A Gift For The Alpha

Next day~

Noelle stared back at herself in the mirror, and almost didn’t recognize this version of herself.

Those words from the stranger at the stream from last night never left her mind.

“You either let go of what you are going through, or attack it. The world only favors the one who puts herself first.”

No one had ever cared enough to groom her with words before, except her only pack friend- Diana.

Today, Noelle found herself dressed up in the red gown from yesterday, and it was on purpose. It accentuated her curvy body in the right places. She had also taken her time to apply some make up she had gotten from Diana.

Noelle closed her eyes to swallow the pain she felt. She couldn’t cry now. Not after she had spent all night digesting those words from the mysterious man from last night.

What she had to do now was go through today’s event with a big smile on her face while carrying out the plan she had made with the last courage left in her.

Satisfied with how she looked, she grabbed the bouquet of flowers that she was going to gift her step-sister. Today was her mating ceremony. And her mate was no other person than her ex-mate- Alpha Kole.

She could still feel the mate bond with Kole coursing through her like a current, waiting to be mated, and soon enough, Noelle would end it’s agony. She walked into the ceremony hall with a straight face, ready to end years of humiliation, without thinking about the consequences.

She had plans to run away tonight anyway. She was going to ‘attack, then let go’

“Kira is so beautiful. Our future Alpha has chosen well.” Noelle heard one of the pack members say to the new couple that was having their mating ceremony today—her stepsister to be precise.

“I’ve always known that Kira will make such an elegant Luna.” Another pack member commented amidst the gathering. Their voices became clearer as she approached the ceremony ground and on purpose, she swayed her perfect-sized hip as she walked in.

She knew for sure that everyone would expect her to be around serving meals with other omegas, dressed in her boring oversized clothings. But they didn’t know any better. She was done.

And she wouldn’t wait to be rejected like they planned.

She had walked in and was now visible enough for them to notice her, and it wasn’t long after she approached that Kole’s eyes fell on her, his frame stiffening for a moment. Then other eyes followed, including Kira’s.

Noelle remembered their demeaning words about her from last night…

Bitterness welled up in her chest but she swallowed it right back. She wasn’t going to break.

“Who’s that?”

“Is she from Nightshade pack?”

“Damn, she’s beautiful.” She heard different comments upon them setting their eyes on her. No one would have believed it was her, Noelle Chadwick, the omega who wasn’t loved, nor counted as relevant. Yet, today, she had managed to catch their attention; All of their attention including… A very good-looking figure that was sitting at the high guest table. Who was he? His presence commanded to be seen, his deep and sharp gaze was on her, looking at her, piercing her and for a moment, she was affected.

She almost lost guard as she realized who he was. The stranger from last night. So he was real. Noelle could hardly believe her eyes.

And seeing him this clearly also confirmed that his beauty was real as well. It was never in her head. Who was he?

She wasn’t the type to ogle, but this man’s features begged to be seen, to stand out and command energies to drift towards him.

Noelle almost lost focus, but she forced her gaze away.

She waltzed to the very middle, holding a bouquet of white flowers, walking down in between the free space that led to where the couples were seated, as if it was a fashion show, where she was in the limelight with eyes admiring her as she walked down the stage.

Finally approaching them, her eyes shifted to Kira, whose lips were now hung open, looking at Noelle as if she had grown horns. “Here sis, congratulations on your mating ceremony.” Noelle said sweetly and Kira swallowed. She knew she was not a kind step-sister to Noelle, therefore, she didn’t deserve her gift.

In fact, she was starting to rethink their decision to put Noelle to shame. But how could she spite someone that didn’t even seem affected and could boldly walk into her ceremony to gift her?

Noelle’s eyes were now on Kole who was looking at her with both admiration and shock. Easily swayed by her appearance. Pathetic.

“Kole, I’m sorry to break our promise.” Noelle started and Kole’s eyes dropped to curious squints. What was she going to say? Kole had kept his relationship with Noelle a secret, away from other pack members because Noelle was only an omega who he had some careless lustful feelings for.

His pride was higher than whatever he had felt for her though, so he dated her in secret while he planned to mate her strong, charismatic step-sister instead. Kira.

“You told me Kira’s audacity makes you cringe and if you could have your way, you would banish her from the pack…and that most times, you only consider the childhood friendship you both shared.” Her voice trailed off just as Kira interrupted.

“Shut up, Noelle. You don’t know what you’re saying.” Kira spat out, her chest heaving. Noelle paused for a moment before she continued.

“I deceived you, Kole. You might have thought you cheated on me with my step-sister, but the truth is, I never really took you as a befitting partner. That explains why I never gave my body to you.”

Noelle expressed, her eyes glinting with summoned confidence that Kole had never seen in her before, but what was most surprising was his inability to defend himself at the moment.

Murmurs circulated around the guests.

“Say something Kole. Order for her punishment or stop her from speaking. Will you allow her to embarrass us like this?” Kira whispered desperately to Kole. “Tell everyone it’s not true!” She added, desperation filling her voice.

“But it’s the truth,” Noelle said calmly. “You might be an Alpha but I will never need you to feel whole. Therefore, I, Noelle Chadwick,”

“…hereby reject you, Kole Orion, as my mate.” Murmurs of surprise, shock and wonders rippled through the pack members.

“Could she be telling the truth?”

“Is that really Noelle?”

“Noelle and Alpha Kole are mates?”

“Where did she get such audacity from?"

“How can an omega reject an Alpha?” All sorts of comments were going as Noelle tried to bottle in the pain of their mate bond tearing apart.

Kole rose from his seat and growled guturally, his hand flying up to hold his chest. A painful impact caused by the bond breaking.

The evidence that they were mates was now vivid.

“It’s…It’s true…” Kira’s expression twisted with pain and anger.

To her, Noelle was just a plaything to Kole. He didn’t tell her they shared a mate bond. If they had shared a mate bond and he didn’t reject her, that meant he had no plans of leaving her. Instead, Noelle had rejected him. He had deceived Kira and disgraced her in front of the whole pack.

Alpha Kole continued to feel the pain of the rejection coursing through his body like a life wire. He couldn’t believe an omega had made him feel this way.

“Abomination,”

“This is surreal.”

Comments kept on flying among the guests. Noelle was mentally occupied- processing her pain but choosing not to make it obvious in their presence.

She turned around to walk away but Kole’s voice stopped her.

“Lock the little thing up!” He growled, his eyes blazing with fury at the same time that Kira was about to leave the scene.

Just then, a voice, coming from a special guest who had only been watching without interfering, spoke up.

“No one touches the Omega.”

Heads turned to the authoritative voice that had just commanded them. They all shushed on realizing the order had come from the overly intimidating and powerful guest in the room.

He was their most special guest present. One whose appearance had affected Noelle deeply since the night before.

He was the most talked about enigmatic and untamed Lycan prince in the supernatural world. Prince Silas.