FROM SLAVE OMEGA TO LUNA

CHAPTER 4

I was dragged to the throne room, where the Alpha would pass judgment on me. The grand hall showcased the power and wealth of the ruling pack, with its stone walls adorned with rich tapestries and golden sconces casting a warm glow over the marble floor. The guard threw me to the ground like a rag doll, and tears flooded my eyes. Betty, my friend, had betrayed me, and now I was to face judgment.

"My Alpha," Mistress Alice greeted with a small bow as Ethan settled into his embroidered throne, a seat that radiated authority with its ornate carvings and precious stones embedded in the wood.

"Speak, Alice," Ethan commanded, his voice resonating with unchallenged authority.

Mistress Alice stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with malice as she held up a small pouch. "This girl," she began, pointing a slender finger at me, "was caught stealing from your quarters, my Alpha. I found these coins hidden in her belongings." She opened the pouch, letting the gold coins spill out, their clinking sound echoing in the silence of the room.

My heart pounded in my chest. "That's not true!" I cried, my voice trembling. "I didn't—" My words were cut off by a sharp c***k as the guard whipped me across the back.

"Silence!" the guard barked. "You will speak only when spoken to."

I bit my lip to stifle a sob, knowing it was futile to protest. My eyes darted around the room, searching for any sign of mercy. They landed on Commander Silas, who stood near the back, his face a mask of anger. It was Silas who had given me the coins to help my family, and now he watched helplessly as I was punished for his kindness.

Mistress Alice's voice droned on, each word a nail in my coffin. "She has always been a useless slave, a burden to our pack. Such behavior cannot be tolerated. She must be made an example of."

Alpha Ethan nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. "An example, you say?" he mused, his eyes boring into me.

The guard raised his whip again, and I braced myself for the blow, but a sharp and commanding voice rang out, halting the guard mid-strike. "Enough!"

A graceful figure entered the throne room, his confident smile contrasting sharply with the tension in the air. His presence commanded attention, and even Alpha Ethan's stern demeanor softened slightly.

"Is this how girls are treated in your kingdom?" the figure asked, his tone a mix of disappointment and authority. His piercing blue eyes swept over the room, daring anyone to challenge him.

Mistress Alice opened her mouth to speak, "She's a thief and a lia-" but the figure silenced her with a deadly glare. "The next time you speak.....I will kill you." Mistress Alice swallowed her words.

Alpha Ethan chuckled, rising from his throne. "Brother, always the savior of the weak. What brings you here, Adrian?"

Adrian's gaze shifted to me, and for the first time in my life, I heard the voice of my wolf, a soft whisper in my mind. "Mate."

"I had to come and congratulate you on becoming Alpha, Mother insisted on it," Alpha Adrian said to him, and Ethan scoffed.

"Your mother, you mean.....The one who ran away with you after Father died," Alpha Ethan said with distaste, speaking of the past.

"She was your mother too," Alpha Adrian said, and Ethan growled.

"That woman left me; she is worthless and disgraceful just like that woman over there." He glared daggers at me.

"I have passed my judgment. She will be sentenced to death." He said hastily, and Mistress Alice smiled as she gestured to the guard to carry me away. Alpha Adrian growled at them, his eyes turning golden, meaning his wolf was ready to take over.

"Nobody touches her," he said, his voice petrifying both Mistress Alice and the guard.

"Have you suddenly developed a soft spot for that slave omega? She is without a wolf and worst of all. She stole from me. Are you preventing justice from taking place?" Alpha Ethan asked, growling at his brother, his eyes changing to bright yellow almost the same as Adrian's. They wanted to fight, for an odd reason. I could now sense it.

"She didn't steal from anyone. I was the one who gave her those coins," Commander Silas said, stepping forward as other officials looked on in shock due to his nonchalant behavior.

Adrian’s eyes flickered with approval as he looked at Silas, while Mistress Alice’s frown deepened. The possibility of my escaping punishment gnawed at her.

Alpha Ethan’s expression darkened. “There will be punishment for your actions, Silas,” he declared, his voice cold and unyielding.

Before Ethan could continue, Adrian interrupted, a smirk playing on his lips. “Commander Silas is actually my beta in my pack. His real name is Garreth.”

A murmur of disbelief ran through the gathered officials. The revelation shifted the dynamics in the room.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, his anger bubbling over. “You’ve been undermining me this whole time?” His voice was a dangerous whisper.

Adrian’s smile was almost pitying. “Not undermining, brother. Protecting your kingdom and it's innocents where you’ve turned a blind eye.”

Silas, now Garreth, stood tall. “I did what was right. Jessica is not guilty of any crime.”

Ethan’s fists clenched at his sides, his body trembling with barely contained rage. “You will not make a mockery of my rule, Adrian.”

Adrian took a step closer, his presence dominating the space between them. “It’s not about mockery. It’s about justice. Jessica is my mate, and I will not let her be harmed.”

The declaration sent another shockwave through the room. My eyes widened, my heart pounding in my chest. The soft whisper of my wolf became a steady, comforting presence in my mind.

Ethan’s face twisted with a mix of jealousy and fury. “You dare claim her? A wolf-less omega?”

Adrian’s gaze was steady, unyielding. “She is my mate, and her value is beyond measure. Your prejudice blinds you, brother.”

The tension reached a boiling point as the brothers stood face to face, their wolves ready to clash. The room held its collective breath, waiting for the next move.

Before the situation could escalate further, a voice of authority rang out. “Enough!” It was the voice of an elder, a respected advisor who had served their father. “This kingdom cannot afford to be divided by your personal grievances.”

Adrian and Ethan both turned towards the elder, their expressions a mix of frustration and grudging respect.

The elder continued, “Alpha Ethan, your judgment must be fair and just. If Commander Silas, or rather, Beta Garreth, gave those coins to Jessica, then she is not guilty of theft. Furthermore, if she is Adrian’s mate, she must be treated with the respect accorded to an Alpha’s mate.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened, but he nodded curtly, acknowledging the elder’s wisdom.

Adrian stepped back, his gaze softening as he looked at me. “She will stay under my protection from now on.”

The elder nodded. “Very well. Let us move forward with wisdom and unity, not division and strife.”

"And let us decide on what will be done to the lycan rebels that are planning to attack us," one of the elders added.

"It is true, my Alpha. We have pressing matters," my grandfather, who had been silent throughout, spoke out with wisdom.

The tension in the room began to dissipate, the imminent threat of violence receding. Mistress Alice slunk back into the shadows, her plans foiled for the moment.

Still in shock, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Adrian’s touch was reassuring, his presence a protective shield against the hostile world around me.

“Come with me,” he said softly. “You’re safe now.”