CHAPTER 1

SAPPHIRE

The stench of stale corpses filled the atmosphere, It didn’t bother me. I was used to it. 

For as long as I could remember, this scent was a signature of Litherra village.

We weren’t really favored by the royal family, a village filled with omegas and humans was not the right setting for the royal family to be found protecting. 

So we were subject to all sort of attacks, and it the process, blood was spilled. 

It was the norm. 

“Sapphire! I need you to go to the stream” my father called out from the living room of our one bedroom delipidating cottage. 

“Yes father.” I responded from the kitchen, and grabbed the bucket.

“Don’t stray and avoid trouble.” My father warned 

“I’ll be fine father, don’t worry”I said reassuringly and pecked his cheek.

“Youre all I have sapphire, I can’t -“ he broke off mid sentence, as he threw into a fit of coughs.

I rushed to his side, “Father, don’t overwork yourself. Once you drink the water from the stream, you’d feel better” I said as I rubbed his back. 

 It was believed that if you took water from a stream or a river blessed by the full moon, it possessed healing abilities.

It was a full moon tonight. 

“I’ll be back soon” I gave him a small smile, pecked his forehead and head out.

The paths in Litherra village were littered with grim expressions, there was a heavy cloud of fear hanging over everyone - the royal family had increased our taxes, we were barely keeping up as it was. 

“Well if it isn’t the abomination of Litherra” He mocked, his signature smug expression playing on his face.

“Her family line must have been cursed by the great goddess to birth such a disgrace” She spat, her eyes conveying nothing but disgust 

I’ve heard these words all my life, and they don’t hurt as much as they used to. 

“Please excuse me” I said quietly, my head hanging low. I tried to avoid confrontation because I knew how it would end - with me begging for mercy. 

“Look at me when I’m talking to you!! Who do you think you are??” He forced my eyes to hold his, his hand tightly gripping my face. 

“Flak, I think she needs us to remind her of her place” She spat, a menacing smirk appearing on her lips 

“Youre right Ria,” he let go of my face and smirked “I’ll give you a head start” 

My eyes widened in fear, and I ran. I knew they would catch me, but I couldn’t stop. 

Father needed the water, he had been ill for sometime now, and this was the only chance I had. 

if I had to wait for the next full moon... his condition would worsen. 

I ran as fast as I could.

They were close, I could sense them, I could hear them. 

Their growls grew louder, and a moment after, I felt a sharp throbbing pain in my back, and I fell face flat on the rocky ground. 

They shifted back to their human form and stomped on my back, their laughter was not loud enough to drown the whimpers that left my lips. 

“So pathetic. I would kill myself if I were her” Flak said, then spat on my back, Ria copied the gesture. 

Once I could no longer hear their footsteps, I forced myself to my feet and wiped my tears and limped to the stream - every step sending a pulsating pain through my back. 

With the number of times Ive  been used as a game for their amusement, I've become used to this. I have accepted that I cannot shift, I can never be as strong as the others, even though they’re all omegas, I didn't  stand a chance. 

Omegas were the weakest wolves, only useful for submission. In my state, I was no better than a human. 

And then I heard screams. My shoulders became rigid.

It’s not possible.

Today is not the 13th day of the 9th month, there’s no way they’d be here now. 

I left the bucket absentmindedly and sprinted with the little strength I had left - they can’t take my father. 

When I reached the village square, I squatted by the trees as soon as I saw them, the powerful aura oozed from their being, towering over every being in the village, the royal crest was embedded on their bare chest - those were the soldiers.

“But sir, we still have a month before we are due to pay the tax” Yokima, The village Chief said to one of the soldiers. 

He was right, we still had a month; a month to flee from this village. That was my father’s plan for us, but now…

“Are you questioning the authority of the Lycan king?” The soldier yelled. 

“N-no sir” Yokima surrendered quietly, his head bowed. 

“Each household must present a token, failure to do so is death!” Another soldier commanded. 

He signaled the other soldiers and they marched into every house, dragging out one token - a child, a father, a mother as screams tore through the atmosphere. 

One tried to fight as his daughter was dragged away - he was human, what was he thinking? 

The soldiers laughed at his pitiful attempt and  crushed his skull with their bare hands. 

“Father!!” His daughter screamed, her face painted with the blood of her father. 

Fear filled my bowels - I needed to find my father. But before I could make any move, I saw him. I was too late. 

My father cried out in pain as a soldier dragged him by the leg out of our cottage.

“Their screams are music to my ears “ one of the soldiers said with a sickening smile on his face.

“Well it’s irritating mine.” Another soldier spat 

“Theyll be thrown in the mines anways, you won’t hear them scream. So why not enjoy now while you can? “ 

My heart dropped to the pits of my belly. The mines?? Father would not survive there! He could barely walk as it is, how would he cope?

Going to the mines was a death sentence, either from the poison of whatever was down there, from being ripped apart by other creatures or being buried by the mines. 

There was no way of escaping death, and I could not watch my father walk to his demise. 

He was the only family I knew, the only one that loved me unconditionally, regardless of my flaws. 

I would not let him die. 

Feeling a rush of adrenaline, I rushed into the village square and knelt before the soldiers 

“Sapphire, what are you…” my father whispered.

“Please take me in the stead of my father! I’ll be more useful to you!” I pleaded, my eyes streaming with tears 

“Sapphire, don’t!” 

“He is infected!! If you take him with you, everyone else will get infected!” I lied, anything to save my father. 

The soldier examined me with his eyes, “Take her.” 

They grabbed me and dragged me to the carriage 

“Sapphire no!!!” I heard my father yell from behind me 

My chest tightened. I could not even say goodbye.

But I was glad, even if we never saw each other again, at least he was alive. 

That’s all that mattered. 

They threw me into the carriage along with the others and locked it. 

I looked at my father one last time as we retreated, his head hung low as he wailed. 

That was the norm in Litherra village - to submit in grief, because death was so much worse than a life of slavery and torture, right?