Chapter 1

Liana

“Liana!” My mother shouted.

Ice cold water crashed over my head and I quickly jumped up in fear.

I looked around trying to get my bearings. I had been dreaming.

“You are my chosen one and I've destined you for great things.” A voice had told me in my dream.

The same voice I've been hearing every single night in my dreams since I turned eighteen. I didn't know who it was or what they wanted from me.

“Show yourself!” I demanded over and over again, but no one answered my call. 

The dream just came to me again, but this time, I didn't have the opportunity to go after the voice because I was violently awoken. Icy cold water doused all over me and I gasped in horror.

My mother was towering over me, staring down at me with anger and disgust. The bucket of icy cold water dangling from her fingers.

“You stupid girl. What are you still doing in bed?” She demanded.

I quickly jumped up while still shivering from the cold. The wall clock above chimed and I looked up to see it was eight a.m.

Shit. I internally cursed.

“I'm sorry. I overslept.” I said sadly.

“You overslept? You overslept?!” She demanded while advancing towards me.

For each step she took, I took one backwards because I knew fully well what would happen if she came close, until my back hit the wall and I had nowhere else to go.

“Need I remind you that the council of elders is meeting with your father today, here in our house?” She growled.

“I remember.” I whispered.

“You remember, yet here you are, lying in bed and sleeping like you are a princess when you're just a worthless omega!” She screeched.

“It won't happen again, I promise. I'm sorry.”

Her breath came out in angry spurts and I could feel the fury inside her.

“Before you provoke me any further, get the hell out of here and keep this house in order and make sure you prepare everything they'll snack on when they come.” 

I nodded and quickly ran past her before she could change her mind. My room was in the farthest corner of the house and so it took me a few minutes to burst into the living room.

Dad was sitting in his chair with his successor, Luthor. Luthor was my cousin and since dad didn't have a son, he had been training Luthor to take over pack beta duties in case anything ever happened to him.

They both looked up the moment I entered. Dad's face morphed into a storm while Luthor sneered. I bowed in greeting but neither of them looked pleased.

“Would you look at what the cats dragged in?” He snarled. “I heard you were getting your beauty sleep in.” My father said.

“I'm sorry. The exhaustion from yesterday made me sleep in. I totally lost track of time.” I explained, trying to defend myself.

Father got up swiftly from his chair knocking back the chair from the force.

“Are you complaining?” He growled. 

Then he walked up to me and glared down at me.

“Did you forget your position in this house?” He asked.

I quickly shook my head, no.

“You should be grateful that I didn't throw you out there so you can live the fully actualized life of the worthless omega that you are. Instead, I let you live, sleep and eat under my roof and you dare to complain about exhaustion?”

Tears burned my eyes at his words. I was his child and just because I didn't get his dominant genes, did I deserve to be treated this way?

“Get the hell out of my sight and go get everything ready for my meeting. If anything goes wrong today, then you'll have me to contend with.”

I nodded quickly and dashed out of his presence. I ran to the council room and began to clean every inch of it because that is where the meeting would be held.

The voice from my dream replayed over and over in my head while I worked. 

“Whoever you are, you said I am your chosen, why do you let me suffer this way? Please put me out of my misery!” I cried.

My arms ached from all the scrubbing I was doing. 

“Please, help me!”

“Should I also tell everyone that in addition to being worthless, you're now mad and talking to yourself?” My sister's voice filled the space.

I quickly looked up to see she had changed into her ceremonial robe. Dad had put her in charge of receiving his guests and she had already gotten ready.

“Well?” She prompted.

“No. I was just singing.” I lied.

“That didn't sound like you were singing. You know what they'll do to you when they find out that you've lost your mind. That means there's absolutely nothing you're good for. Do you think dad would let you remain under his roof?” She sneered.

“Please, Ari. It was just a fluke.” I begged.

“Well, I'll let it slide this once, just because I'm in a good mood. Mother wants you in the kitchen.” She announced.

I got up immediately and threw my cleaning rag into the bucket.

“I didn't hear you say thank you for saving my life.” Ariana gloated.

“Thank you for saving my life.” I said.

She smiled in satisfaction as I walked out. Arianna was my younger sister and that made it worse. The fact that the beta's first child was a worthless omega and his younger child a beautiful alpha female sealed my fate entirely.

I got to the kitchen to see the ingredients already laid out for me to prepare. I quickly dropped the cleaning bucket and washed my hands.

Mother appeared, looking beautiful in her own ceremonial robe. She had dabbed a little make up on her face.

“The guests are at the gate.” One of the security guards announced.

My mother turned to look at me with contempt.

“This better be ready by the time we are done receiving the guests and showing them their seats.” 

She stormed out of the kitchen and I immediately got to work knowing she would make do on her threats.

I made sure all the drinks were chilled and ready to be served while watching the chips I had left to fry.

Ariana quickly rushed in with smiles all over her face.

“I think I just found my husband!” She gushed.

I smiled at her enthusiasm.

“I'm happy for you.” I replied.

“Of course you should be. No one would ever want to be with someone like you so you have to live through me.”

She never missed the opportunity to remind me of my social status.

“Ariana what are you doing? Go back to the council room and sit with the prince!” My mother chided her.

Ariana nodded happily and dashed out.

“You! Bring out the drinks.” She ordered.

I put the glass cups on a tray and picked it up so I could go serve the guests. My mother followed behind me making sure everything was in order.

The moment I stepped into the council room, my eyes met the prince's eyes and all breath left my lungs. I stood there stunned and couldn't look away. He was looking at me too as if he had been stunned.

Mother bumped into me from behind and I lost my balance immediately.

The tray flew out of my hands and I went sprawling all over the floor. Everything shattered and the drinks were now spilling from the alpha's clothes.

My eyes widened in horror.

“What the hell have you done?!” Father whispered.