PROLOGUE

ASTORIA POINT OF VIEW

"You should be the one to go in, Senora," said Kana, an omega with long black hair.

"Why don't you go in, Kana?" Senora, the blonde, argued back. They both stood at the entrance of Prince Kieran's chambers, each terrified of being the first to enter.

I stood there with a broom in my hands, watching them argue. I had just finished sweeping the entire palace when I caught sight of their disagreement. Pushing the long black hair that danced across my face to the side, I tried to sneak away before they noticed me. But with my luck and clumsiness, I tripped and let out a small scream as I fell to the ground.

I could tell their attention was already on me when I overheard one of them muttering, "I can't believe we have to rely on this useless servant," as if they were not servants like me. Gathering myself, I stood up and quickly dusted off the dirt clinging to my dress. I pushed my hair to the side and lifted my head to look them in the eyes.

"You, servant girl..." Senora called out, walking toward me with a bottle of wine. Kana followed closely behind, her expression just as arrogant. I took a deep breath, preparing myself for their torment. "Take this to Prince Kieran."

"But... I can't," I stammered, struggling to form words. "I am never to step into any royal chamber. The Queen made it very clear."

"No one is going to see you if you go in there and drop the wine on the prince's table, Astoria," Kana said with arrogance. "As long as you do it fast, the prince won't even notice you're there. Do it fast before I change my mind."

I could see the look of disgust in their eyes as they stared at me, but one couldn't really blame them. I was just an ordinary omega even lower than them, the lowest of the low in our pack, and I shouldn't expect any special treatment.

"Come on, servant girl. The prince is in a bad mood, and we don't want to risk stepping into his chambers. Who knows what he might do?" Senora said, a look of worry on her face.

"But if I step in, then it might be me he hurts instead," I protested, my head bowed, avoiding eye contact. I had no right to challenge them, but I knew they were growing impatient.

"And what could the prince possibly do to you that hasn't been done a hundred times before?" Kana asked, irritation clear in her voice. I couldn't help but agree. I had been subjected to countless abuses, but that didn't mean I wanted to face more at the hands of the prince.

"But... I don't want to..." I started, but Senora didn't let me finish. She shoved the bottle of wine roughly into my hands, her nails digging into my skin.

"Serve this to the prince, or I will gouge out your eyes before he gets a chance to," she threatened. Without another word, they walked away, leaving me to serve the prince alone.

My legs shook as I walked toward the chamber. I lifted my hand to gently knock but realized the door was already slightly open. Taking a deep breath, I softly pushed it open and stepped into the room. I could immediately make out the figure of the prince lying on his bed in the dark.

Hesitating and with trembling legs, I took steps towards him. My heart beating so fast . I thought it might just burst out of my chest.

Carefully, I placed the wine on his table and for some reason I felt the urge to move closer, see him from a closer view. Unable to resist any longer at that moment, I did what I thought was right.

"Elara," he called out, his voice a whisper. He lay on the bed, his eyes shut tight. The room was dull, but I could still see the beads of sweat running from his dark curly hair down to his neck and glistening chest. "Elara," he called out again, a bit of desperation in his tone.

I blinked abruptly, panic taking over me as I stammered, "Your Grace, I am not Elara." My heart was beating very fast at this point, and I tried to turn my back to leave his room, but he held my wrist tightly which made me panic even more.

My eyes landed on the empty bottle of wine on the table, and it immediately occurred to me that he had had too much to drink. This might just be the fifth night in a row he had drunk himself to stupor since his lover left him just a few days ago.

I tried to free my hand from his grip, but it was too strong and powerful showcasing the raw strength of Alpha Jacob Golden, son and heir. He fluttered his eyes open and I could see the sadness in his eyes, even in his drunken state, was both intimidating and heartbreaking.

Without warning and with a hard yank, he pulled me until I fell, laying on top of him on the bed. My face flushed red as I stared into his thick brown eyes, framed by long, airy lashes. My heart beat even more rapidly as our faces were merely inches apart. The truth that couldn't be denied is that I have always been in love with him, ever since I was little.

And this might just be the first time ever I have had the opportunity to be this close to him. I have only ever stared at him from a distance, admiring his strength and charisma. After all, I was an ordinary omega, the lowest rank in the pack. It was a sin to even breathe the same air as the only heir to the storm fall pack? The bridge between our world was one I could not cross even in a thousand years to come.

He was holding me in his strong arms, his eyes soft and full of emotion as he stared at me lovingly, mistaking me for his lover. The scent of wine and his natural smell filled my nose, making my heart race even faster. I could feel every rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. This moment was something I had secretly longed for, despite the danger it brought.

The next thing that happened shocked me to my core: his lips found their way to mine. I froze on the spot, unable to move as I tried to process exactly what was happening. His lips were warm against mine, and it felt almost perfect. Out of nowhere, I could feel my wolf trying to talk to me—a distant echo, a faint whisper. It was as if she was reaching out to me, trying to connect in this moment.

I tried to listen, the sound not audible, but I knew it was her. This was the first time in eighteen years I had actually felt a connection with my wolf, even though it was faint and inaudible. It felt incredibly important, like a part of me that had been asleep had awakened, making me feel a connection I hadn't experienced in ages.

Could Kieran be my mate? I immediately shook my head at the idea. If he was my mate, I would have known, but then again, this was the first time I had come very close to him.

Suddenly, I found myself wanting him more, the desire becoming intense, almost primal. But no, there was no way Kieran was my mate. He was the son of the alpha of the most powerful pack in the universe. Mates of someone like him were supposed to be from the royal family, not someone like me.

But how come he couldn't feel it like I was feeling it right now? Was it because he was too drunk and couldn't sense that I was his mate, me, a common omega? I was extremely confused. I feared what queen mageary would do to me when she finds out her son is my mate, she will waste no time in bringing an end to my miserable life. Any other woman in my position would have been happy but for me this was terrible news.

At that moment, I broke the kiss, panicking. His eyes were on mine, searching for something I couldn't understand.

I knew the appropriate thing to do was to push him away, to resist the desire. But it felt like I couldn't control myself, like I would go crazy if I didn't have him right there and then. Before I could react , he caught my lips in another kiss, as if we were lovers who had known each other for decades, as if we were meant to be together. Then he broke the kiss and whispered in my ear, "You are mine. Never forget that."