Her father.

Her eyes opened fully. She saw his face. Her father. Gideon Hale. Marching toward her.

She screamed.

The entire diner turned to look. She clawed at Dean, shaking, trying to hide in his arms.

“That is my daughter. Hand her over!” Gideon shouted.

“She is a grown woman who does not want to go anywhere with you,” Dean snapped back. “Sit down and eat your food.”

“She is an Omega. A runt. She belongs to us,” Gideon growled.

“She is my mate,” Dean said, each word deliberate.

Gideon froze. “What? She is an Omega. She cannot have a mate.”

“That is not how it works. She is mine. Now go back to your table before I shift and make you regret walking into this diner.”

The waitress slammed a tray onto the counter. “No fighting in my diner. Sit down and eat your food, both of you. Troglodytes.”

Both wolves backed off. Gideon began whispering furiously to the girl beside him, who kept glancing at Aria with wide, confused eyes.

Aria trembled behind Dean, tears streaking down her face.

“I am here. Do not worry,” Dean whispered. “They will not touch you.”

But the fear in her eyes made his stomach twist. Omega hate ran deep.

“What is your full name?” he asked quietly.

“Aria Hale,” she whispered.

He froze. “Hale.”

He looked back at the older man. “Gideon Hale is alive? Then that is Seraphina. The Hale family is… alive?”

“You did not tell me she was a Hale?! I thought they were extinct! You know what this means Rebecca…” Dean whisper shouted on the phone. 

Aria was dazed, her mind was falling asleep but the fear was keeping her barely awake, she watched Dean argue on the phone while driving rather erratically. 

She didnt understand what was happening but she did not feel safe. A sharp yellow light hit her eyes and she turned away immediately while Dean yelled and swerved the car. 

—------------------------------------------------

Labored breaths and the pitter patter of rain. Aria squinted her eyes open and saw nothing. A darkness. She could hear something though, something that sounded like groaning? What was that… who…?

She groaned as she turned her head to look beside her, the car was rolled over and dean was still inside. He was groaning in pain, blood dripping from his head. 

“Run… they’re after you. Run.” He croaked out before passing out. 

Aria’s eyes widened as she painfully stood up and tried to understand what exactly was happening. 

“What…” She held her throbbing head as she looked around. They were in a forested area where cold rain was pouring down. And smoke was emanating from the hood of the car. 

“Dean…” she mumbled and tried to get him out of the car, it seemed like it would blow up at anytime. 

“Come on… why are you so heavy!” She grumbled as she finally got him out and to a distance from the car. 

“She will be somewhere here. I can’t believe she is alive!” A shrill voice caused her to freeze. Seraphina? 

“The car crashed somewhere closeby.” A male voice spoke. 

Her heart began to race as she realised what was happening. Her father and sister had run them off the road?! 

She looked at Dean and hid him behind a tree before running off herself into the forest. She looked up at the moon for a split second. It was a full moon, the only was she could run away from them was…. No. She couldn't if she did it would undo the suppressant completely.  

Her head hurt and her stomach was churning, she was fighting off her wolf and at the same time running away from her murderous father. How did she screw up this bad? 

“Fine fuck it…” she shook her head and jumped. The clothes she wore fell to the floor and four large paws touched the ground. 

A sleek white wolf ran through the forest, fast as she could. She wasn't as large as any other werewolves but she was fast. Running away from everyone her whole life had made her fast. 

She grunted as she ran, the vague memory of the address Dean had mentioned flashed through her mind. He was an Alpha he would be fine but she had to run to Rebecca. 

Somewhere in the city, Lucian had taken Damian to a strip club to “get his mind off of things”. However while Lucian was hollering and hooting at naked women, Damian was staring at his glass of whiskey , the scene of that girl in his mind. He did not look at her face and didn’t know how her face looked but he recalled her eagerly looking at his picture. It did make him blush that someone wanted to look at him so badly. 

“Hey looser, get into this come on! I spent a lot of money renting the whole place out!” Lucian yelled at Damian who waved him off. 

A sudden flutter made him sit up. What was that? 

The wolf within him screamed out, he had only felt this way when he changed for the first time. The desperate urge to change came over him and he made his way out of the strip club. 

“What is happening!” He yelled, nearly wanting to rip his hair out. Damian was a large man and his wolf was even larger. He was the largest wolf in his pack and extremely ferocious. Even Lucian couldn’t match up to his strength. He could not change when so many people were around him. 

“What happened?” Lucian ran out, “Is everything okay? It’s okay to be shy you know, I know  they’re hot but -” 

“I want to change. The wolf wants to come out!” Damian growled. 

“No… aren’t you wearing the suppressant?” Lucian asked, looking around, “We need to get you somewhere safe. Now.” 

“Something is wrong…” Damian shook his head as Lucian lead him towards the car.

“Your mate is probably turning so you feel like turning too.” Lucian mumbled as he got into the car with Damian and began to drive, “This mate thing is getting out of hand. You need to kill her.” 

“What did you say?” A low growl emanated from Damian which sounded almost animalistic. 

“Okay okay… no killing the mate then. But I’m telling father.” Lucian looked at the road wondering why so many cars were around. 

“No… brother you cannot. He would not like her and he hates us being distracted.” He shook his head, “ he hates when we do anything except if its for the pack or for the company. Please. This will pass.” 

“Fine but if something like this happens again I’m telling dad whether you like it or not. This woman has an absolute hold on you. You haven’t even been able to work since that Gala night. Look at me. I killed my mate and I’m living life. That punishment thing is a lie.” 

“Just shut up and drive…” Damian groaned, “ I want to turn… my wolf is killing me.” 

“Uh, I know of a woman. Rebecca her name is I believe. Lives in the reserve. Let me call a few people. She makes the best suppressants… powerful woman.” 

“Fine, take me there. If it’s a bit outside the city it may help me be far from her too.” 

“Yeah I’ll find out if she still lives there. I know a guy… you just rest okay?” He assured Damian who nodded and did his best to apply.