CHAPTER ONE

LYDIA’S POV

The first punch came harder than the others. It knocked the air from my chest and got me rolling on the floor and straight into the mud.

Laughter rippled through the training field, echoing louder than my heart that had picked up a race, it felt as though it was about to rip off my chest.

“Stay down, Omega!” My ears caught, my eyes were buried in shame that I couldn’t look up to see who the speaker was, but even if I knew the speaker, what would I do to him or her?

“You’ll never shift anyway. You’re useless” Another of them sneered and I knew that wouldn’t be the height of it.

“The petite Omega has refused to make us proud again!” Those were the words of a colleague.

I tasted a little of my warm blood while it rushed down my face. My wolf should have been growling but she was silent, always silent and would mostly likely remain silent forever.

My jaw was tightly clenched and I rose to my feet, my colleagues still had a lot to say to me but I listened to them with deaf ears. I needed to head to the ladies so I can clean up.

If I decide to head home in my mud-stained uniform, my foster mother won’t hesitate to remind how much of a failure I am and how lucky I am that she keeps me in her house.

Lucky. That’s what she calls it, the cold dinner, cold stares, a bedroom that used to be a storage, the constant insults and abuse and even the constant reminder that my parents abandoned me while I was little.

Things weren’t like that when they initially took me in but everything took a drastic turn after she had Kendra who everyone in the college calls my sister.

She stopped caring about me, helping me with my assignments, taking me shopping and so much more. My foster frowned at her actions at first but it didn’t take long before he neglected me also.

I took a step further and my head was no longer buried in shame and at this point, I hope that no one attacks me physically again or I might do what I know how to do best.

“Kendra, you scared me!” I cried out seconds after a figure showed up in front of me suddenly.

“I didn’t mean too, I’m sorry” She placed her hands on my shoulders before apologizing.

Here she was, my confidant and best friend. I could tell she was excited but I couldn’t tell why, but she definitely wasn’t excited because I had just been humiliated in the presence of all the students in the academy.

“You should have waited for me” Vivian showed up and cooed. My sister girl and biggest supporter.

With Vivian and Kendra by my side, I feel like I can move mountains. They’ve been my source of strength and they make me forget often that I happen to be an outcast in the academy.

“Where have you both been?” I inquired while raising an eyebrow. We were supposed to show up here together but they left me to myself, making me a target for bullies.

“We skipped training session as usual” They said at the same time. I couldn’t blame them for always skipping training sessions, they don’t need the training like I do.

I keep hoping that engaging in training sessions would make me shift someday so I don’t keep training sessions even though I always get humiliated in the course of it.

They didn’t bother to ask why my uniform and hair was stained with mud and I was guessing they figured out what happened already, it’s not that they don’t care.

“There’s a party!” Kendra and Vivian mentioned, the excitement on their faces knew no bound.

“Can you both stop acting like twins?” I had gotten fed up of them speaking at the same time, they would actually pass for twins.

“Sorry. There’s a party coming up tonight and we have to be there, all students will be there” Vivian reached out for my hand and said while looking into my eyes.

“You know what my response will be” I heaved a sigh that wasn’t so deep before responding to her.

A petite Omega whose shifting was being delayed unnaturally and is labeled an outcast in the academy shouldn’t attend parties, heading home to my foster parents sounded like a better option.

“You can’t say no. Vivian and I already got you what to wear” Kendra protested, her arms were folded and her forehead squeezed.

“Our parents won’t like the idea of us returning home late” I reminded her, she seem to have forgotten.

“I’ve got that covered, you don’t have to worry” Kendra’s words.

Before I could utter another word, Kendra reached out for my left hand while Vivian refused to let go of my right hand. They began sprinting and because they had a hold on my hands, I found myself sprinting also.

*****

Here we were at the party. The hall was decorated aesthetically and music echoed through the speakers, radiant faces were everywhere and wine glasses containing wine were being passed around.

Vivian and Kendra made me put on a dress I wasn’t comfortable with and when I protested, they both insisted it was perfect for the occasion. It was my first time putting on a sleeveless short dress.

“He’s here, I didn’t think he would attend” Vivian remarked while looking in a direction. I traced her eyes and it made my eyes lock with Alpha Kendrick’s.

Alpha Kendrick, the heir to the throne and also a student in the academy. His father, the former Alpha had him at a very old age and that explains why he became Alpha at a very young age.

I won’t be able to say much too about him because I don’t know him that well. I only watch him from afar but I’ve heard some student say that he has multiple personalities.

He’s only nineteen years old which makes him only a year older than me. He’s tall and intimidating, slightly muscular and has a face that everyone finds cute, myself included.

“He won’t stop looking in our direction” Vivian cooed. His eyes and mine still remained locked.

My senses suddenly sharpened and it was as though I was struck by lightning. The noises fell away and my knees trembled as his scent filled my nostrils.

‘Mate,’

The word wasn’t spoken aloud and it didn’t need to be. It slammed into my mind and soul with the force of a hurricane, it also got me on chokehold and it became harder to breath.

It was him and I alone in this place, that was what it felt like. He was headed in my direction and I felt as though my heart was about to rip off my chest, how can the Alpha be my mate? The Omega, the wolfless, the outcast.

“Do you feel what I feel too?” His voice, it echoed in my chest. He was only three step away from me when he spoke.

“Yes… I feel it too,” I responded. I was right all along, he’s my mate and it wasn’t all just in my head.

He stepped closer, making him only a step away from me. I could keep up with his eyeballs and in return, he did the same.

“You’re just an omega, not fit for a Luna. I, Alpha Kendrick, reject you as my mate.” His words, they hit harder than a physical blow and I just heard someone laugh nervously.