Chapter 1 - SCENT OF AN OMEGA

MOIRA

The eerie scream was like lightning splitting an oak tree. Every movement in the hall stopped and even the music died down.

“Tamine!”

Tamine was the lycanic word for mate. Hundreds of wolves turned at once to see what the priestess was doing. I froze beside the long table I had been arranging. My hands still held a wine glass as I watched.

The Moon Goddess Ceremony happened only once every few years. Every wealthy unmated wolf in the kingdom gathered to witness it. See how I sneaked, ‘wealthy’ in there. And if by chance you aren’t wealthy then don’t be an omega but I happened to fail on being wealthy and pass on the omega front. So yeah, the ceremony wasn’t for people like me.

I was only there because omegas had to clean, serve, and stay invisible.

That had always been my life. The invisible worthless omega.

My focus returned back to the High Priestess. Prince Adan stood close to her. He was the heir to the Alpha King and the most important being in the realm.

Every unmated woman in the kingdom had dreamed of standing beside him especially tonight. I certainly hadn’t.

The High Priestess raised her hands toward the moonlight entering the hall through the glass ceiling.

“Moon Goddess,” she chanted. “Reveal the sacred bond. Tamine a aprecsuine ekus.”

The hall went silent. It was almost as if everyone present held their breath as they waiting for a miracle that looked like it wasn’t going to come.

I made a move to continue clearing the table when someone beside me gasped. A strange warmth circled my through my wrist with a faint blue glow.

I frowned. Well that’s odd. I wiped my hand on my apron, thinking I had spilled wine but the glow didn’t fade.

The glow intensified, pulsing like a heartbeat then a silver mark slowly appeared on my skin. As much as I tried not to freak out, my heart banged wickedly against my ribs and hot bile rose to my throat.

No, no, no. This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a sick joke. A prank.

A second glow appeared across the hall on Prince Adan’s wrist. It seemed like everyone was looking at me and I could hear their whispers.

“An omega? Why does she have the scent of an Omega?”

“That can’t be right!”

“Impossible!”

All eyes in the hall turned toward me. My chest tightened as if someone had wrapped iron chains around my ribs.

I took a step back. Then another. Just a few more and I would turn the corner until I can run away through the back exit.

A sudden force grabbed my arm. Pain shot through my wrist as someone yanked me. I stumbled and nearly dropped the wine glass. Prince Adan dragged me across the marble floor. I hadn’t even seen him move.

My heart pounded violently in my chest.

He stopped in the center of the hall and raised my arm high enough for everyone to see the glowing mark. His grip hurt and I struggled to break free but he was too strong. He didn’t even flinch.

His eyes burned with fury as he turned to glare at me. “Explain this,” he demanded.

The High Priestess stepped forward, her face pale with confusion. “The Moon Goddess has spoken, Your Highness. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

“You’re telling me…” He looked down at me with open disgust. “…that this is my mate? This— thing?”

His words were cruel and full of so much hate. Heat rushed into my face. I prayed silently for the ground to swallow me.

The aristicrats looked at me with disgust. Their whispers were too loud for me to ignore.

“An omega Luna?”

“That’s humiliating.”

“The royal bloodline will be ruined.”

I forced myself to breathe through the lump in my throat. It was a struggle to hold back the tears. I can’t show weakness.

Adan suddenly jerked my arm closer and inspected the mark again. He touched it then growled angrily.

His eyes darkened. “No,” he said coldly. “I reject this.”

The High Priestess stepped forward sharply. “Your Highness, the sacred bond cannot be rejected—”

“I said no.” He said through gritted teeth. “I won’t entertain this fuckery.”

My wrist throbbed under his grip. I met his gaze for the first time and realized too late the mistake I was making. The hatred in his eyes froze my blood.

So this was the man fate had chosen for me. A man who looked at me like I was dirt. I couldn’t really blame him. We were from two different worlds and just as my mother used to say; water and oil could never mix even if you forced them into the same jar.

Adan suddenly released my arm. “This is a mistake,” he growled in a voice loud enough for the entire hall to hear. “The future Luna of this kingdom cannot be an omega servant.”

A soft voice interrupted. I recognized the voice immediately and knew things were about to get worse.

“Your Highness.” Sarah stepped forward gracefully.

My sister looked stunning in her crimson gown. Her golden hair shone under the chandelier’s light. She had always been beautiful and admired by everyone. She was everything I wasn’t.

“You shouldn’t upset yourself,” she said softly. “I’m sure poor Moira never intended for this to happen.”

Adan glanced at her then his face softened. His anger burned away like a dying flame. It didn’t surprise me. Everyone knew he had been in love with her for years.

Sarah turned to me with a sympathetic smile that was fake enough to make a child cry.

“Moira,” she said gently. “You must be as shocked as everyone else.”

I forced a small nod. I reminded myself this was all an act to Sarah. You’re enjoying this, sister.

Then Adan spoke again but softer. “This bond will not happen.”

The High Priestess looked horrified. “Your Highness—”

“I will not marry her.”

His words filled me with relief. It was a good thing knowing he didn’t want me. I didn’t want him either. But fate didn’t care about what we wanted.

The elders began arguing immediately. “The bond is sacred!”

“The Moon Goddess cannot be defied!”

Adan’s expression hardened. “If the bond cannot be broken…”

The hall became quiet suddenly as everyone waited for his verdict.

“…then she will marry someone else.”

Confused whispers and gasps echoed through the crowd. My heart skipped a beat. Adan turned toward the upper balcony. I followed his gaze just as everyone else in the hall.

A man stood there barely visible in the shadows. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and stayed still almost like he was frozen in time. He oozed an overwhelming aura even from across the hall his presence pushed into the room like a storm waiting to break. Then he took a step forward.

Alpha Jamie Draven.

Everyone gasped. Alpha Jamie Draven was Adan’s uncle. He was also the most feared Alpha in the kingdom. Stories about him filled every pack territory and I had even heard a few from gossips in the kitchen.

They said enemies disappeared when he arrived. They said he was ruthless enough to make the devil nervous. They said he yanked out his heart with his bare hands and kept it in a box that’s why his aura is so dark and powerful

Adan pointed toward him. “Let my uncle take her.”

The hall became silent. My breath caught in my throat and my lung felt heavy. Surely he was joking.

But Adan’s face held no humor only cold determination. He had the ‘I’m not fucking around’ look down to the furrow of his eyebrows.

Alpha Jamie stepped forward into the moonlight. His dark eyes scanned the crowd in one swift look then they landed on me. For a moment, the entire world seemed to stop. I wasn’t sure if I was still breathing. My brain froze.

His eyes felt like they could see straight through my bones. A strange chill crawled down my spine.

Jamie looked at Adan then back at me. His expression didn’t change.

My heart pounded harder. What was he thinking? He looks like he can destroy me without breaking a sweat. There’s no way he accepts this ridiculous offer.

“You’re offering me your rejected mate?” Jamie asked in a voice that went under my skin.

Adan didn’t hesitate. “Yes. I don’t need her.”

Jamie’s eyes returned to me again. I fought the urge to shrink under it.

My thoughts raced. Please say no. Please say no. Please— It can only be no.

His amber-gray eyes darkened slightly then his lips curved into an unreadable smile.

“I accept.”