I had been lying in the middle of my bed, staring at the dirty ceiling of my room, my mind replaying the morning's training over and over again. The ache in my bones was a dull reminder of every swing, every correction, every moment Ryker had been close enough that I could feel his breath on my skin. Even until now, I could not understand—
A knock sounded on the door, breaking me out of my thoughts as causing me to sit up.
"Come in," I called softly.
The door creaked open and one of the maids stepped inside, bowing her head. "My lady, Alpha Ryker's orders are that you join the pack for dinner tonight in the Great Hall."
For a moment, I just stared at her. Dinner? With the whole pack? My stomach twisted in a nervous knot. "Is that… is that necessary?"
"It is, my lady. Everyone is expected to attend."
Her tone was polite but final, leaving no room for argument. I nodded slowly. "All right. Give me a moment."
She helped me dress up, and my hair that was still damp from the earlier bath, was braided loosely over one shoulder. When I finally looked in the cracked mirror at the dark end of the room, I hardly recognized myself. The girl staring back wasn't the same omega who'd dressed up and went to her pack's ball, hoping to find her mate. The one staring back at me was the one who's experienced rejection from her mate. The one who ran out of her pack, thinking her life was over. The one who was trying to pick up the pieces and glue everything back.
The pain of rejection was still fresh in my heart. I don't think I'll ever properly heal or recover from it but I refuse to dwell on it. That's what Kael would want.
With a deep sigh, I turned away from the mirror and give the maid a tight smile.
"Shall we?"
"Of course," she ducked her head as she led me out of the room and down the long passage. We took more than five turns, and I committed them to memory, before that was lit up with lanterns until we came out in an open field.
Everybody that we met on the way stopped to look at me but immediately turned away when our eyes met.
We crossed the field into another castle. The sound of laughter and conversation grew louder with every step, echoing off the cold stone walls. My heart pounded harder. By the time we reached the towering doors of the Great Hall, my palms were slick with sweat.
The maid paused, gave a quick bow, and whispered, "This way, my lady," before the two guards standing in the front hall pushed the gigantic doors open.
The moment I stepped inside, the noise died.
Hundreds of eyes turned to me at once. The clatter of dishes halted mid-motion. Even the fire seemed to crackle more quietly.
I froze in the doorway. The Great Hall was vast. Its ceilings arched high above, banners of deep crimson and black fluttering from the beams. Long tables filled the space, crowded with warriors, maids, and elders. At the far end, elevated slightly on a stone dais, sat the high table where the ranking members of Ryker's inner circle dined.
Ryker wasn't there.
My heart sank before I could stop it. I had expected, or maybe hoped, to find him waiting, the one familiar face in a sea of strangers. Instead, the golden chore which I knew must be his was empty, and sitting two seats to its right was Kayla.
Even from across the room, her presence was sharp, commanding. She wore black leather armor instead of a dress, her long braid glinting like a whip of fire in the torchlight. Several warriors sat beside her, laughing at something she said until they noticed me. Then they fell silent too.
I swallowed hard and forced my feet to move.
Thankfully, a maid rushed over and guided me toward an empty seat at the far end of the last table, as far away from the high table as one could possibly sit. I didn't protest. The fewer eyes on me, the better.
The hum of conversation eventually returned, though I could still feel the weight of glances thrown my way. Whispers trailed behind me like shadows.
"She's the Omega Alpha Ryker brought in."
"He's training her? Personally?"
"Why her?"
The words were soft, but I could hear them loudly. I dropped into my seat, keeping my head down.
A servant appeared almost immediately with a plate of roasted meat and vegetables. "For you, my lady," he said, bowing slightly before retreating.
My stomach growled loudly, I flushed with embarrassment. The food looked delicious but before I could lift my spoon, I felt a movement across the table caught my eye.
It was Kayla. She was walking toward me, her nose in the air and her eyes sharp with a haughty expression. Every instinct screamed at me to look away, but I couldn't. She moved like a predator, each step slow and deliberate, the heels of her boots echoing off the stone floor. Conversation stuttered and died again as people noticed where she was heading.
By the time she stopped at my table, the hall had gone silent once more. Without asking permission, she sat down directly across from me.
"Selene," she said, "How lovely to see you outside your little chamber."
I straightened my spine, setting down my spoon. "Kayla," I said quietly. "Good evening."
Her lips curved, but there was no warmth in the gesture. "I heard you started training with the Alpha today. How was it?"
I knew Kayla was not here to ask how my training was. She had an ulterior motive. I could feel the dozens of eyes watching us and waiting or even hoping for a spectacle.
"It was good," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Challenging, but good."
Kayla leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table. "Good," she repeated, her tone mocking. "That's… impressive. Though I can't imagine what purpose it serves."
I frowned slightly, my hackles rising, "What do you mean?"
Her smile turned cold. "You're an omega, Selene. Training is for warriors. For those who fight and lead. Not for servants or…" she tilted her head, "Charity cases."
A few people snickered softly. My hands tightened in my lap as shame flooded through me. You'll think that I would be used to hearing people mock me for being an omega by now but it still hurts everything. It was like robbing salt over an open wound.
I forced myself to stay calm because I knew Kayla wanted a reaction. She wanted me to snap and so that she could use that to turn rubbish against me. This was my fresh start. I won't destroy it because of an insult I've been receiving my whole life.
"Alpha Ryker believes in me," I said evenly. "He's taking his time to train me, and I intend to work hard to become strong."
For a heartbeat, her expression faltered, just barely. Then she laughed, a sharp, mirthless sound. "Strong?" She leaned back, voice rising just enough for others to hear. "The only thing an omega is strong at is cleaning floors and serving wine. You don't belong on a battlefield, little one. You'd slow us down and get people killed."
Around us, heads began to nod. Murmurs spread, quiet but unmistakable. I could feel the heat rising in my face, the sting of humiliation pressing at the back of my eyes. Maybe they were right. Maybe I didn't belong here and I'd get someone killed and slow them down. I knew she was right but it didn't make it hurt any less.
I opened my mouth, desperate to find something—anything—to say, but no words came. My throat had gone dry.
Kayla watched me for a long moment, satisfaction gleaming in her eyes. Then she stood, her armor catching the light. "Enjoy your meal, Selene. You'll need strength if you plan to keep pretending you're one of us."
Laughter rippled through the hall as she turned and walked away and I wished the ground would give way under me .
I sat frozen as the whispers continued, sharper now, and I felt every one like a needle against my skin. The food suddenly did not look or smell delicious anymore.
With shaky hands, I pushed the plate away, picked up my cup, and drained the water in a single gulp just to steady myself. My heart thudded painfully in my chest.
Don't cry. Not here. Not in front of them.
With trembling hands, I stood and bowed my head slightly toward the table. "Excuse me."
No one stopped me as I turned and hurried from the hall. The laughter and voices faded behind me, replaced by the echo of my footsteps and the pounding of my own heartbeat. When I finally reached the quiet of my chamber, I shut the door and leaned against it, breathing hard. And only then did the tears fall.