Prologue

Serenity POV

"I, Alexander Stone, Alpha of The Moon Stone Pack, reject you, Serenity Grace as my mate, and release all bonds that the Moon Goddess destined for each other."

Alexander's words instantly made me feel broken a thousand times over. This was the fate I had to have as a lowly omega. Never did I think that the only hope I had would also go and leave me alone now. No family, no friends, no mate, and no pack.

My whole body was trembling even more, with my palms clenched tightly. With the presence of two warriors standing beside me, while holding the chains that bound my wrists very firmly there. How low my self-esteem was right now in front of the entire Moon Stone Pack. Wearing only a long white dress that was slightly worn, and my long hair that was loose almost covered my entire face. I bowed deeply with a sense of compulsion, even though I never wanted to do that myself.

"And give you the punishment you so richly deserve for the betrayal you have committed against the pack, by trying to poison Vienna Jade's drink, and leaking important secrets belonging to The Moon Stone Pack, to the enemy pack. I, Alexander Stone, Alpha of The Moon Stone Pack... hereby make you, Serenity Grace, an omega chosen for the bride-giving ritual to the dragon."

"Wh-what?" I couldn't help myself from muttering fearfully in there.

With the remaining courage I had, I raised my head, and looked straight at Alexander who was standing right on his throne very proudly, along with Vienna who was sitting right beside him there. I could see very clearly, how Vienna was hiding her satisfied and sly smile, behind that weak expression that she had been showing all along. As for Alexander, he just looked at me with a haughty look that I couldn't escape.

"That's all a lie! I never committed that betrayal! It was a lie!!! Lies!!! I've never done anything wrong in my life!! Don't punish me for something I've never done!!!"

I don't know where I got the courage to shout so loudly in front of everyone now. All I knew was that I had the right to defend myself there.

"No rebuttal, traitor!" Alexander said loudly. Making me fall back into silence, and swallow my words of rebuttal once more there. Alexander's piercing eyes made me look even more like a criminal. But I'm not a criminal. I am not a criminal.

"I've never lied even once in my life! I'm not a criminal! I'm not a traitor! I don't deserve such a heinous punishment for something I've never done! I don't deserve that punishment! I'm not a traitor! I will never be a dragon's bride! I don't want to!"

Even so, I myself began to realize that no matter how loud my voice was, and how vigorously I struggled to get rid of the chains tied around my wrists, I would never be able to easily rid myself of those two warriors now. Even if I myself cried out, and thrashed there. I felt depressed, without a single person who could help me from this cruel fate right now.

"Alex... Seren is still intent on twisting the facts."

Vienna's voice instantly rang out there. I fell silent, with my breath coming in short gasps. I looked straight at Vienna who was starting to get up from her sitting position, and walked slowly with limping steps. Vienna was trying to look very weak now. In addition, Alexander himself also immediately moved closer to Vienna, and grasped both of Vienna's arms tightly there.

"I know that Seren really hates me for the closeness we have. Because after all, Seren is actually your mate, Alexander. She must have done all those things to keep me and you apart..." Vienna murmured again.

Listening to Vienna's weak, feigned mumbling, instantly made Alexander look back at me with a very sharp look in his eyes. And I knew what was going to happen next.

"I order you right now, take Serenity into the special room for the dragon bride ritual! Lock it up, and guard it very tightly. She must not be able to leave and escape from that room until the time of the ritual!"

I thought, this is already my unfortunate fate. I have no hope now. All the hopes that I dreamed of, are no longer in my favor. It's all over, along with Alexander's decision to hurt me.

I don't even know how to react now. I just fell silent, with my eyes already wet with tears that had been flowing down my face since before. My whole body that also felt very weak, and my legs that didn't seem to want to move, and remained rooted to the spot where I was standing. Until finally, I came to my senses, when the chains binding my wrists were pulled very tightly by the two warriors. They dragged me to be able to walk immediately following their long footsteps.

I looked down deeply again, when I felt the gazes of all the members of The Moon Stone Pack on me. I don't know what kind of gaze they were giving me. But I could feel their sharp betas, and their dislike for me now. For a mistake that I never made before. And why? Why is it that none of the people in this pack are willing to defend me, even though they know the truth? Why did they remain silent, and obey the words of Alexander, and Vienna? Why?

Did they all do that, because they were forced to? Or did they all treat me this way, because of my status as a lowly omega? But why me? Why did Alexander, my own mate, decide to reject me as his own mate, and choose to believe everything Vienna said? Why, after rejecting me, did Alexander decide to give me as an omega to be given in the bride-giving ritual for dragons?

My footsteps continued to drag as I left The Moon Stone Pack's hall. I did not dare to raise my head even a little, and show how weak I was right now, right in front of everyone here. Both my palms were clenched even tighter. I bit my lower lip, in order to hold back the sobs that I absolutely could not hold back on my own right now. I can't show them how broken I am right now.

"And I've decided!" Alexander's voice rang out again, even though I was on the outside of the hall now.

"I, Alexander Stone, Alpha of The Moon Stone Pack, adopt Vienna Jade as my mate, and also the future Luna for this Moon Stone Pack. I hope, all of you can treat Vienna with the utmost respect, as my mate, and also the future Luna of this pack."

Why? Why did Alexander betray me again like this? Alexander made Vienna his mate, and also the future Luna of The Moon Stone Pack.

Klek

"Now go inside, and stay quiet."

One of the warriors quickly pushed me into a small house located right in the backyard of the pack. This was the small house that was always used for the omegas who were chosen to become dragon brides. And now, I was inside this house. Waiting for the same fate as the omegas before me, as they waited for the dragon bride ritual to take place. The sound of chains clattering against the floor accompanied me. I paused, not wanting to turn my body to look at the two warriors who were still right at the front door of this house right now.

"If you still want to have a proper last supper, then just obey the orders given by Alpha Alexander. If you make one more mistake, then it is certain, that the ritual of giving the dragon bride, will be carried out much earlier than the usual time. And yes, you yourself even know about the consequences that you might get later, if you rebel." One of the other warriors also spoke up there.

"Hey, did you hear what we said?! Or are you actually starting to turn deaf?!"

"Never mind. Just let her be in this house. After all, there won't be anyone else who can help her from the ritual of giving a bride to the dragon. And yes, if there is someone else who will come and help her, then that person will also have a bad luck. Just like what happened in the past."

"Yes, yes... you do have a point. Never mind, let's just lock up this house, while waiting for the next order that might be given by Alpha."

Klek

I clenched my palms together again. This was all a mistake. Vienna's and Alexander's mistakes. But, I should be the one to get the punishment. This was not the justice I had wanted, and dreamed of. And why, should I be the bride for the dragon? Why does it have to be me? Why do Alexander and Vienna seem to have planned all of this, to get rid of me from The Moon Stone Pack? But what was their reason?

All these years I lived inside The Moon Stone Pack, I kept quiet, and said nothing, about the truth that Alexander was my mate. I obeyed every word, and also the threats given by Alexander, and also Vienna. That if I remained silent about the status that Alexander and I had, then Alexander would announce that I was his mate, in front of everyone in the pack. But in reality? It was all a lie. Alexander lied to me, and betrayed me.

Alexander and Vienna, they both used me to be sacrificed in the dragon bride ritual. Which should be, omegas who have not found their mate should be sacrificed in the ritual of giving a bride to the dragon. And me, I myself have found my own mate, since I was seventeen years old, and he is Alexander, the Alpha of The Moon Stone Pack. And at the age of twenty-one, I continued to hold on, in the hope that one day Alexander would recognize me as his mate. Ending in betrayal

"I can't cry, and just accept this." Quickly, I wiped my face that still felt moist, due to the tears that had already stopped flowing.

"In any case, I must be able to leave and escape from this place. The bride-giving ritual for the dragon, will be carried out within the next three days. I still have enough time to get out of this place. I don't want to end up tragically like the omegas before me. I don't want to die for giving offspring to the dragon. No, I don't. I don't want any of those things to happen. I must be able to leave."

I slowly observed the surroundings inside this small house. There was only a bed, a dressing table in the center of the room, and also a medium-sized window that was closed. I walked closer to the window that was there. Even so, I walked slowly, remembering that the chains that were still binding my wrists now, might make a noise later. The chains were quite long, and dangled right near my feet now.

I touched my palms to the window, and sure enough, it was locked. I carefully tried to find where the key was. I was sure that the window lock was very small, and would be very difficult to see easily. And yes, I found the window key right at the bottom of the window, and it was very small, compared to a normal window key. I turned my head towards the back, and observed the door of the house that was still closed very tightly. I let out my breath once again, this time, much longer. And I hoped that it would help me to calm myself down right now.

Quickly, I looked back at the window, which the small lock on the window had managed to open slowly. Vigorously, I pushed the window outwards, until I managed to open the window now. I immediately began to stick my head out the window, and looked at the situation around the house now. There were no warriors guarding the back of the house. And this was the only chance I had to get out of the ritual.

Slowly, I rested both my hands on the window, and lifted my body up there. The position of the window was quite high, making it a little difficult for me, as the dress I was wearing was also quite long, reaching close to my ankles. Although it was difficult, I tried to raise my entire body on the window, while grasping the remaining dangling chain very tightly, so as not to be able to make the slightest sound later. In the end, I was able to get out of the window, and sat there silently for a while.

Once again, I looked right at my surroundings, and made sure that my position was now safe enough, to be able to actually leave this Moon Stone Pack. After all, the position of this house was already right in the backyard section, so the secret exit used by the omegas was very close. I could utilize that door. The door that was always covered by leaves, and vines. I quickly made a small run toward the secret door, and exited the door.

Now, I was actually on the outside of The Moon Stone Pack. But, this was going to be a very long journey. Given that it was getting late, and the atmosphere of the outside of the pack was a very dense forest. I have never gone too far away from the pack so far. But now the destiny of my life must make me brave. Besides, I must not make others suspicious, especially with the chains still attached to me. I immediately ran away from The Moon Stone Pack.