The Worthless Omega's Rise

Chapter 2: Destiny?

Harlow’s POV

Elimination wasn't just elimination in the Silvermoon pack. It was tortue. I'd watched several ceremonies where the culprit is slowly beheaded and their blood curdling screams still shattered my heart till this present moment. I curled my toes, bending forward to lay my head on my arms. I'd always been casted aside, humiliated, scorned, but I never imagined it would get to this point. I'd assumed my mate would love me, desire me, but he rejected me right on the spot.

Perhaps I truly deserved to die.

Dieing was better than having to go through the tortue, the pain.

“Harlow.” a soft whisper floated in the air, making some hair rise on my body. I scrambled to my feets, rushing towards the iron bars, “mother, mother, why are you here? They would kill you if they figured out you're with me.” I whispered, clutching the iron bars hard, as I stared at my mother. There were wrinkles on her face, ones that showed how old she was, but she was still sent on ridiculous errands by people half her age.

She reached for my hands, squeezing it lightly, “I managed to give the pack warrior at the entrance some sleeping pills.” She then raised a key before me, “I'm getting you out of here.”

In a single lock, she opened up the gate and dragged me outside. Slowly, I pulled my hands away, taking a few steps backwards, “mother, we can't make it out alive. I can't allow you to risk your life for me. I'll—” I swallowed hard, sniffing as I wiped my tears harshly, “even if I die, I'll always be with you.”

My mother shook her head, “Harlow, my life isn't worth yours. If getting you out of here would cost me my life, so be it.” She then dragged me again, walking past the pack warrior who slept away on the ground.

I inhaled a shaky breath, trying to stabilize my heartbeat, as we walked through the hallway, “the pack is busy having a celebration.” she pulled out a dagger from her pocket and shoved it in my hands, “If we run into pack warriors, we’ll kill them on the spot.”

I nodded shakily, tightening my grip on the dagger as we increased our pace. We ran through the passage leading to the back of the pack house, but before we could make it through the door, heavy footsteps settled in my ears, followed by the loud bell signaling the escape of a prisoner—me.

“Mom.” I whimpered, pulling her hands, but she ran faster, her chest rising and falling as we ran outside the pack house. “No matter what happens, just keep running.” she said, and I nodded shakily, clutching the dagger as tears spilled down my cheeks. The cold wintry air pierced my skin, ruffling my hair as we sprinted through the woods with our bare foot.

My legs pierced a nail which tore a part of my skin, but when the heavy footsteps intensified, I pulled away and continued running, swallowing up my cries with a palm on my lips. As I ran further, slamming my feets on the muddy ground, arrows and bullets pierced through the air, sucking the breath out of me.

“Mother, these men won't stop. I'll deliver myself to them…you can escape, live a better life than me.” I said breathlessly, but my mother ignored my words and focused on the path ahead. I knew she loved me, valued me, it was why she chose to risk her life this way, but I couldn't help it. She was putting herself in danger. My mate would catch up to us anyways.

“They're closing in on us.” She gasped, pushing me behind a tree, “hide there and don't you dare come out.”

“No!” I shook my head, but my mouth ran dry when the sensation of dread overwhelmed me. I clammed a hand across my mouth, applying pressure when an arrow pierced through my mother's stomach. I Inhaled shakily, biting my lips as my eyes reddened. The pack warriors approached her and I leaned hard on the tree, closing my eyes in pain. The scene of my mother getting stabbed replayed before me and I trembled, balling my hands into fists as tears blurred my vision.

“Where's your daughter?” A pack warrior asked, wrapping his arms around her neck. My eyes burned, my lips trembled, it took everything in me not to run over there and slit his throat. My mother gave a throaty chuckle, “I knew you would follow me, so I made her run in the opposite direction.”

He dropped her quickly and faced his other men, “let's leave and search for that bastard. The poison would kill her mother in less than ten minutes.” He yelled before walking away. As soon as they were out of sight, I ran towards my mother, holding her hands as despair clawed at my heart, “mother.”

“You did good, Harlow.” She caressed my cheeks, smiling as tears dripped down her cheeks, “now you have to leave me and keep running. I don't have much time left.”

“No.” I swallowed, shaking my head as my eyes brushed over her wound, “I'm not leaving you alone.”

“Harlow, you have a great destiny, one that your father and I couldn't even understand.”

“I don't care about my destiny.” I cried out, holding her in my arms. My mother groaned, gritting her teeth as she spat a mouth full of blood, “the destruction of the world lies in your hands, Harlow. If you die here with me, we're all doomed.”

“Then so be it. The world is wicked anyway, who cares about destiny?” Even though I couldn't understand her words, I was more concerned about her health. She gave me a single glance and smiled brightly, “I lo..ve you, Ha..rlow.” she gasped, whimpering softly before she turned cold. My hands trembled slightly. I shook her body, wiping my tears as I gazed at her, “Mother.”

“Mother, no!” I yelled, hugging her close, “mother, you can't leave me. I don't care about anything else. Mother you can't die, you can't die on me! No!” I shook her body constantly, staring at her face as my heart trembled in despair.

Ruffling sounds filled the space followed by a loud, deep voice, “Men, we just caught a silver haired witch.” A young man giggled, dressed in the uniform of a pack warrior. I placed my mother on the ground, taking a few steps backwards as I swallowed hard, “I'm not a witch.”

Just before I could run, I was grabbed by a few other men, “tell that to the Lycan king once you're being burnt on the stake.”