Chapter2
1763 Words
The moment I stepped in, I involuntarily shifted back to my ordinary form. Thankfully, by the time I got back home, no one was around. I assume they all left to celebrate the alpha announcing his future Luna.
The pain was back, albeit not as much as before but it still hurt badly.
[I'm so sorry this happened to you.] My wolf popped up in my thoughts the moment I settled in my room. I've been trying to communicate with her prior but only met with silence.
'You don't need to be sorry. It's not your fault but a result of my foolishness. What's your name?'
[It's Atlas]
'Why did you appear so late, Atlas? I thought I was wolfless.'
[It's complicated. I've always been within you, Celeste. Just out of reach. It tortured me that I wasn't able to appear earlier. Somehow I was able to take control after you got rejected, I just couldn't stand seeing you suffer so much.]
'It's fine. I'm just glad you're finally here.'
[Khal, that asshole. I can't believe he played us like that. I was always of the opinion that he isn't good enough for you, but I was gonna accept him anyway for your sake, even if he's not our mate. I say good riddance.] I could hear Atlas huff and puff with rage within me.
Who could blame her? I was angry too.
'The man at the river. Did you feel it too? Could he be-'
[I'm not sure he's our mate.]
'What do you mean, you are not sure?'
[I felt it too, which is why I approached him. But there's something else. I'm just not sure.]
I let out a soft sigh.
'We'll figure it out later'
'I don't want to think of Khal anymore. I have my whole life ahead of me, let's not waste time dwelling on the past.'
[Of course. But we are still tied to him, he marked you as his breeder.]
'Not if I can help it. The selection ceremony is in two days and I have you now. I've always dreamed of being part of the Red Order, if I work hard enough and with your help, I could enter a good academy for that.'
When a werewolf is of age, they must attend the selection ceremony to find their most compatible orders.
At the selection ceremony, every eligible werewolf is tested to see if they are worthy of the investment to attend an academy and to recognize/be assigned their potential orders.
The red order being one of them, consists of the main attack and defence force of the werewolves. It's a very tasking order but in return, mundane responsibilities like breeding are exempted indefinitely.
My room door swung open letting my stepmother into the room.
"You little slut. How dare you seduce Amalisa's mate?" Karene barked and dragged me up by my hair, revealing the breeder mark on my neck.
"Ugh!" I yelped in pain, "I have never and will never want to be his breeder. Alpha Khal forced this on me!"
"You still have the guts to lie. Honestly, I should have known. It's only to be expected that you'd turn out to be a w***e just like your mother!" She screamed venom into my face.
I felt my blood boil at her blatant disrespect for my late mother. "Get my mother's name out of your mouth, she has nothing to do with this!"
Karene didn't waste a second to strike me with a heavy slap. The sheer force of it instantly sent my terribly weakened body to the ground, "Cursed b***h, you dare raise your voice at me?!"
"Don't wear yourself out Karene. We still have to meet with Alpha Jax and Luna Gwen, to discuss matters now that Khal's marked Amalisa." I heard Jared's voice come through.
I unconsciously looked to up my father for help but regained my senses after meeting his disgusted gaze.
Right. Somehow I always forget what I am in his eyes. A horrid reminder of his greatest mistake, a stain on his perfect reputation.
He never hits me, not like Karene and Amalisa. No, it is more like he refuses to acknowledge my existence and actively ignores me. Which I'd admit, at times feels worse than physical abuse, especially to the younger me desperate for parental love.
I picked myself up and wiped my nosebleed with the back of my hand, "Hounding me is futile, we both know that I have no power over this. Why don't you use this energy and take it up with Alpha Khal, I'm sure you wouldn't turn mute in his presence..."
"You....!" Karene's face turned so red with rage, she looked like she was about to explode.
"It seems like I've given you too much freedom nowadays and you've forgotten how to behave" Karene spat as she stepped out of my room, closing the door behind her.
"Maybe a few days in isolation will set you right."
"No, don't do it!" I panicked, hearing the clinking of keys as my door latch wound shut. She locked me in.
"PLEASE! LET ME OUT, I'M SORRY! PLEASE!!!" I pleaded pathetically. Futilely banging and scratching at the door to the sound of their fading footsteps.
"Damn it!" I cursed in frustration.
[f**k! This isn't good!] Atlas said, worriedly.
'I know. The selection is in two days. If I'm stuck here, I might as well kiss the academy goodbye. I'll end up slaving in this goddess-forsaken pack for the rest of my life!'
[We have to think of something!]
❐❐❐
The day of the selection came quickly. I barely managed to escape through the window some minutes after everyone was gone to attend the selection at the square.
Currently, I'm hiding behind some wine barrels. I can see most of what's going on from my position and also keep an eye out so I don't get caught by Karene and Amalisa. I just have to wait it out till it's time to call out candidates vying for a position in the Red Order.
From where I hid, I could hear some omegas whispering excitedly amongst themselves.
"I hear we have an outsider attending today."
"It's true. And it seems to be some big shot. I've never seen Alpha Jax looking as stressed as he's been for the past two days."
"While I was attending, I caught a glimpse of him in the alpha's office. He looks like a god, even more handsome than Alpha Khal. We have to give it out all today!"
Their shameless quips remind me of the pretty naked stranger I barged on, in the forest. I pray that this visitor was not the same person, otherwise, I'm in big trouble.
Alpha Jax finally arrived and declared the ceremony started. He came in, alongside the guest but I couldn't see him properly from my angle.
Alpha Jax finally arrived and announced the commencement of the ceremony. He entered alongside the guest, but from my angle, I couldn't get a clear view of him.
For the most part, the order selection process is pretty simple and has been consistent for years. All candidates of age were to line up in front of a massive orb managed by the Selection master; an official working directly under Lycan Royalty.
On each wolf's turn, the orb changes color according to their best talents. The filtering process was brutal. With most Werewolves ending up as pickers and breeders. A selected few with the talent to become physicians were lucky enough to join the apothecary, and a minority became miners.
Soon enough, it was time to test candidates for the Red Order. The selection process for this order is a little different. In this process, all potential members must engage in duels with each other, and those deemed strongest are selected. Others not chosen are assigned to different Orders through the orb.
To properly show off to the selection master, participants tend to take it too far and sometimes end up killing their partners. Werewolves without strength, especially omegas, dare not try for it.
The moment I stepped out to quickly join the others, I felt a strong force drag me back by the hair.
"You little rat! I thought I smelt something rotting here!"
Fuck.
It was Karene. I had been so engrossed watching the selection that I didn't notice her sneak up behind me.
"How dare you show your face here? I locked you up at home, how did you escape?!" Karene spoke as she tried her darndest to drag me out of the square.
"Now I get it you escaped through the window, didn't you? I have to barricade that immediately."
"No...wait, you can't do this to me. I have to participate, I have to join one of the orders. I won't get another opportunity." I pushed forward against her pull.
Karene scoffed, "You are already a breeder, what else can you possibly amount to? Unlike you, my daughter, Amalisa, is very strong and beautiful, no doubt she'll be able to get into a good academy and join the Red Order. Filth like you can only dream of such a life."
"Let me go, I have a right to be here!" Enraged, I screamed on top of my lungs.
Bad move. Everyone's eyes instantly fell on us.
Brimming with anger, Karene slapped me, "Shut it. Are you trying to make a scene?"
"Let the girl go." An authoritative voice reverberated across the square.
Its effects were just as strong as Alpha Jax's authority if not stronger.
I could feel Karene Wolfwill falter but she fought through it, "And who are you... to give me orders? I am the pack ....Beta's mate. You're just a visitor here... Don't get involved." She warned.
Smack!
The sound of a crisp slap reached everyone's ears.
Karene held the side of her face, as she stared at her mate in shock, "Why would...?"
"Karene what are you doing?!" Beta Jax barked at her. I've never seen him so angry in my life.
"Don't you realize who we are before? How dare you talk back to the Lycan prince Adonis!"
"W-what?" Karene mumbled in shock as it dawned on her.
'The Lycan prince?' I thought to myself.
He's the Lycan prince of our MoonlitSnow kingdom?! No wonder Alpha Jax was fussing over him like a mere attendant.
At that moment, I made eye contact with the guest. He turned out to be the stranger from two days ago and he looked pissed off.
I think I'm in trouble.
- Writer
