Guarding Omega

13

He thought he could hold himself in control. How wrong he was.

Wayne patiently waited with Daniel and Lola for his unconscious mate's recovery. Any minute now, he kept repeating to himself. But the longer she wasn't making any progress, his heart was clenching - piece by piece - and his mind was going crazy.

However, he stood there - like Cerberus - guarding his precious love. His moon-blessed.

Whenever Wayne's eyes fell on her features - so peacefully sleeping, her pale skin glazing under the moonlight - his heart fluttered and his body tensed. The urge to go closer, to touch her was growing inside him like lava struggling to erupt from a volcano.

And then she shifts. Her heartbeat becomes irregular and quicker than before. She's awake. Wayne could hear it loud and clear and his chest felt short of air. With eyes still on her, he waited for the moment she will open her dark brown eyes to face him.

His mind traced back to the instances they met. The first time, she was with her back turned to the opening through the tent cloth. But the image was so vivid in his mind. So terribly vivid.

The lines of blood on her back, partly-covered by her long dark hair. The cracked emotional voice echoed in his ears, pleading to the goddess for mercy from her torture. Her shaking figure from fear and pain and cold, living in a worn-out tent while the rest of the pack was living in luxury.

What had she done to deserve this?

Her sudden reaction catches him by surprise and his body stiffens with palms turned into fists as she jolts up, sitting on his bed. Her scent travelled to his place and he took a deep breath in absorbing her mesmerising scent.

Keep control. You've got this, was mentally muttering to himself.

She turned around her head, scanning with her eyes for anything that may give her the security of something familiar but found nothing. Her eyes grew wide with dread and her breath became quicker.

When Daniel and Lola took over to explain, she seemed to calm down but not much. She finds herself almost naked in a bed with two strangers from another pack that she had no idea about. You could say trust would not be an easy task.

That's why Wayne asked Lola to come as well. Daniel was an excellent healer but a bit absolute and a short-talker. He couldn't inspire confidence in patients to trust him. That's where Lola - his mate - was coming into the picture.

She was a smooth talker. Excellent healer as well as a good listener. In the question, of anyone could make some sense to that girl, Lola was the answer. And his plan seemed to work.

"What is your name?" Lola asks with a warm tone in her voice and a bright smile on her lips.

"I... I'm Ivory." the girl whispers.

Her name will be a sacred hymn I pledge to chant with the utmost love and affection until my dying days.

Wayne felt his body flood with heat and couldn't wait until the moment comes to speak her name. It was music to his ears. His mind zoned out completely ignoring the rest of the conversation between Lola and Ivory until he spots someone calling him 'Alpha'.

His eyes pinned on the fallen blanket, exposing her voluptuous breasts - dressed in minimum fabric - and he felt his pants painfully tight. The blood was pumping in his veins with speed and a growl formed at the back of his throat.

"Of... of who?" she stutters.

"Mine."

The timing is perfect and he should thank the goddess for that. The word that escaped his lips so naturally, expressing his dominance, was perfectly covered by true intention in their conversation.

Ivory freezes in shock and Wayne take a few steps forward - getting out of the shadows - now that has been exposed.

With eyes never leaving hers, he watches how his mate looks at him, absorbing every single detail of his appearance. Pride overwhelms him so he stands tall and imposing in front of her, showing himself in all his glory. He loves the attention he gets from his mate and the bulge between his thighs gets tighter.

A soft cough makes Wayne snap his head in its direction to find Daniel looking at him intently. All in the room got a hint of what was happening to him - it was not that he hid it well.

Except for Ivory - who was sitting on his bed with the blanket tightly wrapped around her chest - averting her gaze from him and trembling with fear.

***

Now - pacing up and down in his study - Wayne's mind was racing. She's frightened by him and shocked. The two healers - after exiting his room - briefed him on her situation.

"She doesn't remember much from last night, so it's best to fill her gaps on this. But be gentle. She's already scared of us, she doesn't need to get more." Lola had said with caution.

"And we need to see her back again. Man, there's a mess in there. She's lucky she hasn't got infected all this time from improper healing." Daniel added.

"How long do you think she was suffering from this?" Wayne questioned.

"Probably years" Daniel commented. "She has A LOT of wounds back there. I don't know what she may have done but it's a sign of prolonged punishments."

The conversation rolls on replay, again and again, on his mind until a soft knock on the door makes him freeze on his feet and his heart beating fast again.