The Alpha's Desired Property{BL}

Rowan

The next day, I woke early, not by my own will but by the feeling of someone tugging at my chains.

I slept on the floor last night after Soren was done with me. I didn't say thank you last night because he was the sole reason the whole thing happened.

"What?" I snapped at the guard.

"Get dressed, It's time to move." He ordered before leaving but not before gesturing to the bed.

I groaned inwardly but I showered and threw on the clothing left out for me, dark button-up and tailored pants. They were expensive, and the finest thing I have ever worn. I looked good even with the collar locked firmly around my neck. 

I looked up when Soren entered, his gaze sweeping over me with what I might have thought was approval if I didn't know better. He unclasped the chain that usually hung down from my collar but left the collar itself. Just one more reminder that I belonged to him, at least in his eyes.

"We're going to an all-Alphas meeting," he said, "It's an exclusive club, and I don't want you bringing any unnecessary attention to yourself. Don't stray far from me, and don't talk to anyone. Understood?"

I nodded, not because I agreed but because I didn't want to start an argument. "Understood."

"Good," he muttered, turning and motioning for me to follow.

The car ride was silent as I sat beside him like an obedient looking puppy.

When we arrived, I could feel the other Alphas aura as soon as we walked in. The air was thick with power and pregnant with tension. It was rare for Alphas to gather unless it was important. My father told me that much. Soren led me in, nodding to a few people but saying little. It was clear this was his arena, he walked like he owned the place, even among others of his kind.

"Stay with the guards," Soren ordered, gesturing to the corner where a few burly men stood, faces blank but their eyes were sharp as they surveyed the area. I moved to stand near them, feeling like an accessory, an ornament he'd left behind.

It wasn't long before someone approached me. He leaned against the wall, crossing his arms and giving me a critical once-over.

"I am Rudolf," he introduced himself once he was done.

"You already know my name,"

He nodded.

"Sticking with Soren isn't going to end well for you," he said, his tone soft enough that no one else would hear. "I can help you get your freedom back."

I raised an eyebrow, fighting back the urge to scoff. "And why would you do that?"

He smiled, "How were you able to detect his pheromones?"

"The question is how you don't," I shot back.

He shook his head like he had more to say but he settled with, "Soren has an Alpha mate. He's possessive, controlling. You'll be in chains forever if you stay close to him. Things could get messy if you remain here,"

The urge to laugh finally won, and I shook my head. "It doesn't concern me. I don't want to be here. If I could leave, I would, but I can't, so maybe you should mind your own business."

Rudolf looked at me like I was some sad little thing, a bird in a cage who didn't know what it was missing. But I turned away, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. I was done with this conversation.

 I shifted my gaze around the room and I froze. My eyes landed on a man across the room, a familiar face that made my heart slam against my chest. A ghost from the past.

My feet moved before my mind could catch up, drawn to him as if some unseen force had wrapped itself around me. By the time I reached him, I could see the surprise in his face, a mirror of my own shock.

"Rowan," he murmured, his voice as familiar as it was haunting.

I swallowed, unsure of what I was supposed to feel. "I didn't expect to see you here."

He glanced down at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. "I almost didn't recognize you. You've changed… but you're still… well, you're still you."

I felt my defenses waiver as he reached out, his hand brushing my shoulder in a light, reassuring touch. The simplicity of it should have made me feel nothing, but it brought a flood of memories I had tried to bury.

 Unknown to me, Soren's meeting was already over, and he was watching us, his gaze burning holes into the back of my head. I would have noticed if I wasn't so wrapped up in the past.

"I wanted to talk to you," the man said softly. "Can we… step outside?"

Part of me knew this was dangerous territory, but I followed him. Once we were alone outside, he turned to face me, his expression shifting from nostalgia to something more somber.

"I owe you an apology, Rowan," he started, and I blinked, not expecting that. "For what happened all those years ago… I should have done more to protect you. I let myself get cornered, and it was… unforgivable."

I stayed silent, the memory washing over me in brutal clarity. The pain, the betrayal, the shame I'd fought so hard to suppress. It was like it all rushed back in with his words.

"What?" I asked.

I didn't expect us to have a confrontation right now but I was angry just thinking about it.

"I am trying to make things right," he said.

"I don't think you understand," my voice low, "It wasn't just about that one day, that one moment. You were supposed to be someone I could trust. You were my teacher and when they injected you with pheromones, locked us up, and you—" My voice broke, and I forced myself to steady it. "You chose to give up, to… surrender to it all."

His gaze dropped, his shoulders sagging as he absorbed my words. "You're right. I did give up. I should have resisted. I should have fought harder, not just for you but for myself. But back then… I was afraid, I was so scared that I would die. I took the coward's way out, and you were the one who paid the price."

I shook my head, "Do you know how many nights I spent hating you? How many times I wished I'd never met you? You made me hate a part of myself. You made me hate every Omega because of your weakness."

His expression twisted with regret. "I can't change what happened, Rowan. But I'm here now, and if there's anything I can do to make it right…"

"Make it right?" I let out a bitter laugh, the sound harsh in the quiet garden. "Nothing will make it right. I've spent years carrying this weight because of you. I had to become someone stronger, harder… just to survive. I was a little kid,"

He swallowed, the apology in his eyes deepening, but I couldn't find it in myself to accept it. My fists clenched at my sides, the urge to hit something more stronger now that I was faced with all these emotions.

"Look, I just… wanted to say I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even if it doesn't mean anything to you now, I needed you to know."

I looked away, clenching my jaw. Somewhere inside me, I knew he was sincere, that he meant every word, but that didn't erase the years of pain or the scars left behind. Forgiveness wasn't something I could give, not now, not with everything I had endured.

Before I could respond, a shadow fell over us. I looked up to see Soren standing a few feet away, arms crossed, his expression dark and unreadable. I schooled my expression to be blank.

"Is there a problem here?" he asked, his tone like ice.

I straightened, my heart racing. "No. We were just… talking."

Soren's gaze flicked to the man beside me, a silent warning passing between them. "I think your conversation is over," he said, his voice as sharp as a blade. He took my arm, steering me away without another word.

As we walked back toward the meeting hall, Soren's grip tightened. "I told you to stay with the guards," he hissed. "Do you have any idea what you could've done?"

I fought the urge to pull my arm away, my anger bubbling beneath the surface. "I took a walk, do I need permission for that?"

He stopped abruptly, his eyes darkening as he turned to me, "yes, do I need to spell it out for you? You belong to me now so that means, you need my permission for everything,"

"You don't own me,"

He chuckled dryly, "that collar on your neck says otherwise, now get into the car,"

I opened my mouth to argue but I met Rudolf's eyes who shook his head slightly at me. I clamped my lips shut and entered the car.