Omega Bound Chapter 152

Ayla

Raven's speed she put behind that cap would be unbelievable if I wasn't gifted myself. I would never have thought that I would see something like that.

"Cyrus said that? That I should be your bodyguard?" Raven asks in disbelief.

"Yes. He said your speed and strength were incredible and that you are really good at examining your surroundings. He had a lot to say. He kept going on and on about how well you did in training." I say honestly and put in some exaggeration in my tone.

"I don't know if I even got one hit on him. Why would he say that?" Raven takes a drink from one of the several she has opened around her.

"You must have made quite the impression. Thane said that he would trust anything Cyrus said when it came to my safety."

"He could have just said that because he is my mate. Probably didn't want to admit that I wasn't any good." Raven offers up an excuse, but it confuses me that she wouldn't think she was good enough for the job.

"Do you really think that Thane wouldn't be very sure and very thorough when it came to his pup’s safety?" I ask, hoping she starts to understand how crazy her excuses sound.

"No, I don't suppose he would. What's his deal anyway?" Raven asks, confusing me.

"Who's deal? Thane's?" I ask.

"Yes, one minute he registers as an alpha, the next he's pissed, and his alpha aura is off the charts. Raven finishes her drink and gets another from the fridge.

I turn my head away to give Cyrus a heads-up via the mind-link without her noticing. "I am going to be honest with you on a lot of things right now, but I am doing it because I trust you and I want you to know that I don't want to keep secrets from you, but if you tell any shifter at all anywhere what I tell you about ourselves, there will be consequences. It will greatly jeopardize the safety of our pup, and we are not ready to cross that bridge yet." I explain and I see her furrow her brows in confusion.

"Okay. I won't say anything. Even if I leave, I won't. I have seen the evils in our world. I don't want to put your family in danger." Raven agrees and I take a deep breath, and I spill everything. My family, what happened to me in detail, meeting Thane, his role as the alpha of alpha's etc. I leave nothing out. I even talk her mate up as much as I can. She listens quietly, her eyes never wavering.

"That's a lot." She says quietly after a few moments of silence.

"I know." I agree with her.

"That's a lot for you to overcome. You did it in such a short time. That's pretty brave of you." Raven whispers to me and looks down on the floor.

"I have a lot to deal with. A lot of pain and memories I keep buried. Thane has his own trauma that he does the same with. I think we are both there to help each other deal with our trauma. You have trauma and Cyrus does as well. I think you two could help each other as well." I mention, hoping she isn't sick of hearing his name, but I should probably back off a bit. I just really, really want them to work out.

"What is his trauma?" Raven asks.

"It's not my story to tell, but I bet he will tell his mate. I haven't heard from him. Just bits and pieces from Thane, but don't think Cyrus hasn't been through something. He has. Thane says he has a bad fear of rejection and loss. Something you two could talk about when you are ready.

I see Raven processing my words. She is kicking at invisible somethings on the floor. She lifts her head and finishes her beer.

"His name was Trevor. The love of my life since I could remember. I looked up to him. He excelled at everything, was always willing to try anything in training. His family loved me. I, as the betas daughter, was around them all the time growing up. They were like my family. Trevor and I were inseparable growing up. When I turned 14 and shifted for the first time, I presented as an alpha. It was unheard of. A big deal was made about it and I was forced to train as a guard and then military patrol. Trevor was fine with it at first. We continued our relationship eventually being each other's first in every way. As I got older Trevor would make comments about my athletic body not being feminine or that I was too dark in the things that I found interesting or did during battle. Anyway, the fated mate bond flared late. Just recently actually. We couldn't find a reason why. He was adamant that he wouldn't have someone like me as a mate. I was good for a hole, but not good for him apparently. Trevor rejected me in front of the entire pack. The pain.....The pain was unreal. It hurt so badly. I thought I was dying...."

Raven trails off as she wipes a tear away from her cheek.

"I was sold or thrown away like I never mattered. Because I am an Alpha, they experimented on me. DNA altering. They were trying to create weapons. I don't know why, but they kept talking about amplifying my skills with a gifting or making a gifting in some way. I don't know if there is more like you somewhere or they learned how to alter our DNA but after an experiment which I almost died from, I came to fast.....very fast actually. I don't remember much from that procedure."

Experimented on like a rat. Could there be more shifters that are fates gifted like myself? Are they creating powers somehow?" The whole Idea makes me sick to my stomach.

"I have all of that to deal with and work through on top of the assaults they tried.….then…bam....I'm smacked in the face with a new fated mate bond. I mean....Cyrus is....he's probably perfect. I feel the bond constantly. I can barely ignore it now. I just have all these feelings swirling around. I feel like I am cheating on Trevor, which is stupid because he didn't choose me. I feel garbage because the pack threw me away. I feel sickened that the Alpha I grew up under and with had connections to the ring...Trevor could have known...probably knows about it too. My life is a mess right now and I feel like I can't breathe." Raven whispers as her hand sits over her chest, eyes full of her swirling emotions.

She lifts her head up and walks toward me. "Come on, lets find something to do."