Dustin stood up. “You know what’s going to happen to you if youdon’t.”
I stared back, testing his gaze. It seemed he was going to tell me nomatterwhat.
“They’re going to banish you,” Dustin said. “On the night of the full moon, on the blackest night, you’ll be kicked out from the safety of thewalls.”
I slowly crossed my arms, not breaking eyecontact.
“It’s dangerous out there. Even for a wolf shifter.Especiallyfor a wolf shifter,” Dustin growled. “Raiders are always out there, waiting, you know that, right? They’re always waiting for some unknowing wolf to stray out of the walls. Haven’t you ever heardofLoni?”
I nearly rolled my eyes.Had I ever heard of Loni.I practically couldn’t go a single day without hearing about him, especially from well-meaning alphas who were eager to take me asamate.
Dustin continued without my reply. “There’s a reason for all the elders’ rules, and he’s the reason for this one. He was a lazy, arrogant omega with no regard for the pack or his own safety. All he wanted was a simple life lived by his ownhedonism.”
Otis had shut his eyes, as if hearing the story was painfulforhim.
“So come breeding season, he chose not to mate. None of the alphas were good enough for him,” Dustin continued, narrowing his eyes at me. “He said he was sick and tired of this cramped, walled-in life where he saw the same faces every day. Tough luck,” Dustin added, his owncomment.
“Well, one night he figured he’d had enough. When his heat came and none of the alphas interested him, he decided to look elsewhere. He thought he would be safe - that he was stronger, faster, and smarter than anyone else who had ever left the walls. That was his fatal mistake. He unlocked the main wall door and waltzed right through the boundary, acting like he owned the outsideworld.”
Otis let out a small whimper, anticipating whatcamenext.
Dustin still stared me in the eyes. “The raiders were on him in a second. The guards at the top of the walls were the only ones who saw what really happened, and they were all too sick and traumatized to talk about it. All everyone else heard were his screams. Blood-curdling, bone-chilling screams. He was killed, orworse.”
Dustin shook his head. “That’s why we need to mate before the end of the breeding season. It’s natural for omegas to seek outside blood for breeding. But we don’t have that luxury here. Because Loni waited too long to mate, his body made the choice for him. To leave. And he paid for it withhislife.”
When he stopped speaking, he just stared at me, and I stared back. What did he expect metosay?
“So the reason we kick out omegas who refuse to mate isbecausethere was an omega who refused to mate and got killed for it? Makes a lot of fucking sense,” Imuttered.
Otisgasped.
Dustin growled deeply in his throat. “I think you should leave now,Gabriel.”
“Gladly,” I muttered. I stood and headed forthedoor.
“Gabe! Wait!” Otis cried. He followed me, desperately clutching my arm. “Please promise me you’ll pick an alpha. Please. I don’t want youtodie.”
“Then maybe the elders shouldn’t kick me out,” Isnapped.
He dug his heels in. “They won’t listen! Even if I tried, theywouldn’tcare!”
I paused. Otis was on the verge of tears. My anger wavered and I pulled him into aquickhug.
“I’m sorry,” I told him. “I didn’t mean toupsetyou.”
“Then please stay.” Otis’ voice cracked. “There are so many nicealphas.”
“I’m sure there are. But I can’t do this, Otis. I can’t do what you’re doing.” I glanced up at Dustin, who was watching us from the kitchen doorway. “I can’t dedicate my life to astranger.”
Otis’ lip trembled, but he said nothing this time. He wiped the tears fromhiseyes.
“I’ll stay safe,” Ipromised.
Otis nodded, but clearly didn’t believe me. To be honest, I wasn’t sure if I believed meeither.
“Have a good night,” I said, then put on my shoesandleft.
