The Alpha's Addiction [BXB]

Chapter 8: The Nightshade Pack

Everything is beautiful. I'm in a sunlit forest, far away from Zacan and the evil that he spreads to everything he touches. I look down to see Oliver holding my hand, beaming up at me. I stroke his blonde curls in adoration. I feel so at peace, so happy. I look to my other side, spotting a huge black alpha wolf with ice blue eyes a few feet away.

Unexpectedly, no fear shoots through me. Instead, only warmth. Oliver squeals with glee, running towards the wolf and pressing his forehead against the wolf's furry muzzle. I smile at the scene, my heart full for the first time in forever.

"Koa,"

The scene wavers, flickering out of sight.

"Koa, we are here," Cyrus's deep voice wakes me from my slumber and I jolt, memories of the last 48 hours flooding back all at once. Panic seizes me momentarily before I remember that we are somewhat safe, at least for now. But I still shouldn't have fallen asleep. It was stupid, completely letting my guard down like that.

"How do you know my name?" I blink up at him, taking in the light shadow his dark stubble casts over his strong jaw. I wince, my eyes feeling sensitive to the sun.

"I asked the pup," he looks down at me with that piercing blue gaze of his and I have to look away. That's when I realize I'm still cocooned in his arms, pressed up against all that firm muscle and my face heats in embarrassment.

"L-let me down! Where's Oliver?!" I flail in his arms and he grunts, stopping his pace to put me down on the forest floor.

"He is right ahead. You can relax,"

I look in front of us, spotting him walking between Lonnie and Xavier. I let out a woosh of breath in relief. But then I spot a town visible in the distance—wooden houses, a glistening river running through it, and luscious green fields blowing  in the wind. We really are here.

"Wait, why didn't you wake me up before we were here? We can't just—just go into your pack!"

"You know, a thank you would be nice," Cyrus says in irritation as we continue walking along. His legs are so long I have to basically jog to keep up with his strides.

"Thank you for kidnapping us? Sure, thank you, oh gracious alpha. How can I ever repay you?" I snap back sarcastically.

"I am going to give you food, shelter, and a place to live. That is your idea of kidnapping?"

I pause in my retort, not knowing what to reply. I'd decided earlier that we'd travel with these wolves, but didn't exactly decide what would come next. I guess I figured Oliver and I could slip away once we'd taken some much needed supplies. But what I didn't expect was to fall asleep like that—completely defenseless—and to wake up and already be at Cyrus's pack, somewhere that'll be even harder to escape from.

And also... I can't deny that it looks tempting. It's so beautiful, like my dream was. But I know the consequences of judging a book by its cover. Just because it looks nice doesn't mean it is. I've heard of packs that keep their omegas in cages and who's to say this one isn't like that?

"Your trouble shows on your face, my moon," he stops, turning towards me with his brows creased in what looks like concern. But it could all be a show to make me put my guard down.

"Stop it with the 'my mate' and 'my moon.' I'm neither of those things, so get it through your head that I don't know you. What if you lock me up the second we get there? What if your wolves hurt Oliver?!" Against my will, the panic in my voice rises, the shrillness sending the birds flying away overhead.

"Hurting an omega or pup is an unforgivable crime—"

I shake my head in disbelief, letting out a dry laugh. "You expect me to take your word? I wasn't born yesterday, ass!"

"Maybe if you would stop calling me expletives I could properly explain to you how my pack works!" He raises his voice, growling at me.

I automatically flinch away from him, fear shooting through me at the action. Alpha. Danger. I have to remember that he could hurt me, kill me if he wanted. From what I can tell he's almost 7 foot height-wise, and even being a taller omega I feel frighteningly small in his presence. His hand alone looks big enough to crush my skull.

Immediately, all signs of irritation in his expression melt away into a pained look. "I have frightened you," he says gravely, shame evident in his tone, "Forgive me,"

"I-Im not scared of you," I try to deny, but the shaking of my voice proves otherwise. His full lips are pressed into a line, clearly not convinced.

"Please. Give me the chance to show you that your assumptions are wrong. You will like it here, I promise,"

I hate how badly I want to believe him. And that I'm giving in. But I'm weak, tired—completely exhausted. Oliver is too. So... okay. Fine. We'll see how it is. I'll keep Oliver stuck to me like glue to make sure he's safe as I decide whether this pack can be trusted.

And...maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to give Oliver a life here. Even if it means being stuck with my so-called mate that I refuse to have anything to do with. I'll die before I let another alpha take away my freedom and try to control me. That's always their goal in the end.

"Okay."

The hopeful look that spreads across his face almost makes me feel bad for my plan to avoid him at all costs while we're here. Almost.

*

Walking through the town of Cyrus' pack is mind-boggling. Omegas are roaming about without alpha staring them down to make sure they won't run away or shackles chained to their ankles. There's even some happily holding hands with alphas. Smiling. Laughing.

I don't believe it. Is this some kind of cruel trick? How can they feel safe enough around alphas to be happy?

"The omegas... they're allowed outside?" I ask up at Cyrus. I've noticed that he has greatly slowed his steps in order to walk at the same pace as me.

"Of course. Were you not in your pack?" He asks, a frown creasing his brow.

You. I hate how he lables me as that, as one of the omegas. I still cannot shake the shame from being associated with the title, although he says it with no malice. But he could just be hiding it, as it's clear he wants me to accept him as his mate.

"Not without an alpha to supervise," I reply, refusing to look at him. I didn't bother to mention that that often included wearing a collar with their alphas name on it. Mated omegas were forbidden from going out without one because their alpha would fear them being defiled and spoiled, since there were no rules against it.

But what prevented some alphas from raping was not that the omegas refused, but that there would be consequences from their alpha. Not that it prevented it fully, as alphas usually took what they wanted without regard for consequences. They weren't blamed for their wrongdoings. Too often I have seen omegas thrown out by their "mate", deemed impure and blamed for the assault they were the victim of.

That would be too humiliating to admit to him. Because I have been the victim blamed far too many times. I've been called dirty and a whore by other omegas, even. Having Oliver with me 24/7 certainly didn't help my case. No one likes a teen mother.

No alpha wants damaged goods. Including Cyrus, I'm sure.

"It pains me to think about what you and your boy have been through," Cyrus' voice interrupts my dark spiral of thoughts.

His tone is so serious. I wish I could believe he truly cared.