The slap came in the blink of an eye. It was hard and painful, snapping my head sideways. I got dizzy for a moment then swallowed the sting, determined not to let the tears fall. I couldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break."Stupid girl." my mother hissed for the umpteenth time. "You're a curse on this family."Her brown eyes that so much looked like mine, was filled with nothing but hatred. She always looked at me this way, as if I was a mistake she wished she could erase.I bent my head trying to apologize. "I'm sorry, Mother.""Sorry won't change what you are." she spat. "An omega. You're weak and useless. How can you be all the bad things at once?"All the bad things. Her words were not new to me. I hear them everytime but today, they cut deeper.Ever since I was young, I've always knew I was different. Omegas were rare in our pack and we were seen as burdens or curse rather than blessings. Though some have big body size and sometimes try to stand tall, I was like the
I scrubbed harder and my fingers were red and aching as I worked the rough brush over the marble floors repeatedly. My knees hurt from kneeling on the cold stone for hours, but I didn't dare to stop.Not when I knew they were watching.Lady Lila stood near the grand staircase, sipping red wine from a glass and her crimson lips stretched into a mocking smirk."Did you miss a spot, little maid?" Her voice was sweet, laced with venom.I gritted my teeth while keeping my head down. "No, my lady."Her heel tapped against the polished floor. "Then why does it still look dirty?"I swallowed hard, biting back my anger. "I will clean it again.""Better. I want it spotless." She said before turning the rest of the wine in her hands and spilling it on the marble floor".Zara's laughter echoed from across the hall. She stood beside Lila with her arms crossed and her eyes gleaming with satisfaction."Look at her." She sneered. "On her hands and knees like the lowly omega she is."Lila chuckled. "I
As soon as David pushed me into the darkness, my breath got caught in my throat.My back hit the cold stone wall so hard and I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat as Lila's voice echoed down the hallway."David? Bryan? Where are you?"Her footsteps got closer and I pushed myself deeper into the shadows, my heart slamming against my ribs. If she saw me here, if she even suspect what just happened, she would make my life even more worse than it already was.Facing David, Bryan cursed under his breath. “Get rid of her.”David exhaled sharply, his voice indifferent. “We’re here, Lila.”I couldn't see them from my hiding place, but I could hear their voices."Ahh, there you are." Lila's voice was gentle. Nothing like the voice she use when talking to me. I imagined her reaching out, tracing her fingers down David's arm the way she always did. "The full moon is strong tonight. You should be careful.""We're fine." David said coldly.Lila let out a laugh. "Of course you are."I heaved a
I thought the worst had already happened. That nothing could be more painful than David and Bryan rejecting me. That being treated like a worthless maid in the palace would be my greatest disgrace.But I was wrong. Because now, I was no longer just an unwanted mate. I was a breeder.A pawn in the power struggle between two brothers who hated me to the core as much as they despised one another.And the worst part? I had no way to escape.*****The day after the king summoned them, I was dragged out from the quarters where the servants slept and thrown into a chamber in the east wing of the palace.It was too big, too suffocating and the bed too large for someone who had slept her whole life on the cold floor. But I wasn't buying it.This was not an act of kindness. It was more like a prison.A new prettier cage in which they could control me.Lady Lila made sure I knew it. She came into my room that morning and barged inside without knocking. There was a smirk on her lips as she looked
Her fingers brushed his wrist, and he let her. It was a simple and gentle touch. It was one that shouldn't have mattered.And yet, it felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped my heart out.I wanted to look away and pretend it didn't affect me but I couldn't. Because David wasn't just letting her touch him. He was allowing it as if he wants me to see.As if to remind me he has already chosen his mate. And it wasn't me.Bryan's voice cut through the silence. "You look so tense, Elara."I forced myself to breathe and try to keep my expression flat although humiliation seethed under my skin."Perhaps she's just feeling a little bit overwhelmed," Lila said, her voice reeking of false sympathy. "After all, she has never been amongst nobility in her life."A sharp laugh broke from Bryan. "That's true. She was just a little maid, wasn't she?"My hands curled into fists under the table. I would not let them see how much this hurt. I refuse to let them see."Enough."The entire ro
Elara's POVI didn't know how I agreed to Bryan's terms, but somehow, I did. What was I even thinking? My hands shook slightly by my side as I stood before the nobles. I felt so different, rejected and worthless. What was I trying to do? Act confident? Act bold? But I wasn't. My heartbeat got faster immediately I spilled out those words. My eyes snapped to David who was looking at me with a tensed gaze. I'm sure he was wondering why I agreed to Bryan's terms.But what's it to him? He doesn't even care about me.I kept my gaze fixed to the ground, but snapped it back to David almost immediately. His eyes were still fixed to mine, his chiselled face, pale.This time, his gaze was so tender and it made me feel so uneasy.Why was he staring at me like he really cared about me? Has he lost it? I'm not Lila, his girlfriend.This time, I turned my head to the side to avoid eye contact with him. After a moment, I turned to his side again and noticed he was still staring at me, his gaze un
Bryan's POVWhy would the moon goddess ordain an omega as my mate? What's so special about her?As long as I'm concerned, she's nothing more than a lowly slave, and I'll make sure I treat her as one.Seeing her face alone gets me irritated, and knowing she's my ordained mate worsens everything.But then, I don't care what the moon goddess wants to do, but I'll never accept Elara as my mate. I think the position of a breeder, as suggested by dad, is actually what suits her class.The meeting came to an end, and it was agreed that she would go down to the moon forest, where she would be consumed by wild beasts.That's a relief to me. I'm sure she won't survive it. And at least, I will no longer be obligated to be mated to an omega.All thanks to the moon goddess, but I've got my plans too.A cold chuckle escaped my lips as I stood up with my eyes fixed on Elara. I walked towards her and sighed softly before speaking. “Just pray they preserve your bones at least.” A gentle chuckle escap
Elara's POVI didn't know how I agreed to Bryan's terms, but somehow, I did. What was I even thinking? My hands shook slightly by my side as I stood before the nobles. I felt so different, rejected and worthless. What was I trying to do? Act confident? Act bold? But I wasn't. My heartbeat got faster immediately I spilled out those words. My eyes snapped to David who was looking at me with a tensed gaze. I'm sure he was wondering why I agreed to Bryan's terms.But what's it to him? He doesn't even care about me.I kept my gaze fixed to the ground, but snapped it back to David almost immediately. His eyes were still fixed to mine, his chiselled face, pale.This time, his gaze was so tender and it made me feel so uneasy.Why was he staring at me like he really cared about me? Has he lost it? I'm not Lila, his girlfriend.This time, I turned my head to the side to avoid eye contact with him. After a moment, I turned to his side again and noticed he was still staring at me, his gaze un
Her fingers brushed his wrist, and he let her. It was a simple and gentle touch. It was one that shouldn't have mattered.And yet, it felt like someone had reached into my chest and ripped my heart out.I wanted to look away and pretend it didn't affect me but I couldn't. Because David wasn't just letting her touch him. He was allowing it as if he wants me to see.As if to remind me he has already chosen his mate. And it wasn't me.Bryan's voice cut through the silence. "You look so tense, Elara."I forced myself to breathe and try to keep my expression flat although humiliation seethed under my skin."Perhaps she's just feeling a little bit overwhelmed," Lila said, her voice reeking of false sympathy. "After all, she has never been amongst nobility in her life."A sharp laugh broke from Bryan. "That's true. She was just a little maid, wasn't she?"My hands curled into fists under the table. I would not let them see how much this hurt. I refuse to let them see."Enough."The entire ro
I thought the worst had already happened. That nothing could be more painful than David and Bryan rejecting me. That being treated like a worthless maid in the palace would be my greatest disgrace.But I was wrong. Because now, I was no longer just an unwanted mate. I was a breeder.A pawn in the power struggle between two brothers who hated me to the core as much as they despised one another.And the worst part? I had no way to escape.*****The day after the king summoned them, I was dragged out from the quarters where the servants slept and thrown into a chamber in the east wing of the palace.It was too big, too suffocating and the bed too large for someone who had slept her whole life on the cold floor. But I wasn't buying it.This was not an act of kindness. It was more like a prison.A new prettier cage in which they could control me.Lady Lila made sure I knew it. She came into my room that morning and barged inside without knocking. There was a smirk on her lips as she looked
As soon as David pushed me into the darkness, my breath got caught in my throat.My back hit the cold stone wall so hard and I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat as Lila's voice echoed down the hallway."David? Bryan? Where are you?"Her footsteps got closer and I pushed myself deeper into the shadows, my heart slamming against my ribs. If she saw me here, if she even suspect what just happened, she would make my life even more worse than it already was.Facing David, Bryan cursed under his breath. “Get rid of her.”David exhaled sharply, his voice indifferent. “We’re here, Lila.”I couldn't see them from my hiding place, but I could hear their voices."Ahh, there you are." Lila's voice was gentle. Nothing like the voice she use when talking to me. I imagined her reaching out, tracing her fingers down David's arm the way she always did. "The full moon is strong tonight. You should be careful.""We're fine." David said coldly.Lila let out a laugh. "Of course you are."I heaved a
I scrubbed harder and my fingers were red and aching as I worked the rough brush over the marble floors repeatedly. My knees hurt from kneeling on the cold stone for hours, but I didn't dare to stop.Not when I knew they were watching.Lady Lila stood near the grand staircase, sipping red wine from a glass and her crimson lips stretched into a mocking smirk."Did you miss a spot, little maid?" Her voice was sweet, laced with venom.I gritted my teeth while keeping my head down. "No, my lady."Her heel tapped against the polished floor. "Then why does it still look dirty?"I swallowed hard, biting back my anger. "I will clean it again.""Better. I want it spotless." She said before turning the rest of the wine in her hands and spilling it on the marble floor".Zara's laughter echoed from across the hall. She stood beside Lila with her arms crossed and her eyes gleaming with satisfaction."Look at her." She sneered. "On her hands and knees like the lowly omega she is."Lila chuckled. "I
The slap came in the blink of an eye. It was hard and painful, snapping my head sideways. I got dizzy for a moment then swallowed the sting, determined not to let the tears fall. I couldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing me break."Stupid girl." my mother hissed for the umpteenth time. "You're a curse on this family."Her brown eyes that so much looked like mine, was filled with nothing but hatred. She always looked at me this way, as if I was a mistake she wished she could erase.I bent my head trying to apologize. "I'm sorry, Mother.""Sorry won't change what you are." she spat. "An omega. You're weak and useless. How can you be all the bad things at once?"All the bad things. Her words were not new to me. I hear them everytime but today, they cut deeper.Ever since I was young, I've always knew I was different. Omegas were rare in our pack and we were seen as burdens or curse rather than blessings. Though some have big body size and sometimes try to stand tall, I was like the