CHAPTER 1: PATHETIC OMEGA

ISLA’S POV

For the first time ever, the Pack Annual Mating Ceremony was being held in the Alpha’s home. I never went to these things. They were designed to make me feel out of place.

Pack events were considered a time of fun and enjoyment for werewolves, we’re social animals after all. But to me, it was just a bigger opportunity to be dragged through the mud.

And people were good at it, always making me feel weaker and more left out than I usually was.

As an Omega wolf, frequenting these kinds of things was a big no. The odds of me leaving tonight’s event with my own mate were slim to none. A frown pulls down the corners of my lips.

It’s such a cold evening, and I’d rather be anywhere else at the moment.

The cream-colored double doors slide open automatically once we reach the entrance. Rebecca links my arm in hers, pulling my body closer. She can barely keep her excitement on a leash.

That makes one of us.

I didn't lie about wanting to be elsewhere. Earlier today, I had no dress for the ceremony, not planning to go. Yet, my friends had convinced me.

The grand ballroom is filled with guests, its open layout giving it a lavish feel. I'm in awe of the glass chandelier hanging high. Rebecca heads off, likely following her mate's scent.

I laugh and follow Kate deeper into the room. A man passes by with champagne glasses, and Kate grabs two, offering me one. Usually, I'd decline, but my nerves are on edge.

Would anyone be okay with spending their entire lives with someone like me? An omega, barely deserving of being identified as a she-wolf.   

I sip from the glass in my hand, taking in my surroundings.

“Did you hear? They said Prince Axel might be here tonight!”

“No way!”

“Maybe he finally wants to find his mate.”

“Oh, I doubt that, maybe the Alpha King forced him to show.”

“Like anyone could ever force Prince Axel to do anything.”

“I’d give anything to have him as a mate.” Someone giggles.

Kate stiffens beside me, and I turn to look at her. She’s staring at the three girls gossiping by the fountain.

“The Alpha Prince?” I ask her.

She turns to me with a small grin, “Yeah, Prince Axel. I don’t think he’s ever been to one of these things.”

“Really?” I say, taking another sip of my drink, “Why not? Isn’t he, like, supposed to be the host or something?”

“No…” She drags the word, “His father is. I guess he finds them too boring and not worth his time. He’s not really the type for social gatherings.”

“You seem to know your facts well.” I tease.

She elbows my ribs, “It’d be a surprise if one didn’t know about Prince Axel.”

“I don’t.”

“Yeah, well, you don’t care to pay attention to these things.”

True, but not for lack of interest. I simply just chose to keep my head down, refusing to bring attention to myself. Besides, it was difficult chiming in on all the gossip when most of the time, you’re usually the topic of conversation.

The omega families in the pack were few and far between. Most of them had thawed out during harsh times. The cold seasons, hunts. My family was one of the last before they were killed by rogues.

No one in this pack helped us or cared.

“Do you at least know what the Alpha Heir looks like?” Kate asks.

“Yes,” I lie.

She gives me a playful shove, laughing. She takes my empty glass from me when another server walks by, replacing it immediately. I take another sip. The alcohol is doing wonders for my anxiety.

“Well, you can’t really miss him. He’s like a Greek god fallen down to planet earth.”

“A god, huh?” I can’t imagine what he’d look like. Blonde hair and blue eyes maybe? But I doubt that, most wolves have darker features.

“Yeah,” Kate says, “He’s got like, shoulder length dark hair.” She touches the tops of her shoulders for reference, “And the most mesmerizing brown eyes. You’ve really never seen him on pack lands?”

I shake my head, taking another sip from my glass. Only to realize its empty. I squint my eyes, surveying the area for another server. Once I spot one, I tap Kate’s arm and tell her I’ll be right back.

By the time I return with two more glasses of champagne, Kate’s nowhere to be found. I decide to stroll around the ballroom, taking in all the happy wolves, the ones who’ve just found their mates, dancing in the center of the room or talking intimately in dark corners.

I’ve been walking for almost half an hour, my sixth glass of champagne in hand. There’s been no fuzzy feeling, no pull towards a certain direction. My mate’s not here. Almost everyone is paired up by now.

But I’m standing off to side, drinking myself silly so I don’t cry. I knew I shouldn’t have come.

A soft snicker sounds behind me. As I half turn to the sound, straining my ears when I hear, “How pathetic.”

My spine stiffens, and I risk a glance in the direction. A group of she-wolves whisper among themselves, gazing at me from under their lashes. Once I turn to meet their eyes, not a single one of them looks away.

One of them says, “Poor omega rat. No mate for you.”

Her posy breaks out in fits of loud giggles and tears prick the corners of my eyes. I gather my dress in my hands, trying not to trip as I walk away from them.

I’m practically wasted, swaying on my feet, trying to get outside for some fresh air.

Their words shouldn’t hurt me, after all this time, after all these years of taunts and mockery. But the tears leak trickle down my cheeks anyway, blurring my vision even more.

I wipe at my eyes aggressively, hating myself for being so helplessly pathetic and weak. Hating myself more for crying over that fact that I’m unpaired in a room full of newly mated wolves.

I step out into the balcony, griping onto the ledge and trying to calm myself down. I take another sip of my drink, before setting it down on the edge of the balcony border.

I wrap my arms around myself. It’s freezing, and somewhere in between six drinks, I lost my shawl.

“Pathetic,” I whisper, inhaling deeply through my nose.

The night air smells… wonderful. Like a mix of fresh trees, with a strong hint of cedar and sandalwood. I take in another deep breath, loving the smell of the outside. I should’ve come out here sooner.

Leaning forward, over the railing, I try to get more of the scent into my nostrils.

“You’ll fall.”

I jump, spinning around sharply to the sound of the voice. The glass of champagne tilts, spilling all over the man standing beside me.

“Oh!” I Shriek, “I’m so sorry,” I try to dab at his shirt, but I freeze, that grounding, outside smell filling my nostrils.

It’s much stronger now, so potent, I can almost taste it. I crane my neck to meet the man’s eyes. He’s tall, really tall. My breath catches in my throat.

His chiseled jaw highlights a stern expression, a muscle ticking underneath the light dusting of stubble. He regards me carefully, crazed brown eyes darting back and forth between mine.

My mouth goes dry. I can’t seem to look away. The space between us thrums with electricity, an undeniable pull, heating my skin and making my head fuzzy.

It’s the alcohol, it has to be. Because the other explanation was too crazy to consider. I give my head a half shake, taking a small step backwards.

Instantly, his hand shoots out, halting my movements with a firm grip on the back of my neck.

“Mate.” He growls out the word, the sound reverberating through his chest.

I barely have a second to blink, before he pulls me into him, smashing his lips against mine.