Krysta's POV
I was working frantically in the pack kitchens, arranging platters for tonight's gathering, when his scent hit me like a physical blow. I had specifically requested kitchen duty so I could watch the entrance for Miller or Nathan's arrival. After days of planning, I finally knew exactly how I would end their lives. Poison could be traced, but certain animals like the Spur-Winged Goose carried natural toxins that were nearly impossible to detect.
The aroma of amber mixed with bergamot and citrus filled my senses as I positioned the appetizers on silver trays. My mouth watered involuntarily, and Sophia stirred restlessly in my mind, stretching and purring in a way I had never experienced before.
Sophia, please tell me that incredible scent doesn't belong to our mate, I begged silently.
I need to see him to confirm, but every instinct tells me he is ours. This could be wonderful, Krysta. Our mate is clearly an Alpha, which means we deserve nothing less. If we bond with an Alpha, we can preserve the bloodline of the pure white wolf.
She was absolutely right. I had always assumed my destined mate would be an Alpha when the time came. I simply never expected that moment to arrive just two days after my eighteenth birthday.
Sophia, don't you understand what this means? This could destroy everything we've worked toward.
We can still have our revenge. Finding our mate doesn't prevent us from avenging our family's massacre.
I don't understand enough about mate bonds yet. What happens if he discovers what we've been planning? We know nothing about him, Sophia. He might turn against us completely, and worse, what if he was somehow connected to our family's murder?
Let's avoid making assumptions, Krysta. We should discover his identity first, Sophia suggested diplomatically.
I had to agree with my wolf, even though every fiber of my being screamed that this was dangerous territory.
Taking this risk meant potentially abandoning my carefully crafted revenge, and I refused to let anything interfere with justice for my family.
So we eliminate Miller and Nathan this weekend, then live our happily ever after with our mate, Sophia declared confidently.
I frowned, wondering where my wolf had developed such romantic fantasies.
Those dreams belonged to you before tragedy struck our family. I found them buried in your memories.
I was naive and foolish then.
Perhaps dreams can still come true, Krysta.
Not for someone like me.
I finished preparing my serving tray carefully. Since I was assigned kitchen duties, serving responsibilities came with the territory. I deliberately kept my tray lighter than my supernatural strength could handle, matching the portions the other omegas carried to maintain my disguise.
Stepping into the main reception area, his intoxicating scent grew stronger. Sophia urged me forward, but I maintained my distance, scanning the crowd for Miller. While I wanted Nathan dead for his betrayal, Miller had personally murdered my brother Lance.
I kept my eyes downcast while weaving through the guests, my tray emptying quickly and forcing frequent trips back to the kitchen for refills.
"Krystal, did you notice how many gorgeous Alphas are here tonight?" one of the omega servers whispered excitedly.
"I was too focused on not dropping anything," I lied smoothly. The truth was I had been studying every face I could see, searching desperately for Miller or Nathan.
After refilling my tray, I returned to the reception where the Alphas mingled in their exclusive circles.
When I emerged from the kitchen, his scent had intensified dramatically. He had moved closer to my position, undoubtedly recognizing my scent as clearly as I recognized his. If he truly was an Alpha, he would have detected me immediately.
Someone reached for an appetizer from my tray when his powerful, commanding voice cut through the conversations around us.
"Mate!"
The entire room fell silent instantly. My stomach plummeted as the crowd parted automatically, creating a clear path between me and my destined partner.
The moment our eyes met, nausea overwhelmed me. Only one person could have been a worse match than the man standing before me, and that would have been Miller himself. Instead of giving me a mate who had killed my brother, the Moon Goddess had chosen someone who had betrayed my entire family. Nathan.
He moved toward me with predatory grace, stopping directly in front of me. He lifted the tray from my trembling hands, passing it to a nearby guest without breaking eye contact. His fingers traced along my jawline with surprising gentleness.
"You are mine," he announced, his voice carrying clearly through the silent room. Sophia was keening in my mind, torn between desperate longing for her mate and heartbreak over his identity.
"You don't want me," I stated firmly, meeting his intense gaze. I needed him to understand how serious I was about this rejection.
"You know nothing about what I want," he replied smoothly.
But I knew exactly what this particular Alpha craved. Power and dominance above all else. Nathan had built his reputation as the strongest Alpha of our generation, both physically and financially. He wouldn't hold that position if my brother were still alive, but Lance was gone. So why would someone like Nathan ever consider accepting an omega as his mate?
"I'm just an omega. Any woman here would be thrilled to have you. Choose one of them instead," I said, feeling the weight of hostile stares from unmated Alpha females throughout the room. They probably felt I was stealing their most eligible prospect. They were welcome to him.
"None of them share my soul. Only you."
"As I said, you don't want me. I'm nothing more than a weak omega."
His eyes narrowed dangerously as he tilted my chin up, forcing me to maintain eye contact. "Do you have such a low opinion of all Alphas?"
"Only certain ones," I answered honestly.
"Won't you at least give me the chance to prove myself?" he asked. I could see genuine hurt flickering in his eyes that I had already categorized him among the Alphas I despised. How arrogant that he expected an omega stranger to automatically respect him.
"I know exactly who you are, Alpha Nathan. If you won't reject me, then I'll reject you," I declared, hearing shocked gasps echoing around us. Perhaps publicly rejecting an Alpha in a room full of his peers wasn't the wisest strategy, but I didn't care. I had absolutely no intention of accepting this man as my mate.
Something resembling terror flashed across his features.
"I reject you, Alpha Nathan Torres, as my mate and Alpha," I proclaimed.
His fear transformed into a cold smirk as he studied me with calculating eyes. "That's not the proper procedure, omega," he said, and something in the way he emphasized my rank made me wonder if he suspected I was more than I appeared. If so, I was in serious danger. I knew my rejection wasn't technically correct, but I couldn't reveal my true identity in a room full of Alphas. My family had been well-known throughout the supernatural community. My sister and I had been highly sought after because of our rare bloodline. If these Alphas discovered my real identity...
"And for the record, I reject your pathetic attempt at rejection," he added arrogantly, causing several other Alphas to chuckle. I glared at him fiercely, but he merely raised an eyebrow in amusement.
"Alpha Nathan, Krystal won't turn eighteen for several more months. She's still underage. You might feel the mate bond, but she's too young to reciprocate those feelings," Alpha Holt interjected, attempting to shield me.
"Is that so?" Nathan asked, his penetrating stare never wavering from mine. The first real wave of fear coursed through my body. He knew I was eighteen, and if he uncovered my true identity, I was as good as dead.
"Yes," Alpha Holt confirmed firmly.
"And she was born in your pack?" Nathan questioned Alpha Holt.
"No. We discovered her outside our territory, nearly dead. She had no surviving family, so I welcomed her into my pack."
Nathan continued watching me intently.
"Everyone out!" he commanded, his voice booming with Alpha authority. I watched in amazement as every single person, including Alpha Holt, immediately obeyed and filed toward the exit. Alpha Holt caught my eye, offering an encouraging smile before closing the door behind him.
Once we were alone, I turned to face my mate with renewed determination.
"Now, why don't you explain why my Alpha mate is masquerading as an omega in a pack that isn't hers?"