Chapter 2

The next two months were some of the worst in my life. Even after she was gone, people, especially Fiona, laughed at Nancy and called her weak and pathetic. Kevin, the one responsible for her pain, became a recluse and never left the house. He wasn’t even here for Fiona’s eighteenth birthday party.

My uncle had invited all our pack's upper hierarchy, but also several other pack leaders hoping that Fiona would find her mate in another alpha. If the rumors are true, Uncle Aaron even invited this legendary Lycan I’ve heard some whisper about. He was supposed to be incredibly rich, stern, decisive, and ruthless when the time called for it. 

I didn’t really care who he invited or what happened. Nothing mattered anymore. No one would care about an omega being gone, except me. They may even laugh at her weakness, but she meant the light for my life, now, I could only see the dark side. 

Dressed in a white shirt, black vest, and pants as all the other slaves, I stood along the west wall with them, people watching and wishing the party was over already.

I heard a high pitch voice that could only belong to Fiona’s friend Lily. I looked over to my right and watched them walk over towards me. “Of course, I will,” Fiona replied to something Lily had said. “Not only am I going to show everyone how amazing and powerful I am--” she paused to brush back a piece of her obviously dyed blonde hair. “But I will be finding my mate. I can feel it. Tonight is the night.”

The thought of that knotted my insides. Part of me wished she wouldn’t. It seemed cruel to inflict Fiona like that on another person.. The other part wished she did and he’d treat her just like Kevin had treated Nancy.

“So do you think he’ll come?” Lily asked, once Fiona stopped talking about how she was going to impress all the alphas tonight. 

“Who?” Fiona asked, looking surprised by the question.

Lily glanced around dramatically and poorly fake whispered, “The Lycan.

“Of course he will. It’s my birthday party after all,” Fiona said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Suddenly, Fiona gasped as her hands started to tremble. Her breathing quickened to quick little pants as her eyes widened as she stared off into the crowd. I recognized that look. Fiona had found her mate. Unable to look away I watched as she rushed forward. The crowd parted for her until Fiona stood in front of a man. He was about average height, but very muscular, and quite good looking.

I couldn’t help frown as I watched his face bloom with happiness, “Mate?” Then they hugged. It was so unfair for someone like Fiona to get her happy ending when someone as good as Nancy didn’t. Unable to watch their happiness any more I tore my eyes from them and looked down at my feet. 

“Alpha Jaime of the Blood Moon pack,” someone said near me. “Of course, it makes sense he would be Fiona’s mate. Don’t they make a lovely pair?”

“They do. So well-matched,” another replied. 

“I admit though, I’m surprised,” a third piped in then lowered their voice. “Since she’s not exactly alpha blood.”

The  others shushed the third speaker. “Don’t let Alpha Aaron hear you say that. You know he doesn’t allow anyone to put doubts into their bloodline.”

Of course, he didn’t. Being born of an alpha didn’t mean you had alpha blood. My father had alpha blood which was why he was chosen over my uncle who was stronger and older than Dad, but didn’t have the alpha bloodline in him.  

Suddenly all the conversation died down and for a moment I thought Uncle Aaron had heard them talking, but when I looked up from my feet I saw someone walk into the ballroom. Well, he wasn’t just someone… he was the most handsome person I’d ever seen in my life. 

Tall and slim, but not skinny. His hair was long, partly covering his dark eyes that had the thickest lashes I’d ever seen on a man. His eyes, slightly pointed, were cold but not cruel. His presence commanded obedience and respect as he walked through the room. 

This could only be the Lycan. 

I couldn’t breathe as I watched him walk over to my uncle. Like everyone else, Uncle Aaron was caught up in the magnetic presence of the lycan. Fiona and her mate's match had all been forgotten by everyone. I glanced over at her. Fiona’s eyes burned with fury, and I watched as she threw her drink to the floor.

I couldn’t help but smile a little, but as I looked back to my uncle and the lycan, I saw the Lycan’s eyes on me. My breath caught in my throat as our eyes met, but he quickly looked back to my uncle. 

I blew out a breath and told myself I was being silly. He wasn’t looking at me. He obviously was looking at some other person or all the much more beautiful women that were around me, including most of the slaves that stood with me. Yes, I was being silly.

Fiona’s voice now caught my attention as she and Lily walked towards me. “It’s not fair,” she hissed to Lily. “Everyone is supposed to be looking at me.”

“You’re right. Totally not fair,” Lily agreed like she always does. Sometimes, I wondered if she even knew how to form her own opinion.

I mused on this as I filled a try full of drinks for another slave, when I felt the weight of someone’s gaze. I looked up and once more to find the lycan’s dark eyes on me. I swallowed and looked away quickly, feeling small and vulnerable under his gaze. However, I wasn’t able to sneak another glance when I handed the tray to the slave. He was now speaking to another alpha.

Focus, I told myself. Someone like me had no business thinking about someone like the lycan. Yet, as the hour passed, I could feel the weight of the lycan’s gaze on me from time to time or at least, I thought I did. 

Deciding to move and prove to myself the lycan wasn’t looking at me, I moved over to help another slave with the food. I set up plates with tiny horderves when I swore I felt the lycan’s gaze. Looking up, I found yet again I couldn’t breath when our eyes met. 

He continued to stare at me as I stood there frozen. He was looking at me! 

Me!