CHAPTER FIVE: THE PROMISE, THE BETRAYAL, THE AWAKENING

felt fear when the door flew open.

Sylvia stood there. Her face was red with anger.

"So you kept her in your room all day?" she yelled. Her voice was sharp. "This dirty thing?"

She jumped at me. But Caius caught her arm in the air.

"You're hurting me, Caius!" she screamed. "You are hurting me!"

"I told you the last time, Sylvia," he said.

"If I did something wrong, I am sorry!" she cried. "But do not punish me like this. I know you are trying to teach me a lesson by... by taking this omega!" She said the word like it was poison.

"Go away," Caius said coldly.

"What—Caius—"

"I said go away," he repeated. He looked at the guards. "Take her out."

"Do not touch me!" Sylvia screamed. But the guards pulled her out. Her eyes burned into me before the door shut.

It was quiet for a moment.

Then, a soft knock. The head maid was there.

"Alpha. I came for Ayla. To tell her about her new job."

Caius looked at me. "You can go," he said kindly.

I bowed my head. "Yes, Alpha."

I turned to leave.

"Ayla," he said.

I stopped.

"Be careful," he said, his voice soft.

I nodded. "Yes, Alpha."

I followed the head maid. Our feet made sounds in the long hall. The further we walked, the more people whispered.

"She must be a witch."

"Maybe she used a magic drink."

"An omega? In the Alpha's room?"

"She will bring bad luck to this pack."

"She will not last a week."

I kept my head down.

The head maid was not mean. She was... nice.

"As the Alpha's personal maid, you will clean his room, bring his food, and be ready when he calls," she said. "It is a big job. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do," I said.

"You will bring his food tonight. The Alpha eats in his room."

Soon, we were in the kitchen. The head maid gave me a silver tray.

"Do not drop it," she said.

I nodded. I took the tray and walked. The whispers followed me like ghosts. I saw Sylvia on the stairs. Her face was empty. She looked straight ahead.

My heart beat fast. Would she hit me? Yell?

But Sylvia walked past me. She did not say a word. She did not even look at me.

I let out a breath. I did not know I was holding it.

At the Alpha's door, I knocked.

"Come in," Caius said.

I went in quietly. I put the tray on the table.

"Does the Alpha need anything else?" I asked.

"Yes," Caius said, sitting down. "I need you to eat."

"What?"

"You were sick last time. You need to eat good food."

"But—"

"No but," he said. "You would not say no to the Alpha, would you?"

I sat down slowly. "I am sorry."

He laughed a little. "Good. Eat."

We ate in quiet. Then Caius spoke.

"Will you go somewhere with me tonight?" he asked.

I looked up.

"My mother's grave," he added. "I want to tell her about my mate. And the baby."

I almost choked. Caius gave me a cup of water. He smiled.

"Do you not think she would be angry?" I asked.

"No," Caius said with a small smile. "I think she would be happy."

I looked down. My face felt hot.

"So... will you come with me?" he asked again.

"I... I cannot say no to the Alpha," I said softly.

After we ate, Caius moved closer. "We will go alone. I will wear a guard's clothes. No one can see us together."

"I understand," I said.

"Good. You go first. If anyone asks, show them this." He gave me a note.

I left with the note. Every time someone asked, I said, "I am doing a job for the Alpha."

I reached the place he told me about. I waited.

Soon, a guard walked up. I looked hard at him. Then he pulled down his hood.

"Alpha," I whispered.

Someone was coming. Fast, Caius pushed me close to him. His lips were near my cheek, like he was kissing me. To the person walking, we looked like a guard and his girl.

When the person was gone, Caius stepped back.

"Shall we go?"

"Yes, Alpha."

We walked. He took my hand. I was stiff, but I let him.

"Tell me about you, Ayla."

"There is not much to tell."

"Please. Tell me."

We talked the whole way. About my mom and dad. My life in the pack. Being alone.

We reached a hill. Below, the river shone under the moon.

"It is pretty," I whispered.

"It was my mother's favorite place," Caius said. "She asked to be put here after she died."

He showed me the grave. Then, he went down on his knees.

"Mother," he said softly. "This is Ayla. My mate. She has your grandbaby inside her."

I watched him. My heart hurt from his sad voice.

"I promise to keep them safe. Always."

I wiped my eyes.

"Do you want to see the top?" Caius asked, standing up.

"I am scared of high places."

"I will not let anything bad happen to you."

I was unsure, but I took his hand.

The view was amazing.

"You were right," Caius said.

"About what?"

"An Alpha not being able to want an Omega as a mate."

I turned. "Alpha Caius, I—"

Before I could finish, he pushed me.

"CAIUS! NOOO!"

I screamed as I fell. The air rushed past me. I saw his face above me. It was cold. He was just watching.

Lies. This mean world.

The baby. My baby.

This was how I would die.

I hit the water.

Everything went black.

*

*

A gasp.

Air. Light. Voices.

My eyes opened fast. I was lying down–but not on rocks. Not in water.

People were around me. A woman was between my legs.

"Queen Liliana, you need to push! The baby is almost out!"

"What?" I said, my voice rough. "Queen... Liliana? Push?"

I looked around, scared.

"Where... where am I? What baby? I–I already…"

But I could not remember well. Only pieces.

I blinked, full of panic.

Was I not just falling? Dying?

Then I felt fire. It burned in my blood. It ran up my back. My chest felt tight. Not from pain. From something old waking up inside me.

"Push, Your Majesty!"

Something in me roared.

Not just pain. Not just fear.

Power.

It was not a wolf. It was not a person.

It was something deeper. Hotter. Wilder.

Like something was waking up from a long sleep.

And it had chosen me.