Semua Bab The Rejected Omega’s Surrogate: A Mate for the Cursed Alpha: Bab 1 - Bab 6

YEARS LATER….Scarlett's POV: "Daddy, please!"I woke up screaming, my father's name still burning on my lips. The nightmare clung to me like a second skin, the cold stone floor, the silver chains, the moment Damon's rejection tore my soul in half. I pressed a hand to my chest and forced air into my lungs, counting each breath until the panic loosened its grip on my throat."Just a memory," I whispered to the dark room. "Just a memory."I swung my legs over the side of the bed and glanced at the clock. Three in the morning. Four hours until my shift at The Rusty Cage. I will not sleep again tonight. I never did after the nightmare.I dressed in worn jeans and a faded black shirt, pulled my hair into a messy ponytail, and grabbed my leather jacket. The walk to the bar was short, and the cold air helped clear the last remnants of the dream from my mind.Frank was already behind the counter when I walked in, wiping down glasses with a rag that had seen better days."You look like hell,"

Caden's POV:The man was still breathing when I dropped him. He should not have been. I had broken his ribs, his jaw, and most of the bones in his hands. I had thrown him through a wall and watched him crawl through the rubble, begging for mercy. I had given him none. But I had not killed him, at least not yet."Finish him off already and let us move on to the ceremony," Zephyr growled.No. I said to him with finality."He killed two of our warriors."I know that. I responded."Well, if you know that, then you should also know that he deserves death."He deserves worse. But I will not give the curse what it wants.Zephyr went silent, but I could feel his displeasure, a low rumble of frustration that vibrated through my chest. He did not argue. He knew better. But he did not agree either."Please," the man wheezed, blood bubbling at his lips. "Please, Alpha. I did not know. I did not know it was your territory.""You should have asked.""We were desperate. The rogues, they have no food

The auction hall was massive, with towering ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and polished floors that reflected the golden light above. Expensive perfume mingled with the sharp smell of alcohol, while the low murmur of conversations rose and fell around the room. Alphas and their entourages filled the rows of seats, their dark suits, expensive watches, and confident expressions making it painfully clear that money and power were the only things that mattered to most of them. I stood backstage behind a heavy velvet curtain, twisting my fingers together as I listened to the clink of glasses and the occasional burst of laughter from the other side.My forehead had stopped bleeding, but the skin was still tender, and every slight movement of my eyebrows sent a dull ache through my head. I kept touching the bandage the Matron had insisted on placing over the cut, checking that it was still secure, then dropping my hand whenever I noticed someone watching me. My palms were damp, and the fabri