Born an Omega, Destined to Rule.

~Anwen’s POV

The first time Alpha Kael Draven summoned me to his private chambers, I was so scared, and at the same time I was happy, thinking my life was about to change. 

I know how foolish that sounds now.

But when you've spent twenty-two years being treated like dirt beneath someone else's shoes, even the smallest kindness can feel like a miracle. And when the most powerful man in Blackthorn Pack suddenly asks for you by name, it's difficult not to wonder whether your life is finally about to change.

I stood outside his chambers, twisting the hem of my faded maid's dress between my fingers.

My palms were damp, and two guards stood on either side of the enormous mahogany doors, their expressions as cold as the winter wind blowing through the palace corridors. One of them glanced at me, then at the small tray in my hands.

"You're late."

I looked down at the cup of tea resting on the tray.

"I'm sorry. The kitchen was…"

"Do you think the Alpha cares about your excuses, you worthless bitch?"

My mouth snapped shut. Of course he didn't. Nobody cared about an omega's excuses. I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I'm sorry," I whispered again.

The guard pushed open the door. "Go in. And don't keep him waiting."

I took a deep breath and stepped inside. The first thing I noticed was the smell. Cedarwood, expensive tea, and the unmistakable scent of an Alpha whose wolf had no reason to fear anyone.

Kael's scent filled the room so completely that my legs almost gave up.

Keep your head down, I whispered to myself.

Alpha Kael stood beside the fireplace, dressed in black trousers and a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Even without his ceremonial coat, he looked every inch the ruler of Blackthorn Pack. His dark hair was slightly disheveled, and his sharp features were illuminated by the fire.

He was handsome, I mean terrifyingly so. But it wasn't his appearance that made my heart pound; it was the fact that he was looking directly at me.

"Anwen Vale," he said.

My fingers tightened around the tray. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Come closer."

I obeyed, stopping a few steps away from him.

He studied me for so long that I began to wonder whether there was something wrong with my face. I had washed it twice before leaving the servants' quarters, but the small mirror above my bed had a crack running through it, and I could never be certain I had cleaned every smudge.

"Do you know why I called you here?"

"No, Your Majesty."

"Look at me when you answer."

My eyes lifted immediately. His gaze was unsettling, but I forced myself to hold it.

"Good." He gestured toward a chair. "Sit down."

I stared at the chair. Nobody had ever invited me to sit in the Alpha's presence, not even when I had served his meals, cleaned his study, or scrubbed blood from the training room floor after his warriors returned from a fight.

"Your Majesty, I can stand."

"I didn't ask what you could do. I told you to sit."

I sat, and my heart was beating so loudly that I could barely hear the crackling fire. Kael poured himself a drink, then turned toward me. "How long have you worked in the palace?"

"Six years, Your Majesty."

"And how old are you?" he asked.

"Twenty-two," I replied to him.

"Your parents?"

I lowered my eyes. "I don't know them."

It was the truth I had carried for as long as I could remember. Kael took a sip of his drink. "Do you know why omegas like you rarely rise above their station?"

I shook my head.

"Because the world doesn't reward weakness, Anwen. It rewards usefulness."

The words stung, perhaps because they were not entirely untrue.

I had spent my entire life trying to be useful. I worked longer hours than anyone else in the servants' quarters. I volunteered for the unpleasant tasks nobody wanted. When other maids fell ill, I covered their shifts.

I thought that if I worked hard enough, someone might eventually look at me and see a person instead of an omega.

Apparently, I had been wrong.

"I understand, Your Majesty."

"Do you?" He placed his glass on the table. "Then perhaps you'll understand what I'm about to ask of you."

Before I could respond, the door opened, and his Luna, Luna Seraphina, walked into the room.

She was beautiful in the way expensive things were beautiful. Her long golden hair fell in perfect waves over her shoulders, and her pale blue gown glowed beneath the chandelier. Diamonds rested against her throat, catching the light whenever she moved.

I immediately rose from my chair and bowed. "Luna."

"Anwen."

Her smile was soft and almost warm. Seraphina had never been particularly cruel to me. She rarely spoke to the servants, but when she did, she usually remembered to say please and thank you.

Once, when I had accidentally broken a porcelain vase while cleaning her sitting room, she had stopped Kael from punishing me.

I had remembered that small kindness for years. Perhaps that was why I didn't notice the way her smile faded when she looked at me, or the way she exchanged a glance with her husband before taking the seat beside him.

"Please, sit down, Anwen," she said.

I hesitated, then I sat.

Seraphina folded her hands in her lap. "I'm sure you're wondering why we've called you here."

"Yes, Luna."

She drew a slow breath. "There is something we need from you. Something very important to our family."

Our family.

The words warmed me before I had any reason to feel hopeful. Kael moved behind his desk and leaned against it. "As you know, Seraphina and I have been married for several years."

I nodded. Everyone knew that. Their wedding had been the grandest celebration Blackthorn Pack had seen in decades.

"What you may not know," he continued, "is that my Luna is finding it difficult to conceive."

My eyes widened before I could stop them. I immediately lowered my gaze, embarrassed by my reaction.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty."

"Don't be. It's not your concern." He said.

Seraphina's fingers tightened together, and for the first time, I noticed the sadness in her expression. It looked real enough to make my chest ache.

"I've tried everything," she said quietly. "Healers, herbal remedies, even prayers to the Moon Goddess. Nothing has worked."

She paused, her eyes shining. "Kael needs an heir, Anwen. Our pack needs one. Without a legitimate heir, the future of Blackthorn could become uncertain."

I nodded slowly, though I still didn't understand why I was being told this. Then Kael spoke the words. "We want you to carry our child."

For a moment, I thought I had misunderstood him. I stared at him. "I'm sorry?"

"You heard me."

My lips parted, but no sound came out. Seraphina leaned forward, her expression suddenly urgent.

"We've consulted the pack's healers. They believe you could carry a child successfully. You are young and healthy, and you are capable of bearing an Alpha's heir."

I looked from her to Kael, then back to her.

"You want me to..."

I couldn't finish the sentence.

"We want you to become pregnant by my husband," Seraphina said. "You would carry the baby until birth, and then the child would be raised as our own, and you would be compensated generously. You would have your own quarters, servants to attend to you, and enough money to live comfortably for the rest of your life. You would never have to work another day in the kitchens."

I had believed their promises. But after I agreed to their request, Kael forced himself on me every day, with his Luna watching, taking away my choice and leaving me with memories I wished I could erase.  I was locked away in a filthy barn, and a month later, I discovered I was pregnant with his child, and now, seven months into my pregnancy, I couldn't help but wonder what would become of my unborn baby and me. 

As I opened my eyes in the filthy barn, tears streamed down my face. To make matters worse, I overheard that Seraphina was pregnant, and I couldn't help wondering what would become of me. 

How the hell had I ended up in this hellhole?

The door creaked open, and Kael and Seraphina walked in. I quickly shut my eyes and turned to the other side. Unaware that I was awake, I heard Seraphina grumbling.

“Kael, we really need to do something about this filthy worm. I can’t let another woman carry your child when I'm already expecting too,” Seraphina snapped.

Kael scoffed. “I've had enough of that filthy omega. I agreed to this nonsense just because you suggested it. I think we should eliminate her before anyone discovers what happened.”

“What?!”  My hand quickly flew to my mouth to stop a scream.