CLAIRE
Bright blue eyes stared back at me. I could barely recognize the girl standing before me. Her jet black hair stood firmly in a tight bun. The deep creases on her forehead and her terribly sunken collarbone made her look gaunt. We both could not believe she would still be alive to experience a new age. A new age of suffering.
"Why are you standing there? Get back to work, you sleazy little wolf," a female voice barked out the order and slashed her whip across my back.
Sighing deeply, I dragged my eyes away from my haunting reflection in the mirror and went back to scrubbing the toilet sinks. The angry she-wolf behind got even more annoyed that the biting stings of her whip had no effect on me and she whipped me some more, raining curses on me.
I was already immune to these pains, three years was enough time to get accustomed to something….
I felt a tear or two streak down my cheeks as my skin welcomed each blow until the matron felt she had dealt with me enough. She only twisted her nose in disgust and moved on to another worker in the stalls.
I was scrubbing quietly, not making a move to wipe away the tears from my face, when I heard it.
"Psst!" It came twice. I knew instantly who it was.
I turned around to find Blaire peeking in through the door. She should not be here. She made a sign telling me to meet her behind the food warehouse when I was done and I nodded.
"I really need to get back to work now." I signaled to Blaire. I would starve if I did not finish my work for the day.
"Be more careful," my friend signaled back to me.
My next duty point was the kitchen, there were two main kitchens in the clan, the one where the food for top families and wolf was made and the one where the one for normal clan members was made, as for omegas, we just got the scraps from both kitchens.
I dreaded going to the kitchen for the upper class, it was hard to not run into trouble there. However, today proved to be my lucky day as I completed all my work in less than two hours and ran off not wanting to run by anyone in my age group from the upper class.
Since my father had been the past Beta, they all used this to mock me specially and yet, there was nothing I could do about.
Now that I done with the day's work, I found my way to the designated meeting spot and found my best friend leaning on the wall.
"Have you been waiting that long?" I enquired and she nodded.
"Are you alright?" Blaire inquired, her droopy eyes searching my face.
My lips lifted in a dull smile. "No shit." I responded and she giggled.
We sat on the bare ground.
Unlike me, she looked properly fed and taken care of. I had met her two years ago when I had just turned eighteen, the most miserable year of my life. She and her brother had been kind to me ever since.
I had been unable to experience the transformation every wolf that age was supposed to experience. I had been confused and distraught, not sure what that phase of my life was going to bring. And then my father- the despicable man- threw me out of the house that night. When I asked where he wanted me to stay, he suggested I stayed where the omegas, the weak and extremely wounded wolves, lived out of shame.
'I mean, come on! I know you hate me Dad, but this much?' I could not believe my fate. I had been born from a fling my father had and he hated me for it. He hated that I reminded him of his mistake.
All my friends abandoned me. My dad? He never checked up on me, not even once. Even as the daughter of the beta, I was completely ostracized and made a subject of ridicule.
"Jeez, Claire. You have cut yourself." Blaire's chaste tone snaps me out of my thoughts.
"What?" I looked at her first, before noticing my blood stained hand. I watched the blood trickle out, intrigued. I did not feel the pain from the injury. I had become used to them.
"And you did not know? Let us get you to the infirmary." Blaire asked incredulously and pulled me along.
I smiled at Blaire's auburn hair as they bounced. She should know. She should know this was a normal occurrence for me. She need not panic.
"I am fine, Blaire." I stopped us short when I saw she was leading me to the pack house. I should not be there. "And you really do not have to worry about me all the time," I told her, even though I knew my words fell on deaf ears.
"Do not start with me on that one," she reprimanded me, rolling her eyes.
"Your brother is the Alpha. You should not be seen with me," I reminded her and she sucked her teeth at the title.
"Enzo set me up to this in the first place. Except now, I do it of my own accord and I totally enjoy it. It is my duty to worry for you, Claire. I am your best friend. Your only friend." She cooed.
I could not forget the day she approached me after the transformation ceremony. She was not happy to be seen close to me at first. The members of the clan ostracized anyone seen close to omegas.
She kept muttering on and on about how her brother pushed her into making a bet and how she had lost and how she had to be friends with an omega. 'A sore loser,' she had called me.
I had laughed at the absurdity. I never comprehended why Alpha Enzo would do that for me. Or why he had commanded the men not to touch me, his sister had told me.
Over time however, Blaire and I had become pretty close and she defended me the best way she could from mean pack members.
It was late in the night when Blaire decided it was time to leave for the pack house. Her personal maid had come to get her. She embraced me and bade me goodnight.
I lay on the thin foam in the room, reminiscing about my day. Blaire was my sunshine in the gloomy life fate had thrown at me and I was forever grateful she had lost that bet. I sometimes wondered how my life would have turned if she had not.
I muffled a giggle at the thought of my best friend mimicking her brother and drifted off to sleep.
****
She sat close to me in the meadow, the next day, after she had whisked me away from the day's work, insisting I needed the break.
It was my birthday and I could not believe she had set up a mini party for just us. Cakes, confectionaries and drinks were splayed before us on the green grass.
...Happy birthday to you….
My friend sang for me as I blew out the candles and laughed. As usual, I made the same wish- that Blaire remained a constant in my life. She was too good to be true.
She enveloped me in a hug and kissed me on both cheeks. "Happy birthday, Claire." She smiled at me.
"Thank you so much, my friend." I pecked her on her left cheek.
She handed me a gift bag. "From me to you," she crooned.
I held back the tears that pricked my eyes, took the bag from her hold and peered through it. A wool sweater and a box of perfume were in the bag. I pulled out the sweater.
"It is crochet. I made it myself," she said proudly.
I beamed at her. "Thank you again."
"You're welcome," she replied. "Now, Enzo asked that I give you this. He sends his wishes."
My cheeks flamed just as my lips curled in a shy smile. I collected the bag she stretched out to me. A beautiful red dress and a note laid in it.
Wear this for me. I will make everything right. Happy birthday. Enzo- the note read.
My heart raced and my mouth hurt from smiling too much.
"You like?" Blaire wiggled her brows.
I gave a throaty laugh and nodded.
"That is good then. I am about to tell you a secret now," Blaire's expression suddenly turned serious.
"Is everything fine?" I enquired.
She waved her hand in dismissal. "Yes, it is. This will not be a secret in an hour or so. But I wanted you to hear it first."
"Okay?" I demurred.
"Enzo plans to set up a transformation rite for you omegas next week," she divulged.
"What is that?" I asked. I had never heard about it.
"It is the rite of passage for omegas who were not able to experience their transformation at eighteen. It is believed to stir one's wolf awake. No matter who they are." She answered.
My eyes rounded in disbelief. "How is that possible?"
"I do not know. But Enzo is the Alpha. If he thinks it will work, then it has to," she explained.
"How come I have never heard of it? Why now? Why has this ceremony not taken place since I was born?"
I remembered all the ceremonies and rites we held as a clan, but this transformation rite was never done.
"You should be happy and quit the barrage of questions," she said, looking disappointed at my reaction.
My mind casted back to the room filled with omegas like me. I could imagine the thrill of excitement that would burst through the hall once the news spread.
Enzo was giving us all a second chance.
ENZO"Tell me why exactly you think this is a great idea." My uncle said as had crashed my meeting this afternoon seething with anger."What do you speak of, Uncle?" I asked impassively, even though I knew very well what he was on about. "The transformation rite, Enzo.""Oh that," I shifted in my seat and stroke my chin. I had stamped the bill that morning and the news had spread like wildfire already. It was however accepted with mixed feelings. "What the hell are you thinking?" He bawled. My beta, Kane, shifted uncomfortably beside me. He did not appreciate the tone my uncle used on me. I told him through the mind link to stand down. "And why does it have you riled up?" I enquired, cocking a brow. "This smart idea of yours is going to tip the system. The omegas? They are as important as they are infinitesimal." "I do not see how," I replied. "If all the omegas undergo this rite and they pass, who then would take up their roles in the pack?" He retorted. In as much as I did
CLAIRE's POVWhen the news of the transformation rite got to the hall, the other omegas danced for joy. Everyone was excited and would not stop chirping about the ceremony that was now two days away. I did not understand what the fuss was about. This rite had been abandoned for years. Surely, there was a reason our ancestors wanted nothing to do with it anymore. What if this was also not successful? What happened to us omegas? I could imagine the double shame and ridicule we would face. We failed at doing the one thing every wolf was born with, twice. I refused to blossom the hope, I refused to try. I would rather sit this one out than face the disgrace all over again. I threw on an old loose gown as I watched the wolves chatter excitedly. Some even tried out new outfits they had never worn. It was indeed a beautiful morning. It had been a long time since the omegas had been this enthusiastic about anything. "File out," the matron barked out. Nobody had noticed when she arrived
CLAIRE"...Because I love you... All these I did for you..."Those sweet words from Alpha Enzo reeled in my mind as I put on the red dress he had presented to me on my birthday. He had requested I wore it today, the day of the transformation rite ceremony. The long dress shimmered as I twirled, flowing down my scrawny body and hiding away all my years of sufferings. I had to admit I looked beautiful in it. It had been a very long time since I donned something nice. "...I want to make you mine..." The confession made me warm inside and I held my chest to tame my thundering heart. All my life, no one had made me feel this way. I could recall Blaire taunting me every time I smiled shyly when Alpha Enzo's name was mentioned. I thought she was being silly. But I guessed now, it all made sense. I did feel something for him, even though I was not sure it could be called love. I combed my hair, deciding to let the black bangs cascade down my shoulder to complement my exposed neckline.
CLAIRE's POVI could hear the loud gasps and the sudden but hushed whispers all around the ground filled with my pack members.I did not think these wolves would ever be anything to mine. They were all horrible. All except for two.How could anyone want an omega? Who in his right senses would leave gold and other valuable items for a useless omega? There was no way he wanted me as tribute. What the actual fuck?I could feel it, I could feel their disdain and shock at what just happened. Honestly, I was just as shocked.Did he hit his head or something? Why would he want someone like me?Well, I knew the reason. I knew the reason and he seemed to know it as well. Why else would he say such an absurd thing?Mates.I almost scoffed in disbelief.The moon goddess made us fucking mates.I repeated the word in my head countless times as if that would make the situation even more understandable.It did not help.I looked him over, suddenly everyone was forgotten as I studied the hulking, d
CLAIRE's POVI felt my body contort and distort. Okay that was disturbing.My limbs got stretched, hind legs lengthened, face changed and in less than a minute, I was seated in the cool grass in my birthday suit, looking a bit disoriented.“Finally, I thought you were having tea with your wolf or something.” I heard Blaire grumble beside me and I laughed.“She has a whole lot of attitude.” I said, my grin stretching even wilder.A soft growl in my head told me to shut the fuck up.“Feisty bitch.” I muttered back and Blaire chuckled before tossing me a cotton top and jeans. “As much as I like to see you naked, your mate will not appreciate others seeing you like this.”My smile dropped.Mate.My mate.Oh, shit.“Oh shit.” I repeated, suddenly all tensed and sweaty.I quickly wore the clothes she tossed at me, grimacing at how my body seemed to learn how to work anew.I looked towards the pack house, then I shivered. I really did not want to go there right now.I did not want to fac
DOMINIK's POVKill him. Kill him now.Break his fucking neck.How dare he speak about my mate like that??Those were the thoughts in my head while I squeezed harder against the neck of the man my mate called her father. Him wheezing in pain had my wolf growling in pleasure.Kill. He seemed to tell me. Snap his neck! He echoed in my head and I was so close to doing it.“Please..”I heard her voice again.My mate.My mate with the black shiny hair, with the bright blue eyes and some kissable lips that had me wanting to pin her against the wall until those lips turned from those light pink to red. My mate.My mate who was an omega.Weak and certainly submissive to a stupor.WEAK.I did not want a weak mate. A weak mate would not compliment someone like me. I really did not want her.I could not go against the mate bond though, to want her or not. I had to keep her close to me as much as I could allow.She was going to be a burden I did not want. I could feel it.Just as much as I di
CLAIRE's POVI clenched and unclenched my fist as I talked.The slimy bastard.He took pleasure in knowing that I knew of his reputation? A reputation that befitted a psycho? Well, I would tell him what I thought of him.“Everyone knows of your psychotic tendencies.” I ended my rant and looked at him. He had a wide grin on his handsome as hell face, his eyes sparkly.I wanted to lick his lips.Oh shit.This mate business was so not for me.“Good, I like that you know of me.” He leaned in and I had to hold my breath so I would not try to taste his scent with the tip of my lips. I tried to appear as nonchalant as I could as he leaned in to whisper in my ear. “You know how I protect my people and what I do to my enemies. It would serve you well to know what I can do to you should you try anything funny with me.”“I don't even know you. I doubt I would like to try anything with you.” I muttered, ignoring the heat in my core.“I am your mate, your alpha and protector.” He scoffed. “We
DOMINIK's POVHoly fuck.She smelled so fucking good, it was all I could think of, it was all I could scent, it was all I could do to not wlose control and claim my mate right there and right then.And I would have claimed her even if she did not want it. She did not. I could feel it in the way she stiffened, in the little bursts of breath that came out of her lips.I tried not to be too annoyed, or hurt by that.My wolf, on the other hand, was in a killing mood.Claim.Claim.Claim what is yours. The horny dog seemed to scream at me every second Claire’s lovely scent perfumed the air.Reluctantly, very reluctantly, I licked down her neck, giving little nips and licks as I went. I pulled up the hem of her flimsy cotton top, showing the most perfect shape of breast on a human…wolf.I only knew I had stared reverently at it for too long when I heard the low growl that came from her throat and I chuckled.Such an impatient, definitely not submissive omega. I had never heard of a breed l