THE OMEGA'S REVENGE

Pain was the first thing Aria felt every morning.It waited for her, patient and certain, like a cold wind that never stopped blowing. Not the kind from bruises or cuts—those healed eventually, at least for others. This pain sat deeper, buried in her chest, heavy and silent. It came from knowing she didn’t matter. Not to her pack. Not to anyone. Maybe not even to the Moon Goddess. Her bed was nothing more than a thin mat on hard stone. The den smelled faintly of mold and damp earth, a sourness that clung to the air. Her blanket—full of holes—barely kept the night chill away. She lay there for a moment, staring at the cracked ceiling, willing herself to move. When she finally sat up, her back ached. A sharp pull came from the spot where someone had kicked her last night—probably Joren. He always aimed for her ribs. She pressed her hand to her side and hissed when pain shot through her. Still swollen. Still slow to heal. Slow healing was another thing they mocked her for. Omegas were supposed to recover quickly, but she didn’t. Her body always took too long. Another reason for them to call her broken. She pulled on her clothes—faded pants and a long tunic that used to be white but had long since dulled to a lifeless gray. The fabric was thin, soft from years of wear, and she had stitched it so many times the tunic was more thread than cloth. The pack didn’t waste new clothes on an omega. And certainly not on her—the weakest of the weak. The wolfless one. The shame of Moonlight Pack. When she stepped outside, the sky was still the deep blue of early dawn. The air was bitter and sharp, biting through her clothes. Her breath came out in pale clouds as she walked to the training yard. Her job this morning was the same as every morning: carry raw meat to the warriors before training. Not eat it. Do not cook it. Just carry it. She balanced the heavy tray in her hands, the cold blood from the meat seeping through the bottom and dampening her palms. She moved slowly and carefully. She couldn’t afford to spill it. She didn’t make it far. “Move, runt.” A hard shoulder slammed into hers. The tray flew from her hands. Meat tumbled across the stones, blood splashing over her shoes. The sound of laughter followed—sharp, bright, and cruel. Her heart sank to the pit of her stomach. Liana stood there, smiling like she’d just won a prize. Her honey-blonde braid swung over her shoulder like a golden whip. Gamma’s daughter. Beautiful. Powerful. Cruel. “Oops,” she said in a voice that dripped with false sweetness. “Guess the omega forgot how to walk again.” That word—omega—always landed like a slap. In this pack, it meant weak. Useless. Disposable. But for Aria, it meant worse. She still hadn’t shifted. Most wolves found their wolf at sixteen. She was seventeen now. Still nothing. Still silent. And that made her something less than even an omega. It made her nothing. “I said pick it up,” Liana barked, louder this time. A few warriors chuckled. One even clapped like it was entertainment. Aria didn’t argue. She didn’t even lift her head. She knelt, fingers trembling as she began picking up the bloody meat. Gravel stuck to it now, scraping her skin. Her fingertips stung where sharp edges bit into them, but she kept her face blank. She never cried in front of them. Pain only made them hit harder. Above the yard, a wide stone balcony stretched across the front of the main hall. It was where the leaders stood to watch the training. Standing there now was Alpha Kael. His arms were crossed over his chest. His dark coat shifted with the wind. His eyes—black, cold, unblinking—followed her every movement. He didn’t speak. Didn’t blink. Just stared. Kael wasn’t just her Alpha. He was her mate. Or… he was supposed to be. She had felt it the moment she turned sixteen. Her chest had burned with heat. Her soul had whispered his name. The mate bond had wrapped itself around her heart like an unbreakable chain. But Kael? He had looked at her once that day, then turned away. He had never claimed her. Never spoken of the bond. Never touched her. He acted like it didn’t exist. Like she didn’t exist. “Stand.” Kael’s voice cut through the yard like a blade. Everything went still. Even the wind seemed to pause. Aria rose slowly, her knees stiff. Her gaze stayed on the ground. “You represent our weakest link,” Kael said, his tone flat as stone. “Why the Moon Goddess cursed us with your existence… I’ll never understand.” The words hit harder than a physical blow. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Even Liana’s smirk faltered for a moment. Kael was known for being harsh, but this—this was cruelty sharpened to a fine point. Aria’s voice was barely a whisper. “I… apologize, Alpha.” Liana’s smirk returned. “Maybe we should put her down like a lame pup.” Kael didn’t move. His eyes stayed on Aria, unreadable. “Clean it up. And if you drop it again, don’t bother eating tonight.” Then he turned and walked away. The sound of boots on stone filled the silence as the warriors began to move again. Some glanced down at her with sneers. Others simply ignored her. Aria bent to gather the meat again, slower this time. Her hands shook. Her fingers bled from small cuts where gravel had bitten into her skin. The raw meat was cold and slick, and the metallic smell of blood clung to her. Her healing was too slow. Her wolf was still silent. The last piece was heavy with blood and dirt. She reached for it when a shadow fell over her. Beta Joren. He towered over her, his arms crossed, jaw tight. His eyes were hard with contempt. “Next time,” he said, voice low, “I’ll make you lick it off the floor.” Then, with one swift kick, he sent the tray flying again. Meat scattered across the stones, blood splattering across her cheek. Laughter erupted from somewhere behind her. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t scream. Didn’t beg. She just knelt there, fists curling tight in her lap. Her eyes dropped to the scattered meat, the dirt, her bleeding hands. And something deep inside her shifted. Not her wolf. Not yet. Something older. Harder. A promise. A fire. A whisper in her heart: One day… You will all kneel to me.