PROLOGUE

LOTUS

The lotus flower is a survivor; it emerges from the murky waters to seek the warmth and nutrition of light.

My name is Lotus Wettin, just like the lotus flower. emerged from the murky waters, I'm a survivor but I'm confident I haven't found the warmth and sustenance of light that I require to be happy.

This is the story of my life….

"Please don't leave me, Mum." Please don't do this to me. I don't want to be by myself." I sobbed as I shook my mother, who lay still on the mat. "Dear, bring out that box under the table," she said to me, and I did it right away. "Open it and bring out whatever you find," she instructed. Although I was astonished because mum had always advised me to keep away from the box since I was a baby, I immediately did what she requested, and a locket was in my palm. I opened the locket as she instructed, and inside was a ring. I didn't need anyone to tell me that the ring was worth a fortune.

"It's yours now, keep it safe," she murmured almost whisperingly to me.I was crying because I didn't like how she sounded.Why was she acting as if we'd never see each other again?As I clasped her hand, my heart began to accelerate.

"Mother, please hang in there, I'll call a doctor," I pleaded as I tried to go, but she grabbed my hand.

"Listen carefully, this ring is your identity, so keep it very safe; it belongs to your mother," she stated."You have to be careful because there are many people who want you dead," she said, further perplexing me.

She began coughing, which scared me. I tried to go get her water, but she gripped me tightly, gasping heavily.

"I'm not your biological mother," she explained, and I was stunned."What exactly are you talking about?"In tears, I inquired.

"Your real mother adores you and wishes for your happiness," she added."Who is my real mother?"I decided to join in with her.

"She is no longer alive; her name is Edna," she said.That's when I realized she wasn't serious because her name is Edna as well; the only difference is that I'm not going to let her die.she smiled sadly while touching my cheeks."You've grown into a beautiful girl,your mother would be so proud, Remember don't allow your hair to come in contact with water"

"Mum, please stop, you will not die, I will save you," I said to her.

I raced out of the hut to summon the village doctor."What do you want lowly omega?"the village doctor asked me.

"Please sir help my mother,she is dying, please save her". I pleaded kneeling down on my knees.

"You should be thankful to the moon goddess that she have finally decided to take the life of your lowly mother". He said to me and I was very confused.

"What do you mean by that?"I asked,tears almost choking me.

"Lowly omegas like you don't deserve to exist among us and it's right when the moon goddess finally decide to take the life of people like you. Leave my presence because I can't do anything to help you. I can't change the fate of people like you"he said to me and I swallowed my saliva. His words hurt so much but I didn't want it to get to me. The main priority right now is saving my mother.

"Please sir,help me"I pleaded but he sent his men to throw me out of his clinic. I ran around the village asking for help but no one cared to help me. Growing up,I knew that it was very hard living as an omega in this Kingdom but I never thought that they could be heartless to this extent of not helping me to save my mother.

When I came back to our hut,I observed that my mother was no longer alive. I went to my knees, feeling as if my entire world had fallen.

"Mother" I whispered as I moved my knees over to her.When I touched her, her body became quite chilly, and I understood she had actually abandoned me.I was speechless as tears streamed down my face.

"No!"I sobbed as I hid my face in her chest.

——

TWO DAYS LATER

I've been crying for two days without moving or eating.

Even if I cry all day, it won't change the fact that she's gone; nothing I do can bring her back to life, and that's the sad reality I've come to face.It was time to bury her because her body was starting to stink.I draped a cloth across her body.I normally cover my hair with a nylon, as my mother has always instructed.My mother has always told me not to let my hair out in the rain or let it come into touch with water.I always obeyed her, even though I didn't understand why, and I'm used to it.

I rented a cart and a shovel to transport her remains to the cemetery.Despite my exhaustion and hunger, I continued digging the hole with the shovel since I believed it was the last thing I would do for her. I finished by placing her body in the grave and covering it with sand.I surrounded her grave with five large rocks.While wiping the tears from my eyes, I kept a flower on top of her tomb."This is not goodbye, my dear mother, I hope you have peace wherever you are, I love you so much," I added.

I went out of the cemetery with a sad expression, no tears falling from my eyes.Many things ran through my mind at that point, including what would become of me.I've been putting up with the hardship of life for a long time because I had my mother with me, but things are different now.I'm all alone and have no idea what to do.

The thunder struck and the clouds darkened. I could feel the droplets of water on my skin. People ran into their respective houses or adjacent shops for protection, but I kept walking, not knowing where I was going.

The rain began to fall harder, but I continued walking.I began to hear people shouting, but I couldn't understand what they were saying since I was lost in thought in another dimension.I could also hear horses neighing, and I thought I was going nuts.

"Out of the way," I eventually heard one of the people remark.When I looked up, there was a horse galloping at me, but I didn't move out of the way.I smiled regretfully, since the reality is that I longed to be with my mother.The horse slammed me down.

My vision went fuzzy as I repeated my life experience in my brain.I felt a muscular arm wrap around me. I tried to see who it was, but all I could see was his wet hair sticking to his fuzzy face and his sea blue eyes which was staring at me.

"Mate," the stranger said in a drunken voice before the world went black.