1. Freyja

Freya

“Freya, you are with me” The woman in charge of the Omegas working on the field that day called me out, It was an important day for everyone in the pack especially because it was a renewal of our alliance with the dragon empire. I was not supposed to mess up. No one should.

Even though I always knew I would get myself into trouble one day, I didn't expect it to happen so soon. Alpha Jareth, the leader of my pack, Crescent pack, sat at the high table, waiting for the occasion to begin. Everyone knew crossing his path when he's in a bad mood is never a good idea. No one dares to challenge him.

I was relieved to be chosen to serve food and drinks instead of being among the remaining omegas who had to present themselves to the dragons to find their mates or playthings. It's a common practice, but it was my first time participating since I just turned eighteen. Eighteen is the minimum age for being chosen. No one really cared about my birthday or even knew when it was, so it was easy for me to be overlooked. Besides, Omegas hardly get chosen at all, and it had only been a week since I turned eighteen, so I didn't think it should count. And even if it did, I considered it my lucky birthday gift.

I learned early on in life to avoid trouble since there was no one here to correct me and my mistakes would only result in beatings. I've learned to keep a low profile if I want to get through the day unscathed, and thankfully, it has worked many times.

And that's what I was doing today—keeping my head down, not making a sound, and trying to blend into the crowd of people eagerly awaiting the start of the program.

"Freyja, you'll be serving the alpha and his family," a lady whose name I forgot said, pointing towards the high table I'd been trying to avoid. Luck was never on my side, and I wish I could smack her on her lips for singling me out.

I hurried as fast as I could, not wanting to waste any more of the alpha and his family's time. Little did I know that my haste would lead to serious trouble. I was so focused on delivering the food quickly and disappearing from their sight that I didn't notice the trap that had been set for me.

Everything I was carrying crashed loudly to the floor, spilling its contents everywhere. And the one who had set the trap was none other than the Alpha's daughter, Diana. I looked up and met the Alpha's gaze, realizing at that moment that I had messed up badly.

My eyes widened in terror as I witnessed the scene unfolding before me. A piercing scream echoed near my ear, and it finally dawned on me what I had done. The contents of my tray had spilled onto Alpha Jareth's expensive clothing.

I stood frozen, unable to move, unsure of what to do next. I fell to my knees in front of the alpha, pleading with him. His eyes, now filled with terror, just stared back at me.

Everyone present now focused on us, some eagerly waiting to see what punishment would be inflicted upon me, while others watched with pity.

Before anyone could speak, the Alpha's daughter smacked my head and forcefully pulled me up to face her.

"I'm truly sorry, Alpha. I apologize," I pleaded as she continued to ignore my words and slapped me again.

"Apologize right now!" Smack!

"I said apologize right now!" She kept hitting me, and I couldn't even speak at that moment. My words vanished from my memory.

"We have guests coming. Finish your tasks or find somewhere else. You're causing a disturbance," Alpha Jareth finally spoke. As humiliated as I was, I agreed with him. It would be better to endure this mistreatment in a corner rather than in front of the entire pack.

Cole, he's probably watching, laughing at me.

"She did it on purpose. She deserves to die!" She interjected

"No, I didn't do it on purpose. I slipped because you made me slip," I defended myself, but no one would listen to me. I have been told my parents had died in battle when I was a baby, and although born to Omega’s parents, and the pack’s loyal warriors, the pack was in charge of taking care of me-or so I thought.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to hold them back, but they streamed down my face as the guards were called to drag me away.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the Alpha standing up to leave the hall. Of course, he would need to change into other befitting clothes. There was still plenty of time.

They threw me into a familiar, dark room and locked the door behind them. This dark room had become my refuge—a place where I spent most of my time away from the shared rooms for the helpers. A place where my punishments take place.

As the door closed and I heard the jingle of keys to confirm it was locked, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer. In this room, I felt no shame—only safety, when I am alone.

I curled up and sobbed, wondering why everything always went wrong for me. I longed for a time when I could be happy without worry.

Cole had been my support until he discovered we were mates. I couldn't have anticipated the pain I felt when he rejected me. But somehow, deep down, I knew it was for the best. I had nothing to offer him.

The door handle rattled as someone attempted to open it. I quickly wiped away my tears, preparing myself for whoever would come through that door.

It was Diana. She entered with her brother and two other boys. My eyes widened when I realized that one of the boys was Cole. What was he doing there with them?

"Cole," I called out, relieved to see a familiar face.

"Don't speak my name with that tainted mouth of yours," he snapped, his arm around Diana's shoulder. This must be the main reason for what happened today.

Had Diana somehow discovered that Cole and I were mates? Was her treatment towards me driven by jealousy?

"Did I do something to upset you?" I asked, hoping for an explanation as to why Cole had conspired with Diana against me. Just a week ago, everything seemed fine. When he said he couldn't be my mate, I understood and accepted it. I didn't make a fuss or cling to him. I thought we could at least remain friends. But why was he here now?

"You don't need to upset me. You've offended Diana, and it's only right that you're punished," he said, twisting his lips in a cold manner. A wave of betrayal washed over me, reminding me of the pain all over again.

"We should hurry up. The show is about to start. I wonder why there aren't as many girls here today," Orion, Diana's brother, impatiently remarked.

"Well, I guess all the girls are busy losing their virginity since the dragons added that rule," another guy chimed in, laughing.

"What rule?" Cole asked, confused.

"The girls have to be undefiled," Orion explained, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and disdain. "The were-dragons added another rule to the already existing one. It seems they seek untouched mates. Probably because the prince himself will be attending this time”

"But this is causing trouble for our father. He's really worried. What if we can't find enough girls to present? That will definitely put the pack in a very uncomfortable position. We should provide our part of the bargain when they are doing theirs diligently” For a moment, they seemed to forget about me while there deliberated and I felt a brief relief.

However, that relief was short-lived as they all turned their attention back to me, deciding to proceed with what they were here to do.

"On your knees," commanded Orion, the future alpha of our pack, dragging me in front of him.

"No need to drag me, I'll kneel," I muttered. But a blow struck my head from behind, causing my head to spin.

"Stay quiet!" Orion hissed before delivering another blow to my face.

I winced “Please, I'm doing everything you asked. I'm doing everything. Just use your words," I pleaded.

"Oh, really?" Cole's strong hand gripped my jaw forcefully, forcing me to look up into his cold, black eyes. I could feel his breath on my neck.

"You know, Freyja here is a virgin. She just turned eighteen a week ago. She'd be a perfect match for our demons. I could've had her if I wanted to, but I assure you, she's a perfect candidate." I blinked, tears streaming down my face. I never expected this from him. This was my personal information. It should have been my choice to share or not.

"Oh, God!" I sobbed, my mind reeling with fear and uncertainty. What did this revelation mean for me now? Would I ever find happiness without constant worry? A sharp ache twisted in my stomach, radiating waves of pain that mirrored the emotional turmoil within me. How could Cole betray me like this? The ache seemed to devour my entire being, leaving me feeling hollow and broken.

"So you could've had her?" Diana boomed from behind us, her lips pressed tightly together as she clenched her fists, ready to strike him. But instead, it was me who received the blow.

"Baby, no, of course not. Why would I want her when I have you? You're worth more than twenty of her combined—" Cole tried to explain, but Diana's yelling drowned out his feeble, insincere words.

"Don't come to me with that, Cole. Besides, I doubt that she can be chosen. Hardly has there been an Omega getting picked. And even if they did. We never hear from them again. Just hold her up and let's get this over with!” She commanded Cole, while Orion and the other guy joined in to restrain me, giving Diana more access to do as she pleased. They forced my head down by my neck, choking me, while holding my hands.

I choked on my tears as each blow and slap landed with a sickening thud, jolting my body with excruciating pain. The relentless assault felt like a storm of agony, blurring my vision and numbing my senses. My wolf whimpered, feeling the pain as they broke me. The metallic tang of blood flooded my mouth, the taste assaulting my senses and serving as a bitter reminder of the brutality inflicted upon me.

"Enough!" A powerful voice commanded, Abruptly, Diana halted her assault, her eyes widening in surprise. I looked up faintly, grateful for the interruption. It was the alpha. He had changed into even more elegant clothes than before. Slowly, she lifted her gaze upward, locking eyes with the alpha. A brief but charged moment passed between them, filled with unspoken tension and silent communication.

Diana's accusation pierced through me like a dagger. "She didn't sign up for the program," she sneered, her words laced with venom. The program—a twisted tradition that forced young women to be presented to the weredragons, like offerings to beasts because of security, because of fear.

"I'll sign up now," I managed to say through the pain coursing through my body. "Can I still sign up?" I asked, realizing that it might be better for me to be with the dragons than with these cruel monsters I had known my entire life. No matter what kind of fate the dragons will show me, I didn't deserve any of this. They didn't deserve me. I was more afraid of my own people than I was of the demons I knew nothing about.

The alpha didn't spare a single glance in my direction as he issued his command. "Get the maids. Prepare her now!" His voice echoed through the room, laden with authority and urgency. "The were-dragons will be here soon."

A surge of relief washed over me, drowning out the pain and fear, as the boys finally retreated, hastily adjusting their disheveled appearances. I allowed myself a fleeting moment of solace—I was free, if only for today—before the next chapter of my harrowing journey began.

But not before Diana took the opportunity to kick me hard in the head with her boot, plunging me into darkness.