Radical Acceptance

The bitter chill of rejection pierces my heart once again as Gray turns his back on me without a word. The mate the moon goddess has sent to me as my only source of joy doesn't even spare me a glance as he walks away, off to join the mate his council has chosen for him. Not me. Never me. My father, the Alpha, sees me as a waste. My packmates sneer and jeer, enjoying my pain. And my fated mate Gray, whose rejection cuts deeper than any wound. I thought I knew heartbreak when my mother died birthing me but this agony is so much worse. Every day I pray to the Moon Goddess for a family to call my own, for acceptance, for love. My prayers go unanswered. Each day, there are whispers that I am cursed, that my existence brings misfortune to the pack. If only they knew the turmoil steaming inside me. But I will endure. Even as assassins ambush me and Silver Fang soldiers see me as a threat. Even as I find myself mysteriously pregnant with no father in sight. Even as wolves come to me claiming friendship while concealing wicked motives. I have survived worse. I am stronger than they know. There are secrets about me, truths my so-called pack tries to bury. My identity. My power. My purpose - all hidden from me by lies. But I will uncover it all. The course of my life is changing, veering into unpredictable territory. But I am ready for whatever comes. My story has only just begun. I am Lyra, the Omega without a wolf but not without a purpose and I would fulfill it! I will shock my pack, I will shock my father, I will shock my mate. This is how I rise!

Ever since I was born, Mom had loved making promises she never intended to keep. When my elementary school teacher said I had potential for advanced math competitions, she beamed with pride. "Caroline Fisher, you're amazing! Whatever tutoring you need, just say the word. I work hard so you can spend however you like!" However, she could not even cough up the 50-dollar class fee. Instead, she turned around and enrolled my two-year-old sister, Hailey Fisher, in premium preschool enrichment classes. I ended up eating plain meals every day, scraping together the class fee from my lunch money. When I got accepted to Vanford College, the best school in the country, Mom grabbed my hands excitedly and promised, "I knew you'd make it big! Tomorrow, we're throwing a big party to celebrate!" But the next day, she locked me in the house. Meanwhile, she rented the city's most luxurious banquet hall for Hailey, who had dropped out of middle school. She stole my acceptance letter and bragged to everyone at the party, "Hailey is so gifted, she got into Vanford College's gifted program at 13!" After her endless bragging, everyone believed that I was slow and useless, while Hailey was a prodigy. I gritted my teeth and pushed through until graduation, finally landing a job I actually wanted. Yet, after my pre-employment medical exam, Mom suddenly grabbed my hand tightly, her gaze determined. "Caroline, don't be scared! Cervical cancer has a really high survival rate! Even if it costs every penny I have, I'll be right here fighting this cancer with you!" Then, she turned the corner into the stairwell and burst out laughing with Hailey. "Finally, we can dump Caroline, that burden! She actually thinks I'd help her with treatment? I wish she'd hurry up and die!" When the doctor approached to discuss surgery details, I waved him off with a cold smile. "Cancel the surgery. Hailey's the one who's sick, and I have no obligation to worry about her!"