The Alpha King's Broken Omega

CHAPTER TWO: THE STRANGER IN CHAINS

CHAPTER TWO: THE STRANGER IN CHAINS

Lila

I couldn't stop shaking.

Even after Beta Ryker and the Black Moon warriors disappeared into the darkness, my body refused to relax.

It felt unreal.

I was free.

No...

Not free.

I had simply exchanged one unknown for another.

The warriors surrounding me wore black uniforms embroidered with a silver crescent moon. Unlike the warriors from Black Moon Pack, none of them looked at me with disgust.

Instead, they looked...

Curious.

"Bring a horse."

The deep command came from Alpha King Alcaide.

Immediately, one of the warriors hurried away.

I lowered my head, afraid to meet anyone's eyes.

"You don't have to be afraid."

His voice was calm, but it still startled me.

I glanced at him before quickly looking away again.

He sighed softly.

"Does everyone frighten you that much?"

I didn't know how to answer.

People weren't supposed to be kind.

Not to me.

Kindness always came with a price.

A beautiful black horse was led toward us.

One of the warriors bowed respectfully.

"Your Majesty."

Alcaide nodded before turning to me.

"Can you ride?"

I froze.

Ride?

I had spent my entire life cleaning stables.

Taking care of horses.

Feeding them.

But I had never been allowed to ride one.

I slowly shook my head.

"No..."

For the first time, surprise crossed his face.

"You've never ridden a horse?"

I bit my lip.

"They said omegas like me didn't deserve to."

Silence.

A dangerous silence.

I didn't understand why everyone had suddenly stopped moving.

When I looked up, every warrior was staring at me.

Some looked angry.

Others looked shocked.

Xander's jaw tightened.

Alcaide closed his eyes for a brief moment before exhaling slowly.

When he opened them again, something had changed.

There was anger there.

Not directed at me.

Directed at the people who had hurt me.

Without saying another word, he climbed onto the horse.

Then he extended his hand toward me.

"Come."

I stared at his hand.

No one had ever offered to help me before.

I hesitated.

"What if I fall?"

His lips curved into the faintest smile.

"I won't let you."

My heart skipped.

Slowly, I placed my trembling hand in his.

His grip was warm.

Strong.

Gentle.

He easily lifted me onto the horse as though I weighed nothing.

Before I could steady myself, he climbed up behind me.

His arms surrounded me as he took hold of the reins.

Heat rushed to my face.

I had never been this close to anyone.

"Comfortable?"

I nodded shyly.

"Y-Yes."

He clicked his tongue softly, and the horse began moving.

The rest of the warriors followed behind us.

For a long time, no one spoke.

The only sounds were the horses' hooves against the forest floor and the gentle breeze rustling through the trees.

I kept stealing small glances at Alcaide.

Why had he helped me?

Why had he risked starting a war for someone he didn't even know?

Nothing about this made sense.

After what felt like hours, the trees began to thin.

My eyes widened.

Ahead of us stood enormous stone walls that stretched high into the sky.

Silver banners fluttered proudly in the wind.

Beyond the gates, I could see towering buildings, beautiful gardens, and a magnificent palace illuminated by moonlight.

It looked like something from a dream.

"Welcome home, Alpha!"

The guards standing at the gates bowed deeply as we approached.

Home...

The word twisted painfully inside my chest.

I had never had one.

As the massive gates slowly opened, I couldn't shake the feeling that crossing them would change my life forever.

Whether for better...

Or for worse.

The gates slowly opened with a deep rumble.

I stared in amazement as we entered the kingdom.

Everything was... beautiful.

Stone roads stretched as far as my eyes could see. Elegant houses lined the streets, each decorated with colorful flowers that spilled from their windows. Warm golden lights glowed from every home, making the entire kingdom feel alive.

People stopped whatever they were doing as we passed.

They bowed respectfully.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty!"

"Long live the Alpha King!"

Children waved excitedly at the warriors, laughing as they ran beside the horses before their parents gently pulled them back.

I watched everything in silence.

No one looked afraid.

No one lowered their heads in terror.

Instead, they smiled.

They looked... happy.

I couldn't remember the last time I had seen so many genuine smiles.

The Black Moon Pack was nothing like this.

There, silence was born from fear.

Here...

It came from respect.

I lowered my eyes.

The difference hurt more than I expected.

If kingdoms like this existed...

Why had I spent my entire life believing cruelty was normal?

The horse continued toward the palace that stood proudly at the center of the kingdom.

It was magnificent.

Tall white walls surrounded the royal grounds, while silver banners danced in the evening breeze. The palace itself looked almost unreal, its countless windows reflecting the moonlight like tiny stars.

My breath caught.

This place was larger than the entire Black Moon Pack.

"You like it?"

Alcaide's deep voice broke my thoughts.

I nodded before I could stop myself.

"It's beautiful."

A small smile appeared on his lips.

"I'll show you the gardens tomorrow."

Tomorrow.

The word caught me off guard.

He spoke as though I would still be here.

As though he had no intention of sending me away.

My heart squeezed painfully.

I didn't know why.

Perhaps because I wanted to believe him.

But hope had always been dangerous.

As we entered the palace courtyard, dozens of servants lined up on both sides of the entrance.

They bowed deeply.

"Welcome home, Your Majesty."

Alcaide climbed down from the horse before turning to help me.

Once again, he offered me his hand.

I hesitated.

He didn't rush me.

He simply waited.

Slowly, I placed my hand in his.

The warmth of his skin spread through mine, sending an unfamiliar flutter through my chest.

He helped me down carefully, making sure my feet touched the ground gently.

For a brief moment, our eyes met.

Something strange happened between us.

A feeling I couldn't explain.

It disappeared almost as quickly as it came.

"My King."

An elderly woman approached us with graceful steps.

Her silver hair was neatly tied behind her head, and kindness shone in her gentle brown eyes.

She bowed.

"The guest room has been prepared."

Alcaide shook his head.

"No."

The woman blinked.

"No?"

"Prepare the room beside mine."

Several servants exchanged surprised glances.

Even Xander looked slightly taken aback.

"My King," the woman said carefully, "that room has always been reserved for members of the royal family."

"I know."

His answer was calm but final.

"It is the safest room in the palace."

The woman nodded without another question.

"As you wish."

I stared at him in confusion.

Why was he doing this?

He barely knew me.

Yet he was treating me with more kindness than I had received in my entire life.

It didn't make sense.

Nothing about him made sense.

As we entered the palace, marble floors stretched beneath our feet, polished until they reflected the light of the grand chandeliers above.

Paintings of former Alpha Kings decorated the walls.

Guards stood silently at every entrance.

Everything felt... overwhelming.

I unconsciously moved closer to Alcaide.

The palace suddenly seemed far too large.

Far too unfamiliar.

He noticed.

Without looking at me, he slowed his pace.

Just enough for me to keep up comfortably.

The small gesture made my chest tighten.

No one had ever adjusted their pace for me before.

No one had ever cared if I was left behind.

We reached a pair of enormous wooden doors.

Alcaide pushed them open.

"This will be your room."

I stepped inside.

My breath caught.

The room was bigger than the entire servants' quarters back at Black Moon Pack.

A large bed stood near the window, covered in soft white blankets.

Fresh flowers rested on a nearby table.

A fireplace crackled quietly in the corner.

It was warm.

Comfortable.

Safe.

I slowly reached out and touched the blanket.

It was softer than anything I had ever felt.

"Do you like it?"

I turned toward Alcaide.

My vision blurred.

Tears.

Again.

"I..."

No words came.

How could I explain what this meant to someone like him?

He probably thought this room was ordinary.

To me...

It felt like a dream.

A dream I was terrified of waking up from.

Before either of us could speak again, a palace guard rushed into the hallway.

He stopped outside the open door and bowed deeply.

"My King!"

Alcaide's expression instantly hardened.

"What is it?"

The guard swallowed.

"There is urgent news from the western border."

The warmth in the room disappeared.

And something told me...

Whatever peace I had just found...

It wouldn't last long.

The warmth in the room disappeared the moment the guard spoke.

"My King, there is urgent news from the western border."

Alcaide's expression became unreadable.

"What happened?"

The guard lowered his head respectfully.

"Our patrol intercepted several Black Moon warriors near the border."

My heart stopped.

Black Moon Pack...

They had followed me.

"Were they attempting to cross into our territory?" Alcaide asked.

"Not yet, Your Majesty."

The guard hesitated before continuing.

"They were watching the kingdom."

A dangerous silence settled over the room.

Alcaide's blue eyes darkened.

"Double the guards at every entrance."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"No one enters or leaves the kingdom without my permission."

The guard bowed deeply.

"It will be done."

As soon as he left, the room fell silent again.

I lowered my head.

"I'm sorry."

The words escaped before I could stop them.

Alcaide looked at me.

"What are you apologizing for?"

"They're here because of me."

His jaw tightened.

"No."

"But—"

"Lila."

His voice was calm, yet firm.

"You are not responsible for the choices they make."

I looked away.

"You don't know them."

"And neither do you."

His words caught me off guard.

I blinked in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"You only know the version of yourself they forced you to believe."

His gaze softened.

"I intend to find out who you really are."

My chest tightened.

No one had ever wanted to know me.

Not the real me.

To everyone in Black Moon Pack, I had simply been...

The omega.

Nothing more.

A knock interrupted us.

The elderly woman from earlier entered with several maids behind her.

Each carried neatly folded clothing.

"My King," she said with a warm smile. "Lady Lila's bath has been prepared."

Lady.

The title sounded strange.

Almost unreal.

Alcaide nodded.

"Thank you, Martha."

She smiled kindly before looking at me.

"Come, dear."

I hesitated.

Looking back at Alcaide.

He noticed immediately.

"You'll be safe."

Those simple words somehow eased the fear inside me.

I nodded and followed Martha out of the room.

As we walked through the palace corridors, I couldn't stop staring.

Everything was breathtaking.

Large paintings decorated the walls.

Crystal chandeliers sparkled above us.

The floor shone so brightly that I could almost see my reflection.

"You've never been inside a palace before, have you?" Martha asked gently.

I shook my head.

"No."

She smiled.

"Well, I hope you'll come to think of this place as home."

Home.

The word made my heart ache.

I wasn't sure I deserved one.

Soon we reached a large wooden door.

Martha opened it.

Steam drifted into the hallway.

My eyes widened.

The bathroom was almost as large as the room I had slept in back at Black Moon Pack.

A marble bathtub stood in the center, already filled with warm water.

Fresh flowers floated across its surface.

Soft towels were neatly folded nearby.

I froze.

"This..."

Martha smiled knowingly.

"Go on."

"I've never..."

I stopped myself.

She looked at me kindly.

"You've never had a bath prepared for you?"

I slowly shook my head.

"I always fetch water for everyone else."

The smile disappeared from Martha's face.

For a moment, sadness filled her eyes.

"Oh, child..."

She gently touched my shoulder.

"Things will be different here."

Those words almost made me cry.

She and the maids quietly left, giving me privacy.

I carefully stepped into the warm water.

The heat wrapped around my aching body.

A small sigh escaped my lips.

It felt...

Wonderful.

The dirt and dried blood slowly disappeared from my skin.

As I washed my hair, memories surfaced.

The cold storage room where I slept.

The endless chores.

The insults.

The beatings.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

"No more," I whispered.

"I don't want to remember anymore."

But the memories refused to leave.

...

Meanwhile...

Alcaide

Xander stood silently across the desk.

"I don't trust this."

Alcaide looked up from the report.

"Neither do I."

Xander folded his arms.

"Black Moon Pack has never crossed our border over an omega."

"No."

"They're hiding something."

Alcaide leaned back in his chair.

"I noticed."

He remembered the fear in Lila's eyes.

The bruises covering her body.

The way she apologized for things that weren't her fault.

His wolf growled.

Protect her.

The feeling was becoming stronger.

Stronger than it should be.

Almost...

Possessive.

Xander studied him carefully.

"Alpha..."

"What?"

"Did you notice anything unusual when you looked at her?"

Alcaide remained silent.

Because he had.

The moment she'd spoken her name...

Something inside him had reacted.

His wolf had stirred in a way it never had before.

But he refused to jump to conclusions.

Not yet.

"There is something about her," he admitted quietly.

Xander nodded.

"I felt it too."

Before either of them could say another word...

A powerful scent suddenly drifted through the room.

Sweet...

Fresh...

Like wild strawberries after the rain.

Alcaide froze.

His wolf surged forward.

Mine.

The word slammed into my mind with enough force to make my entire body tense.

My wolf paced restlessly beneath my skin.

Find her.

Protect her.

Claim her.

I clenched my jaw, forcing my wolf back.

Not now.

Not until I understood what was happening.

Xander frowned.

"Alpha?"

I looked at him.

"Did you smell that?"

His expression became serious.

"I did."

The scent still lingered in the air.

Wild strawberries...

Sweet enough to drive any unmated Alpha insane.

Yet beneath that sweetness was another scent.

One I couldn't quite place.

It felt...

Ancient.

Powerful.

My wolf growled again.

Mate.

The word echoed through my mind.

I pushed away from the desk.

"Stay here."

Without waiting for an answer, I walked into the hallway.

The scent became stronger.

Each step I took made my heartbeat quicken.

Servants quickly stepped aside, lowering their heads as I passed.

None of them understood why their king was walking through the palace as though he were searching for someone.

But I knew.

Or rather...

My wolf knew.

The scent stopped outside one particular room.

Lila's room.

I stared at the closed door.

Impossible.

No.

It couldn't be.

After all these years...

Could the Moon Goddess truly have chosen her?

I raised my hand to knock.

Before my knuckles touched the wood, the door slowly opened.

Lila stepped out.

Her long dark hair was still slightly damp from her bath, falling over her shoulders in soft waves.

She wore a simple cream-colored dress Martha had prepared for her.

Without the dirt and blood covering her face...

She looked breathtaking.

She looked up in surprise.

"Your Majesty?"

The moment our eyes met...

Time seemed to stop.

A strange warmth spread through my chest.

My wolf became unusually calm.

As though he had finally found what he had been searching for.

Lila shifted nervously beneath my gaze.

"Did... did I do something wrong?"

Her quiet voice snapped me back to reality.

I immediately noticed the fear in her eyes.

She thought she had disappointed me.

Again.

The realization made my chest tighten.

"No."

I answered gently.

"You've done nothing wrong."

She visibly relaxed.

"I'm glad."

The simple relief in her voice broke something inside me.

How badly had she been treated that she expected punishment simply for existing?

Martha appeared behind Lila.

"My King, dinner is ready."

I looked at Lila.

"Have you eaten?"

She slowly shook her head.

"No."

"Then you'll eat with me."

Her eyes widened.

"W-With you?"

"Yes."

"I couldn't possibly—"

"You can."

She hesitated.

"I don't know the proper manners."

A small smile tugged at the corner of my lips.

"Neither do I."

She blinked.

Then, to my surprise...

She laughed.

It was soft.

Gentle.

Barely louder than a whisper.

But it was beautiful.

For a brief moment, the sadness disappeared from her eyes.

And I realized something.

I wanted to hear that laugh again.

As they walked toward the dining hall together, neither of them noticed a palace maid standing silently at the end of the corridor.

She watched Lila with narrowed eyes.

The moment they disappeared around the corner, she quietly slipped into a deserted hallway.

From beneath her sleeve, she removed a small black crystal.

It flickered with dark energy.

She whispered into it.

"The girl is here."

A deep male voice answered from the crystal.

"So..."

"Has the Alpha King taken the bait?"

The maid smiled.

"Yes."

The voice chuckled.

"Good."

"Keep watching her."

"No matter what happens..."

"Do not let anyone discover the truth."

The crystal went dark.

The maid slipped it back into her sleeve.

Then she smiled.

A cold...

Terrifying smile.

No one in the palace suspected that the enemy had already found a way inside.