The Moment of Salvation

The tension in the room thickened as gasps whispered through the gathered crowd.

Alpha Eugene.

The name rolled through her mind as the man moved toward her, his gaze never leaving her broken form on the floor.

His sharp eyes softened the moment he reached her.

Without a word, he extended his hand.

Becca stared at it, still dazed, still unable to process what was happening.

“Come,” Eugene murmured, his voice deep yet gentle.

Becca hesitated, but something in his presence made her reach out.

He grasped her hand firmly, his warmth stark against the coldness of the hall.

He pulled her to her feet with effortless strength, steadying her as her legs threatened to give out beneath her.

She felt… safe.

But the safety was immediately overshadowed by confusion.

“What the hell is going on?” Becca demanded, pulling her hand away the moment she found her balance.

She was still furious, burning from the humiliation and anger of being dragged here in the first place.

Eugene exhaled.

“I owe you an explanation.”

Her eyes narrowed.

“Damn right you do.”

Eugene studied her for a moment before nodding.

“My name is Alpha Eugene.” He let the words settle in the air before continuing. “I am Desmond’s half-brother.”

Becca’s stomach twisted. Half-brother?

She turned sharply to look at Desmond, whose expression had darkened considerably.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” she muttered under her breath.

Eugene continued, unfazed by her reaction.

“I didn’t introduce myself before because I was severely injured. I didn’t even have the strength to speak properly. But you saved me.” His voice softened. “And for that, I owe you my life.”

Becca swallowed hard.

Why did those words affect her?

The warmth of his hands still lingered on her skin, but she ignored the feeling.

With a sharp exhale, she stepped away from him, shaking off whatever emotions had started creeping into her chest.

It didn’t matter.

Because this was still a disaster.

And the real nightmare was only just beginning.

A slow, amused chuckle filled the air.

Becca stiffened.

Desmond.

The bastard was laughing.

“Well, well, well,” Desmond said, leaning back in his throne, his eyes gleaming with amusement. “So, the great Alpha Eugene has finally risen from his deathbed… only to stop the execution of this.” He gestured toward Becca as if she were nothing more than filth beneath his boots.

Eugene’s jaw tightened, but he remained silent.

Desmond tilted his head.

“Tell me, dear brother, why the hell are you out of bed? You should be resting. Instead, you’ve dragged yourself all the way here for a rejected Omega?” He scoffed, shaking his head. “Have you lost your mind?”

Becca’s fists clenched at his words, but she didn’t speak. Not yet.

Eugene, however, remained composed.

“I heard what was happening,” he said simply. “And I knew I had to come.”

Desmond grinned.

“Because you owe her?”

Eugene nodded.

“Yes.”

The amusement on Desmond’s face twisted into something cruel.

“Then allow me to enlighten you, brother,” Desmond sneered, his voice dripping with condescension. “Since you’ve been away for so many years, you clearly don’t know what kind of creature you’re protecting.”

Becca’s entire body tensed.

She knew what was coming.

Desmond’s grin widened as he turned to Eugene.

“That Omega standing beside you? I rejected her.”

Silence.

Becca’s heart pounded as Eugene’s expression darkened slightly.

“She was once mine,” Desmond continued, his voice slow, and cruel. “But I threw her away. Why? Because she was worthless.”

Becca’s nails dug into her palms.

Desmond smirked.

“And instead, I married a better Luna. A stronger, more obedient, more worthy woman. Someone fit to stand beside me.”

Becca inhaled sharply, rage boiling in her veins.

Desmond leaned forward.

“This pathetic excuse for an Omega refused to accept reality. So desperate for love, she even opened her own clinic, thinking it would make her useful.”

Laughter echoed in the hall.

Mockery.

Becca trembled with rage.

Eugene, however, did not laugh.

In fact, his expression hadn’t changed.

But the way he looked at Becca—steady and unwavering—made her feel something she did not want to feel.

Don’t look at me like that, she wanted to scream at him.

Because she wasn’t safe.

Not here. Not ever.

Becca took a step forward.

Desmond raised a brow.

“Oh? Do you have something to say, Omega?”

Becca let out a bitter laugh.

“I’m just shocked, Desmond.”

He frowned.

“Shocked?”

She nodded, her voice dripping with venom.

“Shocked that you’ve actually been waiting for me to commit a crime just so you could kill me.” She shook her head. “I mean, it’s almost pathetic. That’s how much you hate me?”

Desmond’s expression darkened.

“What did I ever do to you, Desmond?” she demanded. “What crime did I commit? Tell me. Tell everyone.”

Silence.

Then Desmond smirked.

“Your existence disgusts me.”

The words cut deeper than she expected.

He leaned back in his throne, pleased with himself.

“And my Luna agrees with me.”

A new wave of rage crashed over Becca.

Her hands shook.

She inhaled sharply.

“You and your Luna can go straight to hell.”

Gasps filled the hall.

Desmond’s smirk vanished. His eyes darkened with rage.

“You dare speak to me in such a way?”

Becca stepped closer.

“I dare.”

Desmond exhaled slowly, his fury barely contained.

“Executioner.”

The executioner immediately raised his blade.

Becca’s breath caught. Not again.

But before the blade could descend—

A voice like thunder shook the hall.

“Enough.”

The ground trembled.

Becca turned—

And froze.

Alpha Eugene’s eyes were glowing.

Not the calm, intelligent gaze she had seen before.

No.

This was fierce.

His eyes burned with an unnatural intensity, something primal and terrifying.

The executioner hesitated.

“Leave this instant,” Eugene commanded, his voice deep, laced with a raw, undeniable authority. “Or face my wrath.”

The executioner went cold.

Then—

He ran.

Becca’s breath hitched.

Everyone else had fallen silent.

Desmond’s face twisted with rage.

“What the hell are you doing, Eugene?”

Eugene met his brother’s furious gaze.

Then, in a voice that sent shivers through the entire hall, he said—

“Nobody is to touch her.”

Desmond’s eyes narrowed.

“And why is that?”

Eugene took a step forward.

And then—

He dropped the bombshell.

“Because she is my mate.”

Silence.

The entire hall froze.

Becca’s world tilted.

Desmond’s eyes widened.

And Becca felt like the ground had just crumbled beneath her feet.