The Omega Who Burned

THE HEIR

Zach pulled the chair closer to the bed and sat down slowly, his eyes never leaving her face.

"Mira. I know how much I have wronged you. I know how offended you have every right to be. For everything, I am ready to fix it. I am your grandfather. Zach."

She studied him for a long moment before she spoke. "Grandpa." The word felt strange in her mouth; she was wiping. People hurt me, maltreat me, beat me, molest me, saying I am nothing. I suffer a lot from those wolves' hands.

" Do not worry," his voice was steady, quiet, certain. "Everything is fine now. I will use everything in my power to make sure you understand who you are and what you carry. That is exactly what I am working toward right now. Do not worry. I mean that."

"Stop crying; I understand you better. Everything will be settled soon."

"Alright, Grandpa, she nodded.

"You have to start today, Zach said. "No matter what. Your power needs to awaken and match what it is meant to be fully. We have already lost twenty years. I do not intend to wait any longer than we already have."

"Okay." Mira sat up instantly. Let's begin, she said.

When Zach led her down the corridor of the castle, every servant they passed stopped to look at her, uncertain, curious, some bowing their heads slightly, others simply staring as though trying to place who she was.

Zack stopped in the great hall and raised his voice, so it carried through the entire space.

"This is my granddaughter. I expect every person in this castle to acknowledge her properly. No one speaks to her without respect. She is to be given the full honour that her bloodline deserves." he looked around at the gathered servants and guards, his voice hardening with finality. "Inform every council member. My granddaughter is here, and she is to be crowned heir to the throne."

He turned to the man standing quietly near the doorway.

"Damon."

"Yes, my load."

"Send word to the witches, the wizards, every supernatural power across our reach. Announce that my granddaughter has returned. Do it now."

"It will be done, my Lord."

Mira watched the exchange with her arms folded tightly across her chest, trying to keep her expression steady even as everything inside her spun.

"Grandpa." Her voice was quieter now. "Who am I?"

"Do not worry, my daughter. You will know exactly who you are, starting right now." He stepped closer.

"You are the full heir of my line. You are heir to the throne. No one can take that from you; no one can dethrone you. Your power alone makes that impossible."

He paused.

"Now listen carefully. Some people want you dead, the same way they wanted your mother dead. I do not yet know everything they are planning, but I need you to understand the danger clearly. We start with the spells. You will learn them. Memorise them, and make them part of you." He gestured toward Damon, who stepped forward.

"This is Damon. He will guide you through everything alongside me."

Mira looked between the two men. The grandfather she had never known existed until this morning, and the man who had rescued her also.

"Thank you, she said. "I really appreciated everything you have done for me." She turned to Damon. "Thank you."

Damon inclined his head. "There is nothing to thank me for yet. Wait until you see what is ahead of you first."

# # #

Mira's arrival did not stay within the castle walls for long.

In Lucian's chamber, Freya paced with her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"How did she even get to the castle?" Her voice was sharp with disbelief.

"How did she locate it?"

"Who took her there?"

"That is what I do not know," Lucian said.

"My gosh." Viv pressed her palm against the table. "How are we supposed to kill her now?"

"

"It is worse than that." Lucian's jaw was tight. "Word is already spreading through the castle. Every witch, wizard, every supernatural power across the world is being summoned. She is going to be crowned heir to the throne."

"Heir?. Freya stared at him. "The throne?"

"Her power is already unimaginable," Lucian said. "If she takes the throne, she becomes untouchable. We lose every chance we have.

Silence fell over the room.

"Calm down." Lucian's voice dropped, steady and deliberate. "We move on the palace and follow procedure; we need someone inside first. Someone who can give us her movement, her routine, everything."

"Who would you even use?" Freya asked. "Who has access close enough to her?"

"Lucian was quiet for a moment, considering. "I know someone. The guardianship she has toward this person is exactly what makes the plan easier."

"You are certain?" Viv leaned forward.

"There is someone who entered the castle today, "Lucian said. "Someone with every reason to resent her."

"Who?"

"Her grandfather's mistress. Serefein."

Freya blinked. "She has a stepmother?"

"Not by blood. Zach's mistress. A woman who had waited years, only to watch a granddaughter appear out of nowhere and claim everything she believed would eventually be hers." Lucian's voice was flat and certain.

"Serafein will not let Mira anywhere near that throne, not after everything she has invested close to Zach."

"That is true," Freya admitted slowly.

"Alright." Viv nodded. "No problem. We leave that to you, Lucian."

"No problem," he agreed. "I will make sure it gets done."

# # #

Alpha Caden was reviewing border reports when Robert entered, holding a sealed letter that bore a crest he had never seen before.

Alpha. We received this from Aethon Castle."

Caden Looked up. "Aethon."

"Yes." Robert's expression was unreadable. "It is an invitation. To the throne-taking ceremony."

Caden set down his paper slowly. "Whose throne?"

Robert hesitated for a fraction of a second too long. "The name on the letter is Mira." The Omega who left this pack."

The room went very still.

"Are you certain?" Caden's voice was quiet, too quiet.

"It is right here, Alpha." Robert held the letter out. "Confirmed by the seal of the castle itself."

"Yes. Formally. As Alpha of the Hollow Shell Pack, you have been requested to attend the ceremony when she takes the throne."

Caden stared at the letter in his hands for a long moment. Then he straightened.

"Prepare for the journey," he said.

"Inform my mother and send word to two of our strongest wolves they travel with us." He looked up to Robert. "We are going to attend the ceremony."

It is done, Alpha."

Robert left the room and made his way down the corridor to begin the preparations, his mind already working through what this meant and what it would mean for the plans Lucian had set in motion.

Caden believed he was travelling to witness his mate take her place on a throne, while Robert intended to make sure that was not that heppened there.