Alpha Adonis

Chapter Two

I hadn't shifted in three years because I believed the moon goddess wronged me by making me omega. It was useless to bond with my wolf.

But I needed to escape past the forest in my wolf form. Shifting felt as painful as the first time. The forest was thick with dark greenery and thorny vines, hiding everything from sight.

There was no hint of life, and the air was cold and bitter. My tiny, brown wolf shivered from the cold as we raced to my aunt's pack.

Aunt Helena was my mom's older sister, the only person I could trust on earth. It was almost impossible to connect to her pack, but luck shone on me when I arrived at the border a little after midnight.

Once past the Valley Pelt pack border, I didn't stop running until I arrived at my aunt's cozy one-story cottage.

I shifted back and raised my unsteady hand to knock on the door while scanning for any signs of trouble. But I remembered that my aunt's husband was a devoted follower of my dad, and announcing my presence here would be shooting myself in the foot.

Tears welled behind my eyelids, and I spent the night at her poultry house. The next morning, when Aunt Helena came to collect eggs, she let out a loud shriek of surprise and fear upon seeing me.

Wide-eyed, she rushed to my side. "Iris, honey. What's going on? What are you doing here?”

I sagged against the wall and brushed off the debris on my face. "Long story. I needed to escape from it all. I didn't knock because your husband could report me to my dad.”

She hesitated before speaking and gently cupped my chin. Then, her face lit up with a slow smile as if inspired.

"I think I've got a brilliant idea!" She exclaimed, got on her feet, and rushed out. Startled, I waited for her. She returned and thrust a flier forward.

“There’s an upcoming beauty contest in the Lycan pack. Their Alpha King seeks a mate. Poor thing lost his wife three years ago. You should join the contest and win a consolation prize. I heard the king is loaded.”

The mere thought of joining a contest made me cackle. “You’re joking, right? I'm not beautiful enough; the Lycan pack are my dad's greatest enemies. What if I get caught?”

“Take part in the contest without revealing your pack identity. It's your chance to break free, Iris.”

She took off again, and I waited endlessly. My eyes were drifting shut when she returned and held up a red dress from a paper bag.

"I got you a dress. It cost me all my necklaces and bracelets. Please don't ruin it.”

I was short of words, and my mind raced with possibilities. Although I was desperate for freedom, I didn't want to get into more trouble.

The dress had a striking red one-shoulder design, and the hem fell just above the ankles. My aunt also handed me a pair of open-toe heels with ankle straps.

She noticed my hesitation and kissed my forehead."It doesn't hurt to try. Bend the truth slightly and keep your Omega identity a secret. Never shift into a wolf, and, in case anyone asks, you're eighteen, not twenty-one, because age is a sensitive issue in our society."

She continued rambling, but I knew this could backfire horribly. I stared at the red dress and sighed.

After I took a quick bath in the garden and devoured a filling plate of Spaghetti Bolognese, Aunt Helena drove me to the train station. I began my journey and arrived at the Lycan pack at noon.

The venue was easy to locate. It had a massive gate flanked by bronze wolf heads. I was so focused on my imperfections that I lacked the confidence to pass through the gates.

Despite security guards stationed throughout the area, they let me in. A long driveway led to an estate with several mansions.

Beautiful girls chatted away with excitement. I felt out of place and proceeded to the registration desk. When the attendant asked for my full name, age, and pack, I lied and broke into a cold sweat. He gave me a tag, and I joined the elegantly dressed contestants chatting.

I felt so alone with no one to talk to. A voice blared from the speakers, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"All contestants and guests are reminded that this contest is not open to Syndicate members. You're advised to leave immediately if there are any among us."

My heart skipped at the mention of my pack. When one of the girls mentioned that the Syndicate Alpha killed the Lycan Alpha's wife, my breath got trapped in my lungs.

What the hell did I get myself into?

I turned to leave but bumped into a girl in a white ball gown embellished with precious stones. Her long, wavy, auburn bangs and nose sprinkled with freckles made her look adorable.

“You okay?”

“Y-yes," I stuttered, and she gave me a killer smile.

"I'm Natalia. What's your name?"

I told her mine, and she surprised me by linking her hand to mine. "So, do you know what the alpha looks like?" She asked, lowering her tone.

My confused look made her burst out laughing.

“Don't blame me. I'm from the Wild Fangs pack, and some members of the Lycan pack have no idea what their alpha looks like. Isn't that strange?”

Without waiting for my response, she pulled me ahead. We passed some girls who were practicing their walking routines on stage.

Did I even stand a chance in this sea of beautiful girls? The Alpha should be offended that a twenty-one-year-old was pretending to be eighteen.

Natalia's eyes were sparkling. "We're going to qualify for the next round. You'll see."

"Maybe you will.”

She stopped smiling and cast me a sidelong glance. "Why are you selling yourself short? You're stunning. If I were into girls, I'd ask you out in a heartbeat."

I broke into a grin, finding humor in her words. Even though Natalia and I bonded, a disturbing voice tugged at the back of my mind and warned me to leave. But having a friend and being back to normalcy for a change felt good.

Lunchtime arrived with plenty of options available. We then touched up our hair and makeup. Live bands provided entertainment while we waited for the main event.

Onstage, I noticed a massive projector and a devastatingly handsome male's picture appeared on it.

“That's alpha Adonis," a girl cried out. Natalia and I, as well as the majority of the other contestants, surrounded it. Several of the girls whispered to one another and squealed with delight.

The alpha was handsome, with jet black hair styled in a side part, warm light tan skin, and mesmerizing green eyes.

"Damn, he looks hot," Natalia half-moaned. She then turned to face me. "We have to do everything possible to win. Either I or you win. Deal?”

I responded with a small smile. When Natalia wasn't watching, I pictured what would happen if I was discovered. What if I got caught?

Alphas were known for ruthlessness, especially when their pack was in danger. Perhaps there was a reason behind my dad's action. He hated the Lycans so much and didn't fail to show it.

Although I wasn't qualified, there was something strangely comforting about the idea of this contest. I was going to keep this a secret and make every effort to win something.

I absentmindedly stared at the projector. The green depths of the alpha's eyes told a story. Natalia distracted me and dragged me off, and we joined the excited girls chatting away.

I decided to put my worries aside for the time being. After all, what's the worst that could happen?

After making some last-minute adjustments, the MC confidently walked onto the stage and smiled. "Good evening, beautiful ladies. I'm Charles, your host for the evening. Let's review the rules before we get started with today's event. Just ten of our gorgeous competitors will advance to the next round."

My happiness was complete when Charles revealed that the consolation prize was gold.

This was a dream come true. I'd leave my family and the Syndicate pack forever to get a fresh start. I was so engrossed in my thoughts that Natalia had to grab my hand before I realized the girls were grouping.

"Let's head to the first line to make sure we get noticed," I suggested, but she disagreed.

"The alpha may ignore the first lines and pay closer attention to the last lines. Trust me on this one.”

She dragged me to the sixth line without giving me a chance to respond. Suddenly, the music stopped, and the MC announced.

"Please be quiet. Our special guests are here. Show the utmost respect, no fangirling, please."

There was a sudden dead silence in the room as a group entered through the doors at the far end. Paving the way were men in black suits and shades. Armed soldiers in uniform trailed behind them.

And there was Alpha Adonis behind the soldiers. He was real, here in the flesh, and even more breathtaking than his photo.