Chapter 4

The departure from the Omega House was supposed to be a grand procession, but for me, it felt like escaping a gilded cage.

As we walked toward the courtyard, Gabriel’s hand remained firmly on the small of my back—a steady, grounding heat that contrasted with the icy glares following us.

“Don’t look back,” Gabriel murmured, his voice a low vibration near my ear. “The past has nothing left for you, Vanessa.”

I nodded, clutching the velvet box containing the real White Lotus Pearl weed. I didn't need to look back to know what was happening. My ears caught the sharp thwack of a hand hitting flesh, followed by Lily’s muffled gasp.

[You’ve embarrassed me for the last time today,]

Matthew’s thoughts snarled, vibrating through the air like a discordant chord. [You’re pale, you’re shaking, and you look like a commoner next to her. If you want to be a Queen, start acting like you have the strength to carry the title.]

I felt a shiver of dark satisfaction. In my previous life, those words had been spat at me while Matthew drained my life force to fuel his conquests. Now, Lily was the one discovering that a Golden King’s crown was forged from the blood of his mate.

***

Once I arrived in the rogue pack, the rogue wolves surrounded me. I was the centre of their attention. Everyone was trying to please me. The elders of the pack seemed warm and gentle.

But once their eyes fell on the space of my neck, a female elder asked, “Gabriel hasn’t marked you yet?”

I smiled awkwardly before I replied, “ We have just met. It's too soon for us to take our relationship to the next level. We would better spend a few days understanding each other first.”

The elder remained silent for a while before she finally spoke, “That's great!”

Though the elder didn't say much on this, her thoughts gave her away.

[Another omega failing to win our Alpha's heart! I thought he had finally found the one he was looking for… Ah, it seems like there is a long way.]

[Poor girl! She doesn't know she is just going to be kicked out soon.]

I choked on the wild fruit I was eating. Her words reminded me of how Lily had been taken down by the rogue wolves after she failed to win Gabriel’s heart. The laws here were different.

And as an Omega claimed by someone, we lose our only shelter from the Omega House. We have nowhere to go. And the ‘rejected’ tag made us end up begging since we didn't belong to any packs. No one cares if we face injustice. That was what happened with Lily.

After being kicked out of Gabriel’s pack, a few drunk wolves raped her before she finally escaped and killed me in rage.

The rumours were that those wolves were actually sent by Gabriel because he was so pissed off that Lily was always showing up before him in revealing clothes, begging to patch up.

So, he commanded his men to mark her on his behalf so that she would never show up again.

As an Omega, an Alpha’s rejection is the worst thing that can happen to us.

I did not want to go through the same fate as her. I had to win Alpha Gabriel’s heart not because I loved him but because I wanted to simply survive.

Later that night, Gabriel entered our chamber very late. He looked at me and said, “Sorry, I got busy with Pack’s affairs.” His voice, though warm, sounded indifferent.

“From now on, please don't wait for me and go to sleep.”

After throwing out these words, he simply grabbed his pillow and moved out of the chamber without a single word.

And the next day, I became the hot topic of the pack. From the elders to the pack’s mates, I could hear their thoughts, filled with pity and mockery.

After that night, my heart had been restless. The fear was palpable. Gabriel seemed to be ignoring me. He would sleep separately and talk very little.

Everything was going just as it had in the previous life with Lily. Though Gabriel actually showing up in the marking ceremony and not kicking me out was the only different incident that gave me a sort of relief.

The same day, Lily came to visit me. She had worn the designer dresses and matching accessories that stood out in Gabriel’s shabby pack house.

Matthew was also tagging along with her, holding her hands affectionately– an attempt to not let anyone see through his dark side.

“I was missing you, sister!” Lily began, “So, I asked Matthew to bring me to see you.”

[How can I miss watching you rot in the mud while I wear those expensive dresses you once flaunted. Her thoughts clicked in.