rees, carrying with it the scent of pine and earth, but it was Dorian's scent that overwhelmed her senses. It was a mixture of cedarwood, wild musk

tions, but none seemed to form properly in her mind. The events of the last hour were still too fresh, too overwhelming. She had b

pha before, only heard stories from the other wolves in the pack. They spoke of strength, of the unbreakable bond between an Alpha and his pack, of the respect

rol over her-something she had long feared. The moment Dorian had stepped forward, that feeling had dissipated, replaced by a calm

ng Nova from her thoughts. His voice was warm, the cadence of it bo

, intense and steady, yet there was something gentle beneath the surface. It was a stark contrast to the Alpha she

," she replied, her voice

erstanding smile. "That's alright. You don't have to have all

e occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. Nova wasn't sure how long they had been walking, but the world around her felt as th

to stop beside him. His expression grew seriou

rmured, his tone shifti

p closer to him. She could feel the presence, but it wa

nd in that moment, Nova realized just how much power he held. It wasn't just in his position a

Nova immediately recognized it as one of the elders from her

s words carrying an authority that made Nova shiver.

t flinch at Dorian's challenge. Instead, he stood tall, his hands folde

r said, his voice clipped and hars

et alone confront Dorian. But there was something else in his words that ma

. "She doesn't belong

take her? An Omega with no lineage, no power-what could she

urge of defiance rise within her. S

to you," she said, her voice ste

ft passed through his eyes. "You don't have to prove

can keep her. She's an Omega. She's nothing m

ound that made the elder take a cautious step back. S

an said, his voice low and commanding. "And she's

to being challenged, not by someone like Dorian. But after a long moment, he sneered

ly, his posture relaxing. "I'm sorry you had

mething new. Confidence. She wasn't just a helpless Omega. She was strong, an

," she replied, her voice st

ble. "Good. Because you have a lot of strength inside you, Nova.