Chapter 4

Serena’s pov

The rain soaked my clothes, plastering them to my skin as I stumbled through the dark woods to the unknown. I wrapped my arms around my body as the cold night breeze blew around me, making me shudder.

“…reject you, Serena Williams as my mate.” The memory haunted me, it was like a knife had been lodged in my heart. How could he do that to me?

“From now on, there’s no place for an Omega like you in my pack anymore ….hereby banished from the pack…never step foot in here again…”. Logan’s voice rang in my ears, cold and venomous. Those eyes, I remember how he had stared at me, cold and emotionless.

My heart twisted painfully as his words echoed in my head. A loud crack snapped me back to the present. I spun around, my heart racing with fear. It was dark and I didn’t know what monsters hid in this forest. I was just a poor Omega

“Hello?” My voice shook, but it was swallowed by the rain. Shadows moved between the trees. A glint of metal. A laugh…low, cruel, and far too close. “There you are,” a voice drawled and I snapped my head around immediately.

Mistake!

I turned to run, but my foot caught on a root, making me fall hard, the air knocked from my lungs as pain exploded up my side. Before I could scramble to my feet, several hands grabbed me, rough and unrelenting.

“Let me go!” I thrashed around, kicking and clawing wildly, but they only laughed.

“Feisty little thing.” The man loomed over me, his face came into view and I saw that he had a menacing smile on. “Wow! She was really right about you.”

“She?” I choked out, my eyes widening in fright!

He knew who I was?”

“Yes honey, the one who paid us,” he said with a smirk. “Guess!” He grinned. My eyes darted around to find an escape route. I had to leave quickly, I didn’t care about whatever they were saying.

“Come on! Don’t make this boring,” he said again and my eyes landed on the steel in his hand, it’s glint, almost blinding. I didn’t need to be told that it was a very sharp knife.

“Okay, time up,” he brought the knife close to my face. “A very sexy,” he licked the knife. “Sexy pregnant woman.Sound familiar?” He brought the knife to my face, making me whimper.

Victoria!

Why? Why wouldn’t she leave me alone! I had long crossed the pack’s territory! Heck! I didn’t even know where I was! “No,” I whispered, my chest tightening. “Why? What does she want with me?”.

The man grinned, his teeth yellowed and sharp. “She said to make sure you disappeared. Permanently,” he leaned in closer while the others watched. “But I thought we should have a little bit of fun,” and in one instant, he used the knife to rip my dress from the neckline down.

I gasped in horror. “Please…please ..don’t do this.”

“Mmmm…we’re gonna have so much fun!”

Just as his hand reached for me, a sound tore through the storm, a low, bone-chilling growl that vibrated even the ground I laid on.

The man froze.

Another growl, deeper this time. Eyes, dozens of them, several colors…glowed in the darkness. One of the men whispered something I couldn’t hear, his voice trembling.

“Impossible,” the leader hissed. “They weren’t supposed to catch our scent!”

I furrowed my brows, wondering what was going on. The shadows moved, and suddenly, they were upon us. Fangs and claws flashed in the dark as wolves, massive, terrifying, descended on my attackers. Screams filled the air, but they were cut short, swallowed by snarls and the sickening crunch of bones.

I shut my eyes tightly, not really knowing what I was waiting for, but praying to the goddess to spare me. When I opened my eyes a while later as everything became quiet, I saw the largest wolf, its silver fur shining even through the rain, its glowing eyes on me.

For a moment, time seemed to stop.

I couldn’t breathe.

The wolf stepped closer, its gaze locking with mine. I felt a pull, a strange, powerful connection that made my heart race for reasons I couldn’t understand.

Then it began to transform.

Bones shifted, fur receded, and before me stood a man….a very naked man…

Tall, powerful, with broad shoulders.

Rain dripped from his dark, tousled hair,sliding over the sharp angles of his face and tracing the broad expanse of his shoulders.

Water carved a path over the hard ridges of his chest, following the curve of his abs before disappearing lower.

Every inch of him was raw power, sculpted strength, something untamed and deadly

His green eyes burned with an intensity that made my breath catch. His sharp jaw clenched as he regarded me, his expression cold and unreadable.

Beautiful.

And terrifying.

Someone threw a robe at him and that was when I noticed that the others had now become human. He crouched beside me, his voice low and smooth. “You’re bleeding.”

“I…” My throat felt dry despite the rain. “You… thank you.”

He didn’t answer. He reached out his strong hands as though he wanted to touch me, but he stopped almost immediately, narrowing his eyes at me.

“You shouldn’t be here.” I couldn’t take my eyes off him for some reasons I couldn’t explain. He seems oddly familiar despite the fact this was my first time of seeing him.

“I… I had nowhere else to go,” I found my voice.

“That’s not my problem.”

Pain shot through me upon hearing him speak to me like that.“Please,” I whispered. “I don’t have anyone else.”

He stood, towering over me, his expression hard. “You’re an omega,” he said flatly. “An outsider. We don’t take in strays.”

The word were like venom and they stung hard, but I was relentless. “I’m not dangerous,” I protested. “I’m just…”

“Desperate,” he finished for me, his eyes cold.

“Yes,” I admitted, shame burning in my chest.

“Take her to the edge of the territory,” he said and that was when I noticed that someone else had joined us. He wasn’t as attractive as the first man and was leaner than him.

My heart sank. “You can’t just—”

“My word was clear.” His voice was ice as he rose to his feet.

Tears burned in my eyes as I struggled to my feet.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I walked between the tall, imposing men, my head held high despite the tremor in my legs. The rain had slowed to just a drizzle.

"Step carefully," one of the men muttered as we approached a sloppy .

I glared at his back, biting down on my retort. The last thing I needed was to provoke them further. They had saved me, after all, even if they now marched me out of their territory like a trespasser.

"Where are you taking me?" My voice cracked from exhaustion.

"The border,” the man who was in charge of leading me away replied.

I swallowed hard. "What border? Where am I?”

"This is the Broken Moon pack and our territory ends here," the man from earlier, explained. “We don’t keep outsiders, especially not omegas without status or purpose.”

The Broken Moon Pack.

I knew the name well—whispered in fear, spoken with reverence.

Their strength was undeniable, but so was their brutality. Ruthless. Merciless. A pack that devoured the weak.

Maybe I didn’t belong there. Maybe I wouldn’t survive.

But right now, they were the only chance I had. And I wasn’t about to let go.

"I’m not looking for trouble. I—” .

"I know," he interrupted, his tone softening. "But rules are rules. You either belong, or you leave. No exceptions,” he looked like he wanted to say more but placed a hand on my shoulder. “You’re lucky the patrol of our pack found you when you did.”

We kept walking, he said no more words and I was quiet as I thought about the man from earlier, those clear amber eyes…

I stumbled, my ankle twisting painfully, making me yelp in pain.

Someone caught my arm before I could fall and I saw that it was the man who had spoken to me.

“Careful,” he murmured.

"Thanks," I whispered.

Before I could say more, I heard a voice from the cabin nearby, it seemed to be coming from the television.

‘The alpha of the Broken Moon pack seeks a nanny for the young heir…’

I stilled before turning around to face him.