Chapter Four: Being Rescued

Derek’s POV

I did not stop shaking even after my father said the words because I had heard stories, everyone had heard stories, whispers passed between omegas when they thought no one important was listening, stories about the Alpha king of the neighbouring pack who bought male omegas like objects and locked them away and broke them slowly until nothing was left, and the thought of that place made my stomach twist so hard I thought I would throw up.

“No,” I cried, my voice loud and cracked, “please no, you cannot send me there.”

Drary did not even look at me properly, he just waved his hand like I was annoying him.

“He pays well,” he said flatly, “and male omegas are rare, you should be useful for something at least.”

“I am your son,” I sobbed, my chest tight, “please father I will do anything.”

He scoffed.

“You already did enough,” he replied.

They dragged me outside and toward the vehicle and I kept begging with every step, my voice breaking more and more.

“I will change,” I cried, panic pouring out of me, “I will not be gay anymore, I swear, I will do what you want.”

My words tasted bitter but fear was louder than shame and I was desperate enough to say anything.

Drary stopped suddenly and turned to look at me, his face twisted in anger.

“Enough,” he snapped, “your voice disgusts me.”

He turned to the men holding me.

“Blindfold him,” he ordered, “and gag him too.”

I felt hands move quickly, rough cloth pulled over my eyes, darkness swallowing everything, and something shoved into my mouth, tied tight behind my head until my jaw ached and my words turned into useless sounds.

I cried anyway.

They pushed me into the vehicle and I fell awkwardly onto the seat, my wrists tied tight, my body trembling as the engine started.

The journey felt endless.

I could hear nothing but the sound of the road and my own breathing and my wolf was quiet inside me, scared and weak, and without sight everything felt bigger and worse and my thoughts spiraled into dark places I could not escape.

I tried to pray, tried to think of anything else, but fear filled every corner of my mind.

Suddenly there was shouting.

The vehicle slowed sharply and then chaos broke out, loud snarls and crashes and the sound of metal screaming as the vehicle tipped hard onto its side.

I cried out around the gag, pain exploding through my body as I was thrown against the door, my head hitting something hard, warm liquid running down my face.

I could hear fighting outside, wolves snarling and men yelling, and then I heard my father’s voice shouting orders before his footsteps moved away fast.

He was running.

He left me.

I lay there trapped and bleeding and blind and the sounds outside grew worse, closer, and then hands grabbed the door and ripped it open.

Rough hands pulled me out and I screamed into the gag, my body dragged across the ground, pain flaring everywhere.

Someone yanked the gag from my mouth and I gasped in air, coughing and choking.

“Please,” I cried instantly, terror pouring out of me, “please do not hurt me.”

They laughed.

“Shut up,” one of them said, his voice rough and strange.

I could not see them but I could feel them around me, smell blood and sweat and something wild.

“Who are you,” I sobbed, “what do you want with me.”

No one answered properly, they just pulled me along, my feet stumbling, my body weak, and my blindfold stayed on so the world stayed dark and terrifying.

I kept talking because silence scared me more.

“I will do whatever you want,” I said again and again, “just please do not kill me.”

Then suddenly there was a sound that cut through everything, deep and dangerous, and the hands on me loosened.

There were screams.

Bodies hit the ground.

I could hear bones breaking and snarls full of rage and fear and the rogues panicked, running, shouting, dying one by one.

I curled in on myself, shaking so badly I could barely breathe, waiting for death to reach me too.

But it did not.

Instead arms lifted me carefully, strong and steady, pulling me close, and a scent filled my nose that made my wolf stir for the first time since the bond broke.

It felt safe.

Warm.

I did not understand it but my body relaxed against my will and I stopped fighting, my head falling against a chest that rose and fell calmly.

I was carried for a while, I did not know how long, my thoughts hazy, my pain dull and far away, the steady presence grounding me when everything else felt unreal.

Finally I was laid down gently on the ground and I felt hands at my wrists, cutting the ropes, freeing me.

I sucked in a shaky breath and reached up, fingers trembling as I pulled the blindfold off.

Light blinded me for a second and when my eyes adjusted I looked around wildly.

I was alone.

The forest was quiet and empty and the person who saved me was gone.

My heart started racing again and I whispered into the silence, my voice small and scared,

“Hello is anyone there.”