01

KIARA.

2024

MoonFlame High.

“K, tell me you didn’t spend all night working?”

A familiar voice called from behind me. I turned to meet the scanning brown eyes of my best friend, Alessia, who carried a stack of books on her arm. She wore a cute pink blouse over a black skirt.

“Hey,” I smiled softly, watching her open her locker and tuck a few books inside.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me. You look terrible. Did you even sleep?” She gestured at the bags under my eyes. I wished she’d ignored them.

“I’m fine. You know how it is for Omegas at the Alpha’s manor,” I replied, pushing her hand away.

Alessia shut her locker, and we walked down the hall together. “I’m just saying, K.” She tucked a golden braid behind her ear. “Everyone knows you and Kaleb are together so I don’t understand why you’re still the Alpha’s slave.”

“Well…”

“Let me guess, Kaleb hasn’t told the Alpha about you two?” She raised a brow.

I stared at the ground to avoid her gaze.

“You’ve known each other since you were five. I get you’re an Omega, but if he loves you, why hasn’t he—”

The bell rang with a loud chime, cutting her off.

“Don’t worry about me, Alessia. I trust Kaleb. He’s already promised to introduce me to the pack as his Chosen Mate at the Coronation Ceremony,” I said, forcing a smile as we entered the classroom.

“For your sake, I hope he doesn’t let you down. It’s bad enough you’re an Omega. No guy wants to be with an Alpha-reject.”

“That’s enough!” I snapped, brows furrowed.

I love Alessia, but sometimes she doesn’t know when to hold back her thoughts. I mean, I know my chances of being Luna are slim, but I believe Kaleb will keep his word.

Scanning the room, I sighed when I didn’t see him and took my seat.

Mr. Alaric, our History professor, walked in and began class. Thanks to Alessia, my mind raced with doubts about the ceremony. In a week, Kaleb would take over from his father as Alpha of the pack. It was tradition that if Kaleb hadn’t already found his fated mate, he was to ascend the throne with a chosen mate. It was common for the Alpha’s chosen mate to become his fated.

I can’t wait.

“In a week, The MoonFlame pack will be a thousand years old. The Alpha has instructed me to base my lectures on the pack’s history. Now who can tell the class what he or she knows of the pack’s origins,” Mr. Alaric says with his arms crossed, his eyes searching the room of students.

“You’re joking, right?” A black-haired guy by the window laughed.

“How about you, Damon?” The professor pointed at a brawny student a few desks beside me.

Damon stood, fists planted on his desk. “How the bloody hell are we supposed to know anything abut the pack’s history? Alpha Ezekiel decreed no one speak of it,” Damon says rudely, before sitting back. “Or have you forgotten, old man?”

“I haven’t, but that decree has been lifted by the Alpha,” Mr. Alaric replied, resting his body on his table. “He deems your generation should know the pack’s origins so speak freely. I know some of you wonder how this pack became one of the strongest packs in America.”

At first, there were murmurs in the class but after a while, everyone believed Mr. Alaric.

Damon’s right, but working at the Alpha’s manor came with special privileges including access to some very interesting history books at the Alpha’s Library. Specifically the few written in English. Confident, I raised my hand.

“Yes, Kiara?”

“I read in a book that MoonFlame didn’t always own this territory. Sometime between 1019 and 1026, an Alpha migrated the pack to America to protect everyone from a dangerous enemy. Ever since, the pack has expanded and dominated this territory for her own,” I explain with a smile.

“I don’t know where you read that but you’re very correct,” Mr. Alaric beamed. “A round of applause, class.” Mr. Alaric praised and a loud clap resounded in the room. He folded his arms with a stern look to the person some desks beside me. “A round of applause for her, Damon!”

Damon clapped sarcastically, glaring daggers at me. I quickly looked away. Mr. Alaric gestured for me to take my seat and I did.

“After a war destroyed the original MoonFlame territory a millennia ago, Alpha Dex, the Alpha at that time was forced to put the survivors on a ship in search of a safe, fertile land to call home. It took a few months at sea, but under the guidance of the all-powerful Moon Goddess, the Alpha was led to the land we now live in.”

The professor spent the next half-hour detailing the pack’s early struggles; how the early settlers had to adapt to a new environment and did all kinds of strange things to survive being the only pack in the area. My mind, though, stayed fixed on Kale’s promise. I already knew most of what Mr. Alaric said.

‘Brrriinngg!! Brriiinggg!!! Brrinnngggg!!”

The bell rang. As Mr. Alaric left, I stood—only to be shoved back into my seat from behind.

“Well, if it isn’t the Smartass Omega,” Damon sneered, pinning my shoulders. “Where are you off to? I just want to ask you a few questions.” His smirk was anything but friendly. “Since you know so much about the pack, why are you still a shit-eating Omega? Huh?”

“Let me go. I don’t have time for this,” I said, voice steadier than I felt.

“Time? You should’ve thought about that before humiliating me before the whole class.” His grip tightened.

“Please stop. You’re hurting me,”

If it were anyone else, I’d fight back, but Damon was the Beta’s son. I was just an Omega. I needed to be careful how I treated him.

“Everyone out!” Damon commanded, causing the other students to pick up their stuffs and leave the classroom. Alessia hadn’t returned from the restroom so it was just Damon and I. I looked to the door to see it blocked by his annoying friends.

“It’s a few months till graduation, Omega,” he hissed. “We both know you’re too poor to afford college so unless you want to spend the rest of your meaningless pathetic life as my punching bag, what happened today must never repeats itself. Understood?”

I nodded.

Damon dug his claws deep into my shoulders, pain shooting down my spine. “Yes! I understand!”

“Good, but just so you don’t forget.” He gripped my neck, fist raised. Instinctively I closed my eyes, bracing myself for the surge of pain that would follow.

Just then, I heard the loud impact of something smashing against a wall then opened my eyes to see Damon’s friends who were guarding the door lying unconscious on the ground. I didn’t need to look at the door to know who had come.

“Let go of her, Damon,” Kaleb’s calm voice filled my ears and instantly, relief washes over me. He stands at the door with his claws out. “I won’t repeat myself.”

Reluctantly, Damon releases me, and I sprint to Kaleb’s side.

“Come on Kaleb. Need I remind you that she’s nothing but a wolfless trash of an Omega? She might be cute, but we both know the Alpha would rather die than let her become your Luna.” Damon crossed his arms.

“Need I remind you that your mother and sister are also wolfless omega trash?” Kaleb grinned.

Damon slammed a fist into my desk, leaving a dent. Seeing him move forward, my heart skipped a beat. His eyes left Kaleb’s and turned to mine.