Page 35 of The Alpha's Reclaimed Mate

Then a hush fell over the crowd. My eyes skipped over everyone, looking for an opening through which I could retreat, and when I saw people begin to step aside, I lunged—only to stop in my tracks. They were stepping aside to let somebody else through.

Late sunset reds washed over her ethereal silver hair, glistening in an updo atop her head, held in place by tight braids and coils. Her flowing lavender dress gave off the air of a goddess while her long lashes framed a gentle gaze cast upon me. Mara had appeared from nowhere, materializing right at the moment she sensed the pack needed her calming presence the most. When she could take advantage of the chaos for her own gain.

“Aria,” she uttered sadly. “What’s going on? Why is the pack in such disarray?”

I wanted to fling all my anger at Mara but swallowed it back even though she was the reason everything was taken from me in the first place. “Why didn’t Oswald warn everyone about the Rogues?” I asked instead.

Her eyes widened in fear. “The Rogues…! I’m so sorry. You’re right, Aria.”

I was… right?

Mara turned to look at the rest of the gathering. “Oswald and I were hesitant to bring up the Rogues… We didn’t want to frighten anyone. But look what they’ve done to poor Aria!” She gestured at me, using my wounds to bolster her caring, sympathetic image. “We were planning a meeting to warn the pack without causing any panic, but it seems we’re too late. Aria… I understand why you’re acting out now. Oswald and I have failed you. Please, accept my apology and allow me to make it up to you.”

I narrowed my eyes in immediate suspicion. She had never extended such compassion to me before. But surrounded by our packmates, I supposed she had to go the extra mile to convince them thatshewas the tender, caring heroine out of the two of us.

“We will make an official announcement tomorrow morning, and to unify our pack, I’d like to invite you and everyone else to participate in a pack run just beyond the villa. It will be a day of training—a bonding experience to prepare us for the threat of the rogues. Aria, you’ve faced off against the Rogues before. Would you be willing to share your experience with us?”

There was no way she meant this in earnest when earlier, she had made me out to be the villain. Now she wanted to turn the opinions of the pack around, asking them to believe me, to trust me?

Then again… I was the only one of them who had faced the Rogues, except for Oswald and Mara themselves. I was the only one who could prepare my packmates for the dangers lying beyond our territory. Maybe this could be my chance to redeem myself. I didn’t trust Mara worth a damn, but this wasn’t about gaining Mara’s trust. It was about proving myself to my pack.

I looked between everyone and slowly nodded. “Okay. I’ll prepare us for the Rogues.”

Mara clasped her hands together and smiled. “Thank you, Aria.”

But when I met her gaze, I recognized the deceitful glimmer in her eyes. I knew there was something brewing underneath that heavenly façade of hers. The fate of my pack lay in them being prepared to take on the Rogues, and she knew that.

Mara counted on me having no choice but to help them.

Chapter 15: Aria

Lying in my burrow, I felt a dull ache in my chest as I thought of Lucas and his pack. I could feel their warmth, even from miles away, and I wanted more than anything to join them, but my pride held me back. I imagined what it would be like to be a part of their celebration; the joy on their faces, the reverberation of their many paws pounding the ground as they ran under the meteor shower and sang. Throughout the night, I tossed and turned, unable to find solace in any position. I thought of Lucas’ sympathetic touch and caring smile. Even though his offer to stay still lingered in my mind, I couldn’t accept it. It was time to prove myself to my pack. In the darkness of my burrow, I prayed that it would be enough.

Anticipation of the day ahead weighed on me, making sleep impossible. When I finally woke up, my body felt exhausted and heavy, as if from a physical workout.

In the morning, I walked out to the field beyond the villa, where most of my pack was already gathered. Everyone was in their wolf forms: Emma in robes of brown and black, Cassie in pale tan and amber ticks, and even Lacey had come to join the run in her coat of distinguished agouti marks. My parents, in their varying shades of timber. I saw Jonathan in a light cream coat of fur and Mrs. Foster in her warm summer hues. Mr. Ross stood tall and proud in a mix of silver and dark grey. Everyone rallied around the two leaders of our pack, Oswald in his wood brown pelt and Mara in a pale silvery-white, looking like the moon had crafted her of its own glistening light. My stomach curled with envy, but it was short-lived as I shifted my thoughts back to Lucas. Mara may have been beautiful, but Lucas believed I was stunning, and that mattered far more than the small unpleasant flickers I felt around her.

I kept to myself as the pack prepared for the run, loping along the outer edge of the group, watching everyone play and frolic. As far as I knew, the plan was that we would run for a short while, then regain our energy, then we would begin training. After that, I suspected there would be a hunt. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits enough that my presence didn’t affect them. They saw me—I caught their glimpses, so I knew they were aware of me—but they didn’t seem to mind that I was there. Instead of feeling like I was Public Enemy Number One, I felt invisible—a marginal improvement, but an improvement nonetheless.

When the pack was finally ready to move, I found my place among the other Omegas near the back of the group. There weren’t many; most lacked the motivation to socialize with the pack like this. But even the other Omegas kept their distance from me. I saw their side glances and heard them snickering under their breath about me. It was easier to ignore them, knowing I had other, bigger concerns.

The silence was split by a howl from Oswald. We all turned our eyes and ears to the Alpha, listening.

“Thank you, everyone, for gathering here with us today,”he announced, his tail waving high above his back.“Let’s use this day to strengthen our bonds as a pack and embrace one another’s strengths. It will become crucial in the coming days as we prepare to protect and defend one another.”

Even though he spoke loud and confidently, my heart soured with acidity, knowing that Oswald only led this run because Mara had come up with the idea. Just yesterday, I had told Lucas that Oswald never got the pack together like this. Now I felt like a fool like I’d lied straight to Lucas’ face. Still, part of me wanted to see the best in Oswald and my pack. Maybe it would be a good thing to be proven wrong. It could be the start of a better life in the Grey Creek Pack if Oswald were going to be more attentive.

I clung to that thought as the pack broke into a run, racing forward after Oswald and Mara. I let hope fuel me, driving me forward with the pure enjoyment of running alongside my packmates. Feeling the wind in my fur and the grass under my paws, I could almost forget all the terrible things I’d endured. I could feel like I was one with my packmates.

Up ahead, I caught sight of Jonathan. He wasn’t running with anyone else. I didn’t know him that well, but from what little I did know, he didn’t seem to have many friends of his own, and my heart panged for him. I sped up until I was jogging just behind him and nipped at his flank.

He saw me and veered sideways. At first, I thought he was just surprised, his wide eyes suggesting that he hadn’t expected me to appear. But then he looked around and pushed ahead of me. I sped up to keep pace with him, only for Jonathan to bare his teeth in warning.

My heart sank. I should have expected he wouldn’t want to run with me. It probably got him in trouble when Oswald found out I’d been working in the archives, so I didn’t blame him for begrudging that. With a sigh, I let him speed away from me, catching the final glance he threw my way to make sure I wasn’t following.

The optimist in me wanted to believe someone else would let me run with them. When I saw Mrs. Foster, I galloped toward her with a yip of greeting and a friendly tail wag. To my amazement, she smiled at me, bounding around me with a youthful energy that didn’t match her age. My spirits were lifted once more. I knew I could always depend on Mrs. Foster to give me a chance. I ran after her, batting at her paws and tail in play.

That didn’t last long, either. Mrs. Foster’s family was on the run, too—her son and daughter came crashing up behind us, shouldering me roughly out of the way. They snarled at me, threatening to stay away from Mrs. Foster. Once more, my mood was wounded, my ears wilting atop my head as I slowed down. Mrs. Foster looked sympathetically at me, but my plight was quickly forgotten as she continued running.

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