I remained on my knees, holding back tears as Darly circled me. Each step he took seemed to break something inside me. Then he suddenly stopped.
"Look at me," he instructed. This was the first time he had asked me to meet his gaze. He usually preferred that I look down. That is what we weaklings do, so I hesitated.
"I… I am sorry, Alpha." I quickly looked up at him and our eyes met. My heart seemed to forget to pump for a split second. I immediately looked away. I could not look him in the eyes and feel nothing.
"Very well. I have a proposal for you." He said, and I nodded. "I would like you to be my sex partner."
"What? I mean… Alpha–"
"It is the best choice for you now."
"You are married. Luna Freya–"
"That is not your concern. Luna Freya is well aware that you are my true mate. This is a lifetime opportunity I am giving you. Who knows? You might even start to be treated better if you please me." He looked around in disgust. "I might even get you out of this dump."
'I think we should take it,' Rhea whispered. 'If we reach twenty-two with no one to claim us, we are doomed.'
"I am sorry, Alpha Darly, but I am not interested in that."
"Are you sure?" I do not know why he insisted, but I was sure. So I nodded. "Oh, I see," he laughed. "Is it because of the incident earlier?" He questioned, and I only looked up at him with no reply.
"I am sorry, Alpha. Did I say something funny?" I asked, though he was now laughing, hysterically.
"Oh, she asks if she said something funny?" He chuckled to himself before turning to face me. "Listen. The King has no absolute interest in you. He is already married to three. What makes you think you could compete with that?"
"He is my mate," I whispered. Not me, Rhea.
"Wait, what?" He laughed again, and this time I understood. "Hold on. You think a weakling like you could have a chance with the Alpha King?" I did not respond. I inwardly cursed Rhea, or perhaps myself. "If I, Darly, who am not yet Alpha, rejected you, what do you think the King will do?"
The question struck me hard. He was the King and already had three queens. Looking at the first queen earlier, how she was dressed and how beautiful she was, I had no chance.
"Listen. I am giving you until tomorrow morning. I am doing this out of my own kindness."
"What is that supposed to mean?" I immediately regretted my tone. I covered my mouth. I should not have spoken like that without adding Alpha. "My apologies." I bowed my head slightly, seeing he noticed.
He did not respond. Instead, an evil smirk appeared, something new. He stepped closer, just a fraction, and his fingers brushed my shoulders. A spark ignited. It wasn't new but this time it was deliberate.
"See. If you accept my offer, I will even allow you to call me by my name when we are alone. Trust me, this is for your benefit." His voice held a manipulative edge.
'He can save us,' I whispered to Rhea, remembering how Darly had saved us once.
'Our mate will not kill us.'
'He has three wives, Rhea. All beautiful. Do you really think we, with our pale skin and cursed white hair, have a chance?' I scoffed.
'I believe so.'
'Agh, you are unbelievable'
'I just–'
"Enough!" Alpha Darly interrupted, silencing Rhea. "I will give you tonight to consider. Mind you, I have many options. Consider well." And just like that, without waiting for my answer, he walked to the door.
I did not turn. I felt his presence still in the room, lingering like a shadow. After a long moment, he was gone. I let out a breath I did not realize I had been holding.
"Oh, Goddess." I rose to my feet and almost went to the bed when the door slid open. One of the servants I worked with entered, carrying a tray of food.
"I do not know what happened, but Luna asked us to bring this to you," she said. Then the door opened again, and another entered with a glass of water and what I recognized as medicine.
"T-thank you," I whispered as they set everything down on the damp table.
"Yeah, whatever. Get well already because I am not doing your duties tomorrow," the first servant said. The other added that if I had cast a spell on Luna, I should undo it.
"I suppose we should leave the sick alone," the second said sarcastically. With a last glance, they both left, slamming the door behind them.
I did not care for the food. I had eaten earlier at the palace. I only needed the medicine. Rhea was weak, and fainting earlier had not come from hunger alone but stress. Even with my denial of Darly's marriage, the pain was undeniable.
After taking the pill, I went to the small cupboard where I kept my clothes. I only had one drawer; my roommate had claimed the rest. I took what I needed and headed to the bathroom. This place was a dump, but I appreciated the privacy. Each room had its own bathroom.
Once finished, I put on old shorts, the ones regular Omegas donated, and went to bed without speaking to Rhea. I did not wish to think of Darly's offer or imagine hope in the King.
I don't know when I fell asleep. Then, the same voice, annoying and insistent, chanted 'mate' in my mind. I had no choice but to sit up. I nearly jumped when I saw a figure seated on my side bed.
My heart left my body as the figure stood. Even in the dim light, I could see clearly with Rhea's help – Yep, another advantage of us werewolves. It was the Alpha King.
'Mate,' Rhea whispered, oblivious to my fear. I froze, staring at the man before me. Even standing on the bed, he was taller than I was.
"Thalia," he said my name. My heart skipped a beat. Oh, Goddess, had he come to end me in the night, where no one could see? He was the King. He could do anything in broad daylight, considering I was a curse.
"Sit." His voice was calm, though I sensed the effort it took him to sound that way. I wondered what this was about.
I settled back, my chest moving up and down uncontrollably. You know how they say when we are about to die, we just know. And right now, I felt like this was my time.