Ashen's POV
I woke up with a start, my heart hammering against my ribs. Panic. It curled in my stomach like a sickness.
What if Dominic went back on his word? What if he told the entire pack that I was an omega?
I clenched the sheets beneath my fingers, willing myself to breathe. No. I couldn't let fear control me. Not now.
I had survived too much endured too much to break now.
Swallowing my anxiety, I forced myself out of bed. My limbs were still weak, my body screaming from the lack of suppressants, but I ignored it. I needed to move. I needed control.
And there was only one place I could find it.
The training field was already buzzing with activity when I arrived. Warriors sparred in pairs, grunts and the clash of fists filling the crisp morning air.
I let out a slow breath, rolling my shoulders. This was familiar. This was where I was strongest,where no one questioned me, where no one looked at me like I was fragile.
I wouldn't let that change.
I stepped onto the field, scanning for a sparring partner when a voice called out to me.
"Ashen!"
I turned just as Roy jogged toward me.
Roy was one of the higher-ranked warriors—strong, fast, and sharp-eyed. We weren't exactly friends, but we'd trained together for years.
"I heard you and the Alpha were attacked," Roy said, stopping in front of me. His expression was unreadable, but there was a flicker of something concern? Curiosity? "Taken by the rogues, right?"
I kept my face neutral. "Yeah. We got out."
Roy nodded, crossing his arms. "How are you?"
I tensed at the question. It was simple. Casual. But it felt like a test. Like he was looking for something,some sign of weakness.
I forced a shrug. "Fine."
Roy studied me for a second longer before smirking. "Good. I'd hate to go easy on you."
He shifted into a fighting stance, throwing a quick jab at the air.
A challenge.
I exhaled, shaking off my nerves. Good. This is good. Fighting was easier than thinking.
I stepped forward, raising my fists. "Let's see if you can keep up."
And just like that, I shoved everything else aside.
No Dominic.
No secrets.
No fear.
Roy came at me fast.
He always did,his style was aggressive, all power and precision. He threw a sharp jab at my side, testing, but I was faster. I sidestepped, feeling the rush of air as his fist barely missed me.
"Still quick," Roy muttered, smirking. "Guess those rogues didn't slow you down."
I didn't respond. I was too focused.
Roy lunged again, aiming for my ribs. I deflected, twisting into a counterstrike. My fist landed against his shoulder,not enough to hurt, but enough to let him know I wasn't playing.
Roy grinned. "That all you got?"
I didn't hesitate. I pressed forward, forcing him to backpedal with a flurry of blows one, two, three. He blocked, but I could tell he hadn't expected me to be this sharp. My muscles burned, my stamina wasn't what it used to be thanks to the suppressants messing with my system, but I refused to slow down.
Roy caught my wrist, twisting me off balance, and I barely had time to plant my foot before I hit the ground. I growled in frustration.
"Sloppy," Roy teased, releasing me.
I rolled my shoulders, shaking it off. "Lucky."
Roy snorted. "Whatever helps you sleep at night."
We reset, circling each other, the tension between us purely competitive. My instincts sharpened, my focus narrowing until the world faded away.
Then a voice cut through the air like a blade.
"Not bad."
I froze.
Roy dropped his stance immediately, straightening. "Alpha."
Dominic stood at the edge of the field, arms crossed over his chest, watching me.
I hated how his presence made my skin heat.
Hated the way his sharp, golden eyes studied me like he could see right through me.
I straightened, ignoring the way my pulse jumped. "Something you need?"
Dominic didn't answer right away. His gaze swept over me, his expression unreadable.
"You fight well," he said finally. "But you're holding back."
I clenched my jaw. "I don't need you to analyze me."
Roy, sensing the tension, stepped back. "I'll give you two a moment."
Coward.
As he walked off, I turned back to Dominic. "What do you want?"
Dominic stepped closer, lowering his voice. "I wanted to see if you'd keep your word. You said you'd come back and act like nothing changed." His gaze flicked to the fading bruises on my arms. "You're trying, I'll give you that."
I hated the way my body reacted to his presence,the way my heart raced, the way my wolf stirred.
So I forced myself to smirk. "What, worried I'd run?"
Dominic's jaw tightened. "I don't want you to run, Ashen."
Something in his tone made my breath hitch.
I turned away, grabbing a towel from the bench. "Well, I don't want you watching me like a damn hawk."
Dominic let out a low chuckle. "Get used to it."
I clenched my fists, my back still to him. He was too close. Too much.
I needed space.
So I turned on my heel, throwing my towel over my shoulder. "I'm going to shower."
Dominic didn't stop me.
But as I walked away, I could feel his eyes burning into my back.
The cool water cascaded over my skin, washing away the sweat and tension from training. The dim lighting in the training facility's bathroom flickered slightly, but I didn't care. I just needed a moment—one damn moment to breathe without feeling Dominic's eyes on me.
I leaned my forehead against the tile, letting the water drown out my thoughts. My body still felt weak, the lack of suppressants catching up with me, but I pushed it aside. I refused to be fragile. I refused to be less.
Just as I started to relax, I felt it.
A presence.
Dominic.
I didn't even have to turn around. The shift in the air, the weight of his stare,it was unmistakable.
I snapped my head up. "Get out."
A deep chuckle echoed through the room. "Relax," Dominic's voice was smooth, teasing. "You're my mate, remember, Omega?"
My chest tightened, heat surging through me,not from embarrassment, but from rage.
I turned sharply, ignoring the way the water ran down my bare skin, my fists clenching. "I thought our agreement was that you leave me the hell alone."
Dominic leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, golden eyes glinting with amusement. He looked too relaxed, like he had all the time in the world. "No, Ashen," he corrected smoothly, "the agreement was that I'd let you keep taking your suppressants and that I wouldn't tell anyone about what you are." He tilted his head, smirking. "That, I've kept."
I bristled. "Then why the hell are you here?"
Dominic pushed off the wall, stepping forward. "Because, no matter how much you fight it,you're still mine."
A shiver ran down my spine, but I refused to acknowledge it. I took a step back, my back hitting the cool tiles. "I am not yours."
Dominic's smirk deepened. "Keep telling yourself that."
I hated the way my body betrayed me,the way my wolf reacted to him, to his presence, to his voice. It made my blood boil.
I reached for the towel, wrapping it around my waist in sharp, defiant movements. "Are we done here, Alpha? Or are you going to keep watching like some creep?"
Dominic exhaled a soft laugh, shaking his head. "For now."
I shoved past him, my shoulder brushing against his chest, my body still damp from the shower.
But before I could storm out completely, his voice followed me. Low. Amused. Certain.
"This fight you're putting up, Ashen? It won't last forever."
I didn't look back.
Because if I did I might see the truth in his eyes.