Claimed by the enemies

Chapter 1: The Gift The iron shackles around my wrists weigh exactly twelve pounds. I know because I've carried them for three days straight, and I've had nothing else to think about except the weight of my chains and the fact that I'm about to be handed over to three Alpha princes like a piece of livestock. My name is Lyra Dane, though that name will die today. The Ironfang Pack doesn't care about the names of their gifts. They care about what we can provide them—submission, pleasure, heirs if we're lucky enough to survive that long. What they don't know is that Lyra Dane was never my real name anyway. My real name died with my family fifteen years ago when the Ironfang Pack slaughtered every member of the Moonspire bloodline. Every member except one small girl who they thought burned alive in the palace ruins. That girl learned to hide her scent, mask her true nature, and blend in among the lowest castes of society. That girl spent fifteen years preparing for this moment. That girl is me, and today I walk willingly into the den of my enemies. The carriage jolts over another pothole, and I bite down hard on my tongue to keep from crying out. The taste of blood fills my mouth—metallic and sharp. Good. I need to remember what pain feels like. I need to remember what blood costs. "Sit up straight," Commander Thorne barks from across the carriage. "You represent our pack now. Try not to embarrass us more than you already have by existing." I straighten my spine and meet his gaze directly. This is a mistake. Omegas don't make eye contact with Alphas. His hand moves faster than I can track, backhanding me across the face hard enough to split my lip. "Eyes down, Omega." I lower my gaze and let blood drip onto my chained hands. Another lesson learned. Another reminder of my place in this world. But inside my head, I'm memorizing his face, his scent, the sound of his voice. Commander Thorne just earned himself a spot on my list, right below the three princes who are waiting for me. The Ironfang palace rises from the mountainside like a massive stone beast, all sharp angles and threatening towers. Even from miles away, I can feel the power radiating from within its walls. Three Alphas in their prime, ruling over the most feared pack in the northern territories. Prince Damon, the eldest—known for his strategic mind and ruthless political maneuvering. Prince Kai, the middle brother—a warrior whose reputation on the battlefield is matched only by his appetites in the bedroom. And Prince Zane, the youngest—rumored to have gifts that go beyond normal Alpha abilities. The same three princes who were barely more than children when they helped their father orchestrate the m******e of my entire family. "Remember your training," Commander Thorne says as we approach the main gates. "You were bred for this. Bred to serve. The princes have very specific expectations for their pets, and failure to meet those expectations results in punishment. Or death. Are we clear?" "Yes, Commander." But I wasn't bred for this. I was born for something else entirely. I was born to rule, raised to lead, trained to fight. The Moonspire bloodline carried gifts that made other Alphas nervous—gifts that let us command loyalty from any wolf, regardless of rank. Gifts that let us see through lies and manipulation. Gifts that the Ironfang Pack tried to eliminate completely. They failed. The carriage stops in a courtyard filled with armed guards. I count forty-seven men, all Alphas or strong Betas, all armed with silver weapons. They're not just here for show—they're here because the princes have enemies, and those enemies would pay handsomely to infiltrate the palace. If only they knew they just delivered one right to the front door. Commander Thorne hauls me out of the carriage by my arm, making sure the shackles bite into my wrists. Blood wells up around the iron bands, and I let it flow. Let everyone see what they think is weakness. Let them underestimate the bleeding Omega girl in chains. "The gift from the Greystone Pack," Commander Thorne announces to a tall Beta wearing royal livery. "As agreed in the treaty." The Beta looks me over like I'm a horse he's considering purchasing. "She's smaller than expected. The princes prefer their companions to have more... substance." Heat flashes through my chest, and for just a moment, the scent of pine and winter storm fills the air around me. Both men freeze, their nostrils flaring as they catch something that shouldn't be there. I force my breathing to slow, push down the power that wants to surge through my veins, and the strange scent fades back to nothing but common Omega sweetness. "She's young," Commander Thorne says, but I can hear uncertainty in his voice now. "She'll develop more once she's properly fed and cared for." The Beta nods, but keeps studying my face. "The princes are in session with the war council. She'll be prepared and presented this evening. Take her to the Omega quarters." I keep my head down as guards surround me, but I'm memorizing everything—the layout of the courtyard, the number of exits, the routine of the patrols. The Omega quarters are in the east wing, three floors below the royal chambers. Close enough to be summoned quickly, far enough away to be forgotten easily. The chambers they assign me are better than anything I've lived in for fifteen years. A real bed with clean linens, a washbasin with hot water, even a small window that looks out over the training yards. It would be luxurious if it wasn't a cage. A older Omega woman enters without knocking. She's perhaps forty, her brown hair streaked with grey, and she moves with the careful efficiency of someone who's learned to survive in dangerous places. "I'm Mira," she says, setting down a tray of food and clean clothes. "I manage the other Omegas. I'm here to prepare you for tonight." "What happens tonight?" She gives me a look that's equal parts pity and wariness. "You meet the princes. They'll decide which one of them gets you first, or if they want to share." She pauses, studying my face. "How old are you, girl?" "Nineteen." "And you've never been claimed?" I shake my head. It's not entirely a lie. No Alpha has ever claimed me, though not for the reasons she's assuming. "Then tonight will be... difficult. The princes are not gentle with new Omegas. My advice is to submit completely and try to please them. The ones who fight back don't last long." She helps me out of my travel clothes and into the bath. The hot water stings my wounds, but I don't flinch. Pain is just information, and right now it's telling me that I'm exactly where I need to be. "You have unusual scars," Mira observes, tracing a thin line across my shoulder blade. "Training accident when I was young." It wasn't a training accident. It was from the night my family died, when a piece of burning timber fell on me as I crawled through the secret passages beneath the palace. But Mira doesn't need to know that. She dresses me in silk the color of fresh blood—fitting, considering what I plan to do while wearing it. The dress is designed to be removed easily, with ties instead of buttons and a neckline that reveals the claiming bite spot at the base of my throat. "Remember," Mira says as she arranges my hair, "your job is to survive. Whatever they ask, whatever they want, just survive. Nothing else matters." But she's wrong. Survival isn't enough. Not anymore. As evening approaches, my hands steady and my heartbeat slows. I've been preparing for this moment my entire life. Tonight, I'll meet the three princes who destroyed my family and stole my birthright. Tonight, I'll begin the process of taking it all back. I catch my reflection in the small mirror, and for just a moment, I let my true nature show in my eyes. Not the frightened Omega they're expecting, but the last daughter of the Moonspire line. A princess in exile, finally coming home to claim her crown. The princes think they're getting a gift. They have no idea they're about to meet their reckoning. Guards arrive at my door as the sun sets, their faces impassive as they escort me through corridors lined with tapestries depicting Ironfang victories. Many of these victories were won with Moonspire blood, and I study each one carefully, memorizing the faces of my family's killers. We stop outside massive oak doors carved with the Ironfang crest—three wolves' heads surrounding a crown. How appropriate. Soon that crown will sit on my head where it belongs. The guards push open the doors, and I step forward into my destiny. The throne room is vast, lit by hundreds of candles that cast dancing shadows on the stone walls. And there, sitting on their father's throne like it belongs to them, are the three princes of the Ironfang Pack. Prince Damon rises first, and even I have to admit he's impressive. Tall and broad-shouldered, with dark hair and intelligent grey eyes that miss nothing. He's wearing black leather that emphasizes every line of muscle, and power radiates from him like heat from a forge. Prince Kai lounges in a chair to the right of the throne, but there's nothing relaxed about the way he watches me approach. He's slightly shorter than Damon but broader, built like a warrior, with sandy hair and green eyes that promise violence and pleasure in equal measure. Prince Zane stands apart from his brothers, leaning against one of the stone pillars. He's the youngest but somehow the most dangerous-looking, with black hair and blue eyes so pale they're almost silver. There's something else about him, something that makes my skin crawl with recognition. Power calls to power, and whatever gifts he possesses are strong enough to make my own abilities stir in response. "So," Prince Damon says, his voice carrying easily through the enormous room, "you're our gift from the Greystone Pack." I curtsy as deeply as the shackles allow. "Yes, Your Highness." "Look at me." I raise my eyes to meet his, and this time I'm ready for the impact. Damon is studying me like I'm a puzzle he needs to solve, and I let him see exactly what he expects—a frightened young Omega trying to be brave. "What's your name?" he asks. "Lyra, Your Highness." "Just Lyra?" "I have no family name, Your Highness. I'm common-born." Prince Kai laughs, but there's no humor in the sound. "Common-born and common-looking. Are we certain this is meant to be a gift and not an insult?" Anger flashes through me, but I keep it hidden. Let them think I'm weak and plain. Let them underestimate me completely. Prince Zane speaks for the first time, his voice softer than his brothers' but somehow more threatening. "There's something different about her." My blood turns to ice. If he can sense my true nature, everything ends here. "Different how?" Damon asks. Zane pushes away from the pillar and walks toward me, each step deliberate and predatory. He stops just close enough that I can feel the heat from his body, and I have to force myself not to step back. "Her scent is... unusual. Sweet, yes, but there's something underneath. Something stronger." He reaches out and lifts my chin with one finger, forcing me to meet those unnerving pale eyes. For a moment, I think he's going to see right through me, expose everything, end my mission before it can begin. Instead, he smiles, and it's the most terrifying expression I've ever seen. "I think she's going to be very interesting." The three princes exchange looks, and I realize they're communicating silently in that way only packmates can. My fate is being decided in glances and micro-expressions, and there's nothing I can do but wait. Finally, Damon nods. "The Greystone Pack has honored their agreement. Remove her chains." A guard steps forward with keys, and the iron shackles fall away from my wrists. The relief is immediate, but I don't let it show. Instead, I rub my wrists and bow my head in apparent gratitude. "Thank you, Your Highness." "Don't thank us yet," Prince Kai says, rising from his chair. "You haven't heard the terms of your stay." Terms. As if I have any choice in what happens to me. "You belong to us now," Damon continues. "All three of us. You'll serve whoever requires your attention, whenever they require it. You'll obey without question or hesitation. In return, you'll be fed, clothed, and protected as long as you please us." "And if I don't please you?" The question slips out before I can stop it. All three princes go very still, and I realize I've just made another mistake. Omegas don't ask questions. They accept their fate and try to make the best of it. Prince Zane laughs, and the sound makes my skin crawl. "Then you'll discover exactly how creative we can be with punishment." I bow my head. "I understand, Your Highness." "Do you?" Damon moves closer, circling me slowly. "Because your body language suggests you're not nearly as submissive as you're pretending to be." My heart hammers against my ribs, but I keep my voice steady. "I've never served Alphas of your rank before. I'm nervous." "Nervous," Kai repeats. "That's one word for it." They're suspicious. I can see it in their faces, smell it in their scents. But they don't know what to be suspicious of, which gives me an advantage. "Perhaps we should test her submission," Zane suggests. "Make sure she understands her place." "An excellent idea." Damon stops in front of me. "Kneel." This is it. The moment where I either commit fully to this charade or abandon everything I've worked toward. I think about my parents, my siblings, everyone who died because of these men. I think about the crown that should be on my head and the throne that should be mine. Then I kneel. The stone floor is cold and hard against my knees, but I keep my head up, my spine straight. I may be kneeling, but I haven't surrendered. Not really. "Better," Damon murmurs. "But I think she needs a more... personal demonstration of her new status." Prince Kai moves to stand behind me while Zane positions himself to my left. I'm surrounded by three of the most dangerous Alphas in the known world, and they haven't even begun to show me what they're capable of. "Tell us, Lyra," Damon says, "have you ever been claimed by an Alpha?" "No, Your Highness." "Have you ever been touched by one?" Heat rises in my cheeks, but I force myself to answer. "No, Your Highness." "How refreshing. A virgin Omega. Those are becoming increasingly rare." Kai's hand lands on my shoulder, his grip firm enough to be possessive without being painful. "She's trembling." I am, but not from fear. Power is building in my chest, responding to their proximity and dominance. I have to clamp down on it hard to keep from doing something that would expose me completely. "Fear can be... educational," Zane says. "But we have time to explore that later. Tonight is just an introduction." Damon crouches down so we're eye level. "Look at me, Lyra." I meet his gaze, and this time I let him see a flash of something deeper. Not my true identity, but just enough spirit to intrigue him. Just enough fire to make him want to possess me completely. His pupils dilate, and his scent grows stronger. "Interesting. There's definitely more to you than meets the eye." "Isn't there always?" I whisper. It's a dangerous game I'm playing, but these princes respond to challenge. Show them pure submission and they'll grow bored quickly. Show them a spirit that needs breaking, and they'll become obsessed. "Indeed." Damon stands and exchanges another look with his brothers. "I think we're going to enjoy having you here, Lyra." "I live to serve, Your Highness." The lies fall easily from my lips, smooth as silk and twice as deadly. Let them think I'm just another broken Omega grateful for their attention. Let them think they hold all the power. Soon enough, they'll learn the truth. Soon enough, they'll learn that sometimes the prey has teeth.