Howl of Sin

I gripped the edge of my seat, my head raised high as the doctor slowly walked out, carrying my test results.

The doctor was now a familiar sight to me, just like the scent of the test labs, the antiseptic, and the grime expression that my mate, Marcus carried every single time.

"It's negative, Beta. Your mate is not pregnant."

I sucked in a sharp breath, tears immediately stinging the back of my eyes. This was the twelfth test in the span of two years since we started trying, and each and everyone ended the exact same way.

Negative. Negative. Negative.

I opened my eyes, and Marcus slowly stood up, his brows drawn, his teeth slightly clenched.

"She was in heat and I..."

"I know, Beta, but there is no sign of pregnancy. If you want, we could check the both of you for fertility and.."

"No," Marcus said immediately, then turned to me. "We should go."

I looked down at his outstretched hand, my teeth clenching hard. Without a word, I stood up and walked away to the parked car.

The ride home was completely silent. It wasn't the comfortable silence after a nice date. It was the tension filled silence that we both knew would spill over once we were within the confines of the penthouse, away from any prying eyes.

The car came to a stop in front of the penthouse, and I got out without waiting as was customary for us. I could hear his footsteps behind me, slow, almost wary.

The door clicked to a lock behind him, and I turned slowly. The house was devoid of the omega that normally kept it clean, and it was just he and I.

"Why do you keep doing this to us, Marcus?"

He stopped, his eyes holding mine. "What would you prefer? That I ask the doctor to test us for fertility so the truth can float around the pack?"

"Then why do you keep taking me do these fucking tests?! We both know you can't make me or anyone pregnant!"

"I can hope!" He yelled back, his eyes wide, his chest slightly heaving. "What do you want? To prove to the pack that I was wrong for taking a lowly omega as my mate when I could have just rejected her? Is that what you want?"

I held my breath, then slowly sank to the floor, my fingers clenched around my dress, tears filling my eyes fast. He was right. The pack would laugh at him. At us. Right now, the pack only laughed at me.

"Help me, Storm," Marcus whispered, slowly going on his knees. He pulled my hands into his warmth, his eyes wide and tender. Those were the eyes of the man who I was fortunate enough to have as my mate, and the first person to accept me after the ruin my own mother had made of me.

"How?"

He held me tighter. "I.... this is my last chance, Storm. The pack... they can't know. They can't know that I am infertile. I will never be considered for the alpha position if I am unable to have an heir. I will lose everything to my bastard brother, please... please."

My heart was beating wildly in my chest, my eyes darting across both of his.

"So what do you want me to do?"

He pulled me a little closer. "Storm... please... give me an heir. From anyone. Just give me an heir, I beg of you. No one will ever know. I will cover your tracks, I will do everything.... just..."

I slowly took my hand out of his, tears frozen in my eyes from pure disbelief.

"You are not asking me to..."

"I am begging you, Storm."

"How can you watch your mate fuck another man?!"

He closed his eyes, then pulled me roughly into his embrace, his breaths shattering against my skin. He slowly pulled away, and seeing him that way... it broke my heart. It broke my soul deep down.

"I won't watch. I am desperate," he whispered. "You know the position I am in. My brother... he got everything. During the last council meeting... he had over fifty per cent of those votes, Storm. Most of the pack want him. If you become pregnant, if my mate takes in... those votes will turn. He isn't in a rush to find a woman, so I can beat him to this one thing. Please. I beg of you, Storm. Please. For us. For... us. Please."

My lips parted, tears blurring my vision of him. He was my very first man. How could I.... How could I take any other man, especially while I am mated to him?

But also, I know the dynamics of this pack. He was the illegitimate son. The son of the young woman his father had taken, and cast aside the former luna for. I saw a lot of myself in him.

The need to be seen. To be treated like a human being. To be acknowledged.

His brother had it all. The power. The affluence, the money. Everything Marcus had, despite being way above average, was scraps compared to what his brother, Anders Ford had. Marcus didn't even have a last name because Anders had forbidden it.

"I..." I swallowed hard. "I will do it. I will.."

He pulled me into his arms again, his hand patting my back, his fingers laced into my hair.

"I owe you my life. I owe you everything." He leaned away. "And I promise. I promise you, Storm. You will be Luna beside me. Your past as an omega, I will make sure it fades away like it never happened. I swear to you."

I nodded slowly, my heart thumping wildly in my chest.

"When do you want me to...."

"Tomorrow," he said almost immediately. "The pack's end of year ball would be perfect to announce your pregnancy and sieze my chance. You are still... you still have a window this month, don't you?"

I nodded again. "Tomorrow it is."

He broke into a smile, then kissed my face all over, avoiding only my scar and my lips.

"I will go change," I said, pushing myself up from the floor.

"Thank you," he whispered again, and I turned away, my fingers clenching into tight fists. "I love you, Storm."

I closed my eyes.

Liar.