Chapter 2: Fated to the Omega I Hate

DRAKE’S POV

No. There was no fucking way.

My wolf slammed against my ribs again.

‘Mate.’

I clenched my fists.

“Shut up.”

The word came out under my breath. The bond had hit me violently. When people talked about the mate unlocking, it always sounded romantic. Gentle. This was the clear opposite.

Across the auditorium, she was staring at me. Her scent suddenly filled my lungs in a rush, and every instinct inside me demanded that I go to her. Claim her. Protect her. Touch her.

I hated every second of it.

This couldn’t be real. There had to be some mistake somewhere.

No way in hell I was mated to Chloe fucking Bryne, the same girl I had caught stripping at the Velvet Siren.

Before that night, Chloe had been the only person in school I had respected.

She was the only student who consistently beat me, the only omega who met my eyes without immediately lowering her own.

I told myself I hated her arrogance, but the truth was, I watched her far more closely than I should have.

Then, six months ago, I saw her on stage at the Velvet Siren. The silver mask did not fool my wolf. I recognized her scent, her eyes, and the stubborn lift of her chin.

When I confronted her, she begged me not to tell anyone. She claimed she had only done it once to help her mother pay their bills.

I didn’t believe her. Someone who could lie to the entire school with a straight face could lie to me just as easily.

What angered me most was that knowing the truth had not stopped me from wanting her.

So I used the secret to put her beneath me. Every time she looked at me with disappointment, I reminded myself that she was not the girl I had once admired.

It was easier to call her cheap than admit I had been wrong about her—or that I still watched her whenever she entered a room.

Now the Moon Goddess had tied me to the one girl I had spent months forcing myself to hate.

The bond did not change what I knew. Chloe was not someone I could trust, and she would never be the Luna I chose!

Up on the stage, Chloe finally composed herself. She straightened, delivered her brief speech, and stepped down as the rest of the names were called in alphabetical order.

It felt like hours before the program ended. The auditorium erupted as students rushed out, thrilled to be done with school forever, spilling outside to find their families.

I shoved my hands into my pockets, not bothering to wait up for my busy father, and walked out alongside my group of guys.

“Yo,” Julian said, falling into step beside me. “Did you guys notice what happened to Chloe Byrne on stage?”

Marcus slapped Julian on the chest, grinning wide. “I was just about to mention that, bro. It def had to be a mate bond unlock. Like, it was so obvious.”

Leo, walking on my other side with his usual mocking smirk, burst out laughing. “God, imagine finding out you’re mates with Chloe Byrne. The omega beggar.”

Julian snickered. “Must be so fucking embarrassing. Whoever her mate is, he’s sweating bullets right now, fighting his hardest to keep it a secret. I know I would.”

The rest of the guys burst into raw laughter.

A violent spike of anger surged down my body. My fists squeezed so hard that my nails dug into my palms, but I forced myself to stay rigid.

They had no idea they were laughing about me. And there was no way in hell I was going to expose myself to them.

Fortunately, Julian quickly changed the subject. “So, how are we celebrating our graduation and coming of age tonight?”

Leo grinned, throwing an arm around Julian’s shoulders.

“We’re hitting the club. Where else?” He turned his gaze toward me, raising a brow. “What do you think, Drake?”

“Yeah, sure,” I muttered, keeping my voice level. “I’ll catch you guys there later tonight.”

Before they could walk away, my phone buzzed in my pocket. A message from Prisca Reid lit the screen.

'I’m sorry I missed graduation. I’ll be home next week. Your future Luna is proud of you.'

Prisca was the daughter of a neighboring pack’s Alpha. She had the rank, the training, and the connections Sterlink’s Luna needed. Before today, everyone had expected us to end up together.

So had I.

Julian glanced at the name on my screen and grinned.

“Prisca finally coming home?”

“Next week.”

Leo laughed. “Good. Unless the Moon Goddess surprised you with somebody better today.”

My wolf pushed forward at the words, filling my head with Chloe’s scent.

I locked my jaw. “Prisca is the woman I chose. If the Moon Goddess gives me someone else, I’ll reject her.”

A sudden shift in the air made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.

I lifted my eyes.

Standing at the edge of the hall was Chloe. Her wide, haunted eyes were fixed on me. She had heard everything.

My wolf demanded that I go to her. Instead, I held her gaze.

“No bond will turn a cheap omega into my Luna,” I said, loud enough for her to hear. “Prisca will always be my perfect Luna.”

In the silence that followed, I felt it. The exact moment Chloe’s heart broke.