed me? Panic and uncertainty consumed me as I paced back and forth, waiting for his arrival.

The pull intensified, signaling his proximity. My wolf urged me to calm down, but how could I in this situation? I was about to face the Alpha, my supposed mate, and my emotions were in turmoil. Was he here to reject me? The thought sank into my heart like a sharp blade, causing pain to bloom.

"He's here," my wolf informed me, breaking my thoughts. The overwhelming scent of him wafted through the air, intoxicating me and weakening my knees. I had no strength to stand, so I sat down on my bed, trembling with anticipation and anxiety.

The door opened, and my head jerked towards the direction of the sound. There he stood, his golden eyes glowing as they locked onto mine. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt an inexplicable sense of shame about my humble abode. It was ridiculous; I shouldn't care what he thought of it.

We held each other's gaze for what felt like an eternity, but my insecurity pushed me to break the eye contact. My mind raced with thoughts of his possible rejection, trying to prepare myself for the pain.

"Why are you here?" I managed to ask, my tone was more accusatory than inquisitive. My wolf rolled her eyes at my attitude, knowing that I shouldn't antagonize him.

The glint in his eyes shifted, and I realized my mistake in tone. A smirk crossed his face, but it wasn't a happy one. The sight sent shivers down my spine; he appeared incredibly handsome yet terribly dangerous.

He seemed like someone not to be trifled with, and his muscles only reinforced that impression. I felt a mix of fear and fascination, unsure of what to make of this enigmatic man.

Instead of answering my question directly, his eyes roamed around my cabin before returning to meet mine. I struggled to decipher the emotions in his gaze, but one thing was clear—disgust.

Confused and hurt, I didn't know what his reaction meant. Then, unexpectedly, he uttered, "We leave tomorrow," before turning away.

Wait, he wasn't rejecting me? He planned to take me out of this place? But did he know I was an omega? I doubted it.

Before he could leave, I rushed after him, calling out, "Wait!"

Thankfully, he halted, but he kept his back to me.

"Why?" I inquired, my confusion evident in my voice.

"Unless you want to stay here, either way it's fine for me," he nonchalantly replied, seeming unfazed by my revelation.

"Don't you know I'm an omega?" I spoke up, hating the weakness that tinged my voice.

This time, he took a step towards me and turned to face me, wearing a sick, cold smile that contradicted his stunning features. "Exactly why I'm bringing you with me," he laughed, but there was no humor in it—only cruelty. "This trash in a place doesn't have the right to hurt you."

His approaching steps echoed like thunder in my ears, causing my heart to race erratically. I instinctively shied away from him, but it all happened too fast. Before I knew it, I was pinned against the wall, my arm held up firmly. Panic and shock filled me, and I tried to move, but his grip was unyielding.

As I looked up into his eyes, I was taken aback by the intensity of his anger. "Only I do," he spat bitterly, laughing sarcastically. "You? My mate?" He scoffed, tightening his grip, making me wince from the pain.

"T-that hurts," I managed to say weakly, my heart aching as my wolf retreated in fear. I had expected him to hurt me, but I hadn't anticipated the excruciating pain he was causing. Was this really happening?

A sadistic smile adorned his lips, and I shivered with fear. His grip tightened further, his nails digging into my skin. I tried to resist and push him away, but it was futile. Tears threatened to form, but I fought to keep them at bay. I couldn't give him more reasons to hate me or appear weaker than I already seemed.

"Oh, sweetheart, this is nothing," he taunted before finally letting go. I quickly brought my other hand to rub the injured one, trying to alleviate the pain. But then, I noticed that my hand was bleeding and starting to turn blue. The pain came late, but it was just as agonizing.

My mate had broken my arm.

He turned around and began walking away slowly. Watching his back, I couldn't help but muster the courage to call out to him, needing answers.

"One question!" I shouted after him.

For the second time, he halted at the door and turned around to face me.

"Will you reject me?" I asked, my voice trembling, determined to hold back the tears. Don't cry, please, Willow, don't cry.

His green eyes felt like orbs of ice that pierced through my very soul. A sadistic smirk crept upon his lips, and he placed his arm on my right side, blocking my escape route. "Reject you? That's an easy escape, don't you think?" His voice was as cold as his eyes, his heart, filled with venom, hatred, and disgust. "The moon goddess gave me you, and I'll simply pay her for her kindness." His tone dripped with contempt. "If she thinks that I can ever accept an Omega as my mate, she's damned wrong."

Morning finally came, but I hadn't caught a glimmer of sleep. My mate's words consumed my thoughts all night, but I realized that I didn't even know his name. I decided to go with him, at least for now, despite the uncertainty and fear that gnawed at me.

I packed a few pairs of clothes, the only proper ones I had, and waited in my small house. Should I stay and wait for him here, or go to the pack house and meet him? What if it was all a trick? What if he didn't take me with him?

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I didn't recognize the unfamiliar smell, but I could detect a faint scent of my mate. I hesitated before opening the door, revealing a man with combed back brown hair and hazel eyes that seemed to pierce right through me.

"Are you Willow Wright?" he asked. His deep voice sent shivers down my spine, but he reassured me with a smile, claiming to be just a regular wolf.

He walked past me, observing my small bag, and declared he would explain everything on our way. I was baffled by his intrusion and his demand that I follow him without a word. But as I stepped away from my house, a wave of sadness washed over me. Despite my hatred for this place, my little house had been my comfort and sanctuary. Now, I had to leave it behind, venturing into the unknown with no certainty of what awaited me.

The man called out softly, sensing my hesitation. He came over and spoke reassuringly about letting go. His encouraging smile prompted me to gather my strength and face this new world with resolve.

As we walked, I noticed we were heading in the opposite direction of the pack house. When we reached the edge of the forest, I saw a black jeep waiting. My companion activated the engine and opened the trunk, placing my bag inside. He then opened the passenger door for me, a gesture of kindness I had rarely experienced.

I got in and buckled up, grateful for the music he put on to break the awkward silence. We drove away from the pack gates, the guards saluting as we passed. My companion looked relieved once we were out, and he turned to me with a laugh.

"That was rough!" He exclaimed, puzzled by my silence. "Are you okay?"

"I-I'm alright," I replied quickly.

"By the way, I'm Archer, Moonwood Mill's beta. Nice to meet you, mysterious Willow Wright," he introduced.

"Well, I guess you already know me, but I'm Willow," I responded, trying to hide my apprehension as we continued on our journey to an uncertain fate.

He nodded with a smirk, enjoying my curiosity. "So, you're my Alpha's mate, huh? Well, he didn't exactly tell me, but why else would he take you away all of a sudden?" he chuckled to himself.

"I hope it's not much trouble, but can I ask where he is?" I managed to ask, trying not to sound disrespectful.

Archer turned toward me, a knowing grin on his face. "Missing him already? Well, I hate to disappoint you, but he's still in your pack taking care of business. He's an Alpha, you know. That's why I'm surprised that he's mated to you."

His words stung, though I could tell he didn't intend to be hurtful. My wolf complained in my head, clearly irritated by his comments.

"You know, it's such a rare thing to happen. Is that even possible?" he continued, displaying his talkative nature. "I mean, c'mon. He's an Alpha and you're a-" The car stopped abruptly, and we both jerked. "I- I didn't mean it that way. It's just-"

And then, I laughed. It surprised me too, as I had anticipated a harsh reaction. But there was no punch or kick; just a shocked beta staring at me, followed by a proud smile.

"Hey, you've got a nice laugh," Archer complimented, further putting me at ease.

"Alright, so from now on, I'll tell you everything you need to know about our pack. So listen well, okay?" He declared, prepared to give me a full rundown of pack life.

I hesitated but mustered the courage to ask another question before he launched into his explanations. "Can I just ask one thing?"

He looked at me and nodded, curious about what I wanted to know.

"It might sound weird," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"Just spill it."

"Okay, here goes. What's my mate's name?" I blurted out, feeling my cheeks flush.

Archer burst into loud laughter, and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. "Wow, and here I thought you were gonna ask me how to kill." He continued to laugh, making my cheeks warm.

Finally, he composed himself and answered, "Ezekiel. Ezekiel Evans is your mate's name."

As he said the name, I repeated it in my mind. Ezekiel.