Page 6

She hesitates, then nods. “I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

I don’t believe her, but I’m too weak to argue. The heat in my veins flares again, stealing my strength.

“Do you believe me?” I ask, my voice trembling. “About Kieran. That he’s my Mate.”

Her expression softens, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I believe you,” she says, her voice steady. “And don’t you dare think for a second that you’re unfit to be a Luna. You are strong, Hazel. Stronger than any of them know.”

Tears sting my eyes, but they don’t fall. Her words warm my chest, but it’s quickly smothered by the weight of my exhaustion.

Elara picks up a bowl from the table, the scent of broth filling the air. “You need to eat,” she says, her tone firm but kind.

I nod weakly, letting her feed me a few spoonfuls. The taste is bland. The warmth does nothing to soothe me.

Before I can finish, the darkness pulls me under again. My mother’s voice the last thing I hear.

“I’ll always believe in you.”

I recovered from the seal a few days later, and I was immediately put to work.

The Omega quarters are dim and cramped, a stark contrast to the spacious warrior barracks I used to know.

The air here smells of damp wood, sweat, and the faint tang of detergent.

The heat in my veins has dulled to an ember, but it still burns, a persistent ache that leaves me restless and needy even as I work.

The others don’t make It easier.

“Guess even the Gamma’s daughter can fall,” one of the Omegas sneers as I carry a heavy basket of laundry through the courtyard. Her tone is sugary sweet, but the venom underneath is unmistakable.

Another Omega, a wiry man with sharp features, chuckles. “She’s not even a real wolf. She’s just a wannabe bitch who got put in her place.”

My wolf stirs, her growl low and simmering, but I force her down. They’re not worth it.

I keep my head high, my grip tightening on the basket as I move toward the lines of washing hanging to dry. The gravel crunches beneath my feet, the weight of their stares heavy on my back.

“Enough!” The Omega matron’s voice cuts through the courtyard like a whip. She strides forward, her arms crossed over her broad chest, her no-nonsense glare sweeping over the group. “You’re not here to gossip. You’re here to work.”

The others mumble their apologies, but the sneers linger in their eyes as they disperse.

“You,” the matron says, pointing at me. “Bathrooms and courtyard. Get to it.”

I nod, my jaw tight as I set the basket down and grab a mop from the supply closet.

The smell of bleach stings my nose as I step into the first bathroom, the floor grimy from use.

My hands ache from scrubbing, but I ignore that, letting the monotony of the task drown out my thoughts.

At least this will give me a break from the suffocating pain of my pack's rejection, of this raging heat coursing through me, of everything.

By the time I finish the courtyard, my arms are sore, and my knees throb from kneeling on the rough stone. But I don’t complain. Complaining gets you nowhere here .

It’s in the courtyard, while I’m gathering the last of the cleaning supplies, that I meet Ayana.

She steps in front of me, crossing her arms in a relaxed stance, but her sharp brown eyes keep watch.

Her short, curly hair falls around her face, almost like a bag, and there’s a mischievous spark in her expression that makes me wary.

Why would anyone be lighthearted in a place like this while being treated like crap?

“Hey,” she says, her tone light and playful. “You’re new.”

I nod, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Yeah.”

“Let me guess,” she continues, leaning against the broom I was just about to grab. “You’re the fallen princess everyone’s talking about.”

I stiffen, but she waves a hand dismissively. “Relax. I’m not here to kick you while you’re down. Name’s Ayana.”

“Hazel,” I reply cautiously.

“I know,” she says with a grin. “Everyone knows.” Of course they do. I feel ashamed that I never got to know the Omegas. Being an Omega now, I know what it feels like for my existence to be treated as inconsequential.

I study her, and there’s something disarming about her demeanor, and despite myself, I relax a fraction.

“Word of advice,” she says, her tone turning serious. “Don’t let them see you break. They’ll eat you alive if they think you’re weak.”

I glance around the courtyard, the other Omegas sneaking glances in our direction. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Ayana studies me for a moment before nodding. “Good. Now, let me show you the ropes. You’re gonna need to know them if you want to survive around here.”

Over the next few days, Ayana becomes a constant presence in my life. She helps me navigate the unspoken rules of Omega life—how to avoid the worst chores, who to stay away from, and how to make the matron like you just enough to get some breathing room.

At first, I’m wary of her easy smile and playful attitude. I’ve learned the hard way from the barracks that trust is dangerous, and kindness often comes with strings attached. But Ayana proves me wrong.

One evening, as we scrub the kitchen floors side by side, I gather the courage to ask, “Why are you helping me? ”

Ayana glances at me, her expression unreadable. “Because I’ve been where you are,” she says simply. “It’s maybe been worse, actually. But you get the point. My previous status was not much glamorous than this, even though I walked the Alpha halls once.”

I feel a pang of guilt as a memory surfaces. Ayana’s face is familiar, but I haven’t placed it until now. She was a rogue Omega, once used and discarded by higher-ranking wolves, including the Alpha. I hadn’t done anything to help.

“I’m sorry.”

Ayana looks at me, her brow furrowing. “For what?”

“For not…for not doing anything back then,” I admit, shame tightening my throat.

Her expression softens, and she lets out a small laugh. “Don’t waste your guilt on me,” she nudges my shoulder with hers. “You had your own literal battles to fight. Weren’t you the wolfless runt?”

Her forgiveness is unexpected, but it lightens something in my chest. For the first time in weeks, I feel like I’m not entirely alone.

Still, the ache for Kieran never goes away.

I see him in my dreams. I hear him growl in my ears.

I feel his touch roam my body, over my breasts, my nipples my belly, my ass.

I feel his fingers dig into me. I crave his teeth sinking into my skin.

I need him filling me up, stretching me wide, making me feel like I did when I was in his arms. I wake up drenched in sweat and coated in slick, and my wolf howls in grief and pain.

Every full moon, the heat comes back, searing through my veins like molten fire. The seal placed on me by Magnus ensures I’ll never find relief, never shift, never know the release my wolf craves. It’s torture, and each month feels worse than the last.

Ayana notices, of course. She doesn’t say anything at first, and I am grateful. The last thing I want is to reveal why I am burning with heat when I can have any male of my choosing to calm me. But one night, as I curl up on my cot, trembling and feverish, she sits beside me and speaks softly.

“There’s a place,” she says. “A city called Broadstone. It’s neutral ground. No Alphas, no ranks. Just people trying to start over. People being…people.” It sounds incredible .

I turn my head, her words cutting through the haze of my pain. “Broadstone?” She squeezes the warm cloth and rests it on my lower back, gently massaging the ache that is lodged there like coals of fire.

She nods. “I’ve been there. It was a time before I was brought here. It’s not perfect, but it’s freedom. And it’s far from here. The seal will weaken once you are past the Nightclaw territory.”

The idea settles in my mind, fragile and tentative but glowing with the faintest spark of hope.

“Why did you leave if it was that great?” I groan as she helps me stretch my limbs and joints, the ache rattling my bones.

“I…wandered too far and ran into nightclaw patrol. They labelled me an intruder…a spy and brought me here as an enslaved person.”

“Oh…” I know she doesn’t want my pity, so I swallow it.

“Think about it,” Ayana says, dumping the rag in the bowl. She stands and heads for the door. “You deserve better than this.”

Her words linger long after she’s gone, weaving into my thoughts as I drift into an uneasy sleep.

I see a glimmer of a future beyond this pack for the first time since Kieran's rejection. Beyond the pain. Beyond the life I thought I was destined for. I start planning my escape.