Chapter 2

The Contracted Bride

Walking through the hallways of the moonlit palace, Ayla’s heart trembled at the stares she received from the people. Two years into her marriage to Alpha Asher, Ayla was still treated as the low omega who killed her mother.

She thought leaving home would bring her some kind of solace but her past seems to be right up her alley, ready to devour and remind her of who she is. A nobody.

“Do you mind?” Ayla asked the person in front of her.

“I do mind,” the person said, refusing to budge. “You don’t belong here, Omega,” the person spat, their harsh tone cutting through Ayla like a sharp knife.

“I’m not here for trouble, just a bowl of water, that’s all.” Ayla’s voice came out as low as possible. She didn’t want any ammunition to be used against her.

“Let her go,” someone else said. “A bowl of water is the only thing she is asking for, don’t make a scene.”

Ayla breathed a silent sigh of relief as her tormentor stepped aside, allowing her to pass.

She walked to the kitchen, retrieved a bowl of water, and quickly left before someone else could harass her.

That had been Ayla’s daily reality since arriving at the Moonlit Pack. She had allowed herself to dream that life would be different here. But things never change, not as long as she is around anyway.

Ayla placed the bowl of water on a stand beside the bed and gently caressed the face of Luna Kali, who slept peacefully before her. Upon her arrival at the Moonlit Pack, Alpha Asher quickly made it clear to Ayla where she stood and where she belonged. Which was confined to the four corners of this room, caring for the woman who held her husband’s heart.

Ayla couldn’t help but allow the tears in her eyes to flow down her cheeks. This was going to be her for the rest of her life and there is nothing she could do about it but wait and see if the goddess finally shines her light on her.

The door of the room cracked open. She quickly wiped her tears, turned around and bowed to Alpha Asher. She knew better than not to bow, especially after he publicly humiliated her.

“What progress are you making?” he asked her and she sighed.

“Her skin colour is returning back to normal, Alpha and this was something we didn’t see two weeks ago,” she said with a smile on her face. She was proud of the progress she has made so far.

“Hmm,” Alpha Asher’s hands were on his jaw, caressing it. “Her skin colour.”

“Yes, Alpha.” she said. “It’s a really good progress,” Ayla could sense the atmosphere in the room getting tense. 

“Good progress!” Alpha Asher roared, hitting the bowl of water off the stand. His breathing became heavy, it could be heard across the room.

Ayla flinched, taking a step back. She was trembling from her hands to her toes.

“You were given a job to do,” Asher pointed, taking a step closer. “But you seem to suck at everything, just as you suck being a wolf.”

Those words cut through Ayla like a sharp knife, she felt a burning sensation in her eyes as the tears began to well up, but she fought to hold them back. She wasn’t about to give Asher the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

I-I’m sorry, Alpha,” Ayla muttered, trying to keep her voice as steady as possible. “I’ll try to do better.”

Alpha Asher’s face turned into pure disgust and disappointment. “Try? You think trying is enough, you are a disappointment Ayla. choosing you as my wife was a mistake.”

Ayla felt like she had been punched in the gut, she couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe or think. All she could do was stand there, frozen in humiliation and in pain.

Suddenly, Alpha Asher’s face was inches away from her. His hot breath filled her face. “You are nothing but a failure. And failures have no place in my pack.”

“Wh-what does that mean, Alpha Asher?” Ayla stuttered, her eyes moving in a lot of directions.

He walked away from her, towards the bend where Luna Kali laid. He bent over and kissed her forehead. Ayla closed her eyes, no one has ever treated her like that.

“It means,” she opened her eyes as soon as she heard him speak. “I’ll have no choice but to return you back to your father’s pack.”

Ayla’s eyes widened in horror as she processed Alpha Asher’s words. Return her to her father’s pack?

The thought alone sent shivers down her spine and she trembled within. She knew what awaited her back there, rejection, humiliation.

“Please, Alpha,” she took a step forward. “Please, don’t send me back. I will do anything. Please give me a second chance.”

Alpha Asher turned to her with a smirk on his face. “Will you do anything?” he asked and she nodded.

Ayla felt movement around her and in a matter of seconds, she was on the floor on her knees with Alpha Asher’s hands pulling her hair. Pulling her towards the door.

She crawled on her knees through the hallway with Asher pulling her hair. People began to whisper and the palace became filled with crowds, trying to get a peak of Ayla’s humiliation.

Ayla’s knees stung from the pain and humiliation of crawling down the hallway. She could hear the whisper and snickers from the people around her, and felt like she was going to die from shame.

Alpha Asher finally stood in the mini field in the middle of the palace. People gathered around to hear what the Alpha had to say. 

“This is Ayla Stormbringer, an omega without a wolf,” the people around gasped, including Ayla. she never thought her wolflessness will be broadcasted in front of the whole palace.

"She's a failure, a disappointment, and a shame to our pack," Alpha Asher continued, his voice echoing through the courtyard. "She's been given every opportunity to prove herself, but she's failed at every turn."

Ayla felt like the air had been knocked out of her chest, she could hardly breath. She couldn't believe Alpha Asher was doing this to her, humiliating her in front of the entire pack.

"As your Alpha, it's my duty to protect and provide for this pack," Alpha Asher said, his eyes scanning the crowd. "And I will not tolerate failure. Ayla Stormbringer, you are hereby stripped of your title as Alpha's wife. You will be relegated to the lowest rank in the pack, and you will serve as a servant to the pack, and my wife."

The crowd erupted into cheers and applause, and Ayla felt like she was going to vomit. She couldn't believe this was happening to her.

Alpha Asher's eyes locked onto hers, and Ayla felt a chill run down her spine. “Now go, before I change my mind.”

Ayla didn’t realise how fast her legs took her but she ran towards Luna Kali’s room as fast as she could. She got in and stood against the door, trying to even her breathing.

She picked up the bowl, there was a bit of water in it and she could see her reflection. In anger, she screamed, throwing the ball against the wall. A huge ball of lightning emerged out of her, knocking her unconscious.