Amia's POV
I walked into the small bedroom I shared with my little sister, smiling as I dropped onto the torn mattress. The walls were cracked, and the paint was faded. There was no bathroom, no drawer—but I was okay with that. At least Cassidy and I had some privacy.
"Cassidy?" I called through the pack's mind-link with a soft smile.
It was already past bedtime, and she wasn't in the room yet. She was probably in the forest, connecting with nature or taking a bath. Unlike me, Cassidy already knew what she was—an omega. She loved running wild in the forest, letting her wolf take over to hunt.
At first, I was against it. But seeing how happy and free she was, I decided to let her be. The only thing I could do was ask her wolf to always protect her and keep her safe.
"Sister, help!" Cassidy's crying voice rang through the mind-link, snapping me to my feet.
"Cassidy? What's wrong? Where are you?" I asked back, but there was no answer.
I rushed out of the room, only to be met by the Luna and two warriors standing behind her. That wicked smirk on her face was all I needed to see. She knew where my sister was.
"Where is she?" I demanded, ignoring the fear I usually felt in her presence.
She flipped her hair and smiled widely. "I'm sure you've heard about the important guest visiting our pack. He's in our living hall right now, and it seems he's got his eyes on my darling daughter," she said, touching her shoulder proudly.
"Not only will he give us land for her, but also gold mines and other materials that will benefit the pack," she added as my fists clenched. I wanted to lunge at her, to choke that smile off her face. But I knew better. Her wolf was stronger than mine—I was no match for a Luna.
"Luna, where is my sister?" I asked again, louder this time, before lowering my gaze to the floor when her aura flared.
Her wolf had pushed through.
Her eyes shifted, turning a deep purple with a silver ring around the pupil—the sign that her gamma wolf had taken control.
"Seeing your little sister, that filthy thing, moving up and down annoyed me. I had her locked up. Only when the guest leaves will I let her out," she said calmly.
When she snapped her fingers, I looked up, gasping as two warriors grabbed my arms on each side.
"Lock her up too. I don't want anything going wrong until the guest leaves," she ordered.
They were about to drag me away when Geisel came running.
"Luna! I have bad news!" she shouted breathlessly.
The guards froze.
"The guest… he rejected our young Alpha, Verta!" Geisel announced.
"What?!" the Luna shrieked, her voice echoing through the hall.
"That's not all! The Alpha has ordered the warriors to bring this disgusting omega's little sister!" Geisel yelled, pointing at me.
The Luna's growl made my blood run cold, but my fear wasn't for myself—it was for Cassidy. My wolf whimpered inside me, terrified of what was coming.
"I won't let this happen!" the Luna growled, taking a step forward. I sighed in relief, thinking she would intervene. But then she stopped.
She slowly turned back, smiling at me.
"You love your sister, don't you?" she asked sweetly.
I nodded quickly.
"Then how about you go save her?" she said, her smile widening as Geisel's eyes went wide in shock. I was speechless.
It was a trap. I knew it. But I didn't care.
"Let her go. Let her go save her sister," she ordered the warriors.
They released me, and without a second thought, I ran.
As I sprinted, her words echoed in my head: "The Alpha will kill her for barging into the living hall where the guest is. That way, he'll clean up both pieces of trash with his own hands."
I didn't stop. I didn't care.
I burst into the living hall without even realizing it.
The moment my eyes landed on Cassidy, kneeling on the floor, crying with a bruised cheek, my vision blurred with tears.
"We will take this one. You said she's an omega, right? a calm male voice asked.
I turned toward the voice, and my knees gave out beneath me.
There sat a serpent.
Just by his aura and the murderous glare my father shot at me, I knew exactly who he was.
A Serpent Lord.
He had a cloth tied around his head, covering his face completely in front. But what terrified me was how he was half snake, half man.
His long tail was black, massive, and covered in sleek, glittering scales that wrapped around the floor and up to his waist. From the waist up, his body was that of a man—muscular, toned, perfect. But his arms… on the outer side of his skin, small scales shimmered. His fingers ended in sharp claws.
His hair was silver-white, falling to his waist like silk, and his skin was a rich chocolate tone. Beautiful, yet terrifying.
The elder beside him looked human, but when he smiled, his snake tongue flicked out.
I moved my hand over my mouth, trying not to scream.
"Monsters…"
"It seems we'll be taking your younger daughter," the elder said, his eyes locked on Cassidy.
Father smiled.
"When I heard the Lord of the Nest was looking for a breeder, I was certain it would be my Alpha daughter. The oracle said she should be a weak she-wolf from a small pack. My daughter qualifies, don't you think?" he said, forcing a friendly tone.
What do I do? I asked my wolf, my hands trembling.
The elder chuckled. "You misunderstood something, Alpha Nolan. Our Lord isn't looking for a sick she-wolf. He's looking for one weak in rank. The oracle's vision was clear. The breeder would come from a small, struggling pack, yes—but your Alpha daughter isn't who my lord wants. By the way, your young omega daughter is perfect… my lord has taken a liking to her," he said, looking at Cassidy from head to toe.
I rushed to Cassidy's side, hugging her tightly.
"Amia, get the hell out," Father growled through the mind-link.
"No. Please, have mercy, Father," I whispered.
He stood and marched toward me, grabbing my hair and yanking me up. My scalp burned as I screamed.
He began dragging me out of the hall as tears ran down my cheeks.
I couldn't stay quiet. I wouldn't let them take Cassidy.
"Take me in her stead! Please! I'll be obedient. I'll be submissive! I won't question anything! I'll do whatever you want!" I shouted, directing my plea at the Serpent Lord.
The Lord raised his hand, signaling for his elder to speak.
"It seems the Lord is interested in the she-wolf you're dragging, Alpha. Is she your daughter as well?" the elder asked.
Father let go of me instantly, his face lighting up as he explained that I was his daughter too.
When the Serpent Lord moved, I lowered my gaze to the ground. My legs trembled when Father's low growl of warning echoed in my ears.
A cold, scaly hand grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look up.
That's when it hit me.
He was my mate.
There was no delicious, irresistible scent pulling me in like I'd heard from others. But the moment his hand touched me, tingles exploded through my skin.
My body trembled under his touch.
My wolf purred, loud and clear in my mind.
He was our mate.
But then, he pushed me back down to the ground.
He moved his hand to the side, and the elder rushed over, pulling out a handkerchief. He handed it to the Lord, who wiped his hands slowly, as if he were cleaning filth off his skin, before tossing the handkerchief next to me.
It broke me.
Seeing my mate treat me like trash at our very first encounter was painful. But was I surprised? No.
I had never expected to be loved.
I wasn't beautiful.
I wasn't wanted.
I was just an abomination—the pack's worthless bitch.
And just like that, my fate to be wed was sealed.