Her Return As An Alpha

Chapter 2 : The Mate Bond

A group of young wolves recognized her and began to taunt her, their cruel words cutting deep. "Look, it's the omega," one sneered. "What are you doing here, Liana? Did you come to clean up after us?"

Tears welled up in Liana's eyes as their laughter grew louder. Unable to bear the humiliation, she turned and fled, pushing through the trees and running down a well-worn path. She didn't know where she was going; she just needed to escape the torment.

Suddenly, she found herself on the road to the Alpha's manor, surrounded by the boisterous members of the pack. Halting in her tracks, her wide jade eyes fell on four distinct figures nearing her location.

"s**t, I can't let them see me," Liana panicked and turned back to hide in the woods again. Fearful of having her scent recognised, she retreated further into the trees.

In her haste, she collided with someone, nearly knocking herself over once more. She looked up to see Drew Greyson, the alpha's son. He was six feet four, with dark hair and deep blue eyes that seemed to pierce right through her. He looked down at her coldly, a sneer forming on his lips.

"Watch where you're going, omega," he said, shoving her aside with one hand.

His friends, who had followed him, laughed and began to mock her. Their jeers and taunts echoed through the trees, catching the attention of the passersby and amplifying her humiliation. One of them, a tall, wiry boy with sandy hair, smirked and stepped closer to Liana, his eyes glinting with malicious amusement.

"Hey, look at the little omega," he sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. "What are you doing here, Liana? Did you come to clean up after us?"

Another boy, shorter but stockier, joined in, his laughter cruel and mocking. "Yeah, shouldn't you be scrubbing floors or something? This is no place for the likes of you."

Liana's cheeks burned with shame, and her vision blurred as tears welled up in her eyes. The sting of their words cut deep, each taunt a reminder of her lowly status within the pack. She could feel the weight of their disdain pressing down on her, suffocating her with its intensity.

Her heart pounded in her chest, the pain and humiliation threatening to overwhelm her. She wanted to disappear, to melt into the shadows and escape their cruel laughter. But her feet felt rooted to the spot, her body frozen in a mix of fear and despair.

Drew stood at the center of the group, his tall frame casting a shadow over Liana. His friends' laughter seemed to bounce off him, but something in his expression shifted as he watched her tears fall. His deep blue eyes, cold and indifferent moments before, now darkened with an emotion she couldn't quite place.

A surge of cold fury blazed in his eyes, and his jaw tightened. The mocking laughter of his friends abruptly died as they noticed the change in his demeanor. Drew's presence seemed to grow, his anger radiating outwards, silencing the cruel jests around him.

"Get out of here. Now." Drew's voice was a low, dangerous growl, each word laced with a barely controlled rage. His eyes were still trained on Liana, but his chin tilted towards his friends.

His friends stared at him, momentarily stunned by the intensity of his command. The sandy-haired boy opened his mouth to protest, but a single glare from Drew was enough to silence him. The stocky boy took a step back, his eyes wide with confusion and fear.

"Drew, we were just—" the sandy-haired boy began, but Drew cut him off, his voice rising in fury.

"I said, get out!" His tone was sharp and commanding, leaving no room for argument.

The boys exchanged uneasy glances, their bravado quickly dissipating under Drew's withering stare. One by one, they turned and slunk away, their earlier arrogance replaced with a nervous compliance. The sound of their retreating footsteps crunching over twigs, leaving Drew and Liana alone in the oppressive silence, save for the sound of the members' chatters a small distance away.

Liana stood there, trembling, her tears still falling. She couldn't understand what had just happened. Drew, who had shoved her aside so callously moments before, had come to her defense with a ferocity that left her reeling.

Drew's gaze softened slightly as he turned back to her, the anger in his eyes replaced with a more complex emotion. He took a step closer, his towering presence still intimidating but no longer threatening.

"Why are you crying?" he asked, his voice calmer now, edged with a hint of frustration.

She looked up at him, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Why do you care?" she retorted, her voice shaking. "You neither questioned them, nor stopped them when they did it before."

For a moment, he seemed taken aback, then a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Maybe I don't," he said, stepping closer. "And I usually have more important things that require my attention rather than an insignificant case of immature bullying."

"Of course, my lord, how could I forget the great disparity between out statuses," Liana gritted her teeth. "All I am is an omega, and all I will ever be to your rank is an insignificant case."

"Forgive me if the truth is harsh. I am just stating the obvious," Drew raised an eyebrow and held out his hand. "I'm Drew."

Liana hesitated. "I am Liana," she said, placing her palm in his.

His fingers were large against hers. His large palm wrapped around her lean one, holding her firmly. Heat spread through the connection, rushing straight to her chest and warming her up in a way she hadn't expected. She gasped and tried to take her hand back, but his hold on her tightened until she raised her gaze to meet his intense blues.

"Why have I never seen you before?" He was bemused. "Even if you're an omega, I would have remembered seeing you."

"That's because I don't unually attend social events," she shrugged, hiding her nervous discomfort. "My parents forbid me from showing myself in public."

"So you have no personality," Drew uttered, disappointment clear in his handsome features.

"Not really." Liana's cheeks flamed with embarrassment. She tried once more to remove her hand, but Drew stepped closer instead.

"But it's not often I see a pretty girl like you crying at one of my father's parties."

Liana blushed, confused by his sudden change in demeanor. "You're just making fun of me," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

He leaned in, his breath warm against her ear. "Maybe I am. Or maybe I'm just trying to figure out why an omega like you is here, hiding in the shadows. Or maybe," his lips grazed the lobe of her ear, "I want to know why my body aches to grab you and hide you away."

A shiver tingled from Liana's ears, all the way to her toes. Butterflies fluttered deep within her belly, awakening a fire within her core. His gaze was deep, yet confused, like he was speaking the truth but wasn't aware why is was that way.

Before she could respond, the clouds parted, and a sliver of moonlight bathed them in its glow. In that moment, a powerful, undeniable feeling surged through them both. The word "MATE" echoed in their minds, resonating with a primal force.

Drew's eyes widened in shock, and he stepped back, staring at her as if seeing her for the first time. "No," he muttered, shaking his head. "This can't be."

Liana felt the bond too, a magnetic pull that connected them in a way she couldn't understand. "Drew," she whispered, her voice filled with both wonder and fear. "What does this mean?"

He looked at her, his expression torn between anger and something else, something deeper. "It means," he said slowly, "that we're fated to be together. You're my mate, Liana."