"Just-just get it over with." He paused, titling his head sideways. "Get what over with?" I glare at him, "The rejection. Just do it." He stared at me, the smile he wore on his face suddenly dropped, "You think I intend to hurt you? That I will reject you?" Fine, if he wanted to play this way then no problem. "Fine. If you won't reject me, I reject you." I don't even have time to react before he's in front of me, one knee pressing onto the bed, hands braced on either side of me. "Try again, little wolf." "Reject me all you want," he murmurs. "The moon goddess brought you here for me and now you're mine." ~~~~ Emma had always been nothing. An omega. A maid. A shadow in her own pack. But when she turned eighteen, the Moon Goddess gave her hope, her mate was Aiden Blackwood, the future Alpha. For the first time, she believed she was wanted. But Aiden shattered her. He rejected her. He used her. And then, in front of the entire pack, he claimed another as his mate and Luna. Broken and betrayed, Emma ran. She didn't care where she ended up, until she crossed into forbidden land and was thrown into a cage, waiting to die. Only for him to appear. Kieran Valerian. The Lycan King. A ruler with blood on his hands. And when his eyes locked onto hers, the entire world seemed to stop. "Mate." But Emma refuses to be weak ever again. She will never beg for love. Not even when the most powerful Lycan alive looks at her like she belongs to him. Because she learned the hard way that mates can destroy you. And this time, she won't go down without a fight.
Chapter 1
I wake before dawn, as always. I already know what the day holds: an endless amount of chores, insults, and tiredness. I was already dreading the day as I stood up from the mat.
The pack house was already bustling, the sounds of laughter and conversations filled the hall as I slipped out of the small cot I was given in the omega's quarters.
My body ached, and my hands were rough from years of scrubbing floors and serving meals. I tell myself that today will be different. Today, I turn eighteen.
I lived in the Blood-moon pack, the tenth pack of the ten founding packs. It was a privilege to stay in a pack like this. At least that was what I was told every morning and night by the head maid and chef.
My name is Emma, and I'm an orphan. My mother died the day I was born. That was what the pack members told me. Not like they ever let me forget. I was the girl who killed her mother.
My father, on the other hand, has been nonexistent. My mother never mentioned him for the two days she stayed in the pack before she died. There were some theories. He was a rogue. A runt even, but all of them were baseless, and because of that, I was nothing.
Just an omega, the lowest rank in the pack and the pack's burden. It didn't help that I looked absolutely different from the rest of them. I had bright blonde hair with white streaks, uneven colored eyes which only scared the pack members, and so I wasn't allowed to look anyone in the eye or I had to cover my eyes.
I swallow down the bitterness as I grab my ragged dress from the small wooden crate beside my mat. It is the only thing I own. The fabric is threadbare, barely holding together, but I smooth it out with care. It is all I have.
As I slip it over my head, I hear the familiar sound of footsteps approaching the omega quarters. My stomach clenches. I already know what's coming.
"Emma!" a sharp voice barks.
I freeze, then quickly step outside, lowering my head. The head maid, Greta, glares at me, her lips curled in displeasure.
"You were supposed to be in the kitchen ten minutes ago," she snaps. "Do you think you're special just because today is your birthday?"
I say nothing.
Greta's nails dig into my arm as she yanks me forward. "Get moving before I make sure you don't eat today."
Hunger claws at my stomach, but I nod and hurry past her.
Breakfast for the ranked wolves is already being prepared, the scent of meat and fresh bread filling the air. I reach for a tray, my hands trembling as I balance the plates carefully. The last time I spilled something, I went to bed without food for two days.
The dining hall is loud with chatter and laughter when I enter. The young alphas, Betas, and high-ranking wolves sit at the grand table, their plates already full. My hands shake slightly as I move toward them, placing fresh dishes in front of them.
No one acknowledges me; I am invisible.
Until I am not.
I hear the sound of a boot scraping against the floor just before something hard slams into my ankle. Pain shoots up my leg, and I stumble, barely managing to catch myself before I fall. But the cup of juice I was holding tips forward, splashing onto the table.
Dread pools in my stomach.
"Are you serious?" a familiar, sharp voice sneers.
I don't need to look up to know who it is.
Vivian. The Beta's daughter. The future Beta female of this pack.
Her sharp green eyes narrow at me as she dabs at the few drops of juice on her sleeve. She isn't really angry. It's all a show. An excuse to humiliate me.
Of course, the maid can't even handle serving drinks properly," she says loudly, making sure everyone hears.
Laughter courses through the room. I lower my head, keeping my face neutral. I have learned that reacting only makes things worse.
"I'm sorry," I whisper.
"Pathetic," she mutters before turning away.
I quickly finish my task and retreat to the kitchen, my face burning.
This is my life. This is how it has always been.
But tonight... tonight, everything will change.
Tonight, I will shift for the first time.
Tonight, I will meet my mate.
A part of me dares to hope. What if my mate takes me away from here? What if he sees me not as an omega, not as a servant but as someone worthy?
I sighed and went straight to washing the pots the chef had used to cook. Minutes later once I was sure they would all be done eating. I slipped back into the dining hall. Unfortunately for me, they were all still gathered, talking and laughing at whatever they were telling each other.
I moved as quietly as I could, collecting the dirty plates and cups.
The door to the dining hall opens, and the air shifts. The laughter and conversation suddenly dim a little, almost like a person of power had stepped in.
I don't turn at first, focused on stacking the dishes, but then the room stills. My skin prickles uncomfortably, and my curiosity wins, and I finally look up.
That's when I see him.
Aiden Blackwood.
The future Alpha of the Blood Moon pack.
My breath hitches, and for a second, I forget everything. The plates in my hands. The ache in my body. The fact that I shouldn't be staring.
I can't look away.
He's standing just a few feet away, his tall frame blocking out the light from the doorway. Dark brown hair, slightly messy, as if he ran his hands through it one too many times.
The moment our gazes lock, a jolt of something powerful rushes through me.
Everything slows.
The noise fades.
The scent of warm cedar and spice wraps around me, stronger than anything I've ever smelled before.
Then, in a low, stunned voice, he breathes out one word.
"Mate."
“Three rules!” He says icily. I open my eyes at the tone of his voice. “Don’t touch me! Don’t touch my things! Don’t talk to me!” He gritted out, eyes staring me down as though daring me to speak, “W-what?” I blurted. He quirked an eyebrow up. “Listen, this thing that happened today,” he gestured at the space between us, a look of irritation flashed in his face. “This is just a business deal! Don’t expect anything from me. Don’t think of me as your husband. We are only needed to keep up our appearances outside here, afterwards that’s it. I don’t want you touching, speaking or even looking at me. You’re merely a waste of space in this house.” His words pierced through my heart like a dagger, eyes brimming with unshed tears. 22 year old Annabel Steven’s has always known her husband will be picked for her but what she didn’t know was her soon to be husband is Nathan Richardson. The country’s golden boy and Annabel’s crush. Cold hearted, arrogant and supercilious Nathan Richardson who hates the idea of marriage especially to the over pampered, grandiose daughter of the Steven’s.
"Ahh!" She was in a moaning mess. She did not want to feel anything for this man. She hated him. His hands began to move all over her body. She gasped when he pulled down the back chain of her dress. The chain stopped at her lower waist, so when he zipped it off, her upper back and waist were exposed. "D-Don't touch m-ummm!" His fingers rolled around her bare back, and she pressed her head against the pillow. His touches were giving her goosebumps all over her body. With a deep angry voice, he whispered in her ear, "I am going to make you forget his touches, kisses, and everything. Every time you touch another man, you will only think of me." - - - Ava Adler was a nerdy omega. People bullied her because they thought she was ugly and unattractive. But Ava secretly loved the bad boy, Ian Dawson. He was the future Alpha of the Mystic Shadow Pack. However, he doesn't give a damn about rules and laws, as he only likes to play around with girls. Ava was unaware of Ian's arrogance until her fate intertwined with his. He neglected her and hurt her deeply. What would happen when Ava turned out to be a beautiful girl who could win over any boy, and Ian looked back and regretted his decisions? What if she had a secret identity that she had yet to discover? What if the tables turned and Ian begged her not to leave him?
Joelle thought she could change Adrian's heart after three years of marriage, but she realized too late that it already belonged to another woman. "Give me a baby, and I'll set you free." The day Joelle went into labor, Adrian was traveling with his mistress on his private jet. "I don't care whom you love. My debt is paid. From now on, we have nothing to do with each other." Not long after Joelle left, Adrian found himself begging on his knees. "Please come back to me."
For the whole 17 years of her existence, Alana did not know the word freedom and happiness having been confined in the basement of her family's house accused of killing her own mother. She's beaten, cursed at, and barely survived from crumbs of food thrown at her. She thought this is her final destiny and has accepted the bitter fate of her life not until the night of her 18th birthday, a mysterious alpha appeared at her door telling her that she is the long-lost daughter of the alpha king and claiming her as his mate he's been looking for several years now.
The day Raina gave birth should have been the happiest of her life. Instead, it became her worst nightmare. Moments after delivering their twins, Alexander shattered her heart-divorcing her and forcing her to sign away custody of their son, Liam. With nothing but betrayal and heartbreak to her name, Raina disappeared, raising their daughter, Ava, on her own.Years later, fate comes knocking when Liam falls gravely ill. Desperate to save his son, Alexander is forced to seek out the one person he once cast aside. Alexander finds himself face to face with the woman he underestimated, pleading for a second chance-not just for himself, but for their son. But Raina is no longer the same broken woman who once loved him.No longer the woman he left behind. She has carved out a new life-one built on strength, wealth, and a long-buried legacy she expected to uncover.Raina has spent years learning to live without him.The question is... Will she risk reopening old wounds to save the son she never got to love? or has Alexander lost her forever?
Loraine was a dutiful wife to Marco since they got married three years ago. However, he treated her like trash. Nothing she did softened his heart. One day, Loraine got fed up with it all. She asked him for a divorce and left him to enjoy with his mistress. The elites looked at her like she was deranged. "Are you out of your mind? Why are you so willing to divorce him?" "It's because I need to return home to get a billion-dollar fortune. Besides, I don't love him anymore," Loraine replied with a smile. They all laughed at her. Some believed that the divorce affected her mentally. It wasn't until the next day that they realized she wasn't fibbing. A woman was suddenly declared the world's youngest female billionaire. It turned out to be Loraine! Marco was shocked to the bone. When he met his ex-wife again, she was a changed person. A group of handsome young men surrounded her. She was smiling at them all. The sight made Marco's heart ache severely. Putting his pride aside, he tried to win her back. "Hello, love. I see that you are a billionaire now. You shouldn't be with suckers who just want your money. How about you come back to me? I'm a billionaire too. Together, we can build a strong empire. What do you say?" Loraine squinted at her ex-husband with her lips curled in disgust.
"I ran. Ran as fast as my legs could go. Away. Away from him. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hailey Pritchett loved her job as the secretary of Henry Caldwell, the CEO of the Caldwell Industries. She was a woman who liked safety, and stayed far away from danger. However, the company is bought by a ruthless businessman who is known as the Sniper. Theodore Benson is a ruthless billionaire, and is known as the Sniper in the business world. Because he kills his opponents without letting them know. He bows down to no one, and when he wants something, he does everything - whether legal or not - to possess it. When Hailey and Theodore aka the Sniper, come face to face, Hailey knows that Theodore is dangerous. So Hailey does what she does best in the face of danger. She runs. But will Theodore let her get away? Theodore wants Hailey Pritchett, and won't stop until he has her - in every possible way. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~