I Was The Only Omega In The Beast World-Chapter 83: CP: Delta Or Marsh

Upstream, Racing Toward the Coast:

Naga’s serpent form cut through the underbrush like a living blade, scales scraping against rocks and roots as he pushed himself faster than he’d ever moved before.

Behind him, Leo ran in his full lion form—powerful legs eating up the distance, white mane streaming.

And Granite thundered along in his massive bear form, each step shaking the ground but somehow keeping pace with the two other apex predators.

They’d been running for hours.

Through the night, into dawn, following the river’s path downstream with single-minded focus.

The mate bond was a constant beacon—Alex’s presence like a warm pulse in Naga’s chest, growing stronger as they got closer but still maddeningly distant.

"How much further?" Leo panted, golden eyes fixed on the horizon where the forest was beginning to thin.

"The ocean’s close," Granite rumbled. "I can smell salt on the wind. Maybe another hour—"

Naga suddenly reared up, hood flaring, a hiss of pure frustration tearing from his throat.

"What?!" Leo demanded, skidding to a halt. "What’s wrong?!"

"Look," Naga spat, gesturing with his head toward what lay ahead.

The river—their guide, their path, the route that would take them directly to Alex—had diverged.

No, not diverged. Split.

The main channel continued toward the ocean, but a massive landslide had occurred recently—probably during last night’s rainfall. Tons of mud and rock had crashed down from the hillside, completely blocking the direct path. The river now forked around the obstruction, creating two separate channels that wound through dense marsh and wetland.

"Which way?" Leo demanded. "Which channel leads to the coast fastest?"

Granite shifted to humanoid form, his weathered face grim as he studied the terrain.

"Neither is direct anymore," he said. "The eastern channel goes through deep marsh—treacherous footing, lots of quicksand. Could take us three to four days to navigate safely."

"And the western channel?" Naga asked, though he already suspected the answer.

"Through the Tangled Delta," Granite said. "Maze of waterways, easy to get lost. But if we know the right path..." He paused. "I traveled it once, fifty years ago. I think I remember the way."

"Think isn’t good enough!" Leo snarled. "Alex needs us NOW!"

"I know!" Granite shot back. "But rushing into either route without caution means we could get stuck, lost, or injured. And that helps no one!"

Naga closed his eyes, pressing a clawed hand to his chest where the mate mark pulsed.

Through the bond, he could feel Alex—tired but safe, resting, surrounded by... others. Strangers. Mer-people, based on the ambient sensation of water and salt.

And one presence in particular that felt... close to Alex. Protective. Interested.

Naga’s eyes snapped open, pupils contracting to dangerous slits.

"Someone’s with him," he hissed. "Someone’s attending him. I can feel it through the bond."

"Good," Granite said immediately. "That means he’s being cared for. That’s GOOD, Naga."

"Is it?" Naga demanded, his rational mind warring with instinct. "What if they’re manipulating him? What if they see a pregnant bearer and decide to—"

"Alex isn’t stupid," Leo interrupted firmly. "He’s survived dragon and wolves and falling off a cliff. He can handle mer-people long enough for us to reach him."

He looked at the diverging paths, jaw set.

"Eastern marsh or western delta. Choose, Granite. Which gives us the best chance of reaching him fastest?"

Granite studied both routes, his experienced eyes tracking water flow, terrain, the position of the sun.

"Western delta," he said finally. "IF I remember the paths correctly. It’s faster but riskier. If I’m wrong about the route, we could add hours to the journey wandering in circles."

"And the eastern marsh?"

"Slower but certain. We’ll definitely reach the coast, just... later."

Naga and Leo exchanged glances.

Then Naga shifted to humanoid form—upper body human, lower body still serpentine for faster water travel.

"We split up," he said.

"What?!" both Leo and Granite exclaimed simultaneously.

"I take the delta," Naga continued, logic overriding emotion. "I’m fastest in water. If Granite’s memory is right, I can navigate the maze and reach Alex by late afternoon."

He looked at Leo.

"You and Granite take the marsh route. It’s slower, but you’ll definitely arrive. If I get lost in the delta, at least Alex will still have backup arriving by evening."

"We’re not separating!" Leo protested. "We stay together!"

"We don’t have TIME to stay together!" Naga shot back. "Every hour we waste arguing is another hour Alex is alone with strangers in pre-labor! I’d rather risk getting lost if it means one of us reaches him faster!"

"He’s right," Granite said reluctantly. "Splitting our approach gives Alex the best chance of having support arrive quickly."

Leo’s tail lashed—he clearly hated this plan.

But he also couldn’t argue with the logic.

"Fine," he bit out. "You take the delta. We take the marsh. "

"Agreed," Naga said.

He shifted back to full serpent form—thirty feet of scaled muscle, hood flared, every inch of him designed for speed and lethality.

Then he dove into the western channel and vanished into the maze of waterways.

Granite and Leo watched him go.

"He’ll make it, don’t worry," Granite said, though he sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

"He has to," Leo said quietly. "Because if anything happens to either of them while I’m stuck in a marsh..."

He didn’t finish the sentence.

He didn’t need to.

They turned toward the eastern route—the safer, slower path.

And started running again.