3

As I turned to leave, a group of young she-wolves surrounded me. The sound of their heels clicking against the marble floor echoed in my ears.

"Well, well, if it isn't the Alpha's shame," Janice, Vivian's closest friend, stepped forward. Her silver dress sparkled under the chandelier lights. "Where do you think you're going, omega?"

My heart pounded as they circled me like predators.

"I was just leaving..." I whispered, trying to move past them.

"Leaving?" Janice's perfectly painted lips curled into a cruel smile. "You dare slack off during Miss Vivian's ceremony? The nerve of this one, girls!"

I could smell the alcohol on their breath as they closed in.

"Look at how she's glaring at us!" Another wolf named Melissa grabbed my chin. "Should we teach this servant some manners?"

Before I could react, Janice deliberately tilted her crystal glass. Dark red wine cascaded down my uniform.

"Oh my!" She gasped in mock horror. "Look what you made me do, you clumsy omega!"

Her eyes gleamed with malice as she lifted her foot. "It's on my new crystal shoes too. You know what to do - lick it clean."

I stepped back, my hands trembling but my chin held high. "No."

Rage flashed across Janice's face. "No?"

Her hand quickly transformed into a wolf's claw and landed on my face.

"No, not here." The other girl grabbed Janice's hand that was raised again and she looked up signaling to go outside.

Suddenly, champagne hit my face, burning my eyes. I tried to wipe it away, but strong hands grabbed my arms.

"Let's see how defiant you are after a little swim," Janice hissed.

They dragged me toward the decorative pool behind the crystal platform. My feet scraped against the ground as I tried to resist, but the black magic had left me too weak.

The pool's surface reflected the full moon above - a cruel reminder of the power I'd lost.

"Please..." My voice cracked. "Don't do this..."

"What's happening here?" Vivian's melodic voice cut through the air.

The girls loosened their grip slightly but didn't let go.

"Miss Vivian!" Janice's voice dripped with false sweetness. "This omega servant was extremely rude. She refused to clean up her mess!"

Vivian glided closer, her ceremonial robe trailing behind her. She studied the scene with calculating eyes.

"Well, well." She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "At least there aren't any snakes in this pool."

I saw the gleam in Janice's eyes as she caught Vivian's hint.

"Actually, Miss Vivian," Janice's voice rose dramatically, "I think I saw this omega throwing something scaly into the water earlier. Very suspicious behavior..."

"Really?" Vivian's voice dripped with fake concern. "How dangerous. We should leave then. Wouldn't want any... accidents."

They pushed me hard. The last thing I saw was Vivian's satisfied smirk before I hit the water.

The icy water shocked my system. I tried to swim, but my limbs wouldn't respond - another ability the black magic had stolen from me.

Their laughter echoed across the water as I struggled.

"Come on, swim up, little omega!"

"What's wrong? Snakes got your tail?"

Water filled my lungs as I thrashed desperately.

Through the rippling surface, I heard Vivian's voice: "Let's go inside, girls. Father's about to make an announcement."

"Just a little longer, baby, my servant will be here soon. " Janice's sweet voice was sickening.

Immediately afterward something unknown was thrown into the water by them.

The water was so cold it burned. Or maybe that was the black magic spreading through my veins.

Something smooth and scaly brushed against my leg. Then came the first bite.Okay, now I know what was thrown into the water.

White-hot pain shot through my body as more fangs sank into my flesh.

The venom spread quickly, mixing with the black magic already corrupting my body.

With my last bit of strength and a death grip on the edge, I pulled myself out.

Every movement was agony. Venom and black magic coursed through my veins like liquid fire.

All ten of my fingernails were tipped over, and my bloody ten fingers stung extraordinarily.

I could hear Father's voice booming from inside: "Welcome everyone to my beloved daughter Vivian's coming-of-age ceremony..."

My vision blurred as I stumbled back toward my den, leaving a trail of bloody footprints.

I know, I'm going to die. But at least I'll die in a familiar place, cuddling my old wolf stuffed animal.

As darkness took me, I felt a strange sensation - like being pulled from my body.

When I opened my eyes, I was floating above my own corpse.The body feels light, a sensation that has not been felt for many years.

I tried to leave, but an invisible force bound me to my parents. I was forced to watch everything that came after.

After I died, my spirit followed them through the pack house.

I watched my parents talking in their study:

"We haven't seen Scarlett for a long time," Mom traced my old photo with her finger. "It's only six months until her coming-of-age ceremony. We should call her back, our daughter is about to turn 18 years old."

"That ungrateful brat won't even answer our calls." Father growled. "Let her die out there!"

But Mother, Father...

I'm already dead. Dead on that cold winter night.

I'll never see my eighteenth birthday.

I floated beside them, wanting to scream, to make them understand.

But my voice couldn't reach them anymore.

I remember being a child when we still lived on the outskirts of the pack. Although my mother was the daughter of an Alpha, my father was still just a poor warrior because my grandfather didn't like him.

Wolf stuffed animals were popular amongst pack pups at that time and everyone had them but me. I came back from training that day crying that I wanted one too.

Even though that toy cost fifty dollars, Dad bought it for me,just because I said I liked it.

Back then, I dreamed of having a grand coming-of-age ceremony like the ones in stories. I wanted to wear a beautiful ceremonial robe and have the whole pack celebrate with me.

Then, when I was seven years old, I got very sick. When I woke up from my illness, my father had become Alpha - supposedly he challenged and won my grandfather and we had everything I dreamed of.

A grand pack house, beautiful clothes, endless love.

But the fun was only three years long, and when my dad brought Vivian home when I was ten, nothing was mine anymore.

I became a packless wolf in my own home.

Six months after my death, Mother started having nightmares.

She would wake up screaming my name, her fur soaked in cold sweat.

"Lucian, I keep dreaming that Scarlett is lying in the cold, all alone..." Mother's voice trembled.

Father frowned. "It's just a dream, Sophia."

But the dreams persisted every night.