Parts 1-10
ROSALIE (“Rosa-LEE”)
South of the Holy Lands
“Good morrow, girls. It’s time to rise.”
I sit up on my sleeping bag, pushing it down my chest and welcoming the cool morning air. My twin sister, Eryndor, sleeps undisturbed. It will be another hour before Father convinces her to awaken and feed the chickens.
I step outside of the tent, throwing a blanket over my shoulders as I make way to the water basin beneath the pine tree. There, I freshen up my face and brush my teeth with cold water.
The forest is oddly quiet today. Mysterious in its stillness. Even the usual mist above the trees is thicker than usual, as if protecting a secret.
I find Father sitting on a boulder by the campfire, chipping away at a small wooden figurine. A doll, I think. Much like the ones he made Eryn and me when we were small.
“Hello,” I greet him, nudging him with my arm. “You’ll need a hurricane to awake Eryn.”
He doesn’t look up to smile at me as he usually does.
I sigh. It looks like this is going to be one of those days.
“What is it?” I quiz.
He stills his hands, sighing. “A Beta official stopped by a few minutes ago to command us to pack and move.”
"What?” My eyes narrow, and although my belly is tight with hunger, I’m suddenly glowing with murderous energy.
Thosebastards.
Being Omegas, we are banned from the Holy Land. Only Alphas, Betas, and Deltas are allowed past the territory line and join packs. But as of late, the Alpha of the Southern territory has been pushing the territory line further south, imposing on our lands. Soon, mother’s grave and the river we depend on will be restricted to us. We won’t be able to pay respects to Mother.
This is not right, but my Father would be damned before acknowledging this.
“Father!”
“Don’t start, Rosalie,” he sighs, knowing my temperament. “You will turn twenty-one next month, and it is time you started behaving like an adult. This world will not be mended simply because of your anger or rebellion. Social ranks were here before you were born, and they will remain long after we die.”
“But we just relocated a month ago! How long will these tyrants keep pushing us away? How long must we live in a tent? When can we finally set down roots and build a cabin? Ahome?”
He rises and swats at his worn pants, dusting off the wooden shavings. His eyes look longingly toward the tent, where Eryndor sleeps. There is no doubt that she’s the favorite daughter; she gives him far fewer headaches.
“What would you have me do? Take on a hundred Betas and thousands of Deltas? There’s no other option but to obey. Get ready. Pack your things and wake Eryndor. We must trade eggs with the Willock family and be out of here by the afternoon.”
This is an argument as old as time. Every month over the past few years, we have been arguing only to get nowhere.
The Southern pack’s intrusion on our territory is illegal, but Father won’t do anything about it. He’s submitting as Omegas are expected to.
And I hate rolling onto my back to give these werewolves my belly.
I hear the tent flap shift as Eryndor investigates the commotion.
I grunt as I run off, too furious to face my sister. All she will do is try to calm me and appease my Father. Though we are twins with identical faces and scents, our temperaments couldn’t be any more different.
My family cannot shift; we are the lowest Omegas out there. We have werewolf blood, with enhanced senses and strength. But it’s not enough for the four Alphas that rule this world to be acknowledged and welcome us among their ranks.
I head for the springs with an angry urgency in my steps. The springs are past the territory line. They belong to the Southern territory; to Alpha Fenrath. Being caught there could mean a beating within an inch of my life. But basking in the freeing, cool waters is my way to rebel against the Alpha, who smothers my family with his greed.
If my Father or sister knew that I’ve been sneaking into the springs for the past year, I wouldn’t hear the end of it.
With my thoughts entangled and my skin hot to the touch, I forget about the eerie stillness of the forest. I cross the territory line and instantly feel the rush that I get from trespassing.
I see them well before I smell them.
Two werewolves. A menacing male and a beautiful female stand in a clearing by the springs.
I drop to my knees, making myself small. I anxiously check the direction of the wind. If it blows toward these werewolves, they will scent me and come looking.
I hold my breath, too fearful to move.
The two chat, but they’re too far away for me to hear the conversation. The female admires wildflowers. Her tidy dress, free of sewing patches and stains, indicates her nobility. She must have Beta blood.
The male...
I don’t need to read his attire to determine that he’s high in the power pyramid. My nails and cheek press into the bark of the tree beside me, my adrenaline calling me to run away. I marched into this prohibited territory with my head held high, belying my Omega blood. But this male has reminded me of the dangers that lurk in this misty forest. Without glancing at me–without recognizing my presence–he has reminded me I’m prey around these parts.
Is he an...Alpha?
I’ve only seen one Alpha. I saw Alpha Fenrath’s face in a newspaper clipping years ago, and I memorized him as the face of my enemy. This is not Alpha Fenrath, the Alpha of the Southern Territories.
What a foolish thought!
This man cannot be the Alpha of the other territories, because theyneverleave their lands unattended to frequent the lands of another. Alphas are far too territorial.
He must be a purebred Beta. The highest Beta standing there is.
I watch with wide eyes as he undresses. Unrolling inch after inch of brawny, tanned muscle. Lines perfectly framing his body; a maze made to trap males in intimidation and females in seduction.
The man slips his pants down. I see a patch of hair as dark as the hair on his head. He lowers his waistband, revealing inch after inch of a thick, tanned, veiny...
My face catches fire, and I look away.
I hear water threading as the man steps into the spring’s cold waters. I look over my shoulder, yearning for an opportunity to escape. But I can’t move an inch, or he’ll hear the rustle of the foliage surrounding me.
He’s tall, but I know from experience how deep the spring can get.
I lower my gaze, not wanting to spy on his nude body, and I pray that he quickly leaves.
Hearing a violent slash, I glance up. The male is face-down in the water, his body limp. I frown and watch closely, waiting for movement. Hoping that he is simply meditating.
For a suspenseful minute, there are no signs of life.
“Kane? Kane!” cries the woman, sensing something is wrong.
She runs forward, slips on wet rocks, and slams face-first onto the ground. She’s out cold.
A knot forms in my stomach as I watch the horrifying events unfold. This is my chance to run. To disappear and never speak of this encounter again.
But that would mean certain death for the behemoth of a male floating face-first in the water.
Fuck!
Rising slowly, I take a couple of steps forward. There’s no movement from either of them, though I know they would’ve heard me.
I called out at first, looking for an answer. But when there’s only silence, I charge forward, kick off my sandals, and put in the effort of a lifetime to drag the immense Beta to safety.
I’ve hunted and carried deer on my back to my family’s campsite, and I’ve carried our belongings for miles. I am fit for an Omega, but I’ve never had to handle such colossal bulk. Even as he floats in the water, the Beta has me grinding my teeth.
His skin is oddly warm, though he was submerged in the cool water for a couple of minutes.
I drag him onto the wet rocks, leaving his legs submerged, and instantly start resuscitation attempts. Setting my lips on his, I blow into his mouth. It’s a strange sensation, and it nearly escapes me that this is my first kiss.
I set my hands on his chest to thrust and restart his heart, praying I have the strength to awaken the giant. Surely, his heart is the size of both my palms.
When I feel it racing beneath my palm, I realize the man is far from dead.
“Oh, goddess,” I shudder.
Alert green eyes stare into mine. He doesn’t move; as if paralyzed, but there’s an intensity in those eyes...a vigor that practically shouts commands at me. I’m too fearful to stay and read what this Beta has in store for me.
Taking advantage of his weakness–a grace from the Goddess–I take off. I am relieved that I’ve saved him, but our encounter ends here.
***
ALPHA KANE
One Day Earlier
Five colossal log cabins rise from the clearing like fortresses of timber and stone, each so vast they could home two hundred werewolves with room to spare. Massive pine trunks form its walls, each beam thick and ancient, having stood for centuries. The surface of the wooden walls are smoothed but still carry the forest’s warm scent. Deep porches wrap around them, their railings carved with running wolves, moons, and claw marks in tribute to the pack’s history.
The log cabins in a half-moon formation at the base of jagged mountains, the peaks looming like ancient sentinels. The air is sharp with the bite of high-altitude winds, carrying the scents of pine resin, cold stone, and the distant rush of a hidden waterfall.
Behind the cabins, the forest thickens—towering evergreens whose roots claw into the rocky soil, their branches whispering with the breath of the wind. At night, moonlight spills down the slopes, bathing the cabins in silver and darkness, as if the mountains themselves watch over the wolves who dwell here.
The cabins of the southern lands are a lot like mine in the north, and yet there’s something different about this place. Perhaps it’s the lack of snow covering the mountains and their secrets.
“My king.”
I turn around slowly to face the Alpha of the Southern lands; Alpha Fenrath. He’s shirtless and his blonde hair is messy, as if he has finished a run.
He bows his head to me and my Luna-to-be, who stands beside me. His hands are clenched at his sides.
“I trust your travels were uneventful?”
I have been running down the heart of the kingdom to reach the southern territories over the past week. I traveled with a tight group, not wanting rumors of my location to spread quickly.
The Southern Territories are home to twenty-thousand werewolves, and although Fenrath oversees the land and people, he answers to me.
Much to his dismay, so I hear.
Fenrath has been making strange moves over the past few months; meeting with aristocratic Betas and promising to spread his seed to Deltas. He’s building connections...but for what?
“Yes,” I respond. “Quite uneventful, but I have a feeling that won’t be for long.”
The sleazy Alpha laughs, but there’s no smile on my face. I don’t trust him.
“Please come inside.”
Lyssara follows me, her white dress flowing around her ankles and her feet bare. I suspect that she’s tired. Being a shifted Omega, she cannot run for extended periods of time like I can. This trip has been hard on her. She has been quieter than usual, as she usually is when we are away from home.
Fenrath leads us to the dining room, where a feast awaits—long tables heavy with roasted game, steaming breads, wheels of sharp cheese, and bowls of honeyed berries. Venison glistens beside spiced root vegetables, while jugs of dark mead and wild herb tea release their fragrant warmth into the mountain air.
Lyssara and I take a seat, and I get right to business with Fenrath. We discuss reports that he’s pushing the territory line further south, impinging on Omega territory. He vehemently denies this, but I personally made this trip to hold his gaze and watch him lie. To allow into the record that he lied to my face.
I already know that he’s guilty of expanding the territory line without my authority and have already drafted plans to reverse this.
After dinner, Lyssara and I retire to bed. She hardly says a word, but we have been friends since childhood, and I can read her well enough. She’s thinking of her coronation night. It quickly approaches, and Alphas and Betas alike–including the Alpha of the South–are rejecting her because of her Omega blood.
Sometimes I wonder if I’m making the right choice; if I’m being too hasty. But at thirty-two, I have yet to find a mate, and the crown needs an heir. Unfortunately, Lyssara has picked up on my hesitation, and it undoubtedly hurts her.
“Are you excited to go to the springs tomorrow?”
She lowers her book and smiles at me, the warm light of the bedside lamp making her hair glow. “Yes, I am. Thank you for permitting it.”
“It is my pleasure, my crescent.”
***
The next morning, my wolf is restless. It’s like he’s sensing Fenrath’s disloyalty and is craving blood.
I lead Lyssara to the springs, leaving my men behind. We will be close enough to the pack houses, and no one will be foolish enough to ambush us.
Lyssara eyes the distance, where the territory line of the Holy Land ends and the world of the Omegas begins.
“I wonder what it’s like out there,” she says.
Having been adopted by Betas, she has never roamed with Omegas.
“It is lonely, so I hear,,” I answer as I undress, dropping my clothes on the bedrock.
Omegas cannot form packs. Most of them cannot shift, and they are not natural leaders. They form small families, and the parents lead the children.
I step into the cold water, surprised by how deep the spring gets. I walk until the water is up to my chest.
Lyssara admires the wildflowers nearby as I enjoy the calming, cold water. I listen closely to my surroundings and close my eyes, losing a sense of time as I’m engulfed by nature.
Inside me, my wolf quiets. A rare occurrence.
I don’t realize something is wrong until I’m sinking, and feel that I’m paralyzed from head to toe. My muscles bound tight, as if the coldness seeped in and froze me as nature lulled me.
I can’t even speak as I slump forward, my face submerging.
I hold my breath and reject the instinctual panic growing in me. Focusing all my energy on my limbs, I try to force a shift, but my wolf has gone dark. I am alone, and with Lyssara being blissfully unaware that I’m fucking drowning, I’m in for a treat.
Fuck!
What is this? Did Fenrath poison me? How? I saw him carve food from the table, eating the same things I did.
This is too reckless; too easy for him. Everyone will suspect him if I’m found dead within hours of arriving.
“Kane? Kane!” cries Lyssara as she runs forward.
I hear a gasp, and then a crash, and then she’s silent.
I can’t call out to her. My mouth is as numb as the rest of me.
With my lungs aching and my vision darkening, I wonder if this is the end.
I have never feared death, but I certainly never looked forward to it, either. There is too much to do. And with no heir, the throne will meet turmoil. The three Alphas of the South, East, and West will skin each other to replace me.
Hearing approaching footsteps, my attention perks.
Lyssara?
No, these steps are light. This person is much smaller; a female or a child.
Since my nose is submerged, I can’t scent them or command them to drag me out of this wet hell.
“Hello? Hello!” calls a woman, her voice muffled.
I don’t recognize her voice.
Steps come closer, and then there’s a splash.
Arms wrap around my chest, and electricity shakes me to my core. My wolf stirs back to life, roaring inside of me with a ferocity I almost confuse for anger. This is not anger though; it’s passion. A passion I’ve never felt before. Not for my throne or title, not for Lyssara.
Mate?
I’m dragged onto my back, and I can smell her now. The small Omega that’s wrapped around me wheezes and groans as she struggles to remove my body from the spring.
My head tips backward, and I see her. Young and beautiful, with brown hair and straight, clenched teeth. She’s blissfully unaware of the fucking electric fire soaring through my veins. Unaware that if I had mobility, she would’ve been long marked by now.
I inhale deeply, more desperate for her scent than for oxygen.
She’s an Omega; an unshifted one. Her small fingers dig into my bare chest as she hugs me from behind and painstakingly drags me. She’s unable to fully drag me out, leaving my groin and legs submerged.
My head falls aside, and I spot Lyssara unconscious on the ground with her hair covering her face and her limbs lying haphazardly.
Lips fall on mine, shooting lava through my being. The Omega blows air into me, as if trying to resuscitate me. The innocent exchange is supposed to be platonic. A breath of life. But she’s got no idea that it sets my heart racing for a reason other than anger–a feat no one has accomplished.
Pulling back, she looks into my eyes and groans, “Oh, goddess,” realizing that I’m awake.
This is my fucking queen who I’ve been waiting three decades for. She seems unaware of our link; and I’ve no idea how that is possible. Is she shy of twenty-one years? Omegas senses develop slowly, including their mate link. That can be the only explanation.
She looks around as she pants, utterly winded from handling my bulk. She’s unnerved because she knows that she has trespassed onto Holy Land. She shouldn’t be here.
I want to open my mouth and promise her the fucking world. No prosecution will come for her, because I own all the fucking land on this side of the world.
But I’m rendered mute. As helpless as I’ve ever been.
My wide eyes follow her as she runs away.
No! No!
I can’t command her to stay. I can’t shift and give chase.
I’m fucking helpless as my Luna runs away, perhaps never to be seen again.
***
It takes an hour to regain feeling in my body again. Had I still been in the water, I would’ve long drowned by now.
I twitch my fingers and toes, slowly recovering my strength. Lyssara remains unconscious beside me. I try to call out her name, but my lips cannot move.
The second my legs start working, I will bring Lyssara to safety, and then I’m going for a hunt.
That little Omega will not slip through my fingers again.
***
ROSALIE (Rosa-LEE)
I am soaked from head to toe, my lips trembling as I run back home and look over my shoulder like the devil is at my heels.
“Rosalie!” calls my Father, running to meet me.
He grasps me by the shoulders as he scans my trembling figure. “What happened?!”
“N–Nothing. I just fell in the river. We must go. We must pack and leave at once!”
“Wait. Wait!”
I yank myself free and rummage through our small camp, taking down everything. I refuse to speak of what just transpired. All I know is that I mustgo. Instinct is telling me that I’m in danger, and I must put the world between myself and the springs.
“Rosie?” calls Eryndor. She holds a basket of eggs, her eyes still sleepy.
I drop the mat that I rolled and I embrace her, grateful to see her again. For a moment there, I thought I’d never see her again.
“Please hurry,” I whisper. “Trust me. We need to get the fuck out of–”
“Hello, Omegas!” calls a voice from the distance.
I stiffen, slowly turning to face the danger that approaches.
How did he recover and track me down so quickly?
My mind runs as I plan how to save my family from the grave I’ve dug us into. I will admit my guilt and beg for them to be spared. I will–
A Beta appears. I recognize him. He belongs to the Southern Territories, frequently appearing to demand that we move further south. Father met with him a couple of hours ago today.
“How...how may we assist you, sir?” asks my Father, approaching the male with his head bowed. “We are already packing and will clear the area by today.”
“I hear you are a woodworker. The son of a renowned Beta?” asks the male.
Father nods. “Yes, that is correct. My Father was a carpenter before he had Omega sons and left his pack for Omega lands.”
The Beta nods. “Your services are needed in the Northern Territory.”
Father raises his head. “I beg your pardon? I woodwork only as a hobby, sir. I am a lowly hunter by trade.”
“You must know that the king is making preparations for the Luna’s coronation. Artisans of all trades are needed for the ceremony. Well? Are you interested in the work?”
This is odd. The Beta just expelled us further south, and now he’s inviting us onto the Holy Land? Maybe it’s because Omega labor is cheaper than hiring Betas and Deltas.
Whatever. This must be the goddess’ work.
“Of course!” I blurt.
We’ve never traveled to the North. But right now, the further we get from the Southern Territory, the better. I don’t want to think about what will happen if I’m found by the Beta with the debilitating sharp green eyes. He knows what I look like, and since I trespassed...he won’t care that I saved his life. That’s how these Betas work.
My Father frowns. He has long prohibited my addressing these Betas because my temperament is bound to get us in trouble. I am not supposed to speak up during these exchanges.
“Rosalie...” he says.
I doubt he wants to step into a world full of Betas and Deltas, but we must get away from this place. I just can’t admit this to him.
“We need this,” I remind him. “The extra coin will do us good. Besides, this will be a great honor, Father.”
The Beta tosses a large metal coin onto the grass. A pass.
“This will grant you passage onto the Holy Landtemporarily. You must report to the North in two weeks’ time. Return the pass to me by the end of the month, or you will be hunted down for theft. Remember that once you return to the Southern Territories, you must find somewhere else to settle. Good day, Omegas.”
The Beta leaves with no further word.
This is good...a momentary escape until things are no longer so heated. Besides, the capital is in the North, where the king drafts laws and oversees the Alphas. I may find a resource to help me combat Alpha Fenrath’s intrusion on our lands and bring an end to his harassment.
“What was that?” asks Father, turning to glare at me.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper, unable to look at him anymore.
I’ve brought trouble to our doorstep, letting my ego lead me right into the embrace of danger. If anything happens to my family, I will never forgive myself.
“Rosalie,” he sighs. “I am sorry for shouting at you. It has been a stressful day, is all.”
“I know,” I respond. “But can we please go North? Just this once? I will behave, I promise.”
He hesitates. “I don’t know...”
Silently, I continue to pack up the camp. We need to get out of here. It doesn’t matter in which direction we disappear. The North is just the preferable option.
The further we get from the Beta who discovered me at the springs, the safer we will be.
***
That afternoon, we traded eggs with the Willock family.
The pass that grants access to the Holy Land was heavy in my pocket, and I frequently looked over my shoulder.
My Father surprised me by telling the Willocks that we won’t be around for a month, because we are headed North. I nearly burst into tears of relief.
We traded all of our remaining chickens, a cured boar haunch, a bundle of rabbit pelts, and a barrel of salt and a sack of charcoal for a carriage and an old, tired horse.
There is no doubt that whatever work awaits in the North will pay tenfold for our trade. Father knows this, and I think that’s the main motivation for our trip. We’ve been sustaining ourselves by hunting and trading, but we have been falling short. It has been a hard year, and we need the money.
***
For two weeks, we rode in the jolting carriage, passing checkpoint after checkpoint with our trusty pass. The air vibrates with the power of Betas and Deltas as we enter a new world of structure and a pyramid of power so tall I can’t see its tip from my spot at the bottom.
Their incredible log cabins and bridges remind me of our humble tent, and I dare to dream that one day we will have a wooden cabin of our own. A day when we will have a stable, permanent home that we don’t have to rip down and shove into sacks whenever a Beta shows up to bully us.
I spy werewolves running in groups in their shifted forms. Furry, powerful beasts majestically thundering through the forests. Sometimes the trees thin, revealing golden fields swaying in the wind, where children chase each other while mothers hang bright cloth to dry.
We cross rivers that roar against their stone banks, and I glimpse Deltas in training yards, snapping into their wolf forms mid-stride, colliding with each other in displays of strength and speed.
At night, mist clings to the low moors, curling around ancient stones.
Every mile brings forth reminders that I am traveling deeper into a world that does not belong to me. My heart yearns for my mother’s gravesite. Although we will return to the Southern Territories once things calm, I feel guilty for not saying goodbye before leaving.
I’ll see her again soon. I’ll clear her gravesite of debris, and then I’ll tell her all about my adventure in the North.
***
ALPHA KANE
“What the fuck do you mean?” I growl. “This is unacceptable! She’s one girl. One Omega! How is it possible that you can’t track her?!”
I flip over the table, scattering maps, quills, and half-burned candles across the floor. The pain and rage in my heart driving me damn near insanity. The heavy oak slams down with a crash that rattles the stone walls, ink splattering in jagged streaks across boots and parchment alike. Charts of patrol routes crumple underfoot as the legs splinter, and the room falls into a stunned silence, thick with the stench of spilled wax and ink.
Fenrath has nothing to offer me but gritted teeth and a bowed head. One I would love to see it set on a platter.
I’ve been a tyrant these past two weeks; that much is clear. I’ve yet to leave the Southern Territories, clinging to this place as I comb through it for a sign of the Omega who saved my life and disappeared like a fever dream.
Lyssara is displeased about our delayed departure, but she knows that I’m seeking my savior. She understood my urgency during the first few days, seeming embarrassed that she fell unconscious before she could come to my rescue. But she has run out of patience.
I have not had the heart to tell her about my suspicions that the girl is my mate.
I am torn by guilt and frustration. Lyssara is to be crowned as my Luna, and yet I know I can’t go through with such a ceremony without finding that Omega girl again.
I cannot stop the ceremony preparations; it would be too chaotic within the political circles. I feel torn in two.
Fenrath swears he had nothing to do with my poisoning. I have yet to find an explanation for my sudden illness, but my gut trusts that he had nothing to do with this. It would be too messy for him; and Fenrath is a sly snake. He probably has a dozen smoother plans to get rid of me.
A part of me wonders if I hallucinated the electricity that flowed through us. Did the poison in my veins manipulate my mind?
“Just leave,” I huff, dismissing Fenrath.
He does just that, stepping over the cluttered mess on the floor.
I must leave the South soon. I’ve been away for far too long, and that’s dangerous.
The door opens as soon as Fenrath leaves, and slim arms wrap around me. An Omega embraces me, but not the one I’m looking for.
I sigh as I grab onto the hand of my dear childhood friend, Lyssara. The woman I love, and yet not the way she deserves. My heart does not want Lyssara because all along, it has been sworn to my mate.
“Hey...any news of the girl?” she asks. “I take it no luck again?”
“No. I am in a sour mood again. Please forgive me.”
She presses her face against the back of my shirt. “Why don’t I...why don’t I help you relax?”
I grit my teeth, awkward silence filling the room.
I’ve been rejecting her advances for two weeks now. It hurts her; it makes her insecure, but I can’t bring myself to betray the woman who may or may not have been a hallucination. My mate.
“I’m sorry. I think I...”
“I understand,” she snaps, pulling away and leaving the room.
I groan as I lower to fix the mess scattered on the ground.
Lyssara does not deserve to be in this situation. It was I who asked for her hand in marriage. But what now? How can I honor my promise to her if it would mean disobeying my wolf, my heart, and the moon goddess’ plans for my destiny?
There’s no avoiding the fact that the kingdom needs its king, and I have been neglecting my throne far too long. I cannot stay in the Southern Territory. The search for the mysterious Omega will continue, but I can’t be here to oversee it.
***
Three days later, I am headed back north.
I am surly, and Lyssara doesn’t make things easier as she makes her upset clear. I cannot blame her. She has always been insecure about Betas and Deltas rejecting her. Born an Omega and adopted by Beta parents, she grew up with the best education and highest social circles. She is one of the few Omegas that can shift, but most of the Betas still consider her to be lowly.
Lyssara has never been able to overcome her insecurity. And with me avoiding her advances and obsessing over the Omega that saved my life at the springs, she is even more sensitive than usual.
We travel home, toward the North. Although I’m not looking forward to politics or the upcoming coronation, the cool air and snow-blanketed mountains call to me. The North is my birthplace. The only territory where my wolf feels truly free as he runs through clearings rimmed with snow-laden pines, the moonlight pouring down like silver fire. The crunch of frost under my paws, the sting of cold air in my lungs, and the wild silence that only I can shatter with a piercing howl. Out there, in open glades, I am not bound by duty or crown—only by the rhythm of my heartbeat and the pull of the wind.
With fall reaching its end, the first snow will fall soon. I want to be there to witness the official change of the season and ask the gods to bring forth more change. To deliver the little Omega with brown eyes and intricately braided hair.
“You’re thinking of her again, aren’t you?” Lyssara asks me from across the open fire as our men scout the area. We are in the West Territories, halfway home. After running for hours, we settled down here for the night.
Fireflies flicker nearby, making for a romantic scene. And yet I know in my heart that the romance between Lyssara and me is long dead. Though she will always be my childhood friend, I cannot allow anything else.
“Why ask questions you do not want the answer to?” I ask.
A cruel reply, though I suppose it’s better than none. Silence would only hurt more.
“When did you become so callous?” She returns, her hushed whisper heavy as if carrying her heart.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her, truly meaning it.
She deserves a mate. She deserves a man who can fully commit to her. Not one who is lost in the thoughts of a woman who may or may not be his mate. An exchange that could very well have been a hallucination.
If I’m wrong about this, Lyssara will never forgive me. I don’t deserve her forgiveness.
Am I a bastard for still wanting to take that risk? Maybe, but it only makes it clear that I never truly loved her more than a close friend.
“I see you’re truly lost in your search for this Omega. Why? Was she exceptionally beautiful?”
“She saved my life, Lyssara.”
I still don’t have the courage to tell her about my suspicion of the Omega being my mate. It would break her.
“Anyone would save a drowning stranger.”
That’s incorrect. Not every Omega would have rescued me. Not when they were trespassing.
But I don’t want to argue about this. Nothing would come of it.
“Rest,” I tell her. “I’ll be here for you.”
She looks away, as if to spare me from the scorn on her expression. But I feel its burn either way, and I deserve it.
***
ROSALIE (Rosa-LEE)
My family and I reached the North three days ago, and I’ve all but gone blind trying to take it all in.
The king’s home is an enormous log mansion. One that casts a shadow over all the pack houses I’ve crossed during my travels. It is enormous, towering over the pack houses like a relic carved from the bones of the earth itself. Its walls are built from thick pine trunks, each log darkened with age and burnished by centuries of weather. Stone foundations rise high from the ground, as if the mountain itself had lifted its shoulders to bear the weight of the structure. The roof is steep and shingled with dark wood, its ridges capped in carved wolf heads that snarl toward the horizon.
The tall doors are iron-banded, their handles shaped like curled fangs–there are dozens of small hidden details like this everywhere.
Smoke curls from chimneys, carrying with it the scent of pine and roasted meat.
Built from timber and stone, the mansion feels alive, as if the forest still breathes through its beams, and the mountain still echoes its whispers.
The grounds crawl with Omegas, Deltas and Betas. It’s an odd scene, watching the Omegas walk with their heads bowed and Betas trying to mask their disgust.
My family was granted a small room in a cabin beside the stables, which we share with two other Omega families also here for work. Everyone is excited for the opportunity to walk on Holy Land. This is unprecedented, but with this coronation being the most lavish one of all, there is much to be done.
Father began work as soon as we arrived, and already I see a change in him. He has been ordered to craft a wooden clock for the soon-to-be-luna as one of the many gifts she will receive. The clock will be upholstered in a ballroom as a centerpiece to commemorate the day the Luna took her crown.
Father is thrilled to be allowed sharp tools and the finest wood to work with. With his daughters by his side, aiding his work, he cannot seem to stop smiling. This trip to the Holy Land has been eventful, but it has returned a gleam to my Father’s eye that I haven’t seen in years. I am grateful for the opportunity, even though we must soon return South.
I can only pray that I’m not being hunted and that the Beta who I saved at the springs has long forgotten my trespassing.
“Do you really think we will be done by the end of the week?” asks Eryndor, picking at a small splinter in her fingertip. “The days are flying by so quickly I feel like I haven’t had a chance to take it all in.”
We’ve been working long shifts from day to night to craft the clock. If we don’t meet the deadline, this will all be for nothing.
“We must. The coronation approaches,” I reply.
Smiling, I reach over to pluck a piece of wood from her hair.
Since we continuously got confused with other workers, we’ve had to stick to different hairstyles. That’s the thing about being twins. My Father can tell us apart with his eyes closed, but everyone around us gets confused by our matching scents and faces.
“I wish I could sneak into the library,” she grins. “And read all day. I bet they have the best masterpieces hidden in the king’s tomes.”
“Shh! You’re going to get in trouble with those daydreams.”
“Oh, please. Rosie. You would sneak into the kitchens, empty the fridges, and then eat the slabs off the floor if only you could.”
I laugh. “Guilty as charged, I suppose. Can you blame me? It smells delicious there. They have the finest venison. So you daydream about your books and I’ll daydream about licking my plate clean.”
“Maybe you can pick up a bow and arrow and hunt the free range?”
I shake my head. “As if they would allow an Omega to hunt their game. Besides, I have no time to waste. We must finish the clock. It’s important to Father. I’m doing this for him.”
With that, we get back to work. Sweeping shavings off the floor, sharpening tools, checking paint inventory, and checking inventory of metal pieces that will fill the clock.
We’ve made much progress, but there’s still plenty to do.
“I need more yellow paint for the gold accents. Can you come with me?”
I sigh. “Come on, Eryn. I can’t escort you everywhere. You’re almost twenty-one.”
“But the Betas are so intimidating! You have a much braver front than I do.”
I raise an eyebrow. “We have the same face. The same scent. We’re twins.”
“Yes, but you look positively possessed when you’re angry. I bet you’d send any Beta running for the hills.”
We share a chuckle and leave the cabin, heading to the supply room where we can request items from the clerk. I wipe my apron as I walk up the steps.
“The coronation will be beautiful. Queen Lyssara is so lucky to have such a romantic mate,” she smiles.
I’ve heard that the king chose soon-to-be Queen Lyssara, not the Moon Goddess. The two are not mates, but what do I care? I don’t know them, and I certainly won’t speak ill of the Luna when so many already do. I’ve overheard Betas whispering ill of the Alpha King and his chosen. I don’t understand why. They should be happy that the lonely king is finally securing an heir.
I am not very political, but I know that the Alpha King is more progressive than his forefathers. Although he hasn’t done anything about the territory line swallowing Omega lands and pushing us away, this is a new development that I hope he addresses one day. He has looked after us lowly Omegas in the past, sending military aid when famine drove many of us away from our farms ten years ago. We lost our farm due to a fire, but my Father remained thankful, regardless.
“Do you think we will catch a glimpse of the Luna? They say she’s so beautiful. Oh! Could you imagine this happening to us?”
I grunt. Unlike us, Lyssara is a shifted Omega. We’re the lowest tier. Fairy tales don’t exist for us.”
I made peace long ago with the fact that as unshifted Omegas, we may never meet our mates. It’s rare for us to have soulmates.
Eryn doesn’t hear a word I say. She walks with a dreamy look on her face, her eyes hooded and her lips curled. Her head remains in the clouds; and that’s what I love about her. No one can take her fairytales from her. No one can tarnish her youthful, innocent heart.
I often to remind myself at times not to be so cynical. I don’t want to dim her light. The world needs more light, not less.
I grab her hand. “Hey. I love you. I don’t think I tell you that enough.”
She nods. “I know you do, Rosie.”
I squeeze and then let go. “Alright. Get on the line for the supplies. I’m going to see Madam Lue regarding the timber.”
She hugs me, and then we part ways. I walk down the long hallway, searching for the gardener, Madam Lue. She’s a kind lady who treats me as if I belong. I was surprised, given her Beta blood. Most werewolves of her status look displeased to be breathing the same air as Omegas.
My steps come to a halt when I hear a scream. A sound I recognize because it pulls at my heart. It’s Eryn.
I turn around and run back to the entrance, my feet coming to a halting stop when I reach the corner and spot a terrifying sight.
It’shim.
The Beta who I rescued from the cold sprint is alive and well. Full of life and power as he pins my twin against the wall. Other Omegas that had been on the line stumble backward.
My body screams to march over there and save Eryn. But the sense of protection is dwarfed by horror. I nearly crumpled on the floor. Like a coward, I stay behind the corner as I try to make sense of the mess that has unfolded, looking around for a weapon to use.
How did he track me down all the way to the North so quickly?
And what did Eryn do to anger him so?
***
KING KANE
The Northern air does little to ease me. I remain surly and unapproachable as I walk across my territory. I thought I missed this and that I’d find peace once again. My home has always had a calming effect on me, but what happened in the South rattled me so deeply that I can hardly sleep. I feel a constant disturbance in my chest.
Not only do I have no leads as to who poisoned me, but I’m still obsessing over the Omega.
The trip back North had been tense and quiet. Lyssara is displeased, and I’m stuck between guilt and anger.
Now that I’m back in the North, I’m surrounded by dozens of reminders that Lyssara’s coronation approaches, and that I must tell her the truth before it’s too late. I’ve decided it’s best to halt all preparations and call off my engagement.
I’m dragging my feet, not wanting to deal with the repercussions of hurting the woman whose hand I asked for in marriage. What kind of man–what kind of king–could do something so cruel?
I cannot even hope that she understands my situation. My rejection will crush her.
Shaking my head, I head for the main pack house, overwhelmed by the scent of Omegas. It is rare that I’m surrounded by so many, but they have been called from far and wide to service the coronation.
My feet come to a stop when I pick up a scent. My body freezes while my senses flare.
This scent...
It’sher!
I stomp up the porch and instantly recognize her. My savior.
“You!” I shout.
She looks up with those unforgettable brown eyes, the smile on her face slipping.
I pin her against the wall by her shoulders, my instinct demanding that I secure her before she escapes me again.
As I cling to the Omega, I inhale her scent deeply, pulling her into my lungs. I scan her face; the same face I’ve seen in my dreams ever since she saved me from a certain death. This is her. My savior.
And then I notice her skin. The lack of connection; the nothingness.
My wolf is silent within me, and my skin doesn’t rouse for her. But this is her; I remember those wide, brown eyes and hair. I recall her scent.
My heart drops when I realize I was dead wrong.
As it turns out...the electricity that flowed between us at the springs was in my imagination. A cruel hallucination produced by leering death.
This woman is not my mate.
“My–my lord?!” she whispers, eyes flooding with tears.
“What is your name?” I ask, my voice damn near wavering.
“I am Eryndor.”
“Have you...have you frequented spring lately?”
She shakes her head. “I...I...Perhaps?”
“Have you seen me before? Do you recognize me?” I push, scanning her face desperately.
I found her...that is a miracle in itself. But this isn’t what I expected. This isn’t what I dreamed.
I imagined thanking her for saving me. I imagined asking her if she felt the same bond. I would’ve confirmed her age. I would’ve broken any vow I made to Lyssara no matter how guilty I felt.
“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” she cries, confused by my intensity. Of course she is. The poor girl has never had a fucking Alpha breathing down her neck.
Fuck. Fuck!
I screwed up. The near-death experience made me hallucinate the impossible; offering me my greatest desire as a pitiful parting gift from life.
The silence of my wolf and the lack of bond between me and this woman speaks volumes.
I release her.
Unable to look at her, I mutter, “I apologize for frightening you. You may go.”
She takes off running while the Omegas around us remain still.
My fist flies into the nearest wall, and the foundation of the house trembles.
The girl’s scent lingers in the air. Remains around me as if she were still here, inside the house.
Wanting to escape from this, I turn the fuck around and return to the forest that I came from.
***
“We need to talk,” sighs Lyssara as she steps into my office. “You’ve found your way down two bottles, Kane. So please tell me what troubles you.”
I lower my glass, swirling the amber color and admiring its hue. After two bottles, I’m finally starting to feel a buzz.
“I’m sorry,” I tell her.
“In the two decades that I’ve known you, you’ve never apologized. And yet lately you keep apologizing as if you’ve wronged me. What is it? Is there something I should know?”
Shaking my head, I set the glass on the table. “You’ve done nothing wrong. I just...I got distracted, is all. Nearly drowning was quite the eye-opening experience.”
“This is about the Omega...”
“No,” I interject. “That is resolved. There is no need to bring her up again.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, tipping her head aside and making her ponytail slide off her shoulder. I used to find it irresistible when she did that. Now...it’s like looking at any other woman. My wolf is confused. Irritable. And I don’t know how to make things how they were before.
Ever since I crossed that Omega, everything about my dynamic with Lyssara changed. It became apparent that although I lusted Lyssara, I never loved her more than a friend.
Even after confirming that the Omega is not my mate, I remain at a crossroads. As if my heart is expecting me to choose.
Choose between what?
I don’t fucking know.
“Are you sure? Because you looked under every stone searching for the girl–”
“Please,” I interject. “Just let it go. The coronation is in a couple of days. You should focus on that.”
“What about you? You haven’t been able to sleep lately.”
I nod. “I’m getting to the bottom of the poison. The doctors and chemists drew my blood, and I’m waiting on the lab results. Hopefully, a trace of the poison remains in my system.”
I doubt it. The incident happened well over two weeks ago, and my body has likely flushed it out. Lyssara healed from her concussion, and I never felt the numbness again.
Part of me hopes it was a freak accident. An environmental factor of the springs. Nevertheless, Fenrath said he’d look into it by running tests on the water, but I take his word with a grain of salt.
“Alright,” she whispers, her eyes sad. “My mother sent word. She will arrive tomorrow to help me and the seamstress work on my dress.”
I nod, my throat tight with words that I cannot speak.
Because they wouldn’t matter, anyway.
The hallucination was just a trick of my mind. A cruel joke.
And I must forget about it. The kingdom needs me.
***
ROSALIE (Rosa-LEE)
The Beta was looking for me. Hunting me.
He confused me with Eryn. Our identical faces and scents led him right to her. Eryn has no idea that she saved me.
I don’t know what I would’ve done if that massive Beta was cornering and scowling at me, but I know from experience that I am far more reactive than my sister. I would’ve probably reacted adversely, so I’m grateful to have avoided his path.
I just don’t understand...why did he let Eryn walk away? Did he choose not to prosecute because he realized he was simply grateful to have been saved?
And how the fuck is he’s here? I thought he belonged to the Southern pack. Maybe he’s here for the coronation?
I’ve been waiting with my breath caught for him to kick the door down and accuse us of trespassing onto Holy Land.
I’ve also been grappling with incredible guilt because Eryn is clearly distraught. She hasn’t spoken a word about her encounter with the Beta. She assumes I don’t know. That I haven’t picked up on the glances of the Omegas that have been gossiping about the incident.
I haven’t gathered the courage to admit that her trauma is my fault. The Beta’s rage was destined for me. Like a coward, I let her take the heat.
Father senses something is wrong, but he’s so lost in his project that he decided it’s not the best time to address it. The coronation is in three days. I’ve been so rattled that I didn’t even realize it’s the same day as our birthday.
I have to tell them the truth.
As I work on sanding down a slab of wood, I promise that as soon as the clock is hung, I will confess everything to my family. It’s the right thing to do. I don’t like how secrets keep growing between us.
This tribulation started as soon as I foolishly trespassed at the springs. I want to put it behind me already before it drives us apart.
Father is right. I’m an adult now. I must act accordingly.
***
“Happy birthday, my girls.”
I’m sweeping wood shavings from the floor when Father walks into the room, grinning. He holds a muffin with a single candle on top.
Eryn and I glance at each other and laugh. I can’t remember the last time we had a sweet treat.
Eryn wipes paint off her hands with a towel and runs up to kiss Father’s cheek.
After working on the clock for weeks, bringing Father’s clock to life, we are done. It is complete. A towering wooden clock of dark oak, carved with moons and wolves. Its golden hands gleam against a pearl face—an heirloom masterpiece honoring the Luna’s rise and groundbreaking reign.
I couldn’t be more thankful for my family. Although we’re now returning to the South–back to being bullied by the Southern Pack, who pushes us away from our land, I am incredibly proud of us. This clock is gift for our Luna; and it was an honor to craft it for her.
I think our time in the North brought us closer together, and everything will come full circle once I admit to them why I brought us here.
I embrace my Father and all three of us blow out the candle.
“You know our birthday is tomorrow, right?” I chuckle as I eat my share of the cupcake.
He smiles sadly. “Yes, but we will be so busy hanging up the clock that I figured we should celebrate today. I can’t believe my girls are so grown up.”
“Come on, don’t cry,” says Eryn, sniffling. She’s just as guilty of being tearful.
I laugh at them. “You guys are adorable, I swear.”
“Ah ah! Flattery will get you nowhere, Rosie. Give me my share of my birthday muffin.”
Grinning, I pass the muffin over to Eryn. “Alright. You caught me.”
***
Being our last day in the Northern Lands, Eryn and I go for a walk. We wear our neatest clothes and braid each other’s hair. We leave Father to admire his clock one last time. By noon, we will have to hang it in the ballroom where the coronation will take place tonight.
All Omegas and Deltas are running around the grounds to set final preparations. There are rumors that Alpha King Kane has a murderous aura. He recently returned from a trip–to the West, from what I’ve heard. He returned like a grim reaper, and everyone fears he will go after them if they make a mistake. No one is to wrong his beloved Luna.
I don’t listen to any of the rumors. These people are unreachable. So powerful and mighty that I will never meet them. Although we worked hard for the preparations, we will not see the ceremony come to fruition. That is alright with me.
I wrote a letter that I intend to leave with Madam Lue where I expressed my concerns about the Southern Pack’s harassment of Omegas. I can only hope that she hands my letter to a commissioner, and that my words eventually reach the king who will take action.
This is the only thing I can do for myself and my family. A small, likely hopeless attempt. The king probably hears dozens of petitions a day and Omegas are hardly on his radar. But I promised myself that I would take a chance.
After our walk, Eryn and I report to the ballroom bustling with people carrying equipment for the ceremony. I glance over my shoulder ever-so-often, fearing that the giant Beta that cornered Eryn will approach us again.
I find Father at the end of the room, standing between two ladders and scribbling on a notebook. The clock is set on a table beside a ladder, carefully covered with a cloth.
“Let’s do this,” I say, admiring the long, golden curtains that an Omega hangs nearby.
Father hands me a measuring tape.
“Would you be a dear and check the space between the panels?”
I nod and get a grip on the wooden ladder. Slowly, I climb up.
Once this clock is hung, we will be paid and dismissed. Back to the South we go.
For some reason, I am as excited as I am disappointed to return home.
I bite my lip as I unroll the tape measure.
“All rise! Pay your respects to the K–”
Commotion unfolds as a crate of metal tools falls on the floor.
I look over my shoulder. Being on top of the ladder, I get a wide view of the ballroom, and yet I can’t make sense of the madness. Chaos consumes the room as a figure moves through the waves of people like a bloodthirsty shark cutting through water.
Plates and silverware are dropped, tables are tossed aside, their ironed and pressed tablecloths trampled by running people. Paint is splashed on the polished floor, staining it. People scramble out of the way, screeching, as I struggle to spot the assailant.
Who would dare run into this room and disrupt the arrangements for the coronation ceremony?! Haven’t they heard how strict the King is? He will have the head of...
A familiar face appears through the crowd, and my blood curdles.
The Beta.
He looks even angrier than the last time.
He stops beside my ladder. He’s glaring at me, shaking from head to toe in his fury. The vibrations echo from the floor and up the ladder to reach me.
A scent reaches me. An enticing, powerful–
“What appears to be the problem, sire?” Asks my Father, his voice a fearful whisper. “Please don’t mind my child. She...”
“Scum!” Roars a guard as he runs up to us. “How dare you address the king, you lowly Omega!”
K–King?!
The world tilts, and I don’t realize that I fell off the ladder until I hear my sister shout.
I thud against a body, falling into a set of steely arms which engulf me with such greed I nearly vanish. I see darkness, my face buried into a male chest.
My back arcs and my lungs empty when electricity lights up my world.
Fear and shock have me jolting away, preferring to hit the ground than to remain in this dangerous man’s embrace.
I am overwhelmed by his touch, his scent, and hisrumblingchest as he growls: “Found you, little mate.”
He’s...the king.
The king!
The man who I saved from the springs is no Beta. He found me. And this time, there is no paralysis to keep his hands off me.
“Kane! Kane, no!” a woman shouts, running into the room and yanking at his shoulder to make him face her.
“Forgive me, Lyssara,” he says while keeping his eyes on me.
I cannot bear to look at him. My eyes remain on my horrified family as my mind races.
“This is my fucking coronation day! I will not have this! Banish the Omegaimmediately,” Shrieks Lyssara. The chosen Luna.Hischosen Luna.
She is as beautiful as the rumors indicate, even in her rage. Her silk pink dress dotted with streaming tears.
It feels like my mouth has been stuffed with cotton.
I was not meant to ever meet these powerful people. And yet here I am in the embrace of a king and under the hateful scrutiny of a queen.
Run. Run!
I am not one to listen to my Omega nature, often defying it. But right now, I am not brave. The danger is too great.
“I cannot choose you Lyssara. And for that, I am sorry,” says King Kane. “Please raise your head and keep your dignity intact.”
“You promised me!” she roars, hot tears flowing down her cheeks. Her hurt is palpable and her heartbreak tangible. I feel it in my own chest, suffocating me. The woman is losing everything before my eyes. Before the eyes of the entire kingdom.
She is an Omega just like me. She is celebrated among Omegas for climbing the ranks and becoming the King’s chosen, not letting her blood keep her from greatness.
And here I am, tearing her down even though it’s the last thing I want.
“I’ll go,” I whisper, my voice thundering through the quiet room.
With my head hung and my fingers curled, I mutter, “I’m sorry about trespassing onto the springs. But I’ll go now. I mean no trouble, your highne–”
Your highness.
I cannot get the fucking words out, still in disbelief.
I feared him when I figured he was a Beta. But an Alpha? The Alphaof allAlphas?
The man terrifies me.
He glances at Eryn, and then at me. Making the connection between my twin and me. Now, he knows how I tricked him.
“Is it your birthday? Have you turned twenty-one?” he asks, his voice so deep that I swear the lights dim.
I was confused by the question at first, but then I remembered that I was twenty when I met him at the springs. He must have felt the bond then, but I was still blind to it. Too young to sense it.
I nod mutely.
The King turns to my father.
“She is of age,” he says, a hidden meaning in his words that I cannot hear.
But then, he starts walking away from Lyssara and my family, cutting through the crowd. It is then that I realize his intentions: he’s taking me to his private quarters.
Lyssara’s shouts chase us out of the room. She abandons her dignity for her scorn.
Needless to say, there will be no coronation tonight.
And this is the most bizarre birthday I’ve ever had.
