CHAPTER 7

"Elder Mooncrest, Rhea," Theon's voice boomed in the Council Hall, unyielding and unstoppable. "Your defiance has seen us with no choice. The bond exists, whether you acknowledge it or not. And it cannot be allowed to erode the Silverfang Pack."

I stood before the Council, my sore back from the shove Blaze had given me, my body still vibrating with the aftereffects of my surprise heat. Micah stood next to me, his hand on my arm, a comforting anchor.

You shall desiginate the bond cycle," Theon said, his gaze never wavering. "Immediately. You shall be taught to desiginate your Omega behaviors and cooperate with the Alphas to whom you are bonded. If not, you shall instantly lose all rank and protection at Mooncrest. You shall be an unranked Omega, subject to the pack and, in specific, subject to the mercy of your bonded Alphas.

A gasp made its way through the hallway. Robbed of rank. It was a worse condition than banishment. It meant I'd be below a slave.

"Elder, this is barbaric!" Marla Fenwick's voice was strained, her eyes looking up at Theon in appeal. "You cannot enforce a bond! It must be willing!"

"Already the moon spirit has spoken, Marla," Theon snapped, his voice unnaturally calm. "The Omega's rebellion is what is abhorrent. She has proved herself incapable of controlling her own nature. So the pack will deal with it for her." He turned his glacial eyes back to me. "From now on, Rhea Mooncrest, you will be relocated to Alpha Row. You will reside in the dorms with the four Alphas you are matched with."

My breath was caught. Alpha Row. Just thinking about it sent a thrill of icy fear running down my spine. It was their home, their sanctuary. And now it would be my prison.

"No!" Micah thundered, stepping forward, his Beta power crackling. "You can't do that! She's my sister! You can't imprison her in there with them!"

"Micah Mooncrest, quiet yourself!" Elder Garrick Stonehelm, Theon's quiet supporter, finally spoke, his tone a low snarl. "The Council's choice is final."

Theon smiled, a cold, thin line. "It's for her good, Beta. And for the pack's good. The bond must be learned, and the bond must be mastered.". This is the only option. He looked at the four Alphas, who sat in the front row, their expressions a combination of shock, indignation, and something impassable. "Alphas, you will ensure the Omega obeys the Council's decree. You will guide her through this. And you will make her realize what happens if she continues to defy."

Blaze Draven seethed, his face a picture of indignant outrage. "You're quartering her in our dormitories? Elder, I respectfully suggest you are mad! She's a walking hazard! A distraction!"

"Perhaps," Theon answered, his eyes flashing with mirth. "Or perhaps, this will teach you all the seriousness of your situation. The bond is a burden now to be shared. You will learn to carry it together.".

Ash Ryder, who had been silent, finally spoke, his voice low and dangerous. “And what if she refuses to cooperate, Elder? What then?”

“Then you, Alpha Ryder, will ensure her cooperation,” Theon replied, his gaze challenging. “You are the dominant Alpha. It is your responsibility to bring her to heel. Or face the consequences for your own failure.”

Ash's jaw tightened, his golden eyes blazing with a mix of anger and a strange, possessive pride as he looked at me. I gasped for breath. He was finally letting off the leash.

Zane Valez paced, his desperate presence hovering around him. "This is a joke, isn't it? A sick, twisted joke? You can't just. make us live with her! We're Alphas! We have our own lives!

"Your lives are now tied to hers, Alpha Valez," Theon stated firmly. "This is the lunar spirit's will. And the Council's decree. Captain Rylan, escort the Omega to Alpha Row. Ensure she is housed in the designated Omega quarters."

Captain Jex Rylan, chief of security, stepped forward, his face serious. "Yes, Elder."

Micah pulled me into a tight hug. "I'll get you out of here, Rhea. I promise it. I'll find a way." His voice was thick with desperation.

"Be careful, Micah," I let out a soft sigh, my voice cracking. "Theon will be watching."

As Rylan slung an arm over me, I caught a glimpse over my shoulder at the Alphas. Blaze was still furious, his eyes blazing with fury. Zane was heartbroken, his usual happy-go-lucky demeanor shattered. Kai's face was expressionless, but his eyes shone with a cold, calculating light that sent shivers down my spine. And Ash… Ash's eyes were fixed on me, a hard intensity in golden eyes, a threat of what was to be.

The trek to Alpha Row was a death march. The dorms, usually shouting with the frenetic energy of young Alphas, were uncharacteristically quiet. The scent of their pack—strong, male, overwhelming—hit me like a wall, and my Omega senses hummed with a mix of fear and an incomprehended, unwelcome familiarity.

Captain Rylan led me to a small, lightly furnished room at the far end of a very long corridor. "This will be your quarters, Omega. It's locked down. You are not to leave without an Alpha escort. Your food will be brought to you. Any attempt to escape will be met with. severe repercussions.".

He left, the heavy door creaking shut behind him, the echoing sound finishing off my new incarceration. I plopped down on the thin bed, the scratchy blanket chafing against my skin. The walls were thin and porous. I could feel them. Their presences, their odors, their moods, all enhanced by the proximity.

A sharp, crisp knock on the door made me jump.

"Mooncrest! Open up!" It was Blaze, gruff and commanding.

I hesitated, then moved to the door and opened it slightly. Blaze himself stood there, his face contorted in a scowl. Behind him, Ash, Zane, and Kai waited, their faces varied but just as serious.

"Welcome to our new home," Blaze taunted, pushing the door open wider and stepping inside without permission. He surveyed the small room with distaste. "Our new… roommate. This is a nightmare."

"You consider this a nightmare for you?" I retorted, my fury trembling my voice. "I'm the one who has been robbed of my name, jailed, and handed over to the same individuals who intimidated me for years!"

Ash strode on, his wide body occupying the doorway. His eyes, those dangerous golden eyes, caught mine. "You made your choice, Omega. You turned away from the Council. Now you live under ours. And the first law is: there is no escape."

He inched closer, his voice a low, proprietary growl. "You are here. You are ours. And you will learn to accept it."