Chapter 4

Amber

It had been two weeks since that night—since Rayne had marked me, since our worlds had collided in the most painful and disastrous way imaginable.

Two weeks since I had seen or heard from him.

I told myself, at first, that he needed time. Anyone would. How could Rayne possibly come to terms with a mate bond, the betrayal it represented to Reed, and the weight of everything else all at once? But as the days stretched on in agonizing silence, the emptiness of his absence became unbearable.

The bond wouldn’t let me forget him.

It wasn’t just a mark. A mate bond was far more than a symbol of ownership or a claim. It was a tether—an indestructible, unyielding tie that linked our souls. Through it, I should have been able to sense his emotions, feel his heartbeat echoing alongside mine, and even hear his voice in my mind if either of us willed it. The bond should have let us soothe each other, even from afar, a connection so deep and intimate it defied explanation.

But Rayne had slammed the door on his side of the bond.

I could still feel the faint thrum of his existence, an ever-present vibration at the base of my neck. It reassured me that he was alive, that he was well—but that was all I got. No emotions, no connection, no whispers in the quiet of my mind.

I’d heard of Alphas and Omegas closing their bonds before. It wasn’t common, but it wasn’t unheard of either. I had even asked one of the older Omegas at the shelter about it once, back when I was still curious and naive about mating. She’d said that closing the bond was a rejection in everything but name. A way of saying, I don’t want you.

The thought alone felt like a knife twisting in my chest.

Still, I could at least be grateful for one thing: Rayne hadn’t cheated.

The bond made fidelity a cruel, unforgiving system. If he slept with someone else, the pain I would experience would be unimaginable. The bond would punish me for his infidelity, setting my body ablaze with searing fire. I had seen it happen once at the shelter—a young Omega writhing and screaming as her Alpha mate fooled around with someone else. The agony had lasted as long as the betrayal itself, leaving her trembling and broken for days after.

The memory still haunted me.

For Alphas, it was different. They could feel the same pain if their Omega cheated, but it was almost impossible for that to happen. Omegas were naturally submissive, biologically programmed to be docile and loyal. Once marked, they couldn’t feel pleasure from anyone but their bonded Alpha.

But Alphas? They were free to do whatever they wanted. Even after bonding, they could fool around with anyone without consequence. It was a brutal imbalance, and one I hated with every fiber of my being.

It was just another reason being an Omega felt like a curse.

I sighed, my fingers brushing against the scent patch I’d placed over the mark. The ache in my chest wouldn’t go away, no matter how hard I tried to push it down. I knew I needed to see Rayne.

We had so much to talk about.

I hated that Rayne had this power over me, that even in his absence, the bond kept me tethered to him. I hated how my body craved him, how my instincts screamed for his touch.

And yet, I couldn’t deny the truth.

Lately, my instincts had been relentless, clawing at me day and night. I couldn’t sleep. I tossed and turned, drenched in sweat, my body trembling with a heat I couldn’t shake. My wolf, Irma, prowled in the back of my mind, restless and insistent.

We need him, she would whisper. Our Alpha. His touch. His knot. His scent. Let us have him.

It was unbearable. My skin felt too tight, my thoughts clouded with longing. I wanted him to scent me, to calm the storm raging inside me. I wanted to drown in his pheromones, to lose myself in his presence until the ache disappeared.

But how could I face him when I didn’t even know where we stood?

My thoughts were interrupted when something hit the back of my head. A crumpled piece of paper rolled across my desk.

I didn’t bother turning around. I didn’t need to. It was one of my usual bullies, probably grinning to themselves at their clever little game.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. Six weeks, I reminded myself. Just six weeks until graduation. I could endure a little longer. Then I could leave this Pack, leave everything behind.