EMBER

Tears streamed down my face as I pleaded with my uncle. "Please, Uncle, he asked for Aria, not me," I begged, my eyes locked on his, hoping to convey the depth of my despair.

The thought of marrying that old man was unbearable. "You want me to marry an Omega?" I asked, my voice shaking with desperation. "Someone so much older and beneath me?"

Aria stood beside me, her eyes welling up with tears, but I saw through her facade. Her parents, however, seemed oblivious to her distress.

My uncle's expression remained resolute. "Ember, you're doing this for the family," he said, his tone firm but laced with a false gentleness. "Aria's too young for marriage now. You're the eldest; it's your duty."

My words caught in my throat as my uncle's glare silenced me. I knew what would happen if I protested further – his mate would punish me later. Fear and resignation washed over me, and I looked down, defeated.

In that moment, I felt trapped, forced into a fate I didn't want, with no escape in sight.

My uncle's words cut deep. "This family has done enough for you since your parents' death. The least you can do is repay us with this marriage." His tone was final, and he stood up to leave for the pack meeting.

I quickly retreated to my room, eager to escape the toxic atmosphere and the suffocating presence of my aunt and her daughter. However, my reprieve was short-lived.

"And where do you think you're going?" my aunt's cold voice stopped me in my tracks.

My heart raced, and my fists clenched nervously as I turned to face her icy glare. I lowered my eyes, trying to appear submissive. "To my room, ma'am," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

I stared at the floor, my body tense with fear, hoping that this wouldn't escalate into another violent outburst. My aunt's temper was notorious, and I had borne the brunt of it many times before. I held my breath, praying that this time would be different.

"Your room, huh?" my aunt sneered, her eyes narrowing. "What were you thinking, questioning your uncle's decision?"

I knew exactly what she was getting at – my protest against Aria being given to the grumpy old Omega leader.

"Nothing, ma," I whispered, trying to avoid her wrath.

"Nothing?" she repeated, her voice dripping with malice. "That's not an answer, girl."

She stood up, her movements fluid and menacing, and walked over to me. "I just...I wanted Uncle to know that the Omega leader specifically asked for Aria," I stammered, trying to explain. "We don't know if he would be angry if the brides were changed..."

My words were cut off by a scorching slap across my face. I whimpered, my hands instinctively flying to my cheeks as tears burst forth from my eyes.

"How dare you question your uncle's decision?" my aunt hissed, her fingers closing around my hair like a vice. She pulled hard, her sadistic smile visible on her face.

"I'm sorry," I sobbed, shutting my eyes as tears streamed down my face. I silently prayed to the moon goddess to save me, a plea I had repeated countless times over the past 18 years, since my parents' death when I was just four years old. But my prayers had always gone unanswered, leaving me to suffer at the hands of my cruel relatives.

My only escape was finding my mate, but as a prisoner in my own home, that seemed impossible. I was trapped, with no way out.

My aunt's grip on my hair tightened. "You're sorry? What sorry people do is accept the terms. You will marry Omega Zed. Understood?"

I nodded immediately, desperate to escape her wrath. She pushed me away, and I lost my balance, bumping into Aria, who was holding a steaming bowl of soup. The scalding liquid spilled all over me, but before I could cry out, Aria was already screaming.

"Oh dear goddess, I'm so sorry!" I pleaded, but she just glared at me.

"This witch purposely bumped into me so the hot soup would scald me!" Aria exclaimed, her tears flowing dramatically.

Her mother shot me a death glare. "Are you jealous that my daughter is more beautiful? Are you jealous that she'll end up with someone prominent, like an Alpha, while you'll rot with an Omega?"

I shook my head, stepping back and bumping into the glass table, which shattered beneath me. I tripped and fell, cutting myself on the broken glass.

Aria's mother sneered, her eyes flashing with malice. "You look so sadistic. Not exactly the kind of energy I need now that I'm attending a ball."

With a flick of her wrist, she turned and walked away, Aria following closely behind, a smirk on her face. I bit back a swear word, my anger and frustration boiling over.

After they left, I cleaned up the mess, wincing as I wiped the floor, the broken glass and spilled soup a painful reminder of my situation. Some of the glass had even embedded itself in my skin, but I couldn't complain. I was supposed to suffer in silence.

Just as I finished, I heard a faint voice in my head. "You don't have to stay for much longer."

I turned, wondering who was speaking to me, and then realized it was my wolf, Nora.

Nora's voice was weak, and I hadn't heard from her in a while. She was always so quiet, and I had learned to keep her existence a secret. To everyone else, I was wolfless.

"Nora, what do you mean?" I slumped on the floor, exhausted, and winced as my scalded hand brushed against the glass table.

"It's almost time," Nora whispered, her voice barely audible. "Just hold on."

I grunted, biting my lip as I considered Nora's words. "You're saying I should leave? With everyone away until nightfall, I could start over."

I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before. The possibility seemed to spark a glimmer of hope.

"Leave and become a rogue?" I mused, weighing the risks. "A weak rogue, at that. No offense, Nora, but let's face it – we're not exactly equipped to survive on our own."

In my mind's eye, I saw Nora's ears droop, her expression resigned. She knew I was right.

"But what if," Nora ventured, her voice tentative, "you find your mate out there?"

My ears perked up at the suggestion. Stories of people finding their mates as rogues weren't unheard of. Maybe, just maybe, it was worth a try.