Chapter 3

Sibel’s POV

I stood frozen, my eyes locked on Beta Thayer's furious face. "Disrespectful Omega!" he spat, his voice dripping with venom. "How dare you challenge the authority of your superior?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Why was he talking to me like this? Did he really not recognize me? I searched his eyes for any familiarity, but they seemed to bore into me as if I were a stranger.

Was he under Cara's control, or was something else driving his behavior? A shiver ran down my spine as Cara's smirk grew wider. But why was he doing this? Or was Beta Leo just playing along?

I was utterly surprised and wondered why Beta Leo couldn't remember me. What could be the problem? Why didn't he recognize me? I managed to stand up, still in shock, and stared at my reflection in the water.

The design on the water's surface revealed a stranger staring back at me. My appearance had changed, transformed by the potion I had taken. It was meant to alter my identity, but I had no idea it would change my looks entirely. I looked like a different person.

And that's when it hit me—this was why Beta Leo couldn't recognize me. My appearance had changed. But it was all good; it was to my advantage. This new appearance would allow me to pretend, to cover up the truth.

My new appearance would serve as the perfect disguise, allowing me to uncover the truth without anyone suspecting that I was the princess.

With my transformed looks, I could move freely among the people, gathering information and fighting against the crimes that had been plaguing the kingdom. Specifically, I aimed to protect the omegas, the weaker ones who were being bullied and oppressed by those in power. By blending in, I could infiltrate the inner circles of the perpetrators and bring them to justice, all while keeping my royal identity hidden.

As I stood frozen, my eyes locked onto Beta Leo's furious face, I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the kind and gentle soul I once knew. The memories of our time together flooded my mind—the way he smiled, the way he laughed, the way he showed me kindness and compassion.

But the man standing before me now was a stranger. His eyes blazed with anger, his voice dripped with venom, and his words cut deep. "Disrespectful Omega!" he spat, his tone a far cry from the gentle whispers I remembered.

My mind reeled as I tried to reconcile the two versions of Beta Leo. Had he been pretending all along? Was this the real him, and I had been blind to it? Or was something else at play, something that had changed him so profoundly?

I thought back to our moments together, searching for any hint of deception, but all I found were memories of genuine kindness and warmth. In my memory, Beta Leo was a kind and gentle soul, always ready with a warm smile and a helping hand. But now, as I gazed into his eyes, I saw a stranger—a man consumed by contempt. The contrast was jarring, leaving me wondering if I had ever truly known him at all.

Was this the real Beta Leo, the one who bullied and belittled the weak, the Omega? Or was this a persona he donned to hide his true self? My mind reeled as I struggled to reconcile the two versions of the man I thought I knew.

A painful realization dawned on me—people often wore masks, hiding their true nature behind a facade of kindness and compassion. They pretended to be one thing, all the while harboring a different persona, one they revealed only when they felt safe, or when their true instincts took over.

I had been blind to the duality of human nature, assuming that people were either good or evil, with no gray areas in between. But now, I saw that even the kindest of souls could have a darker side, one they kept hidden from the world.

With a deep breath, I suppressed my anger, my chest heaving with restrained emotion. I knew I had to explain the situation to Beta Leo, to make him see the truth. Maybe, just maybe, he would understand and realize his mistake. After all, I had always known him as a good man, a kind and gentle soul.

Steeling myself, I turned to face him, my eyes locked on his. "Beta Leo, listen to me," I began, my voice calm but firm. "Cara is a bully," I declared, my voice steady and firm. "She preys on the weak. Someone needs to speak out against her, to stand up for those she's hurting."

"Whoever put Cara in charge needs to know that she's abusing her power," I said, my voice rising. "She's bullying us, exploiting us, and manipulating us. She's silencing those who have no voice, those who are already vulnerable and powerless."

My eyes flashed with anger, but Beta's expression twisted in rage, his voice lashing out at me. "How dare you question Cara's authority?" he growled. "You're just an inferior Omega. You don't have the right to resist or disobey. Your place is to submit, to obey orders without question."

I felt a sting from Beta's words, but I refused to back down. "That's not true, Beta," I said, my voice firm.

Beta sneered, his eyes flashing with contempt. "You're just a foolish Omega. You don't know your place. Cara is your superior, and you'll do as she says or suffer the consequences."

My heart shattered into pieces as I gazed at Beta, my eyes brimming with tears. I felt as though I was staring at a stranger, not the kind and gentle soul I once knew. With a shaking voice, I whispered, "You're really going to stand by and watch as Cara continues the bullying, aren't you? You're going to follow her blindly, no matter how cruel and unjust she is?"

I took a deep breath, my words pouring out like a torrent. "Pack law clearly states that every member has the right to be treated with respect and dignity. That every member has a voice and a vote in pack decisions. That our leaders must protect and serve, not exploit and oppress. But Cara's twisted rules have changed everything. She's created a regime of fear and oppression, where Omegas are treated like slaves, and Betas are forced to do her bidding."

As soon as the words left my lips, Cara's face turned beet red with rage she stared at Beta Leo in disbelief. With a snarl, he raised her hand and delivered a vicious slap to my cheek.

I felt my cheekbone shatter under the impact. I stumbled backward, my vision blurring, as a searing pain shot through my face. I tasted blood in my mouth, and my head spun with dizziness.

My anger raged. I knew that if I let my alpha form take over, I would be unstoppable. Beta would be no match for me. But I couldn't give in to my instincts. Not yet.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down, to think clearly. I had to keep my cover, had to keep gathering evidence of their atrocities. I couldn't let my emotions get the better of me.

I reined in my anger, channeling it into a cold, hard determination. I would see this through, no matter what. I would expose Cara and Beta Leo evil, no matter the cost.

"It's just a sting," I lied, my voice steady as I wiped the blood from my mouth. "I can take it."

Beta Leo's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on me with a mix of fear. He wasn't scared of me, but he was scared for the trouble I would bring. He knew that I was stubborn. No other Omega would dare to speak to Cara the way I did. They would cower, they would tremble, they would obey. But not me. I was different. I was fearless, or so it seemed. Beta Leo thought about what he could do to end my troubles.

Beta Leo's eyes gleamed with a calculating intensity as he gazed at me. He knew he had to do something to stop me, to silence me, before I brought about more problems.

And then, a sly smile spread across his face as he thought of the perfect solution. "Sibel," he said, his voice dripping with malice. "From henceforth, you will be cleaning toilets in the most remote places. You will be scrubbing away at filth and grime, alone and unmissed."

Cara's eyes widened in shock, her mouth agape. "Beta, what are you doing? Why don't you allow me to deal with her?" she stammered.

But Beta just chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "I'm taking care of a problem, Cara. I'm making sure that Sibel here doesn't cause any more trouble."

My eyes flashed with anger, but Beta just turned away, leaving me to my fate.

And as I stood there, my heart seething with rage and humiliation, I knew that this was far from over. This was just the beginning.