Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

“Raise your head", the guard said. The night wasn't enough to hide the tremor in my hands, but I forced myself to obey. No one knew who I was. This was not the first time that I'd used the pill to dull my scent. He lifted a scanner and passed it slowly over the mask. A soft beep followed.The guard smiled “Have a lovely evening, Miss Cassandra Raventhorn"

But there was something you should know

My name was Amaris Raventhorne, the omega who stole her step sister’s identity because of course why would an omega be invited for an Alpha's party? The Alpha himself had declared it; no omegas allowed. 

It was just exhausting, watching Cassandra have everything that I had always wanted, yet still treat me like a servant. She knew my secret, the truth about the night my mother died. A secret I had sworn to carry to my grave. One she used to bend me to her will

Tonight was different

Tonight, I would taste freedom. Tonight, Cassandra would know what it was like to have her life stolen from her, even if only for a few hours. 

The moment I stepped into the hall, the music swallowed me whole. Warm light spilled across the courtyard. Chandeliers hung from towering arches. Dancers moved in elegant patterns. I was inside. I was one of them. An equal. 

And if I was to enjoy the night, I needed to act like it. 

But beneath all my bravado, terror burned in my chest. One wrong move. One mistake and this night would destroy me. 

I could do it. 

I drifted towards the drink table. My insides churn with excitement as I took in the rows of crystal glasses, each filled with liquids of different colours. Amber. Ruby. Midnight blue. I had never seen so many choices in one place. I had never been allowed to choose. I looked at the server, a smile spreading on my face “Get me everything"

He blinked in shock “Everything?"

I nodded, feigning confidence, I raised my head high, emboldened by the mask hiding my face “One of each"

And just like that, the table before me filled with glasses. I lifted the first, inhaling the unfamiliar scent before taking a careful sip. Sweet. Sharp. Warm. It burned pleasantly. 

Another glass. Then another. 

Laughter bubbled up inside me, I felt light, weird and strange. Was this freedom?

No one watching me. No one knew I didn't belong.

Or so I thought

A sudden awareness washed over me. I slowly lifted my gaze. Across the room, a man stood utterly still, a drink in his hand with his eyes locked on me with a wicked smile. His mask was dark, carved with sharp, elegant lines. Gold traced its edges, catching the light. My breath hitched. 

The moment our eyes locked. 

Something deep in my chest pulled, a fierce, undeniable tug that made my legs weaken. My wolf stirred, restless and alert, whispering a truth I had waited for my whole life. The Fates blessing. 

Mate

The masked man- my mate, stalked towards me. My hands tightened around my cup. I pretended not to notice him as I drowned another cup.

“You are going to regret that", the masked man said mildly. 

I glanced at him over the rim of my glass, wondering what he looked like “Regret what? Living?"

His lips curved upward “Ordering the entire table"

“I'm making up for lost time", I replied, settling the glass down “Besides, they are free"

“They are not", he continued “Everything in this place costs something"

“And what's the price for sitting this close to you?", I said turning towards him. He chuckled, soft and dangerous “Careful, you might not like the answer"

Walk away!,my instincts told me. Instead, I grazed his leg with mine. He flexed his muscles. The strange pull hummed between us. 

“I'm trying to figure out who you are", he said

“Does it matter?"

“It does tonight"

Something about the way he said it sent a shiver down my spine. I tilted my head “And who are you supposed to be? Besides overly confident and vaguely threatening" 

He stepped closer lowering his voice " Someone who knows you don't belong here”

My breath caught but I forced a smile " neither do secrets. Yet, here we are”

"You are dangerous" he murmured

I laughed softly. “Funny. I was thinking the same about you"

His eyes darkened “Come with me"

Without another word, he guided me through the crowd, a quiet corridor where the music chilled to a distant echo. The pull between us became unbearable. I didn't remember who moved first, only that suddenly he was before me, towering, hie presence swallowing the space between us. His gloved finger brush my wrist and lightning raced up my arm.

“You feel it too", he muured. 

My throat tightened. I nodded.

A door opened. Closed. Silence wrapped around us. The room was dim, lit only by moonlight spilling through tall windows. For a heartbeat, we simply stood there, breathing each other in, the bond thrumming hot and insistent between us. 

When he kissed me, it was inevitable. 

I clutched his cloak as the world narrowed to the heat of his touch, the way my body answered him without hesitation. 

Clothes were discarded. The bed pressed against my back. The sight of him. Fates. I opened my mouth to say something but he kissed me shut. 

 I spread my legs as he pushed his length inside me, soft, until he could fit in. And then he thrust in harder. Faster and Faster. At that moment, I was whole and nothing. Beginning and the end. The world around me blurred. He released his seeds in me, collapsing against me. I traced my finger through his hair and then the mask slipped. It fell to the floor, with a soft, unforgiving sound. I froze. 

Moonlight revealed his face and the truth struck me like a blow to the chest “Y-you", my voice breaks “You are the Alpha. I am your mate. I felt it. You felt it too"

“I dont know how I didn't realize your scent sooner but…", his nostrils flare “An omega would weaken my position. This-" he gestured between us “was just a fleeting moment"

“You reject me?"

“Yes. I will not take an omega as my mate"