Emerald: Omega to Alpha

Chapter 3

In my room, I just laid down on my bed. It was a small one, size 2 to 3 meters. There was only a bed, a cupboard, and a small desk there. The wall was white, so was the floor. The rest were brown. Though it was not a dream room for a girl, I liked it so much since I could have privacy there. 

Waiting for my mother to return home from work proved grave torture for me. The memory of myself with my father was too deep. Somehow, it all came at once. It was sad that I realized how my father had always loved my mother and me only after I lost him. 

For no reason, my memory brought me back when I was five. My father introduced me to the Alpha of Crescent Creek Pack. It was our pack. The Alpha seemed rather old, yet he reached out his hand toward me. “Good pup. One day, you will be the one to succeed your father as an Alpha.” The Alpha patted my head, then hugged me. “My granddaughter, though I can’t visit you, never forget that I’m your granddad.”

It had been ten years since the first time I met with my grandfather. Last year, when I accompanied my father back to the pack, I met someone else as the pack’s Alpha. I wanted to ask my father why someone else replaced my grandfather and where he was. However, there were too many things going on. After that, I forgot to ask. Now, I wondered the same question. 

I remembered I asked my father at that time, “Dad, since granddad is an Alpha, does it mean you will be his successor?”

My father stared at me. Then he looked away. After breathing hard, he said, “Technically, yes, but not always. Sometimes life isn’t fair. We should let go of the things that don’t belong to us.” 

“But why, dad? Is it because we live with humans and not within the pack?” 

My question seemed to startle my father. “You’re still too young to understand this, Emmy. However, let me tell you. I’ve never regretted my decision to be here, to have your mother and you. Both of you are my greatest treasures. I won’t trade both of you with anything, not with wealth, power, nor popularity. It’s all in vain. Having both of you in my life is the best decision I made.”

I almost cried to hear what he said. “Thank you, dad. It means a lot to me to hear that.” Then I stopped for a while. “But I still don’t understand why granddad didn't choose you as the next Alpha?”

“One day, if your time has come, you will understand.” My father patted my head. “For now, please study well. Make your mother and myself proud of you, as you have always been.”

My tears flew irresistibly to my cheeks. I studied in one of the most favorite schools at Dream City before. After so many financial issues, my father couldn’t afford any longer to pay the high tuition. Later, I moved to my current school, where my worst nightmare became a reality. 

I was still a new student when I met Doug. I suddenly knew that he was my mate and vice versa at that moment. It was hard to explain it, but I knew just like that. 

I could never forget the day. It was a rainy day. I had been waiting to come home for two hours. Yet, the rain was getting heavier. Looking at the ominous dark sky, I finally decided to run fast regardless of the heavy rain. It was okay to be wet. After returning home, I could take a shower. 

When I was going to run fast, someone collided with me. Since I was so slim, the bump threw me to the ground.

“Hey, sorry! I didn’t see you!” 

It was him, Doug. He offered his hand, then later, it startled him to see me. He pulled his hand back. 

“You!” His eyes narrowed, and his hand clenched hard. 

At first, I realized nothing. Then suddenly, as if a thunderstruck hit my brain, I knew instantly. It was my mate! 

Doug’s sturdy six feet figure was impressive. His face was also good-looking. Yet, seeing his gaze, I trembled. It was the first time I met him, yet Doug stared at me with a disapproving look. I closed my mouth with my right hand. No! 

My father once told me that meeting my mate would be a romantic thing, that I would realize that he’s my mate immediately. It was like when my father met my mother. Then why was my experience different? Not only was it not romantic, but also a heavy blow for me to see a disappointed look from my mate.

“No matter what, I won’t acknowledge you as my mate. Do you hear me?” Doug shouted, trying to beat the sound of heavy rain. 

“W-why?” I stammered.

“I have some requirements for my mate, my future Luna. You aren’t even close to that!” Doug said. “I want a beautiful woman: a gorgeous face to be looked at and a curvaceous body that I can be proud to show her off around.” Then Doug stared at me with contempt. “You! I don't even want to see you twice! Your eyes are your best feature, but what else? Your skinny body won’t attract anyone. NO! I won’t have you as my mate.”

My teeth clenched because the rain had soaked my clothes. “T-then, re-reject me.”

Doug stepped two steps to approach me, then grasped my chin. “It is you who should reject me.”

“W-why?”

“Because you don’t deserve me. No way you’re my mate. No matter how hard I look at you, I feel disgusted! The Highest One should joke with me.”

“T-the Highest One?”

“Don’t you know anything?” Doug yelled, then kicked a can nearby. “Argh! What bad luck! You’re not only so ugly but also so slow! The Highest One is our God, One who created the bond-mates.”

“T-then we could ask The Highest One to break our bond.”

“Why are you so stupid? Of course not! We can’t! If we could, why would I insist for you to reject me?” Doug yelled again. “I’m just wasting my time talking with you. Remember what I say. Reject me soon, or….”

“Or… what?”

“Or you’ll hope that you’re never born. I swear to you, I’ll make your life miserable as if you lived in hell!” After saying that, he went fast. 

I stared at the heavy rain for a long time. “W-why? W-why did he have to be my mate?” 

Then I walked toward home. When I returned home, the heavy rain soaked my body from head to toe. 

When seeing me, my mother immediately asked me to take a shower and dry my hair afterward. I just nodded and did what she said. At night, I got a fever and had to take two days off from school. Those two days, I just laid down on my bed and stared at the ceiling of her room. My body ached all over, but my heart hurt so much.

When my father took care of me, I asked him, “Why, dad?”

“Why what?” 

“You said that meeting my mate would be the most romantic thing I’ll experience in my life.”

“It’s true, Emmy.” He stopped, then glanced at me. “Wait a minute! Have you met your mate yet?” 

My father was a tall man, approximately 6 feet and 3 inches. It was easy to say that I was the female version of him. I inherited all of my father’s facial features, except his body figure and height. I was more similar to my mother. My mom was only 5 feet and 3 inches tall, while I was 5 feet and 5 inches.

I closed my eyes, and then I said, “Yes.”

“Tell me, how was it?”

“H-he was disgusted to see me…. He even threatened me to reject him, to break our bond-mates.”

“Ungrateful boy!” My father punched the table with his fist. “Who’s he?” He asked with a high-pitch voice.

I opened my eyes. Tiredly, I stared at my father. “He is Doug, dad. Douglas Campbell.”

My father shook his head. “Campbell? No, no, no! It must be a mistake. It’s a curse if he’s your mate.”

I breathed hard. “Why?”

“Because his father worked together with the rogues to dethrone your granddad from his position as the Alpha! It’s so disgusting that you’re his mate. Oh, my beautiful Emmy!”

I sighed, then closed my eyes again. “I also regret having Doug as my mate, dad.”

When my mother took care of me the next day, I asked her, “Mom, why must love be so difficult?”

She smiled, then caressed my hair. “Because in the struggle, despair, and troubles, you know that it’s all worth fighting for.”

“But… what if he doesn’t want me?”

My mother sighed. “People can change. If you love him enough, and if he’s the one for you, your sincerity can move him.”

My mother’s words touched my heart. I thought Doug could probably learn to accept and love me one day. However, after a year, I understood Doug had no intention to give me a chance, even the smallest one.