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Chapter 7

Alaya wanted to say the words out loud but she was too afraid to. It sounded crazy in her head let alone when others could hear it. She didn't even know this wolf, he could be a murderer, intent on killing them all. She didn't even know where he had come from and what he was doing in her community in the dead of night. All of those facts she was acutely aware of but it was as if her wolf didn't care. She only cared about being near to him. Alaya hoped his wolf felt the same otherwise this could end up being very, very painful.

"She is safe with me," his voice drifted to her ears and made her feel warm just from the sound of it. She knew he meant it in that moment and she relaxed a little, the barrage of silent questions stopping for now at least.

"I will determine what you are. Alaya silence your wolf and come to me," her father continued and Alaya felt the pull that followed. But anger made her refuse to obey, shaking out of the invisible binds that threatened to force her with ease.

"No!" she shouted back, holding tight to Noah in case her father decided a physical approach might wield better results.

"Alaya now is not the time to defy me. I don't want to force you," he urged and she saw the sadness in his eyes at merely the thought but it wasn't enough to make her let go of Noah's hand.

"I said no father. Please I can't take my wolf at the moment. She won't let me think without being near to him."

Alaya kept her voice firm whilst trying to reason with him. She was acutely aware that he could easily make her follow his command but he had never done so before. Ever. Not once in her entire life had he felt the need to use the power he wielded inside of him upon her. He had always asked or reasoned. That was what made their relationship as father and daughter so special. Especially now.

"Alaya. Come!"

The command resonated around her, invisible chains wrapping around her entirety, trying to pull her towards him and away from her mate. As her footsteps started to follow she watched as her father's expression softened, relief in his eyes. But the further apart she became from Noah, the more her wolf resisted. Pushing and tearing at the cage that held them separate. Suddenly Alaya felt as something inside of her shifted and something strange happened.

All at once it was as if Alaya and her wolf became one without the need to physically phase. She felt her senses sharpen and her hearing get kicked up a notch. Her wolf wasn't in the cage in her mind anymore, instead it was as if she had flooded her entirety, like a river joining the ocean after the dam breaks. No longer did one of them end for another to begin like when she phased. They were one person, neither being shut in a cage any longer.

"Alaya."

She heard as her father insisted once more but the invisible chains that had pulled at her before were of no consequence now. They could not hold her, could not force her any longer. She stayed steadfast, shaking his shackles to the ground and looking her father and her Alpha straight in the eye. It wasn't a struggle, there was no weight on her to obey when she broke away from his gaze and strode towards Noah, her mate.

"Alaya? How?" Fen asked breathlessly as he witnessed something he had never ever seen before. A wolf defying its Alpha. An Omega wolf. Which was impossible. This wasn't how these things worked.

"Luna," Noah smiled as she approached him and once her hand found his again her wolf instantly calmed and retreated back to the cage in her mind, as if on a bungee cord. The loss, even though she was still a part of her, made her knees give out and she crumbled. His arms caught her as she collapsed, lifting her up with ease as she tried to stop the pain in her chest. Alaya felt weaker now that her wolf wasn't filling her, instead now merely in her mind like she had always been. She felt distant though, as if the veil between them was now made of thick glass.

"What just happened?" She breathed out, panicked, looking at Noah for answers she knew he had. She didn't know how she knew but she did. He smiled sadly at her as he helped her right herself, shaking his head softly.

"Not now. For now we have bigger issues to contend with," he replied quietly, looking over towards where her father and Fen stood.

Alaya righted herself fully as she turned into him. She was confused, disoriented and fearful of what had just happened. She was meant to be an Omega and the strongest of Alphas haven't yet been able to refuse her father. That didn't change the fact that she had just done it.

"Father," she said softly as she took a deep breath, stepping out of Noah's hold and towards the pair, her voice small, weak and filled with fear. She didn't know what was happening to her.

"Malyutka," was all he said as he opened his arms to her. Her steps were unsteady as she walked towards him but she managed, collapsing into his embrace as the sobs started. Her wolf felt different now, muffled as she buried herself into her father's chest. She didn't feel the strength of her like before which both reassured and worried her.

"Its ok little one. It's ok, let's get you home," he whispered as he held her. Alaya couldn't help but stiffen at his words and she felt as her father softly stroked her back in an attempt to calm her.

"Our home, not anywhere else. I will not leave you alone tonight," he continued, feeling her ease under his reassurance. As they made a move away from where they had all stood, Alaya felt as someone moved behind them. She turned out of her father's embrace and saw Fen stood, blocking the way of Noah and the girl she had yet to learn the name of.

"You are not to follow. Intruders are detained in the cells at the corner of the compound," he growled and Alaya winced at the thought of being that far away from Noah, scared about what that would mean for her wolf.

"Please father. I dont understand what is happening to me but I know it's going to be worse if he isn't close by," she pleaded, hoping he would hear how desperate she was.

"Alaya," he replied, his voice full of frustration. He shook his head before continuing and Alaya’s heart constricted in her chest, her wolf perking up as she clearly felt the unease coursing through her.

"You know I can't allow strange wolves to roam the compound alone. At night. Imagine if something happened to one of the pups in the compound, if something happened to you," he reasoned and Alaya understood but her wolf did not. She felt as her wolf seemed to push once more at the confines that kept them separate. Alaya winced in her father's hold, the mental strain starting to physically hurt her. She couldn't be away from him, that much she knew. It just hurt. It hurt everywhere at the mere thought, let alone if she had to actually leave his side. What on earth was happening to her wolf? What was happening to them both?

"Alaya? Are you ok?" Her father asked, tilting her chin up to make her meet his gaze. Her wolf whined in her mind, pulling her attention internally again and she shook her head to try and clear it.

"Alaya?" Her father pushed and she shrugged out of his hold, her hands over her ears as her wolf called out again, a howl that seemed to echo so loud that Alaya was convinced everyone would hear it.

"Just stop will you, stop so I can think," she yelled, stumbling away from her father, Fen and the newcomers. The further away she moved the more incessant her wolf became. Clawing and howling like the wild animal she was. Demanding attention, demanding to be let out. Alaya crumbled under the weight of it all. Her skin felt tight across her body, as if her wolf was now attempting to physically break free from her.

"Luna? You need to breathe," Noah's words were like an anchor, pulling her back from the brink of war. Her wolf calmed upon hearing it, enough that Alaya's breathing slowed and she could open her eyes. She focused on his gaze, his moons seemingly mirroring hers perfectly. She took a deep breath in and out, relief seeping in when her wolf seemed to have stopped her internal attack for control.

"Better?" Noah asked and Alaya nodded weakly at him, hesitant smile on her face. She rose from the ground where she had collapsed, her eyes never breaking from his, too concerned with what might happen if she did. Noah took a step towards her but was suddenly obscured from her view as Fen stepped between them.

"Don't you dare," he growled. Alaya did not have to see his face to know his eyes would be glistening like emeralds, anger clear in his words. Alaya went to touch Fen’s back, to reassure him that it would be ok but her wolf awoke once more, shattering her moment of internal silence. Her hands flew to her temples in a bid to steel herself against the onslaught that was to come.

"Alaya?" her father called out as he watched her once again struggle and fall to the floor.

"Fen, let him through," he commanded and within seconds Noah was at her side.

"Luna, you have to stop fighting what's inside you. You cannot be at war with a part of yourself unless you wish to break."

Alaya tried to gain control of the whirlwind of emotions that seemed to be ravaging her chest. Noah's words helped calm it slightly and what he had said made sense. But she was scared to accept what she was. An Omega was weak, even though her wolf certainly didn't feel that way tonight. Noah had no idea what he was asking her to accept. Would he accept her once he knew? Knew that his true mate was something so broken already?

The feel of his hand on her arm pulled her outwards, she leaned into his touch forgetting that they were still surrounded by her father and Fen.

"Alaya? Alaya are you alright?"

Her father's voice turned her attention elsewhere and she moved upright, embarrassment adding to the list of emotions that were swirling inside her. She looked up at him, wanting to give her father reassurance but not feeling strong enough. She shook her head, her eyes showing how scared she was. Alaya felt so unsteady, her wolf was no longer under her control and apparently she was mated. It was all too much right now.

"I'm just, I'm tired. My wolf isn’t herself. The only thing that quiets her is him. I don't know why but it hurts," she replied, her voice small and shaken. Her father seemed at war with himself, much like she was as he stood before her.

"I feel we all need rest. I will permit one night but only one, in your house Alaya. To sleep and that is all. Fen will accompany you, that part is non negotiable and I will meet you all tomorrow morning after you have all slept. No one leaves that house," Clement instructed and instantly Alaya felt like she could breathe a little easier. The plan calmed her wolf, peace winning for now.

"Anything happens to my daughter and there will be nowhere you can run where I won't find you and rip your throat out," Clement promised, eyes fixated on Noah. Noah simply nodded slowly, no hint of defence or anger towards him. He gripped Alaya’s arm and helped her rise, her steps a little weak and unsteady. The girl who had come with Noah, appeared on her other side, balancing her out.

"Go home. Fen will follow on once I have discussed some things with him. But Alaya, we also have matters to discuss and questions that will need to be answered," her father continued, eyes glowing amber as he spoke, showing all those a hint of the power he held. She felt the danger in his tone. He wasn't happy about this in the slightest but that was an issue for another day.

Her father stepped towards her and kissed her lightly on her forehead.

"Be safe. I love you," he whispered, hand lingering on her cheek just a moment longer than normal. His face looked as tired as she felt, lines of worry deeply engrained in his forehead.

"Love you too," she whispered before turning away from him and into the night.

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