The betrayal was unexpected.

And that was why it cut so deeply.

Tristan Mendez only had two things he held dear: his family and his music. After his dazzling debut at the opera house, the world seemed within reach. Applause still echoed in his ears, the bow still warm in his hand. For one fragile moment, he believed the future was bright.

Then the ground was ripped from beneath him.

Accused of theft by his own brother, and met with silence from the family who should have defended him, his sentence was sealed, and he was cast into a merciless mining camp under the orders of Lady Arriane.

There, days blurred into years. Cruelty, hunger, and despair stripped him down until even his music was silent. The boy who once lived for melody nearly vanished in the dust.

But one man remembered.

Lord Shannon, Alpha of his clan, had been among the audience that night, transfixed by the young musician’s song. When Tristan disappeared, disbelief turned to determination. Refusing to accept the impossible, Shannon searched, uncovered the truth, and found what no one else dared to look for.

Freed from chains, Tristan faces a world both familiar and foreign. The past has left scars that will not vanish overnight. Healing will not be easy. Trust must be relearned. But at his side stands the Alpha who swore to protect him, even against shadows that wait to strike again.

This is a tale of betrayal and survival. Of music once silenced and a voice reclaimed. Of an Alpha’s unshakable vow and the fragile soul he refuses to let fall.

Shannon stepped into the circle. He carried no weapon. He raised one hand. "Hands only," he said to Tristan. "No staff."


Tristan swallowed. He set his feet and lifted his guard. The weight of Shannon's gaze pressed on his chest like a hand, but he did not look away.


Shannon moved once. Tristan blocked high; the impact stung but didn't break his stance. Shannon tested low. Tristan kept his elbows in, meeting it with his forearm and hip. Shannon shifted angles. Tristan stepped with him, careful not to cross his feet. He didn't strike back blindly. He looked for space and kept the center of the circle behind him.


Tristan called the shift to his hands only. The claws slid out cleanly. He curled them inward to keep from cutting. Shannon pressed again. Tristan used the back of his forearm to guide the strike away, then tapped the Alpha's wrist with a controlled swipe that drew no blood.


Chapter 83 - The Omega’s Stance Part 2