Chapter 3

Precious

The train carriage was pelted by a deluge of rain, with unrelenting droplets hammering against the glass windows. I stared out of the window on a frigid, wintry morning, observing the fog-shrouded hills and the cattle enclosed by their fences passing me by. As soon as we boarded the train, I settled into my corner seat in the carriage, holding a steaming cup of tea in my hand and watching the tendrils of steam rise, misting my glasses.

I let out a sigh, realizing that this was an everyday routine for me. Perhaps I should discuss with my father the possibility of undergoing the laser surgery that Asher had mentioned. He had urged me to ditch my glasses, not that I had any issues with them, but he preferred me without them.

As the train slowed down to accommodate more passengers, our luggage, packed tightly with our belongings for the day, rattled. I immediately turned my attention toward the door to see a female alpha, who exuded the strong scent of herbal tea, hurrying in. Two males trailed behind her, emitting the same aroma. It was clear that they were related.

I beamed at the woman, catching a whiff of her herbal scent. However, she recoiled and shook her head, settling herself at the opposite end of her seat. She hastily retrieved a thick novel from her bag and obscured her face behind it.

My expression soured at her reaction. Female alphas, in particular, held a disdainful view of my kind, as male alphas often gravitated toward us. Given a choice, they would choose omegas over alphas, which was why alpha females generally disliked us.

From my peripheral vision, I spotted my mother, who wore a worried smile as though attempting to reassure herself. Meanwhile, my sister, Laura, was furiously texting on her phone. Despite our trip being for her, she displayed no interest in accompanying us. The pack alpha, Joseph, was keen to meet my sister and potentially propose to her if all went well.

My father rubbed his hands together with excitement. “I can hardly believe they agreed to meet with us.”

My mother snorted in response. “Why not? After all, Laura is the most beautiful beta. It’s only natural for the alpha to desire her for himself.”

Laura rolled her eyes, paying little attention to our parents. She wasn’t usually rude, but on this matter, she disagreed with them. My sister had expressed a desire to focus on her studies. At least, that’s what she had told me the night before as we packed our bags.

“Very true,” my father hummed in agreement.

An air of silence descended upon our compartment as we all gazed out of the window. We had an hour to go before we reached the Moonlight Pack’s territory, which was situated far from the main areas, necessitating our travel by train.

Unlike other packs, the Moonlight Pack was not technologically advanced, which my mother had yet to come to terms with. However, they were the wealthiest pack in the region, with the pack’s leader’s father having previously served as a council head.

I was abruptly interrupted by my mother’s sharp voice. “Precious, have you packed enough suppressants? We don’t want any scandal.”

Embarrassment flooded my cheeks as the other passengers stared at me. Why couldn’t she have asked me that in private? The two males sitting nearby snickered in my direction before quickly turning away. I let out a deep breath and nodded in response.

“Speak up, for the moon’s sake!” my mother hissed.

“Sandra, enough,” my father said. “Precious already answered your question.”

But my mother persisted. “I didn’t hear her answer, Frank. She can respond to me, but she won’t.”

My mother added with a snide tone, “She loves to be difficult.”

I tuned out their bickering and gazed out the window, trying to ignore the sympathetic smile that my sister Laura threw my way. If I made eye contact with her, I might break down in tears.

Why did my mother hate me so much? She had been treating me this way for as long as I could remember, taunting and criticizing my every move. Meanwhile, my sister was treated like a fragile doll. Was it all because I was an omega?

***

The two soldiers exchanged a glance before leading us to a black SUV waiting outside the station.

As we drove toward the Moonlight Pack’s packhouse, I tried to steady my racing heart. I didn’t know what to expect, but I knew it wouldn’t be good. My mother and father were excited, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off.

Finally, we arrived at the pack’s mansion, which was more of a castle than a house. As we walked inside, I was amazed by the beauty of the interior. It was like something out of a movie, with elegant decor that was impossible to take in all at once. The walls were adorned with a beautiful blue color and intricate gold threads.

Suddenly, I heard a gravelly voice and turned my head to see Alpha Joseph standing in front of us. My wolf whined, and I had to fight against the urge to drop to my knees at the sight of him. I was overwhelmed by his ethereal and flawless presence, and I couldn’t help but feel a physical reaction to him that I had never experienced with an alpha before. My cheeks flushed as I took in his impressive form.

With long, flowing curls of dark brunette hair cascading down his back, Alpha Joseph stood tall, his muscular arms covered by his shirt. As I took in his subtle scent of vanilla and pine, I couldn’t help but imagine tangling my fingers in his hair, tugging and combing it.

“Welcome to the Moonlight Pack,” Alpha Joseph greeted us with a smile. “I’ve been looking forward to meeting you all, especially my future Luna.”

My father spoke up. “We’re honored to be here, Alpha Joseph. We’re hoping for a great alliance between our packs.”

Alpha Joseph smiled. “Of course. I believe this meeting will lead to a great partnership,” he replied, his eyes scanning over each one of us.

I was standing by my mother’s side, my eyes glued to the handsome alpha before me. Alpha Joseph was wearing a tight black button-down shirt and thick fur around his neck, which was a clear sign of his status as a pack alpha. I hoped that our eyes would meet at least once. But his glance passed over me without any interest, and his look of disdain only made me feel rejected.

As an omega, I despised being the weakest link in the chain. I struggled to keep myself composed, resorting to breathing through my mouth as I moved closer to my father to silently observe.

Alpha Joseph’s unwavering gaze was fixed on my mother, then my sister, and time seemed to come to a halt as he smiled and pointed an accusing finger in my direction.

“She’s an omega!” he bellowed in a threatening tone that left me trembling.

A lump formed in my throat as I stuttered out a response. “Y-Yes.”

I couldn’t understand why my status mattered, and my embarrassment only grew as the guards and my family watched me closely. I longed to disappear into the ground.

Thankfully, my father quickly stepped forward to defend me, his eyes wide as he stood protectively in front of me. “Alpha, let me explain-”

“I was told I would be meeting with a beta today!” Alpha Joseph growled, his eyes narrowing as a vein bulged on his forehead. His jaw clenched tightly, and if looks could kill, I would have been six feet under.

I trembled behind my father as the alpha’s growl echoed in the room, the sound making my ears ring. Omegas like me were particularly sensitive to the alphas’ vocalizations.

My mother cleared her throat, attempting to diffuse the tension. “You’re absolutely right, Alpha. This is our younger daughter, Precious.” She gestured toward my sister, who stepped forward nervously. “Laura is a beta, and she’s the one who will be seeing you today.”

Joseph’s expression softened as he realized his mistake. He took her hand, holding it tightly. “You’re even more beautiful in person,” he said, his eyes gleaming.

My stomach churned as I watched Laura trying to mask her discomfort.

Alpha Joseph motioned for us to follow him. My father took my hand and led me along, but my palms were slick with sweat, and my skin felt hot and uncomfortable.

As we walked, I couldn’t help but notice that my family and Laura seemed unaffected by the sudden heat in the room. Maybe it was just me.

“Please, have a seat,” my mother whispered furiously, her eyes narrowing at me. I nodded dumbly and squeezed in beside Laura on the couch. She gave me a weak smile, and I tried to return it, though I was still feeling the effects of Alpha’s earlier outburst.

I avoided looking at Alpha Joseph, feeling uneasy after his behavior earlier. Why did he dislike omegas? Did something happen to him? Questions raced through my mind as a tray with drinks was thrust in my direction.

Gratefully, I accepted the glass and took a sip, hoping it would help calm my nerves. Suddenly, the tray was knocked over, and glasses shattered against the floor. I winced at the noise.

“I’m sorry, Miss!” the maid started apologizing.

Joseph gritted his teeth, and I felt a wave of shame wash over me. I quickly downed the water, ignoring the broken glass and the maid’s cleanup efforts.

But my body had other plans. Heat radiated through me, and my skin started to burn. I dropped the glass, unable to control my trembling hands. Panic set in as I struggled to breathe, and I collapsed against the couch.

Someone yelled that I was in heat, but I couldn’t focus on anything except the overwhelming sensation coursing through me.