The Omega He Underestimated

‎River POV ‎ ‎"We're here," I announced quietly. ‎Seraphina and I stood a short distance from the small settlement that rested beneath the mountain hills. The wind swept across the slope, carrying the familiar scents of pine, smoke, and wolves. My hair moved with the breeze as I stared down at the cluster of rough wooden houses scattered across the valley floor. ‎ ‎The place looked almost abandoned to outsiders crooked roofs, weather-beaten wood, and thin trails of smoke rising from chimneys but to us rogues, it was the closest thing to a home. ‎ ‎Seraphina stepped closer to me, her eyes scanning the village below with uncertainty. ‎ ‎"That... that's your home?" she asked softly. ‎ ‎Her voice carried both curiosity and disbelief. ‎ ‎"Yeah," I whispered, my gaze still fixed on the settlement. "This is where we stay. ‎ ‎ This is where we built our home." ‎ ‎She exhaled slowly, her shoulders relaxing just a little. ‎ ‎"Come on," I said, gesturing toward the path down the hill. "Let's go." ‎As we began walking toward the village, I glanced sideways at her. ‎ ‎"Just so you know," I added in a low voice, "try not to show your weakness. Wolves here notice everything. If they sense fear, they'll take advantage of it." ‎ ‎Seraphina nodded quickly. ‎ ‎"I understand." ‎ ‎But I could already smell her anxiety in the air. Her scent carried the soft sweetness unique to an Omega rare, vulnerable, and painfully noticeable to every wolf nearby. ‎ ‎The moment we stepped into the outskirts of the settlement, the reaction was immediate. ‎ ‎Heads turned. ‎ ‎Doors creaked open. ‎ ‎Several wolves emerged from their houses, their eyes narrowing the moment they caught her scent. ‎ ‎Low growls vibrated through the air. ‎Seraphina froze beside me. ‎ ‎Their gazes were sharp and predatory. ‎Some stared at her with suspicion. Others with curiosity. A few looked ready to pounce. ‎ ‎Her hand trembled slightly beside mine. ‎Without saying a word, I reached for it and held it firmly, pulling her closer to my side. My grip was gentle but deliberate, a silent signal to the others that She's with me. ‎The growls softened slightly, but the tension remained. ‎ ‎Seraphina leaned closer to me and whispered, her voice barely audible. ‎ ‎"Why are they all staring at me?" ‎ ‎"You're an Omega," I replied quietly. ‎She blinked in surprise. ‎ ‎"It's rare for an Omega to survive alone outside a pack," I continued. "Most of the wolves here are Betas like me." ‎ ‎A few of the wolves around us lifted their chins proudly as we passed. ‎ ‎"But don't mistake that," I added firmly. "Being a Beta doesn't make us weak. Rogues survive because we're strong, stronger than most pack wolves." ‎Seraphina nodded slowly as we walked deeper into the settlement. ‎ ‎Eventually, the crowd began to disperse. Some wolves lost interest and returned to their homes. Others lingered for a moment before moving on. ‎ ‎We finally reached my small wooden house at the far end of the settlement. ‎The structure looked rough and worn. Dust clung to the windows, and the door creaked when I pushed it open. ‎ ‎Seraphina stepped inside and glanced around. ‎ ‎"I don't think you stay here often," she said, eyeing the layer of dust covering the table. ‎ ‎I shrugged casually. ‎ ‎"Yeah... I'm barely around," I admitted. "I spend most of my time in the forest." ‎ ‎"Hunting?" she asked. ‎"And training," I added. ‎ ‎Her brows knitted together. ‎"Training?" ‎ ‎I leaned against the wall. ‎ ‎"We're rogues, Seraphina," I explained. "We don't have pack protection. That means we can be attacked anytime by other rogues, hunters, or nearby packs." ‎Her expression grew more serious as she absorbed the reality of it. ‎ ‎"Let me get you some water," I said, noticing how dry her lips looked. ‎I stepped outside and quickly returned with a metal cup filled with water. ‎ ‎"Here." ‎ ‎She took the cup eagerly and drank the entire thing in one gulp. ‎ ‎I raised an eyebrow. ‎ ‎"You must've been really thirsty." ‎She nodded quickly. ‎ ‎I took the cup back and set it aside before sitting down beside her. ‎ ‎"Welcome to my little space," I said with a small smile. "I hope you'll feel comfortable here." ‎ ‎Seraphina smiled shyly, her fingers ‎ ‎fidgeting together in her lap. ‎ ‎"Any questions you want to ask?" I offered. ‎She shook her head. ‎ ‎"No." ‎ ‎"Good," I said with a faint chuckle. "Because I have questions for you." ‎She straightened slightly. ‎ ‎"Go ahead." ‎ ‎I studied her for a moment, taking in her tired eyes and damp hair clinging to her face. ‎ ‎"Actually," I said, standing up, "I think you should take a shower first. Then we'll talk." ‎She looked relieved. ‎ ‎I gestured down the hallway. ‎ ‎"Come on." ‎ ‎She followed me quietly. ‎ ‎I opened the door to a small room and handed her a clean set of clothes. ‎ ‎"Go shower." ‎ ‎She nodded and stepped inside. ‎ ‎I waited outside the door until I heard the soft sound of water running. ‎ ‎Then, carefully, I slipped back into the room and picked up the clothes she had taken off. ‎ ‎The scent hit me instantly. ‎ ‎My nose wrinkled. ‎ ‎There was another wolf's scent on them....Beta blood. ‎ ‎But there was something else too. ‎Something darker. ‎ ‎The smell of burnt herbs... ash... and strange energy. ‎ ‎My eyes narrowed. ‎ ‎A ritual. ‎ ‎It was faint but unmistakable. ‎ ‎My chest tightened as realization dawned ‎They tried to awaken her wolf,which explained why she had been running. ‎ ‎I dropped the clothes immediately and stepped outside, my mind racing. ‎ ‎After a while, I sat on the wooden steps in front of the house, staring at the ground. ‎Footsteps approached. ‎ ‎"Who is she?" ‎ ‎I looked up to see Daniel standing there, arms crossed. ‎ ‎I raised a brow. "She's a friend." ‎ ‎He scoffed. ‎ ‎"You know we don't need more rogues joining us," he said sharply. "We're hiding here. If we keep bringing in strangers especially weak ones, it could alert the nearby pack that we're on their territory." ‎"I know that," I said calmly. ‎ ‎"But she means no harm." ‎ ‎Daniel's jaw tightened. ‎ ‎"She better not," he growled. "Because if anything goes wrong, I'll tear her apart." ‎With that, he turned and walked away. ‎I sighed. ‎ ‎A few minutes later, I went back inside. ‎The moment I entered, a sharp growl echoed through the room. ‎ ‎Rachel stood there, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her wolf dangerously close to the surface. ‎ ‎She was staring directly at Seraphina. ‎Seraphina stood frozen near the doorway, her body trembling. ‎ ‎Rachel took a step forward. ‎ ‎"Rachel-wait," I said quickly, stepping between them. ‎ ‎Her eyes flashed. ‎ ‎"Why did you bring a weak Omega here?" she demanded. ‎ ‎Seraphina lowered her head instantly, her shoulders shaking. ‎ ‎"She needed help," I said firmly. ‎Rachel scoffed. ‎ ‎"And you chose a weakling? What use is she to us?" ‎ ‎"Enough, Rachel." ‎ ‎The growl that left my throat was low but powerful. ‎ ‎Her wolf instantly recoiled. ‎ ‎Rachel's expression shifted from anger to hurt. Her shoulders dropped as she looked away. ‎ ‎Without another word, she turned and walked out. ‎ ‎The door slammed behind her. ‎ ‎Silence filled the room. ‎ ‎I turned toward Seraphina. ‎ ‎"Are you okay?" ‎ ‎"Yes," she stammered. ‎ ‎She hesitated before asking quietly, ‎"Who... who was she?" ‎ ‎"That was Rachel," I said. "She's an Alpha." ‎ ‎Seraphina's eyes widened. ‎ ‎"No wonder I felt intimidated the moment she walked in." ‎ ‎I nodded. ‎ ‎"Yeah. She can be intimidating." ‎ ‎I looked toward the door Rachel had just left through. ‎ ‎"Which is exactly why you should avoid her," I said seriously. ‎ ‎"With every instinct your wolf has." ‎