Chapter 45 - My Omega Queen

POV: Grace

Chaos erupts as Chloe instantly shifts into her grey wolf and lunges at Zain. The other three men surrounding me are momentarily bewildered before they rush to Zain's aid, completely forgetting about my presence.

I have no choice but to follow Chloe's instructions - to run. Under any other circumstances, I would never consider fleeing and leaving someone to face the enemy alone. However, the Chloe I know is more than capable of handling a few rogues and escaping unharmed.

I break into a sprint, tapping into my wolven speed. As I draw strength from Raksha, the mental barrier between us weakens, until it eventually collapses.

"Grace, what on earth are you doing?! Return to our mate this instant!" Raksha's voice booms inside my head, prompting my hand to instinctively reach for my forehead. She paces restlessly in frustration, enumerating some harsh punishments for both me and Chloe if her mate comes to harm.

"He's the rogue king, Raksha," I counter as if that single fact justifies everything.

"So what?! He won't remain a rogue for much longer if I have any say in it," Raksha firmly argues.

I click my tongue disapprovingly at her. "How many rogue attacks has he orchestrated? How many members of our pack has his group of rogues mercilessly slain?! We cannot get involved with rogues!" I shout back, challenging Raksha with my questions.

For a moment, Raksha is rendered speechless, unable to offer any response. Her temporary silence brings a sense of satisfaction to me.

My ears swivel, catching the cacophony of yelps and growls emanating from behind, but I can't discern whose sounds belong to whom. But it doesn’t matter. Chloe will be fine, especially after I meet with my father and he sends reinforcements. Then, everything will return to normal.

A twinge of pain grips my chest as I ponder the unfolding events, yet I push it aside and continue running through the forest with ease, deftly maneuvering around trees and bushes. Thanks to Raksha's healing abilities, my knee has fully recovered, allowing me to hasten my pace. The swifter I get help, the fewer casualties there will be once Chloe finishes dealing with the rogues.

Suddenly, a resounding howl reverberates through the woods, causing my body to come to an abrupt halt on its own. My breath catches in my throat. The intensity of that howl must have reached every corner of the forest, filled with a profound sense of yearning.

"He's calling us," Raksha's voice thunders in my mind. "We must go to him."

"Raksha, let's meet with Dad first," I implore, hoping to reason with her. "He must know a way to break the mate bond without any adverse effects." But my plea only serves to enrage her further. I sense her primal instincts taking over. My body moves involuntarily, and a howl escapes my lips—a brief yet powerful sound. In the language of wolves, it signifies acceptance. But unfortunately, it also reveals our location.

We’re f*cked.

More like, I am the one who is f*cked, since Raksha would most probably enjoy it.

Numbness creeps into my feet, and I sense my energy draining away. "Why would you do that, Raksha?!" I manage to utter, my words faltering. However, no reply is necessary, for we are one and the same being, and I can sense her emotions and intentions.

Leaning against the nearest tree trunk, I await my doom, using my hands to support my suddenly heavy head, parched with thirst. Escaping seems futile now. With his wolf on our trail, any attempt to flee would transform this already dangerous situation into a relentless hunt. It would only fuel his desire to catch and claim us, turning us into his ultimate prey.

As expected, a rustling in the bushes ahead announces the approach of the figure. Shivers race down my spine, and the enchanting scent of pine trees intensifies, confirming the nearing presence. Yet, my heart feels as though an untamed unicorn is running wild inside my chest, its galloping beats beyond my control.

Zain emerges from the bushes, only partially dressed as usual, wearing a smug smile. It's odd how I feel a conflicting desire to both wipe that smirk off his face and also admire it, hoping to forever imprint it in my memory.

My momentary distraction is abruptly shattered when he pauses and chuckles at my appearance. His lips curve upwards, causing my heart to skip a beat. "I half-expected to find you perched on a branch somewhere, Princess," he jests.

Refusing to back down, I retort, "Oh, you would have enjoyed that, wouldn't you? Is that why your wolf allowed you to shift, just in case you couldn't reach me again?" I tease, trying to maintain an air of confidence.

Zain narrows his eyes, and in that instant, my instincts kick in, triggering alarms of danger throughout my body. I stand up, locking my gaze onto his, ready for whatever might come.

Surprisingly, instead of pounding on us as I anticipated, he adopts a serious expression. "Why did you run?" he asks in a tone that catches me off guard.

An ugly snort escaped me. "Isn't it obvious? Because you were about to mark us," I retorted, my voice tinged with defiance.

He took a step forward, and I couldn't help but feel trapped with the tree pressing against my back. "Your wolf wants us," he stated.

Swallowing hard, I wished the tree would vanish, allowing me an escape route. "My wolf doesn't consider the consequences," I admitted, feeling a mix of frustration and fear.

"Consequences?" Another step forward, drawing nearer.

"You're a rogue," I shot back, my words dripping with venom, expressing all the animosity I held towards his kind. His eye twitched briefly, almost imperceptible, leaving me uncertain if I had struck a nerve. Was that a glimmer of hurt?

Yet, he continued closing the gap between us, his approach slow and deliberate, as he continued to speak, "That's a fact, not a consequence. Besides, your wolf doesn't seem to care. Why do you?"

"Because," I lashed out, my emotions overwhelming any coherent argument I could offer.

"Because daddy won't approve? Are you that scared of upsetting the big, scary king, Princess?" His words struck a chord, causing me to momentarily avert my eyes in vulnerability. Damn it.

A soft breeze rustles through my hair, and suddenly, a pair of bare feet enters my line of sight. I feel my body tense up as I realize Zain's arm is now leaning against the tree behind me. My eyes widen at his proximity, and I curse myself for not mustering the courage to look up. But then, he gently touches my chin with his rough fingers, tilting my head upward until I have no choice but to meet his gaze. My pride compels me to maintain eye contact, even as I try to keep my expression composed.

"What do you think, Grace?" His voice whispers my name, sending shivers down my spine. It sounds so perfect that I wish he would never stop saying it.

"About what?" I murmur, finding it difficult to tear my eyes away from his lips.

He continues in a soothing tone, "What do you think your daddy would say if a rogue marked you right here and now?"

A warmth enveloped my core and I truly prayed to the Moon Goddess that he was too involved in the

conversation to smell my arousal. I bit my inner cheek to suppress Raksha’s instinct of straddling him, which would be wholly inappropriate .

But I notice Zain’s nostrils flaring and his face darkening, one of his fangs slipping out.

“He’s going to do it. He’s going to mark us. Move, body, move!" I repeated to myself, attempting to resist the pull of the mate bond that was steadily seeping into my veins and soul.

As Zain lowered his head, inching closer to my face, I braced myself, anticipating the sharp fangs digging into my neck at any moment. But then, to my surprise, Zain whispered in my ear, "Let's ask him, shall we?"

Before I could process his words fully, he vanished from my sight in the blink of an eye.