The King’s Cursed Omega

The smell of blood lingered in the training yard long after the fight ended. Selene Arden kept her head lowered as she hurried past the crowd of wolves gathered around the sparring grounds, hoping to stay invisible so no one would take notice of her. However, she had never been once favored by hope. “Here she comes.” The mocking voice sliced through the cold evening air. Instantly her stomach tightened. A few warriors standing near the wooden fence turned toward her with cruel amusement gleaming in their eyes. She recognized every expression. Pity. Disgust. Entertainment. None of them viewed her as being a real wolf, all they saw was an ordinary omega. Only the fat girl. Only the mistake. “Well?” one of the men called loudly. “Am I the only one who felt the ground shake when she walked by?” Laughter erupted. Selene gripped the basket of herbs tighter against her chest and kept moving. Don’t react. The first lesson she had come to learn at Moonscar pack was that. Silence survived longer than pride. Another voice joined in. “Careful. If she cries, our village would be flooded.” More laughter. Heat burned behind Selene’s eyes, but she forced herself not to look back. The moment they realize that she was weak, the taunting would only get worse. It always did. Her boots sank into the muddy path as she crossed the center of the village. Around her, pack members bustled through their evening routines beneath glowing lanterns. Warriors sharpened weapons. Children chased each other between cabins. Women prepared food for the upcoming full moon gathering. No one acknowledged or greeted her. Selene adjusted the thick shawl wrapped around her shoulders and moved faster toward the healer’s hut at the edge of the territory. The sooner she finished her errands, the sooner she would be able to disappear back into the tiny room she called home. “Selene.” She froze. Her older sister, Lyra, stood outside the healer’s hut with crossed arms and narrowed silver eyes. Unlike Selene, Lyra embodied everything a she-wolf is supposed to be—tall, beautiful, elegant. She was desired by nearly every unmated male in the pack. Standing beside her, Selene always felt painfully aware of every flaw she carried. “You’re late,” Lyra snapped. “I had to gather winterroot near the river,” Selene murmured softly. “And doing such simple task took you forever.” Selene lowered her gaze. “I apologize.” Lyra rolled her eyes dramatically before yanking the basket from her hands. “Mother’s looking for you.” A knot formed in Selene’s stomach. “Why?” “She didn’t say.” Lyra’s expression shifted into something oddly smug. “But Alpha Roderic called for a pack meeting tonight.” Selene blinked in surprise. Pack meetings were rare unless something important had happened. “What kind of meeting?” Lyra shrugged carelessly. “Maybe another territory dispute. Maybe war.” Then her lips curled cruelly. “Or maybe they finally found what you could he useful for.” Selene flinched. Lyra smirked before turning away. The words followed Selene long after her sister disappeared inside the healer’s hut. A use for you. The sad part was that Selene often wondered the same thing herself. What was the main purpose of an omega like her? She couldn’t fight. Couldn’t inspire desire. Couldn’t command respect. Even her wolf was weaker than most, small and timid beneath her skin. Her existence was tolerated, nothing more. By the time Selene returned home, the sky had darkened into deep shades of blue and silver. The Arden family cabin sat near the outskirts of the village beside the forest line, old and worn compared to the larger homes belonging to higher-ranking wolves. The moment she stepped inside, tension hit her like a wall. Her mother stood near the fireplace wringing her hands anxiously while her father paced the room. Neither of them looked happy. Selene’s heartbeat quickened. “You asked to see me?” she asked carefully. Her father stopped pacing. For a long moment, he simply stared at her. His eyes were filled with disappointment, so much so that her chest ache. “Tonight, you would attend the meeting,” he said flatly. Selene blinked. “I never attend pack meetings.” “This one is different.” Something in his tone made unease slither down her spine. Before she could ask another question, a horn echoed through the village outside. The meeting call. Her mother inhaled sharply. “Come,” her father ordered. Before they got to the centra grounds, the entire pack had already gathered. Torches illuminated the massive clearing while wolves filled the area in tense clusters. Murmurs spread through the crowd like wildfire. At the front stood Alpha Roderic Venn beside several warriors and elders. Selene immediately noticed the atmosphere. Fear. Even the strongest wolves looked uneasy. Alpha Roderic raised one hand, silencing the crowd instantly. “The Shadowfang Kingdom has sent word.” A ripple moved through the gathering. Selene stiffened. Everyone knew of the Shadowfang Kingdom. And everyone feared its ruler. Alpha King Draven Volkov. The cursed king. The monster king. Stories about him traveled across every territory. During his conquests, a while pack had been destroyed. Enemies were ripped apart with bare hands. Women died after sharing his bed. Some claimed he was no longer fully wolf. Others believed the Moon Goddess herself had cursed him. Roderic’s face hardened. “The king demands tribute.” Silence crashed over the crowd. Selene’s stomach dropped. Tribute usually meant resources. Food. Gold. Weapons. But looking at the Alpha’s face, his expression told a different story. “The winter raids have weakened Shadowfang’s alliances,” Roderic continued grimly. “To reinforce loyalty among subordinate packs, King Draven has requested an offering.” No one spoke neither did they breathe. Then Roderic delivered the final blow. “A female.” Horror swept through the clearing. Several women quietly gasped. Selene felt cold all over. Everyone knew what that meant. A death sentence. The king’s curse had claimed every woman brought to him. No one had been able to survive it. Roderic’s jaw tightened. “And most definitely, refusing isn’t an option.” Angry whispers erupted immediately. “We can’t send anyone.” “It’s murder.” “He’ll kill her.” “And if we refuse, he’ll only end up slaughtering all of us,” one elder hissed. Fear spread rapidly through the crowd. Selene wrapped her arms around herself tightly. This had nothing to do with her. It couldn’t. She was nobody. A sudden movement caught her attention. Several pack members were glancing toward her. Then more. And more. Her pulse faltered. No. No. Like slow poison, realization crept slowly into her chest. Alpha Roderic’s gaze landed directly on her. Selene took an involuntary step backward. The clearing became unbearably quiet. Her mother’s breathing turned shallow beside her. “After careful consideration,” Roderic announced, “the pack has chosen Selene Arden.” The world stopped. Selene stared at him blankly, unable to process the words. Around her, relief flooded the crowd so visibly it felt like a knife was being twisted into her chest. Not shock or outrage instead all they felt was relief. Because it didn’t affect them. Her father didn’t say a word in protest. Her mother didn’t cry. Even Lyra avoided looking at her. Selene’s voice barely worked. “W-what?” Roderic’s expression remained cold. “You will leave at dawn for Shadowfang Kingdom.” A roaring sound filled Selene’s ears. “No…” she whispered weakly. But nobody listened. “You should be honored,” one elder muttered. Honored? Her entire body trembled violently. They were making her the sacrificial lamp. They decided to offer her to a monster because to them her life mattered the least. Panic rose rapidly in her throat as the reality crushed down on her. She was going to die. Not because of war. Not because she committed a crime. But because no one wanted her enough to save her. “I can’t—” “You can,” her father snapped suddenly, finally speaking. “And you will.” Selene turned toward him in disbelief. There was no hesitation in his face. No love or even regret. “As an omega, this is the only way you’ll ever be useful to the pack,” he said harshly. Those words completely shattered something inside her. Tears blurred her vision instantly. Around them, wolves began dispersing, they already deemed the matter settled as far as they were concerned. Selene stood frozen while her entire world collapsed. Then Alpha Roderic spoke again. “The king’s men arrive would arrive before sunrise.” Selene’s breath caught. Before sunrise. So soon. She stumbled backward numbly before turning and running. No one stopped her. No one called after her. The cold night air clawed against her skin as she fled toward the forest beyond the village. Branches scraped her arms while tears streamed uncontrollably down her face. She didn’t know how long she ran. Only that her chest hurt so badly she could barely breathe. Finally, Selene collapsed beside the riverbank deep within the woods. The moon reflected across the water like shattered silver. Why? Why her? A broken sob escaped her throat. All her life she had tried so hard to quietly endure the cruelty. She had obeyed. Stayed invisible. Just for others to feel comfortable, she us made herself smaller. And still they chose her. Because deep down, they believed her death would matter least. Selene buried her face in her trembling hands. Far above the trees, clouds drifted across the moonlight. And somewhere beyond those mountains… A monster king waited for his next sacrifice.