Chapter one- In the freedom of the woods.

Lyra's Pov

"There stalls the wretched sibling!"

I dropped my earrings on the table in front of the mirror as I heard the door to my room spring open. 

I immediately stood to my feet and turned to the girls that had intruded into my room.

Expensive party dresses with smooth luxurious hair and red lips. How could I not recognize them? The higher class of our pack's hierarchy.

"Luna," I bowed my head to the woman in the royal blue dress and I heard her scoff in response.

Although she wasn't officially announced Luna yet, she was the new Alpha's mate.

"So you do know hierarchy," I was pushed to the floor and I did not resist as my side hit the ceramic cold floor.

"Do you know what day it is today?" 

How could I forget?

"Leah's indoctrination as the Beta of the pack," I muttered bitterly. As much as I didn't want to admit it, this realization stung me. My little sister was becoming Beta… The title that was supposed to be mine.

"Exactly!" 

I felt the Luna's kick on my back, stirring my irritation.

She then crouched in front of me and forcefully grabbed my chin so I was staring into her dark brown, malicious eyes. "Back then you used to be so proud, isn't it? Looking down at me just because you knew how to shoot arrows and jump. Look at yourself now, are you still the same person as before?"

I was pushed aside, and I watched her smile at her little friends who were cheering her for treating me badly. However, instead of enduring the humiliation and letting her go easily, I said, "Just because I'm weak now doesn't mean you can treat me like this!" I yelled only to be greeted by her scoff.

The Luna walked over and bent over to face me, "Even if you don't like the way that I'm treating you, what can you do about it, huh? Don't forget, it's your younger sister that is becoming Beta. She has always been overshadowed by you all her life. Tell me, do you think she will spare you?"

My eyes widened, "You—"

As I lifted my hand to hit her, I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I froze in my actions and clutched the front of my dress.

"Humph!" The Luna stepped away from me, "Look how pathetic you are, you can't even defend yourself. At this pace, you're going to die before I get the chance to bully you!" As she stormed off, I hear her friends murmur.

"That's what she gets for marking an Omega with a heart disease at 16,"

"She deserves it!"

As I struggled to lift myself, the doors shut in my face and I found myself lying on the floor for a little bit until half of the pain in my chest was gone.

Minutes later, I was able to get on my feet— like always. But this time, something was different. I no longer had the will to keep living like this. Even if I was to die of heart disease, I wanted to die with some dignity— something my proud parents and bitter sister couldn't afford to give. And to achieve something as simple as a dignified death, I had to leave this place.

I struggled to my wardrobe and skipped through the pile of worn-out clothes until I found the tightly-clipped piece of paper I was looking for. I removed the clip holding the paper together, revealing a pictorial representation of landscapes and territories. Indeed, this was the world map drawn by the previous Alpha of Green Arrow. 

When I was still in training to be Beta, the past Alpha had high expectations of me and gave me this map.

It was a miracle he didn't collect it from me yet… Maybe he forget about it, but that didn't matter because right now, I had a map that could be my only chance to get out of here.

As a previous Beta in training, I'd been taught of the six main packs, Green Arrow being one of them, but the most powerful and most accepting pack was the Golden Arms. They were the most prestigious pack in the world with high skills in arrow shooting, but Green arrow didn't lose to them in that area either.

Anyway, if I went to them for refuge, I was sure that they would take me in.

Without any more hesitation, I folded the map and kept it in the back pocket of my dark blue tunic. I changed my top to a long-sleeved one in case it got cold. 

I grabbed a sack bag and stashed in a camel coat, and a plain dress, along with the single coin that I owned. For food, I would probably have to hunt. I could at least do that if my health relapse didn't kick in. However, if I died in the process, I would just accept that as my fate…

I swung the sack over my back. There was no use overthinking now. I had come this far in mustering up the courage to leave, there was no use watering it down.

The clock made a ding sound at 6 pm, and I started to hear footsteps pass by my door. From the scent of their rouges and perfumes on them, I could tell they were Leah's maids who had just finished preparing her for the indoctrination ceremony… I heard another footstep approaching.

From the distance, I could her voice… The smothering voice of my sister in response to her personal maid's suggestion to visit me.

"No need to force her to watch the indoctrination ceremony. After I become Beta, I'll personally pay her a visit."

"Yes," I could hear the subtle sneer in the maid's voice towards me and it made my heart race. It wasn't a no-brainer to guess what she would do to me after becoming Beta. The more reason I had to leave this place today.

As I heard their retreating footsteps, I didn't think twice. Instead, I followed my instinct and opened the door before sneaking into the corner down the hallway which led to the backyard. It was usually quiet, with fewer people during banquets such as the inauguration of the new Beta.

After tiptoeing through the thin path, I finally reached the open backyard. 

I heard movements from the opposite direction which led me to instinctively hide behind the sidewall. I hope no one sees and pays attention to me…

Sniff

It was an Omega. I recognized her as the weakest of the omegas in the pack. She did not have a wolf, so her senses were still dull compared to mine. If I lingered here any longer, someone with sharper senses may find me and then it would be too late.

I held back a sigh.

Sorry, girl. I know we Omega ranks should stick together but I can't accept it any longer.

Without any more hesitation, I slowly moved away from the wall blocking me from view.

I saw her move her head but I was faster, I sped forward and hit the fragile spot on the back of her head and watched her fall to the ground.

I lurched forward and jumped over the fence. Instead of a graceful fall, my right leg landed on a small but rough rock which knocked me down to the ground with a thud.

A painful groan escaped my lips and I quickly bit my bottom lip to prevent myself from making any other sound.

"Hey," I heard a voice behind the wall. My ears sharpened and I felt the stirring of my wolf pushing me to run for my life immediately. "Why is this Omega unconscious on the floor when she should be serving at the sacred hall?"

I sensed him look directly at the wall behind me and my senses heightened. 

That was the Delta.

RUN! 

I took off, my body responding to the judgments of my wolf and it paid off because by the time I sensed people chasing after me, there was already a huge gap between us. 

My body molded with the stems and leaves of the woods as I ran, making it second nature. My body was weak, if not, I would shift into my wolf and enjoy the serenity the woods naturally bring to my soul. It's a pity that what could've been, had to end this way…

From being a strong woman with a bright future, I became a sickly person who has to run away from her pack to die an honorable death.

My pondering went away as I heard the werewolves' gaining up on me. The pain in my leg that I'd been ignoring for a while crept into my consciousness and I felt my leg start to feel heavy.

"Please don't give up," I whispered to myself as I felt myself slow down due to the pain shooting up my knee and up my thigh.

"Move!" I yelled to myself as I felt my hope beginning to slip from me as I saw a werewolf directly behind me from the corner of my eyes.

"Move…" a tear slipped down my cheek.

I stopped struggling and turned to face the group of five werewolves that barred their teeth out at me. The biggest of the wolves was brown with unnaturally large legs. He turned his neck and I heard his bones shift as he transformed into his human self. Silky black short hair, light green eyes, and a chiseled jawline. He was muscular and his nude shone under the glow of the waning moon. 

"Delta…" I whispered, pleading with him with my eyes.

His gaze was focused on the distance behind me. "You're trying to escape despite your weak body. You do know that after you cross our territory, you'll suffer. There are rogues outside, very unpleasant ones. Go back with me and apologize to the Alpha."

The Delta and I had a pleasant past which was why he was bringing up the choice for me to go back with him and apologize to the Alpha. Usually, anyone who was caught trying to escape would be either taken back and imprisoned or killed. There was no other way around it.

"No." I stated firmly, "Kill me here." My voice did not waver, "I have failed to fulfill the expectations the Alpha had for me." I removed the map I had kept hidden in my back pocket and tossed it at the Delta who instantly caught it. 

As he looked through it with his eyes filled with focus, I continued, "Since I couldn't fulfill the expectations of the Alpha, I'll return the map and I beg of you, Delta, take my life here." I bowed my head in submission.

"Very well, then." 

The Delta closed the map and walked towards me. I closed my eyes and unconsciously held my breath, worried if I'd breathe the last or if my body wouldn't be able to. A smile spread across my cheeks. This was the best ending, to die in the freedom of the woods, my favorite part of the world.

Another second passed but I didn't feel the hit… I opened my eyes and he was looking at me with a gaze I didn't quite understand.

However, before I could open my mouth to speak, he pushed me. It was then I realized that I was falling into a pit… A pit I hadn't noticed before.

I stared above me and read his lips.

"You want freedom right? You'll only get it in your second life."

My body slammed into a puddle of mud and I felt the world around me becoming hazy, but I could still hear some faint words.

"Delta, should we chase?"

"No need. She's already so weak and has a heart disease, she's probably dead."

"But…"

"Listen to my orders. Report to the Alpha that she's dead."

Just like that, my body fell into a deep sleep and my eyes gave into the heaviness of my body.