Chapter 4

[Xanthea]

The maids gingerly removed the plaster from my hand and wrapped it in fresh elastic bandages.

I sat in front of the ornate dressing table with shut eyes. I didn’t want to look at myself, not when Nikolai’s unsettling gaze scorched disgustingly over every inch of my body.

I wore a thin, white undergown that concealed nothing. It clung to my body, revealing far more than I was comfortable with.

A sick churn bubbled up in my stomach with apprehension when he approached the dressing table, ordering the maids to leave.

I clenched the gown over my knees into my fists. He placed his hand on my shoulder, the searing warmth of his palm sinking into my bare skin.

I tensed up, bringing my shoulders closer to my neck when he leaned closer to my ears.

“Now, wouldn’t you look prettier with this piece of cloth off you, my pretty doll?”

My fists trembled as he slipped the sleeve of the undergown down my shoulder.

He took a sharp breath with a chuckle, distancing himself from me.

“Look at you tremble, sis! What did you think I’d do? I am your half-brother. Come on! How disgusting can your thoughts get? I was just joking with you. Take these painkillers and be on your best behaviour, sis. I am not joking when I say these are important guests,” he said.

His hand slid over my fist.

“Take these painkillers. Trust me, I am only trying to help you. It might be a long night for you,” Nikolai forced open my fist and put the painkillers in my palm. “Here’s your water. I know you won’t be able to hold with your right hand. Let me help you drink.”

I stared at the pills in my palms. Shutting my eyes, I swallowed them, allowing Nikolai to help me drink the water.

“Good doll,” he said, running his thumb across my lips, wiping off the water. “If you were this obedient all the time, I wouldn’t have to go through all the trouble you force me through. The maids will now dress you up.”

He left and the maids soon entered the room when I finally looked at myself in the mirror…

The bridal veil ran down from my hair all the way to the floor across the gown. The one who looked back from the reflection was a pretty bride dressed in a lavish full sleeved, off-shoulder, revealing white wedding gown, just like a doll.

I guess that’s what I was always supposed to be. A doll for someone to dress up. A doll who had no mind of her own, the one who had no luxury to dream or think for herself. I was always supposed to listen to others and have no opinion of my own. That’s what omegas have always been.

I lowered my gaze.

I didn’t even want to look at the one standing in the mirror.

My stomach convoluted with foreboding and apprehension.

Why was I dressed like a bride?

What was going on?

What exactly was going to happen to me?

What did Nikolai mean when he said it would be a long night for me?

The door opened, and someone entered. From the sound of heels striking the marble, I knew it was my stepmother, Luna Meesa Virgo.

I held my gaze low as she took me in.

“She looks perfect. Bring her when I call,” she talked to the maids and left.

I had a powerful urge to ask her why I was wearing a wedding gown, but I knew it was better to let things unfold according to them than to question or fight them.

I slumped back on the white and golden couch.

My heart thumped louder with every ticking of the clock.

Hours later, something happened that had never happened before. Alpha Valdimir entered my room, and I instantly sprang to my feet. It felt like blood had drained off my body as he stood near me. But at the same time, I was a little hopeful about something.

I didn’t know what I hoped for from him, but it was all in vain.

In the twenty-three years of my life, this was the third time I was standing face to face with him. He was never cold to me or hostile like Luna Meesa, Nathalia and Nikolai. But he was never warm either.

He was my father, but we were complete strangers.

I bowed, keeping my gaze low.

He contemplated me for a while before he spoke.

“You are… getting married to the…” he gritted his jaws then continued. “… to the triplet Alphas of the Infernal pack tonight,” he said in his usual calm voice and a hint of hesitation.

My breaths had stalled in my chest as the meaning of his words sank in.

“I thought it was… important that you know and understand… the situation. The Alpha King has chosen our pack this year to make the offering to the demon lords. I had no choice, Thea. Nathalia is too young. The fate of our pack is… now in your hands. As your father, I don’t want this to happen to you—”

“Please leave,” my voice trembled as I turned away from him. Tears brimmed in my eyes.

“Thea…”

Pain knotted into my chest. Suffocation tightened into my throat as I forced those words from my lips.

“An alpha is offering an omega from his pack to the demon lords to protect his pack and his people. There’s nothing more to this situation, your highness. You could have sent your servant to relay the message like you always did. It’s not like you ever considered me as your daughter. And if by any odd chance you feel guilty, then think yourself forgiven, for I never expected anything from you.”

The bitterness mixed with fear and pain made me speak words that I never could have dared say to him otherwise. And I instantly regretting letting my inner thoughts come to life in front of him.

I don’t think he was there to say a sorry. Maybe he was there to warn me or tell me to behave myself.

He let out an exasperated sigh. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

Tears trailed down my eyes. Words clogged my throat and all I could do was shake my head.

“I am sorry, Thea. All of this happened so suddenly since yesterday, even I don’t understand how things led to this. It’s Alpha King’s order. So, I hope you understand the gravity of this situation.”

Of course, I knew what it meant to be offered to the Triplets. I knew how serious the situation was.

Now that I knew the reason for wearing the wedding gown, its fabric felt like molten silver on my skin.

I was being offered to the Triplet alphas.

There were three Pack Realms in this world — the Earthly Packs realm, the Celestial pack realm, and then the most dreaded pack ever, the Infernal pack realm.

The Celestial pack was known as the purest pack and was ruled by the Moon Goddess herself. It consisted of immortal werewolves, descendants of the angel, dragon, or god races. The Earthly packs relied heavily on the blessings of the Celestial pack, which was believed to be a pack hidden in the sky.

The Earthly packs realm consisted of the twelve werewolf packs inhabiting mortal werewolves. The Virgo pack, my pack, was one of the Earthly packs. Each pack was ruled by an alpha and the Alpha King ruled over all the twelve alphas. He was also known as the Alpha of the Alphas and he was responsible for maintaining peace with the Celestial pack and the Infernal pack.

The Infernal pack was infamously known as the pack of the underworld or hell, and it was ruled by the triplet alphas or the demon lords. The Infernal pack was also inhabited by the immortal werewolves, but they were all descendants of the evil, the demons, the curses, the banished and the ones who turned rogue.

No one knew why, but it started three years ago. Every year, the Alpha King chose an Earthly pack to make an offering to the Triplet alphas of the Infernal pack.

From what everyone believed, offering the demon lords a bride of royal blood every year was the only way to maintain peace between the Earthly packs and the Infernal pack.

No one knows what happens to the brides in the Infernal pack. But by the end of the one year time, all those brides from all the Earthly packs were found dead in the most gruesome way and hung outside the royal palaces if the packs they belonged to.

The triplet alphas took over those fallen packs and ever since, their inhabitants live at their mercy.

I gulped hard, trying to manage my breathlessness. But everything was turning dark in front of my eyes. I held my head. Nausea tore through my chest, cold fear rattling through my bones as I imagined myself meeting the same gruesome end.

Until today, three brides have been offered to them and no bride had survived those ruthless alphas. All of them were alpha blood. I was an omega. I wouldn’t survive a day—

“Thea!” Alpha held me before I slumped to the floor.

A cry escaped my lips when he held my broken hand.

I instantly withdrew my hand from him.

He tensed his brows. “Thea, are you hurt?”

I restlessly looked around the floor and shook my head.

He seized my hand, making me wince. He made me sit on the couch while he sat beside me. He lifted the sleeve of my broken hand. His furrow deepened when he saw the bandages wrapped around my arms.

“How did this happen?” He asked.

Nikolai’s warning rang in my head and my mouth turned drier than it already was.

“Alpha!” I heard Luna Meesa’s panic-stricken voice as she stormed into the room.

Catching her breath, her wide eyes fell on my hand and then at Alpha. Rage flashed in her eyes as she glared at me.

“Did you know she was hurt?” Alpha asked and Luna Meesa’s aura instantly shifted.

“She’s hurt?” she strutted towards me. “I didn’t know. Why didn’t you tell me you were hurt when I asked you before?”

“What happened, Thea?” Alpha turned to me.

My breaths sped up; tears streamed down my eyes.

Luna grabbed my shoulder. I supressed a wince.

“Yes, sweety. What happened? Tell your father, how did you get hurt?” Her tone was sweet to ears who didn’t know the threat lurking behind that sweetness.

Sniffling, I licked my dry lips and said.

“I-I… fell… from the stairs.”

“Oh my! That is I didn’t like the idea of her shifting to Freya’s house. She’s all alone there and you know she never shares anything with us. She doesn’t even consider us a family. Or else she would have told me,” Luna Meesa said.

There was a knock at the door and the royal doctor walked in. Luna Meesa glared at me and then at Alpha, looking as shocked as I was.

Alpha got up from the couch as the doctor examined me thoroughly.

He told father about my broken hand and sprained ankles.

“Father…” Nikolai entered the room.

“Is Alpha King here to take her?” Father asked, facing him.

Before offering the bride to the Triplet Alphas, the Alpha King collected the brides himself and then took her to his kingdom from where she was sent to the Infernal pack.

“No,” his stern voice hinted of fear. “They are here…” he panted anxiously. “The demon lords are here themselves.”

Blood froze in my veins. Doctor and Alpha blocked Nikolai from my vision. But I wished he said he was joking even when I knew he wasn’t.

“They sent a messenger. They’ll be here by midnight,” Nikolai said.

“Call an immediate meeting in the court,” Alpha said and Nikolai hurried out of the room. Turning towards Luna, Alpha said. “Get Nathalia ready for the offering. Thea can’t marry the Triplets in this condition.”