Reborn As An Omega: His Second Chance Mate

It All Comes Crashing

Raven

The faint morning light filtered through the cracks in the wooden shutters of our small room. The air was still and heavy, carrying the faint scent of the herbs I had boiled the night before for my mother.

As I stirred, the ache in my muscles reminded me of the relentless tasks of the day before. Each bruise and sore spot on my body screamed at me to rest, but I didn’t have that luxury.

Quietly, I rose from the thin mattress, careful not to wake my mother. Her breathing was shallow but steady, her frail body curled under the patchy blanket. The sight of her like this made my heart clench. She had always been so strong, until illness had stolen that strength, leaving her dependent on me.

I busied myself in the corner of our small space, preparing a simple breakfast of stale bread and watered-down stew. The smell was faint but warm, enough to rouse my mother.

“Raven,” she called softly, her voice weak but tender.

I turned to find her sitting up, her tired eyes scanning me with concern. Her gaze fell to my arms, and I instinctively tried to pull my sleeves down, but it was too late.

“Come here,” she said firmly, though her voice was barely above a whisper.

“Mama, it’s nothing,” I protested, shaking my head.

“Raven.” Her tone left no room for argument.

Reluctantly, I sat beside her. She reached for my arm and gently pushed up the sleeve, revealing the dark bruises scattered across my skin. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she dabbed at the marks with a damp cloth.

I was glad she didn’t see the mark on my back, it would make her more broken than she already was.

“Why do we stay, Mama?” I asked quietly, my voice trembling. “Why do we endure this torment when we could leave? We could start over somewhere else.”

Her hand stilled, and she sighed deeply, her shoulders sagging under an invisible weight. “This pack is our home, Raven. Our destiny is here.”

“Home?” I scoffed bitterly, pulling my arm away. “It hasn’t felt like home in years.”

Her eyes softened as she looked at me, guilt etched into every line of her face. “I know, my child. But before… before everything changed, this place was kind to us. Do you remember?”

I closed my eyes as her words dragged me back to a time I had tried to forget.

I remembered running through the palace gardens as a child, my laughter mixing with Lyra’s. We had been best friends once, inseparable. The Alpha, King Damian, had treated me like one of his own, ruffling my hair and calling me his little shadow. Even the Luna had been kind, she always made sure I was okay, even though my mother was her maid.

But that all ended the day my mother’s mistake cost the Luna her life.

The punishment was swift and merciless. Death, or we’d become slaves until the Alpha deemed the debt repaid. My mother chose for us to become slaves, it wasn’t so different from being maids, only that as slaves we were treated like animals, and reduced to the lowest level a werewolf could possibly have; we became omegas.

“I’m sorry,” my mother whispered now, her voice breaking as tears welled in her eyes. “I never wanted this for you.”

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close. “It’s not your fault, Mama. None of this is.”

When I finally pulled away, she smiled faintly and touched my cheek. “You should go, Raven. You’ll be late.”

I nodded and stood, my wounds were still fresh, I didn’t want to experience another round of punishment.

The day passed in a blur of endless chores. My body ached from scrubbing floors and hauling heavy buckets of water, but I didn’t have time to think about the pain. As I was finishing my last task, the head maid called for me.

“Raven,” she snapped, thrusting a folded uniform into my arms. “Change into this. You’ll be serving at the engagement celebration tonight.”

I blinked in surprise. The palace rarely allowed someone like me to serve at formal events. “The Alpha’s niece?” I asked carefully.

“Yes, Princess Edwina and that Arthur boy,” she replied dismissively. “Now hurry up.”

The grand hall glittered with golden chandeliers, their light reflecting off the polished marble floors. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meats and sweet wine, mingling with the hum of conversation.

I moved through the crowd with my tray, keeping my head down and my steps steady. Now wasn’t the time to be clumsy.

Princess Edwina sat at the head of the table, her quiet demeanor remained even in the midst of the lively celebration. I had always admired her, she was kind and gentle, never causing trouble.

Unlike me, who constantly wined and dined with trouble. Except for tonight, I was cautious about keeping my peace, but trouble found me anyway.

It began when the general of the Silver Moon Pack, Arthur’s father, strode forward to receive a gift on behalf of Arthur. The room fell silent as his servant opened it.

“These jewels are fake,” the servant announced, holding up one of the pieces.

A murmur rippled through the crowd as the general’s face darkened. Without warning, he grabbed the trunk and hurled it to the floor, the contents scattering.

“This is an insult!” he roared, his voice echoing through the hall.

Chaos erupted as accusations flew between the two families. I tried to focus on serving drinks, avoiding the growing tension. But Lyra had other plans.

She stepped into my path, her foot shooting out to trip me. I stumbled, the tray slipping from my hands and crashing to the floor. Drinks splattered across a guest’s expensive clothes, drawing gasps and murmurs from the crowd.

“I’m so sorry!” I stammered, bending to clean the mess.

Lyra smirked, her voice dripping with mockery. “Look at you. Always so clumsy.”

I bit my lip, swallowing the retort that burned on my tongue.

“Lyra, enough,” Tyrion said, stepping forward. I stared at him in disbelief. Never in a life time would I have imagined that Tyrion would defend me. “Don’t make a scene.” He whispered to Lyra.

But Lyra wasn’t finished. She reached into the folds of my dress and pulled out a sparkling necklace. The moment I realized what it was, my heart stopped.

“That’s the missing jewelry!” someone shouted.

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I don’t know how that got there.”

Lyra’s smirk widened. “Thief.”

The word rang through the hall like a death knell.

That night, I sat in the cold, damp cell, my tears soaking into the straw beneath me. My body trembled, a mix of exhaustion and despair.

By morning, the sound of heavy boots approached, and a guard unlocked the door. “The Alpha wants to see you.”

I followed him to the Alpha’s study, my stomach churning with dread. “Wait here.” He said and stood beside me.

From where I sat, I could hear the conversation going on inside, it was obvious it wasn’t a friendly one.

“I am aware that I owe you, Varek,” Alpha Damian replied, his voice was strained, as though he was holding back frustration, or perhaps fear. “I’ve been trying to gather the funds, but these things take time.”

“Time?” the man, who I now knew as Varek, scoffed. “I’ve given you time more than most would. But patience has its limits, Alpha. A debt is a debt. If you cannot pay, then perhaps I should take my repayment in another form.”

Alpha Damian sighed heavily. “Varek, you must understand. The resources of my pack are stretched thin. We’ve had poor harvests, dwindling trade—”

“Excuses,” Varek interrupted sharply. “Your problems do not interest me. What interests me is what I am owed. And if you cannot pay in gold, then you will pay with blood, or with her.”

There was a pause, and I felt my stomach drop. Her? Who was he talking about?

“Leave my daughter out of this,” Damian said, his voice growing sharper, more desperate.

Varek chuckled darkly. “I’m offering you a way out, Damian. Hand over Lyra, and I’ll forget this debt ever existed. She’ll be well cared for. Think of it as securing her future. I once asked for her hand and you refused. Perhaps now is the right time to accept.”

There was a loud thud, as though Damian had slammed his fist against the desk. “You expect me to sell my own daughter to you like a piece of livestock?”

“Better than letting your pack suffer the consequences of your failure,” Varek replied coldly. “Do you want war, Damian? Because that’s what awaits if you refuse me. My warriors outnumber yours five to one. Your walls will crumble, and your people will bleed for your pride. Is that what you want?”

The room fell silent for a long moment, the tension almost palpable even from where I stood.

Finally, Alpha Damian’s voice came, quieter this time, heavy with resignation. “Give me time, Varek. I’ll find another way. Just… give me more time.”

Alpha Varek snorted. “You have one month, Damian. No more. If you fail, you know the price.”

The sound of heavy boots approached the door, and I quickly lowered my gaze. The door creaked open, and a tall, broad-shouldered man strode past me without a second glance. His presence was suffocating, and I felt the weight of his gaze even though he didn’t look at me.

“Bring her in,”Alpha Damian said after a moment.

The guard nudged me forward, and I stepped inside the Alpha’s study, my legs trembling.

Alpha Damian’s eyes met mine, filled with something I couldn’t place, regret, perhaps?

“I’m sorry for what happened last night,” he said. “I know you’re innocent, but I couldn’t humiliate my daughter in front of everyone.”

I stared at him, keeping my emotions at bay. “Then why am I here?”

He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Because I have a proposal.”

And in that moment, I knew my life was about to change forever.