Chapter 3

Irene’s POV

A laugh burst from my throat before I could stop it. "That's… that's a joke, right?"

But his expression didn't change. Those steel-grey eyes remained locked on mine, not a hint of humor touched his face.

The laughter died in my throat.

"Your Majesty!" A voice rang out from the crowd. An older man stepped forward, his blue robes marking him as a council member. "This is outrageous! A servant? An omega?"

"Unacceptable!" Another joined him, a woman with silver hair piled high on her head. "The King's bloodline cannot be diluted with-with that!"

More voices rose in protest but I couldn't focus on them. My entire world had narrowed to the man standing before me.

He had chosen me as his breeder. Me!? The girl who did everything to stay invisible.

"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, you can't do this to me. I won’t..” the words died in my throat.

Alastair's smirk widened, like he was enjoying my panic and sharp tears stung my eyes.

"I can," he said simply. "And I have."

I staggered backwards with a gasp, the room spinning in dizzying circles. The voices around me grew louder, and I could see mouths moving ans hands gesturing wildly, but the sound became distorted,

This isn't real. It had to be a nightmare I would wake up from.

I stumbled again, my legs hitting the edge of a chair and my vision swam with black spots.

"Your Majesty, surely you must reconsider your decision." Someone said through my gaze but I was trying to breathe.

"Yes!” The female councilwoman cried out. "An omega has never been a breeder for the royal line!l

"Silence." Alastair snapped and the room fell quiet instantly. "My decision stands. I don't answer to the council on matters of my personal choices or have you forgotten who rules here?"

The threat in his tone was unmistakable but I barely heard it.

My chest was too tight. I couldn't get enough air and it felt like the walls were closing in.

My knees buckled and the floor rushed up to meet me, but I didn't feel the impact. L

This wasn't how my birthday was supposed to go. I was supposed to find my mate and escape from the awful life.

But it seemed the moon god wasn’t on my side, then again, he never was.

The last thing I heard before I lost consciousness was his voice. "Take her to the east wing."

*******

My eyelids felt heavy and I tried to move, but my body wouldn't cooperate.

I could hear voices whispering but I didn’t recognize any of them.

"Her vital signs are stable, Your Majesty. She simply fainted from shock. Nothing serious."

"And the other matter I asked about?"

"The tests will take a day or two to confirm, but preliminary examination shows she's... suitable."

Test? What test!? What in god’s name had they done to me.

I forced my eyes open, squinting against the lamplight. I was lying on a bed with clean sheets and pillows.

Three figures stood beside me. A man in a physician's coat, a woman with a medical bag, and Alastair.

He looked down at me, his expression unreadable. "She's awake."

I tried to sit up but the room spun, and the female doctor pressed me gently back down.

"Easy," she said softly. "You fainted, take a moment before moving.”

"No." I shoved her hands away, panic flooding back in full force. I looked at Alastair, my voice rising. "Are you going to take me as your breeder? Or was that a joke? Please, tell me it was a joke!?”

"Leave us," Alastair said, his gaze still fixed on me.

The physician and doctor exchanged glances, then bowed and hurried from the room. The door clicked shut behind them, and suddenly I was alone with him.

"Please," I gasped, scrambling to the edge of the bed. My legs were shaky, but I managed to stand, even as I swayed. "Please, Your Majesty, you have to reconsider. I'm just an omega servant, I can't-I can't be what you need. There are so many other women, highborn women, wolves with good bloodlines-"

"I know exactly what you are," he interrupted, moving closer.

I blinked, feeling more confused. "Then why? Why would you choose me? It doesn't make sense!"

"It doesn't have to make sense to you." He closed the distance between us, and I backed up until my legs hit the bed again. "Your job isn't to understand, it’s to obey."

"I can’t become your breeder." My voice cracked. "I'm a person, not some breeding animal!"

His hand shot out, gripping my face, forcing me to look at him. His fingers dug into my cheeks, and I winced. "You seem to be confused about your position here. You're an omega, sold to this palace and by extension. Me.”

He leaned closer until all I could see were the silver in his eyes. “You belong to me now, in whatever capacity I decide."

Tears burned behind my eyes and I tried to twist away, but his grip was unrelenting.

"The sooner you accept that, the easier this will be for you," he continued. "You should be grateful. How many omegas get elevated to be the King's breeder? You'll have the finest rooms, the best food, anything you want."

"Except freedom," I choked out. "Except my own life."

Something flickered in his eyes but it was gone, before I could identify what it was.

"Freedom is an illusion," he said. "Everyone serves someone. At least you'll serve in comfort."

He released my face and turned toward the door.

But I didn't want to believe this was real. It was my twentieth birthday, the day I was supposed to find my mate and have a chance at something better.

"My mate!" I blurted before I could stop it. "What about my mate?"

Alastair stopped, his hand on the door handle. He looked back at me over his shoulder, and raised his brows.

"What about them?" He asked.

"I'm supposed to find them today. It's my birthday, I'm twenty, the bond should—" I couldn't stop the tears anymore. They spilled down my cheeks. "I was supposed to find them, you can't take that from me."

His jaw clenched and for a moment, I thought I saw something almost like regret cross his face.

Then his expression hardened into stone.

"Forget that dream," he snapped. "You're mine now. Any mate bond you might have had is irrelevant. I suggest you make peace with that quickly."

"But-“

"Goodnight, Irene."

The door opened and closed, and he was gone.

I stood there for a heartbeat, and then I fell apart.

A sob tore from my chest, then another, then I couldn't stop. I collapsed onto the bed, curling into myself as everything I'd held onto shattered.

I buried my face in the pillow and screamed, the sound muffled by the expensive fabric. My body shook with the force of my crying, tears soaking through the silk pillowcase.

I was only twenty years old yet my life was over before it had even begun.