**Warning for this chapter** Nothing graphic, but it does involve Rose being threatened.

I know I said every three days for updates, but I finished the last chapter the other days so probably going to be updating more often, though I doubt you all mind haha.

Bold text - Alpha command/voice

Dimitri POV

I tried to not let myself be disappointed that Rose didn't come to join me at the end of the pack run. I wanted to run with her again but couldn't hold it against her wanting to run with her friends. Instead, I ran with Tasha and Ivan on either side of me as Ivan informed me of what he had learnt from Tasha about omegas.

A lot of it was the same things she told Rose, though I was thankful she didn't go into more detail about the forced breeding that was enforced on omegas living in Court. What was also concerning was the news of an academy being attacked by rogues.

It wasn't the first time, especially for the smaller ones. Often they would attack and take food, goods, and money. But this time the rogues also took the two omega students that were living there.

Rage and concern churned in me at the thought of omegas being targeted by rogues, knowing that Rose could be at risk.

Court was highly guarded, most of the Head of the Royal families living within the walls along with the Queen. So, omegas living there were likely safe.

Yet here, there wasn't the same amount of security. We were fortunate to have a lot of wolves trained to fight, though most were still learning. I needed to focus on teaching Rose more so that she could defend herself properly if anything did happen.

We slowed down to a stop at the edge of the forest, I stood and watched as the members of my pack ran past me, keeping my eyes out for my mate.

If a wolf could smile, I would be grinning now at the thought of Roza.

Each new thing I would learn about her past made my heart break. The story she revealed to me of what caused the scars on her wrist made me want to go to the academy and personally burn it down.

I could take a small amount of solace in the fact that she is opening up to me, becoming more comfortable, and hopefully, trusting me more.

Kissing her felt amazing. Being able to hold my mate close was a sense of bliss I never knew I had been missing, and now having experienced it, I was craving it.

There was no denying that Roza had me, heart and soul. I was completely hers. The feeling so intense I have to stop myself from telling her how much I love her every time our eyes met. Only giving in and allowing myself to whisper it to her when she was asleep.

I didn't want to scare her by pushing for something she wasn't ready for. I wanted Rose to want this relationship as much as I did and not just because of choices that were taken away from us.

My eyes scanned through the wolves, becoming more agitated when I didn't see Rose's dark form. She was smaller than most of the pack, so she could have been hidden, but that didn't explain why I couldn't smell her. Her scent was always so intense and enticing. I had a sensitive nose and was able to track others' scents easily, so I knew she wasn't here.

When I saw Lissa and Christian dressing after shifting back, I became concerned. Where was Rose?

I quickly shifted back and dressed, pulling on my duster as I approached Lissa. "Was Rose not running with you?" I asked, making her jump at my sudden approach.

She shook her head, "No, she told us she was going to join you." Her brow furrowed with worry, "Is she not here?"

I grimaced, "No. But I'm sure she's close by." I offered a smile to ease Lissa's concerns. I didn't want her panicking if there was no reason to.

A small voice in my head was telling me she ran away again, trying to figure out what may have happened to upset her that much again. I had hoped that she might come to me but I knew that was still unlikely.

My unease grew, reaching out to her. "Rose? Where are you?"

I let out a sigh of relief when I heard her respond. "I'm walking to the house."

"Why? What happened?" I frown at her irritated tone, and that she was walking back. Why would she not keep with the pack?

"I'll be there soon."

I wasn't going to stand there and wait, taking off into the forest. I could move fast enough in my human form that I didn't bother to change. My nose caught her scent and followed it. Not having to walk far from the house when I saw her walking down the trail slowly. Her shoulders were hunched, arms wrapped around her.

Why had she shifted to her human form? It was too cold to be walking around at night with no clothes. As I got closer, areas I thought were dark because of shadows, I realised was dirt. Her skin was covered in a layer of it, with leaves sticking out from her hair.

"Roza!" I yelled in alarm, quickening my pace to reach her.

My heart clenched that something had happened to her. My wolf was already rising to the surface, a need to protect my mate screaming inside of me. If someone has hurt her, I was going to make them pay.


xXx


Rose POV

Trying to stand was a challenge, my front paw unable to take my weight. As much as I hated it, I would be able to walk easier in human form, letting my body shift back. The night air hitting my bare skin made me shiver.

I tested the movement of my wrist, gasping at the pain. I didn't have to look to know I had scratches all over my body, covered in dirt and leaves. I bit my lip as tears of frustration and pain built. I hadn't done anything to the people here, and yet I was being targeted.

I couldn't hear the others running past now, no one noticed me being pushed down here. That or they did and just didn't care.

Just when I thought I could accept the pack, I am reminded of the outsider that I was. They would never accept me as their Luna if some can't even accept me as just a new member.

The sticks and rocks dug into the skin of my feet as I climbed back up onto the trail, struggling to do so one-handed. The injured wrist cradled against my chest in a way of providing me with modesty and to not jostle it too much.

I didn't let the tears fall, focused on just putting one foot in front of the other as I walked the distance back to the house. My steps would fumble because of my blurred vision, frustration growing with each step. My stupidity of thinking it would only be Jesse to worry about, thinking no one else would be cruel enough to try to hurt me.

I had started to think my worth was more than it actually was. Omegas would never be accepted by everyone.

"Rose? Where are you?"

Dimitri's voice invaded my mind, though his concern was clear in his voice, I was irritated. "I'm walking to the house."

"Why? What happened?"

"I'll be there soon." It was either be pissed at everything and everyone, or I will crumble and start crying on the forest floor. Why couldn't I just be accepted?

I could smell him approaching before I heard him. I pulled my shoulders up, trying desperately to cover myself despite knowing it was useless. "Roza!"

I didn't lift my eyes, humiliation and anger burning my cheeks.

The leaves crunched under his feet as he came closer, I heard the sound of fabric before Dimitri's leather duster was wrapped around me. I gripped the collar with my good hand, tugging it closer to take the warmth that still clung to the material.

"Rose, what happened?" His hand rested under my chin, trying to encourage me to look up at him. I turned out of his grip.

"What always happens," I muttered, clenching my jaw.

His hand moved to my hair, pulling a leaf from it. "Why are you covered in dirt?"

"I fell."

What was the point of telling the truth? I didn't know who it was and it's not like Dimitri will go through questioning everyone. I tried to push past him but his hands moved to my shoulders, holding me still.

"Fell?" He ducked down, finally managing to catch my eyes. They narrowed, flashing in the night. "Someone did this to you, didn't they?"

"Just let it go."

"No," He growled, voice a deep rumble, "Who did this? Tell me!"

I was taken by surprise by the anger I felt coming off him. When alphas were strong enough they could project their emotions, even use their imposing power to make others submit and do what they say. An alpha's command was near impossible for an omega to resist.

"I—I don't know who it was." The words slipped from my mouth, my eyes wide, locked with his.

I could see the moment Dimitri realised what he had done, dropping his hands and backing away from me, a look of regret pulling at his expression. "Rose—I didn't mean to."

I felt myself draw in on myself, disliking how my body had reacted on its own, following his command. He hadn't used it on me since the first day I was here. I doubted that he did it on purpose but it was still a shock.

"I'm sorry," He apologised, stepping towards me but still maintaining a distance. "I just want to know who hurt you. I lost my temper." His guilt showed plainly on his face from letting his anger take over.

Olena told me about the anger his father had, Dimitri must dread being like him every time he raised his voice. He wasn't like other alphas though, he would never purposely use the power he had to control me.

I swallowed around the lump that had formed in my throat. "I… Just don't do it again, okay?"

"I won't. I didn't mean to –"

I reached for him, needing to comfort him, "I know."

He hesitated for a moment before bringing his arms up and around me but pulled back again when I winced. "Please, tell me what happened."

My anger from before had receded, leaving me feeling defeated. "I was coming to join you and someone pushed me off the trail and I fell." His eyes were searching my face, being mindful to keep them from venturing down further. The coat had fallen open when I reached for him, I quickly tried to pull the edges closed. "Not everyone likes omegas."

His jaw clenched. "I won't have anyone be treated like that in my pack. And I won't let anyone treat you like that."

My body shivered at his words, feeling a warmth spread through me. My reaction to his protectiveness threw me off. Dimitri mistook it for me being cold, carefully wrapping an arm around my shoulder, leading me back towards the house.

"Let's get you back inside and warm. I'll deal with this after."

I scoffed. "You can't go yelling at everyone and hoping someone will admit to it, comrade."

"I will if I have to. You are my mate, when someone hurts you I will make sure they regret it. No one will harm my Luna." The rough tones of his voice were so different to the usual warmth I was used to. With all the time I spent getting to know him, I forget that Dimitri is an alpha that many fear.

I've heard the stories, Dimitri was always fair, but when needed he could be brutal. The reputation earned him both respect and fear that made sure no one would want to mess with him or his pack. If the person that pushed me knew I was Dimitri's mate, they never would have done so. To attack the Luna was extremely frowned upon in packs, enough to call for exile or even death.

"They don't know I'm your mate –"

"Doesn't matter."

I wasn't sure why I was trying to defend whoever it was. For so long I had been beaten down by others, wishing that they would experience even a little bit of what I went through, yet now when there was a chance of doing that, I was hesitant.

Stopping on the edge of the forest, the lights of the house showed no one remained outside. I turned to him, "Just don't do anything without telling me first." If something was going to happen, I wanted to be included.

His eyes held mine, no longer full of anger, watching me with a fondness. "Of course, Roza." His lips pressed to my forehead. "Where are your clothes?"

I pointed to the tree I hid them behind, making my way over to them. Yet when I looked, they weren't there.

"Rose?"

I took a deep breath. "They're gone." There was a slight chance that Lissa had taken them for safekeeping but I knew that wasn't true.

A low growl rumbled from Dimitri's chest, his body tense when I faced him again. "Come on, I'll make sure there's no one in the hallway. Get you upstairs and cleaned up." I could feel the waves of anger rolling off him, a stark contrast to how gentle he was as his arm wrapped around me again, moving in soothing circles on my back.


Dimitri closed the bedroom door after us but didn't venture too far into the room. "Is there anything I can get you?"

I shifted nervously. I wanted to get the dirt off me before I changed, but I also needed to do something about my wrist. I wasn't sure if it was broken or not. It wouldn't take too long to heal, but if it was broken I would need to align the bone properly before it healed wrong.

"Can you look at my wrist?" I asked, tentatively moving it to hold out in front of me. His eyes narrowed, crossed the room to touch the bruised and swollen flesh.

"Is this why you shifted and walked back?"

I nodded, wincing as pain shot up my arm from the pressure of his fingers. "I don't think it's broken but I didn't want to walk on it just in case."

After moving my fingers and hand around, Dimitri sighed, "It's not broken, we should wrap it and probably see a doctor."

"I don't like doctors."

"Dr Olendzki is nice and will be able to prescribe you birth control as well." Dimitri cleared his throat, not quite looking me in the eye. It made me smile knowing that subject made him a little nervous as well.

"Yeah. Probably a good idea." I glanced between us, where his hand still held mine. "My next heat is in about two weeks."

"We should discuss it—what you want to do—before it hits."

What I want…

What did I want to do?

I didn't know yet. To have Dimitri help me through it was a big step that I wasn't sure I was ready for. "I don't know. I just… I don't want to be left alone. My first one I spent mostly watching movies with Alberta to keep my mind off the pain. But the rest… I would be locked in a room for a week and was alone the whole time."

I remembered lying curled up on the old mattress just wishing I had someone to comfort me. Someone to hold me through it all. Though when the heat would peak and the haze of want took over I would cry while begging for something to help ease the need my body craved.

"We can talk when it gets closer, figure out what you are comfortable with," Dimitri promised, a sad smile on his face from my words.

I nodded. "I'm going to shower. Afterwards, could you wrap my wrist?"

He stepped back to sit on the bed, "I'll wait here."

Showering was hard, using just one hand made everything more difficult. Once I was clean enough, I climbed out and dried myself, wrapping the large towel around my body before venturing back into the bedroom.

Dimitri was now lounged on the bed, book in hand, eyes flicking to me as the steam escaped from the room. I draped his duster on the end of the bed then crossed to the closet to find new clothes to wear.

My mood was still low from the night's events, feeling especially upset that it was the shirt Dimitri had picked out that was now missing. If I was lucky, they would show up somewhere, though I doubted it. The times my clothes were taken at the academy, they weren't often seen again.

Dressed in a warm pair of sweatpants and a baggy hoodie, I rejoined Dimitri. He already had the first aid kit from the bathroom on the bed.

"Was there anywhere else you were hurt?" He asked as he slowly pushed my sleeve up.

"No. Some scratches and bruises, but they will heal quickly."

He made a noise of approval, focused on wrapping a bandage around my wrist so it was supported. He was quick and careful, making sure it wasn't too tight before securing it.

"It was a brown wolf that knocked me off the trail," I revealed to him. While showering I realised that I shouldn't hide what was happening from him. So I was going to tell him all of it. "And before we started running some blonde woman elbowed me, the people she was with didn't look too happy about me being here either."

His eyes became hard, jaw set. "Has anything else happened?"

"There's a girl that has been saying some stuff. Called me a breeder when I was with Lissa and Viktoria the other day."

"What else? I can tell there is something else." He eyed me, expression kind, a promise of understanding to anything I told him.

Though it wasn't Jesse that pushed me tonight, I knew he had something to do with it. Especially with stealing my clothes considering he was often behind it at the academy. Always watching with a smirk when I would be walked back to my room by a teacher with nothing but a thin blanket to cover me.

"It's –" I closed my mouth when a knock sounded from the door.

Looking conflicted, Dimitri finally called out, "What is it?"

Ivan's voice came from the other side, "You're needed downstairs."

He sighed deeply, giving me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry."

I shook my head, "You're Alpha, I won't hold you doing what you have to against you." I angled my head up as his dipped down to mine, sharing a short kiss with him.

"When I'm done, you can tell me everything else, okay?"

"Sure thing, comrade."


I followed Dimitri and Ivan downstairs, claiming that I wanted to talk to Lissa. Dimitri told me that he informed her and Alberta I fell and it was up to me how much I wanted to reveal. I would probably tell Alberta the truth but didn't want to worry Lissa too much. She would feel bad for not noticing what happened.

Before I went looking for them I decided to stop in the kitchen for something to snack on. Most people had gone home with how late it was now, so the room was empty. My eyes locked on the covered plate of cookies on the kitchen island, making my way to it with quick strides.

I jumped at the sound of giggles, whipping my head to the side, almost dropping the cookie in my hand when I realised what I was looking at.

Standing outside in the shadows cast by the house was Viktoria locking lips with a guy. When they broke apart and the light caught his face, bile rose in my throat.

Jesse.

I don't think I had ever moved so fast, catching Viktoria off-guard that I was able to rip her away from him, putting myself between them.

"Rose! What are you doing?" Viktoria screeched, looking at me in shock and anger.

"What are you doing!" I yelled back. Marching closer so our voices don't carry to the rest of the house. "You can date anyone, anyone, except for him." I hissed.

Viktoria could hate me as much as she wanted, but I won't let her become another one of Jesse's victims.

"You don't tell me who I can date," She argued back, eyes flicking behind me then to my face. "Look, just because he turned you down at the academy doesn't mean you can act like this. You have Dimitri now." She whispered the last part so that Jesse didn't hear but I was staring slack jaw at what she said.

I heard a snicker behind me. Obviously, Jesse liked her throwing his lies at me. I had to get her away from him now. "You need to stay away from him or I will tell Dimitri."

Viktoria's eyes became harsh. "If you do that I will tell him about you and Eddie!"

Again, I was taken aback. "What?"

"I know there is something going on between you two. If you say anything to Dimitri, I swear I will tell him."

I couldn't even keep up with what she was saying anymore. What did she think was going on between Eddie and me?

It seemed that my threat managed to scare her off enough, with one last look at Jesse, Viktoria took off back into the house. I moved to chase after her but a hand gripped my arm and threw me back into the brick wall. The impact made me yelp.

"Rose, are you so jealous that you have to ruin my fun?" He taunted, leaning in close to my face.

"Stay away from her," I warned, voice low and menacing. I pushed him away, managing to almost knock him off balance, but it only made his grin grow more sinister.

The back of his hand dragged down my cheek. "Worried she is going to give it up as easily as you did?"

I lashed out without thinking, my nails scratching down his cheek, leaving three angry red lines on his skin. He looked as surprised as I was, but that quickly morphed into rage. His hand wrapped around my throat, forcing me back against the wall, feeling the rough texture of the brick digging into my back.

"Bitch!" His other hand gripped my injured one, squeezing it painful. "Think you can act like that and get away with it? You're just an omega slut, nothing else. I could do anything I want and no one would stop me."

I tried to claw at his hand on my throat, struggling to get out of his grasp. It was too similar to last time—feeling his breath hit my face, the dark look in his eyes. Everything he said he would do he will. I was gasping for air and it wasn't just because of his hold constricting my air.

Jesse stepped close, angling his body against mine, "You won't tell anyone about this will you omega? Because if you do, I will do to Viktoria everything I did to you and so much more. Then once I'm done with her, I'll come for you."

I squeezed my eyes closed. My body was refusing to move, to do anything as terror took over. Like ice had filled my veins and I was frozen on the spot.

"Do you understand, Rose?"

He squeezed my wrist tighter, feeling the bones rubbing against one another. With tears rolling down my cheeks I nodded, willing to agree to anything so he would stop.

"Good," He whispered before leaning forward and catching my lips with his.

I felt like I was going to throw up, unable to turn away from him. I could do nothing but stand there as fear and sorrow made my heart clench and my stomach turn. But it was the disappointment in myself that settled like a stone in my stomach, once again I let myself get stuck in this position and could do nothing to get out.

His hands released me, stepping away from me. Like the strings had been cut, I crumbled to the ground, curling in on myself as I cried clutching my hand to my chest. With a deep chuckle, Jesse turned on his heel and left me there.

After he was gone, I lifted a shaky hand to my lips. I had tried to distance myself from the feeling of him kissing me, feeling wrong to have someone other than Dimitri kissing me.

Oh god…Dimitri.

Bile rose and I couldn't stop it, barely leaning to the side before my stomach emptied itself on the grass. By the time I finished heaving I was shaking, my stomach aching.

Thankfully, no one was in the hallway as I half ran/half stumbled back up the stairs to my room. Not caring that I had just showered, I turned the taps on as hot as I could make it, stripping and throwing myself under the spray, scrubbing at my skin until it was red. Every spot I felt him touch, even through clothing, I had to clean it until the feeling was gone. My lips were rubbed raw by the time I climbed out.

Even though I knew I didn't, I swear I could still smell Jesse's scent on me. The stench that once used to appeal to me was now acidic and overpowering.

Walking into the closet, I took a shirt from Dimitri's side and pulled it on. The material hung on me, practically swimming it in. The sleeves stopped at my elbows and the hem almost at my knees. It was faint but I could still detect Dimitri's scent, greedily inhaling. Climbing under the blankets I was grateful to find that his scent was still on them from last night.

As I laid there, my mind calmed, no longer running on the fear of Jesse's threat. I didn't doubt his words, and I couldn't trust that if I spoke out against him that I would be believed.

My want to trust Dimitri was overshadowed by my fear of Jesse.

I should have called Dimitri to me when Jesse was pinning me, getting him caught in the act would be the easiest and the hardest for him to lie his way out of. But I was so scared that I froze, my mind couldn't focus on anything other than the terror of what he might do.

As much as I hated it, I would need to wait until that happened again to get him caught.

Jesse was smart and didn't leave any marks on me, even my throat didn't have bruises, and my waist was already too discoloured from my fall to determine what was from him and what wasn't.

I couldn't bring myself to close my eyes, scared of what I would see if I did. Instead, I laid facing the door, waiting for Dimitri to return.


It was a while later when he stepped through the door, first just peeking in, but entered the room when he discovered me awake.

"I wanted to check on you, Lissa said you didn't come to find her so I thought you might be sleeping."

I shifted back a little, throwing the covers down on the opposite side. "I'm not feeling well," I lied, knowing that he wouldn't question it too much.

A look of understanding crossed his face, crossing the room to the bed. Instead of climbing in, as I had hoped, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. "I'll get changed and then we can sleep."

I watched him move about the room, being in his presence, I felt myself finally being able to relax. My eyelids became heavy, near closing when Dimitri turned off the lights and slipped under the blankets.

I reached for him, wrapping my arm around his waist. Feeling him pressed against me was nothing like Jesse. Dimitri was warm and welcoming, sending sparks of pleasure through my body.

This felt right.

His hand trailed down my back and then travelled back up to my hair. If he noticed that it was damp again he didn't mention it. "Before I left, you were about to say something. About if others were causing you trouble."

I was silent for a moment before responding, "No, there's no one else."