Chapter: 5

_{As they were on the verge of beginning their run, Julian and Simone both started to sniff the air. Snapping them out of their trance, a scent caused Julian and Simone to search in opposite directions, leaving Logan, confused, in the middle. Logan was in a trance, thinking how happy he was for his friends was about to find their mates. “Mates” Logan trance was broken when he heard both Julian and Simone spoke. He turned to find Julian and Simone locked in a gaze, their eyes both black.}

_{While approaching each other, Logan takes a step back and their eyes return to normal, questioning, "So, are we mates?” Simone said.}

_{"So it seems," Julian agrees.}

_{Simone asks, “What's my scent?”}

_{“Like cherry blossoms, that’s what you smell like,” Julian said.}

_{“Before you ask, you smell like a pine tree,” Simone said.}

_{They were both quiet for a while before someone decided to speak.}

_{"Congrats, you two," Logan said.}

_{Julian felt an electric charge as he grasped Simone's hand and pulled her in. A kiss ensued between them within minutes. Their passionate kiss involved their tongues locking together. They paused their kiss to regain their breath.}

_{"I'm glad you two finally got together; it was only a matter of time," Logan commented.}

_{"We weren't in love," Simone replies, her face flushed.}

_{"I concur with Simone; our interest wasn't mutual until now," Julian replied.}

_{"You can't fool me, Julian.  Your feelings for Simone are clear, even if you won't admit them. A blind man could see how much you're denying your feelings," Logan said with a smile.}

_{Their mutual blush of excitement proves Logan was right, something Julian and Simone agree on.  Despite their mutual attraction, Julian and Simone prioritize their friendship and commitment to their significant others, thus keeping their feelings unacknowledged. Turning to Julian, Simone confessed, “Julian, I have feelings for you?”}

_{Simone's statement, about her attractiveness, totally surprised Julian. Her beauty held Julian's gaze as he stood there. Simone, standing at about 5’8 with a slim figure in all the right places, had cinnamon brown hair and mocha-colored skin. Her lips were full and luscious, and she had a slightly pointed nose. However, what Julian adored most about Simone were her striking baby blue eyes.}

_{"Your beauty is captivating," Julian sighed, unable to look away.}

_{"What's appealing to you about me, Simone?" Julian questioned.}

_{“Julian, the reason I love you is because of your green eyes, which have a mesmerizing effect on me whenever I look into them. Simone declared, “Most importantly, your attractiveness reveals your truly lovable and kind nature.”}

_{Julian, standing at 6 feet tall with a medium build, light skin, and long black hair to his shoulders, proved too alluring for Simone to ignore.}

_{"We should share this news with everyone," Logan said.}

_{Feeling confident, Simone declared, “I’m determined to win this race, that’s why I’m still in.”}

_{"Alright, let's begin," Julian said.}

_{"'Let's go on three,' Logan stated."}

_{Using mental communication, they counted "1, 2, 3," and turned into their wolf selves.}

_{Upon hearing the happy news, Lina (Logan's mom), Diane (Julian's mom), and Samantha (Simone's mom) got together to start organizing the ceremony. “I’m glad that Julian and Simone are mates,” Eugene said while he and Logan were sitting in his office.}

_{“Thanks to the moon goddess, I’m glad to be a dad,” Logan said.}

_{"You're right, Logan," Eugene said, "I hope this good news improves things between Mitchell and me."}

_{Confused, Logan asks his dad, "What exactly did you mean by that?"}

_{“Logan, you need to understand certain things about being the pack Alpha. Eugene sighed, hand to forehead, "A time will come when you and your beta clash over pack matters."}

_{Logan inquired, "What was that about?"}

_{“There are a few concerns regarding the pack. I want to keep it as it is, but Mitchell has other plans,” Eugene sighed.}

_{"Dad, you're in charge because you're the alpha," Logan emphatically stated.}

_{“You're right, Logan, but everyone in this pack plays a role. This pack, unlike others, wasn't a gift from your grandfather. This pack is the result of a collaboration between me, your mother, Mitchell, Ulysses, and their mates. “Have I ever shared our meeting story with you?” Eugene asked.}

_{“I don’t recall,” Logan said.}

_{"Since you know we are all Omegas, allow me to start there and tell you about it. That awful pack, with its ruthless Alpha and Luna, treated us like servants, reducing us to tears. The alpha and the Luna had servants at their disposal 24/7, which is how I came to meet your mother. I fulfilled the positions of alpha servant, while she was the servant of the Luna. Your mom is a wonderful person, both inside and out, who captivates not just me, but others too. Your mother possesses a radiant beauty that illuminates any space. Upon seeing your mother, men will be compelled to seduce her and make her their mate. This is why Luna becomes jealous of your mother and starts to attack her. Luna was narcissistic and constantly sought attention everywhere she went. Because the alpha was also interested in your mother, Luna saw her as a rival.}

_{There was a day when the alpha turned aggressive and attempted to rape her, leading to your mother's scream that woke up my wolf. The only response I received from him was "Mate" before resorting to hitting the alpha with a vase, but to no avail as he remained unfazed, resulting in a physical altercation between us. Since he's an alpha and I'm an omega, his strength exceeded mine.}

_{The Luna beat me badly, and also your mother, because the alpha falsely accused your mother of trying to seduce him. After that, we were taken to a house behind the castle where they kept all the disobedient omegas. In a group of around twenty, your mother and I encountered Mitchell, Ulysses, Samantha, and Diane. We endured horrific conditions; a single daily meal of bread and water was all we got. Daily, they would select one of us for a beating in the dungeon, lasting one or two hours,  two or three times. That night, we all decided to leave because we couldn't handle it anymore, though many omegas refused out of fear of capture. Just six of us risked running toward the woods. Thankfully, we were able to transform into our wolf forms. "We fled, found this spot, and decided to create our pack," Eugene explained, relieved.}

_{"How'd you become Alpha?" Logan inquired.}

_{Eugene chuckled, "That was easy; a coin flip decided it, and I won."}

_{A small chuckle escaped Logan's lips as he suggested, “I hope you and Mitchell can resolve your issues.”}

_{“Me too, Logan, I believe we will; his anger won't last”}

_{“Logan, we should celebrate Julian and Simone becoming mates. Eugene approaches Logan, adding, "After all, they're your best friends. With a nod from Logan, they exited the office together.}