"Get the fuck off my bed," Valen ordered. His voice lacked any warmth, cutting through the quiet room like a knife.
I gripped the mattress edge, dragging my battered body toward the side. Fire ripped through my ribs, stealing the air from my lungs. A sharp gasp tore from my throat, but I refused to stop moving.
"I'm trying," I gritted out. My bare feet finally hit the cold floorboards. My knees wobbled instantly.
"Try harder." Valen crossed his arms. His massive frame blocked the doorway, casting a long shadow over me. "I want my sheets burned."
"You don't have to be cruel," I whispered, clutching my side. "I didn't ask to be put here."
"You didn't fight it, either." He took a step forward, his jaw tight. "You saw an opportunity and you took it."
"I was unconscious!"
"Keep your voice down," a new, deep voice rumbled from the hallway.
The door swung open wider, forcing Valen to step back. Grace walked in carrying a steaming bowl on a wooden tray. A tall, broad-shouldered man followed close behind her. He shared Valen's piercing blue eyes and rigid posture, radiating an authority that made my Omega instincts flare in panic.
"Valen, stop crowding her," Grace ordered, completely unaffected by the tension in the room. "She needs to eat at a proper table, not hunched over in the dark."
"I'm not touching her," Valen sneered, backing away as if I carried a plague.
The older man leveled a hard stare at his son. "You will do as your mother asks, or you will answer to me."
"It's fine," I interrupted quickly. I couldn't handle their fighting. "I can walk on my own."
I hobbled past Valen, keeping my gaze fixed on the baseboards. His hostility radiated against my skin, raising the hairs on my arms. He didn't offer a hand. He just watched me struggle.
The journey downstairs felt like a marathon. Halfway down the wooden staircase, my foot slipped on the polished edge. I pitched forward.
I braced for a broken neck.
Instead, a strong hand clamped onto my shoulder, yanking me upright. It wasn't Valen. It was his father.
"Careful," the older man murmured, steadying me. He shot a furious look over his shoulder at Valen, who was trailing behind us with his hands shoved deep into his pockets. "A true Alpha doesn't let an injured wolf fall."
"She's not my responsibility," Valen fired back, refusing to meet his father's eyes.
We reached the kitchen. Bright overhead lights illuminated a massive oak dining table. Grace set the tray down and pulled out a chair for me.
"Sit," she instructed gently. "I'm Grace, by the way. Sarah is just my work name at the clinic."
I eased into the wooden seat, wincing as my bruised muscles stretched. "Thank you, Grace."
Her husband took the head of the table. "I'm Richard. Alpha of this territory."
I stiffened, dipping my chin in immediate submission. "Alpha Richard. I'm Mave."
Valen dropped into the chair furthest from me. He leaned back, resting his boots on the table edge, glaring at the opposite wall.
Grace handed me a silver spoon. "Eat. And while you do, tell me exactly why a young Omega was wandering the northern woods without a pack escort."
I stared at the chicken broth. My appetite vanished, replaced by a heavy knot of shame. "I don't have an escort. I don't have a pack."
Richard frowned. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the wood. "Every wolf belongs to a pack. Who are your parents?"
"Betas," I answered, my voice barely above a whisper. "They expected a Beta or an Alpha. When I presented as an Omega last year, they... they didn't want the burden."
Grace covered her mouth, her eyes widening in horror. "They abandoned you?"
I traced the rim of the bowl with my thumb. "The rest of the pack didn't want an unclaimed Omega draining their resources. They made it clear I wasn't welcome. The bullying got worse every day. So, I packed my things and left."
"And walked straight into rogue territory," Valen muttered, drumming his fingers against his knee. "Brilliant survival strategy."
"I didn't know they were there!" I shot back, lifting my head to glare at him. "I was just trying to find a quiet place to sleep before classes started."
"That pack's cruelty is unforgivable," Grace snapped, her maternal instincts flaring. She looked at Richard, her expression fierce. "We are reporting them to the regional council. You don't just throw an Omega to the wolves."
Richard agreed silently, his gaze calculating as he studied my bruised face. "Where do you go to school, Mave?"
I shrank back under his intense scrutiny. "Ridgeview Academy."
Silence dropped over the kitchen. The only sound was the hum of the refrigerator.
Richard shifted his attention to his son. "Ridgeview. Isn't that your academy, Valen?"
"Unfortunately," Valen grumbled, dragging a hand down his face.
"You're classmates." Grace clapped her hands together, a bright smile replacing her outrage. "That solves everything."
Valen’s head snapped up. "Solves what?"
"Your commute," Richard stated, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Starting tomorrow, you will take Mave to school. You will escort her to her classes. You will ensure her safety until her wounds heal."
Valen slammed his hands flat on the table. The silverware rattled against the wood. "Absolutely not."
"It wasn't a request," Richard warned. His Alpha aura flooded the kitchen, heavy and suffocating. The pressure pushed me further into my chair.
"She's an Omega!" Valen shouted, standing up so fast his chair tipped backward and crashed onto the floor. "Do you have any idea what my pack members will say if I show up dragging her around? She's a target. I'm the Alpha heir. I am not playing bodyguard to some weak stray."
He didn't say the rest, but I heard it loud and clear. I knew exactly how the hierarchy worked. I was at the very bottom. Hated. Mocked. If the golden boy showed up with me, the school would lose their minds. He would become a joke, and I would become an even bigger punching bag.
I stared at my lap. My chest tightened, but I refused to cry. I already knew what I was. I didn't need him screaming it.
"You will protect her," Richard commanded, his voice dropping into a dangerous growl. "That is final."
"Watch me," Valen spat.
He turned on his heel and stormed toward the back door.
"Valen!" Grace called out, rushing forward. "Your father offered you the car! Don't be stubborn."
"Keep it!"
The heavy oak door slammed shut, shaking the windowpanes. A second later, the sharp screech of bicycle tires echoed from the driveway, fading quickly down the street. He hadn't even waited for his father's keys. He just wanted to get as far away from me as possible.
The kitchen felt incredibly empty.
Grace sighed, picking up Valen's fallen chair. She walked over and rested a warm hand on my shoulder. "I am so sorry about him, Mave. He has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, but that doesn't excuse his manners. I'll talk to him tonight. I'll convince him to take you."
"Please don't," I said, pushing the soup away. "It's fine."
"It is not fine," Richard disagreed gruffly, crossing his arms. "You are injured. You need an escort."
"I'm used to it," I replied, forcing a hollow smile. "I've always walked alone. One more day won't kill me."
"Are you sure?" Grace asked, her brow furrowing with worry. "The school can be vicious."
"Positive. I don't want to cause any
