A week later, after the first encounter with the cunning alpha...

Ever since the day in the dark forest, Tee thought about the mysterious alpha an awful lot. So much so that he had been waking up, soaked in his sweat from nightmares of the wolf pouncing on him, clawing his throat out. It was terrifying, and eyes always seemed to be on him, watching him while he slept. What puzzled the omega the most, though... Sometimes — an awful part of his brain would conjure up dreams — erotic dreams of the menacing wolf's nightmare-ish touches. He often woke up from those dreams with slick running down his thighs, a face flushed with embarrassment, and a stifling sandalwood scent lingering in his room.

It was such an oddity to have dreams about a man he'd only met once. A man who frightened him to the core. A man who probably wanted nothing more than to kill Tee. Either way, he couldn't stop daydreaming about the wolf... Or the wolf's next move.

The bunny omega wasn't a fool. Since he found his basket awaiting him in the front yard, he knew the wolf was nearby. He could feel it etched into his bones with every breath he took or every cautious step he made — every single day since he left the dark forest; the wolf's venomous eyes seemed to linger on him, boring into his back, awaiting the chance to jump on him when he least expected it.

Tee was enraged equally, as he was scared.

What could the wolf possibly get from pro-longing Tee's inevitable anguish? Satisfaction? Delight? Entertainment? What sort of sick game was he playing?

Tee didn't know, but he was afraid he might not get out of this — whatever this was — alive.

____________________________________

Heavy rain poured down today, hammering against the rooftops like thunder during a storm.

Tee loved rain; the gloomy weather always brought him warmth in some odd way. He liked the smell of it; thick; a woody, grassy scent. And when the fat drops pounded against the wooden windows, begging to be let inside the cottage where it was warm, the omega often curled himself up by the fireplace and listened to his grandmother tell tales of her childhood.

However, today Tee didn't like the rain.

This time, he wasn't warm; his grandmother's calming voice or her light laughter did not comfort him while she reminisced about the past. This time, he was busy brewing soup in the kitchen while his grandmother lay in bed with a strange, unforeseen illness that somehow seemed to swallow her up as the days went by, consuming her into the inevitable fate awaiting her.

And today, Tee chose not to think about the alpha from the dark forest despite the continuous, frightening feeling of being looked at, being watched.

"Grandma?" Tee muttered when he entered his grandmother's bedroom. "I brought you soup."

The old lady was under the sheets, looking pale, sheet-white. When she heard Tee's voice, her tired eyes opened, and she forced a smile to comfort him. Still, the omega's heart cracked‌.

"Ah, thank you, sweetheart," she said, lifting herself before taking the bowl from warm Tee's hands.

"How are you feeling, Grandma?" Tee asked, hating how his voice quivered.

"Better," the old lady lied.

Tee nodded, pretending to believe her. He knew she was on the verge of dying. And he knew she knew it as well. Even the room had an abnormal, sour smell of death lingering in it. And the whole cottage seemed quiet, too! It was as if the walls themselves knew her fate.

"Can you do me a favor, sweetheart?" she asked after a minute of silence.

"Anything, Grandma," Tee's head perked up, and his lips stretched into a weary smile.

"Can you fetch me some perennials?" she asked, staring straight ahead with a smile.

It was an odd request, yet Tee rummaged through his thoughts about where he'd last seen the purple flowers. And when he realized where it was, his eyes doubled, and a coldness latched itself on his body. Of course! It was at the edge of the dark forest. It was where he promised himself never to return to — never to step foot near.

Tee gulped loudly.

Should he tell his grandmother it wasn't wise to go? Should he tell her he had done something bad to a mean wolf from inside the dark forest, and if he went back there, the wolf might find him and snatch him up — and eat him whole? Surely she would scold him even in her ill state.

"I want to have them near me one more time before I go," the old lady confessed, cutting the omega's thoughts short. And just then, despair surged through Tee's body at the realization... His grandmother was on her deathbed. It was only right he fulfill her last wishes.

It was then that Tee decided that if his grandmother wanted perennials, he would cross countless rivers to get them for her. Here, he only had to walk a mile near the devil's lair. He could do it.

"I will," the words spill from his mouth while tears sprung from his eyes. "I will get them for you, Grandma."

The old lady rested a soft palm on Tee's thigh. "Thank you, my boy," she smiled.

____________________________________

Darkness peeked, and grasshoppers chipped while an icy breeze blew in circles, dancing through the forest; a remembrance of the earlier rainfall. Tee, the ever-determined omega, fastened the red cloak tighter, wanting to keep himself warm while his eyes wandered from side to side, scanning the forest, fearing a particular venomous wolf might appear, seeking vengeance.

When Tee glanced over his shoulder, the silhouette of the cottage had long since disappeared, fading behind bushes and trees — and branches and leaves.

Usually, he often roamed the forest floors all hours of the night if needed. It was home; it was where he lived. However, knowing the wolf from the dark forest was out there, the omega's weariness grew. It seemed any faint noise that came from the forest critters, made him jump from fright, caused his feet to move faster, or made him whimper, weak and pathetic.

It was times like these — times of feeling helpless — Tee wondered about the outcome once his dear grandma passed away. Surely word was going to spread once she died, and alphas — both predators and prey — would seek him out; a lone omega living in the woods. Surely those alphas would mark him as theirs, and if they were cruel, they would mistreat him or torment him.

The alpha from the forest seemed cruel, too. At least his eyes weren't friendly, no matter how long Tee stared into them. He had long, pointed fangs too, and a wicked smile that outmarveled all the other alphas Tee had met before.

Tee shivered at the thought, and with great effort, he pushed them to the back of his mind and continued on his journey. However, by the time he reached the edge of the dark forest where beds of the purple perennials rest, a noise — a scrunching thing — came from behind the bushes, startling the young omega a step back.

"Who..." Tee quickly spun around, his breathing picking up and his eyes swelled wide. "Who's there?" he questioned through quivering lips. The minute he spoke, the noise stopped. The air remained tense, though. Paranoid, Tee stomped a foot into the group. "Come out or else —"

In a blink of an eye, an alpha — an unknown one; big and untamed with eyes a bright golden color — pounced on Tee, forcing him to the ground in one swift movement.

The man was a lion alpha; a rather hideous one, with great straight. And yet, Tee fought — kicking and snarling, and clawing, trying to push the alpha off from on top of him.

"I've been watching you... And I'm no longer waiting for that old hag to die," the alpha snarled in Tee's face, desperately trying to subdue the fighting omega. "I'm going to mark you omega — you're mine."

Tee bared his teeth. "Never!" he snarled and snapped at the alpha's cheek, biting down until he tasted blood — until a chunk of the lion's flesh lay loose in his mouth.

It was when the alpha screamed, choking him to the point of pain had Tee heaved; finally letting go.

"You stupid omega!" The lion pressed down harder on Tee's neck, this time trying to kill him. "I'll teach you a lesson —"

"It's not wise to touch another alpha's belongings," a familiar, dark, and dangerous voice echoed nearby, startling both Tee and the alpha still.

The alpha's fingers loosened from around Tee's neck, staring at the approaching figure. It was the wolf alpha from the dark forest! Tee didn't know if he should feel grateful for the wolf's untimely appearance or frightened.

The lion spoke, "Who are —"

The lion alpha didn't get to complete his sentence before the other alpha sprang on him and snapped down on his face with fangs sharper than any arrows or spears.

Quickly, Tee scurried up, watching in disgust as the wolf alpha from the forest bit down on the lion's face, tearing his flesh away; his eyes, nose, and mouth until there was no face left at all. It was only when the lion stopped twitching and lay dead did the other alpha let go, smiling down on the disfigured face like he had created a work of art.

When the wolf alpha turned to look at Tee, his face and down his neck were covered in crimson and his eyes were empty; almost soulless and feral as he looked at Tee with a hardened snarl on his face.

Tee had never seen this much power or rage from an alpha — or anyone — before. The omega in him whimpered, screaming to submit to the power igniting from the wolf. Tee was stubborn, though. He fought his omega urges and stared back, despite his racing heart.

The alpha stepped up to Tee. "What are you doing outside at this hour of the night, omega?" he questioned, his voice sounding deadly, demanding — almost demonic. "Are you crazy?!"

Tee's eyes welled with unshed tears at being yelled at; none had ever yelled at him before, and he took a step back while his furry ears hugged him in a tight squeeze.

It seemed although this alpha had undoubtedly saved him from a fate worse than death. Right now, the voices in Tee's head were suddenly screaming at him to leave.

And before he could think properly, he ran.

"Oh, no." The alpha quickly caught up to him, snatching him at the back of his neck tight, yet playfully before rubbing his blood-soaked face down on Tee's neck. Tee whined through the sting. He did not fight back, though. "You're not getting away this time, little red."

Back pressed against the alpha's chest, Tee remained tense. "You've been watching me," he said, chewing on his lower lip. "I know you have been. What do you want from me, Khun?"

"What?" The wolf smiled from the crock of Tee's neck before pulling away completely, leaving Tee caked in stale blood. "No, thank you, Mister, for saving my life. That's a little rude, don't you think?"

Tee narrowed his eyes at him, confusion was written on his face. The wolf had a point. "Thank you," he mumbled, keeping down a gag as the alpha licked up the blood near his own mouth, seemingly enjoying the taste of iron on his tongue. "Thank you for saving my life."

"Mm. What is your name, little bunny?" the alpha asked, circling Tee — eyeing him as though one would eye a piece of meat or their next meal.

The omega tensed up, wrapping the cloak tighter around him. This wolf had definitely eaten his share of omegas... And by the look of things — alphas too!

Tee gulped before faking a tight smile. "If you let me go... I'll —"

"Your name," the wolf demanded in a much harsher tone.

"Tee," the omega said without hesitation.

"Mm, Tee," the wolf hummed, tasting the name on his tongue. "Tee... I like it, little red. You look like a Tee."

"What..." Tee frowned. What did the wolf mean by, you look like a Tee? Was it an insult? Tee cleared his throat. It didn't matter, really. And since the wolf was warming up to him, maybe if he made small talk, the wolf might pity him and leave him alone. "What is your name, Mister?"

As fast as lightning, the wolf appeared in front of Tee. "Kai, little red," he said.

It was a strange name; Tee thought little of it, though.

"What do you want from me, Mister Kai?" Tee willed his feet to remain unmoving.

"What do I want?" Kai tapped a bloody finger to his equally bloody cheek, pretending to think. "When I first saw you, little bunny... I wanted what every predator would want. I wanted to eat you — taste your blood, your soft flesh in my mouth."

Tee whimpered, and his shoulders dropped. He shouldn't have asked — he was definitely going to be this crazy alpha's next meal!

Seeing this, Kai furrowed his eyes; a trace of a menacing smile lingered on his lips.

"Now," Kai continued, crowding Tee's space. "I want you for a whole other reason."

"I don't know what you mean," Tee hissed, knowing fully what Kai meant.

Tee might've been naïve at times since he lived away from the crowds; he wasn't foolish, though. Even though Kai might've been a predator, he craved what all alphas desired. Kai sought an omega to claim and conquer. An omega to keep his bed warm at night, and his stomach whole during the days.

Kai smiled wickedly. "I can smell the slick dripping off of you."

Oh, no! Quickly, Tee squeezed his legs tight while his face pinked with embarrassment.

Just because Kai protected him from another who sought to harm him, his biological side — his omega inside of him purred, wanting this alpha even when Tee's logical thoughts screamed against it.

It was no fault of Tee.

"I — I," Tee stammered. "I can't help it."

"Shh," Kai cooed, cupping Tee on the sides of his face. "I know... There's no need to explain yourself, sweet thing," he said, speaking so tenderly, if Tee hadn't known what he was capable of, he might've thought Kai was a nice wolf. "Anyway — how's your grandmother?" Tee concluded.

Tee furrowed his eyebrows. He couldn't remember ever telling the wolf about his grandmother's illness. Still, he confessed anyway; "She's not getting any better."

Kai rolled his eyes, seemingly annoyed. "I see..."

Unthinkingly, Tee slapped Kai's hand away. "Can you let me go, please?"

"After what you did to me back in the dark forest..." Kai trailed off, turning his back to Tee. "Why would I do that?"

Tee looked at the perennials sitting a stretch away from him, and he quickly remembered why he had come into the forest. His grandmother. She was at home, dying. He needed to go back. He needed to give her those perennials. He needed to say goodbye.

"My grandma... She needs me," Tee's voice broke out in a sob. "She asks me to bring her these," he said, pointing at the bed of perennials. "Please let me see her before she goes?"

"Go?" Tee swiftly turned around, studying Tee with emotionless eyes. "Is she perhaps... Dying?" he asked with excitement, unfazed by the sudden tears spilling out of the omega's eyes.

"Yes," Tee choked back on a sob.

"And when she dies... Don't you know what happens to omegas who live alone, Tee?"

Tee harshly wiped at the tears from his face. "I will fight off any alpha who comes near me," he said. "I will kill every one of them."

Kai nodded his head in disapproval at the omega's ignorance. And it was indeed an ignorant thing to say; Tee might admit if he wasn't thinking about his poor grandma, all alone and waiting for his safe return.

"I'm sure you will," Kai finally said.

Tee eyed the perennials one more time. "Can I go?"

After a painfully long minute of silence, the wolf sighed, waving a dismissive arm off. "Go, Tee," he said. "Go to grandma..." A smile appeared on Tee's face. And when he was about to thank the wolf for his generosity, Kai's eyes turned to total blackness; a newer form of evil, and declared: "But beware... I will come for you when she dies... And I will have you as mine."

In an instant, Tee's heart dropped, and the air left his lungs.