Breakfast overflowed with warm greetings and thoughtful gifts, but soon the pack leaders and my adoptive parents ushered me into the office for a private talk. My nerves prickled with skepticism and agitation, yet here I sit, frozen in place, bracing for whatever comes next.
"You're free to leave the pack." Alpha Ozmon directly dropped the bomb, catching me off guard.
"I'm what?" I surprisingly asked. I'm so puzzled right now.
"Oh, let me rephrase that." He chuckled before correcting himself. "You're twenty now, and you are allowed to leave the pack and to settle in a new environment."
"I don't understand. Are you kicking me out?" I'm confused, as his word doesn't sit right with me.
"Damn, that still sounded wrong," he said quickly, providing clarification. "Anyway, no, squirt. We're not kicking you out. In fact, this letter is for you and honors your parents' wishes."
"Read the letter first. It'll be clear what he's trying to say." Luna Taylor ushered, and with shaking hands, I reluctantly opened the letter addressed to me.
Dear Bernila Daquila,
I hope this telegram reached you. We heard so many things about you from your previous school and from your guardians. We, the Knightrose family, are inviting you to continue your studies and to get your diploma in our academy as one of our scholars at the Blood Knight Rose Academy.
We're hoping to see you there.
From the Knightrose family with the best intentions,
Alysia Cain Knightrose
A storm of emotions swirled inside me, but joy rose above all—this academy had always been my dream. I thought that dream vanished with my health struggles, yet here it is, arriving on my twentieth birthday.
"Am I being blessed?" I thought, without realizing my tears were already flowing down my face. My hands were trembling, and my knees were weakening before looking at them. "Is this true? They're accepting me at their school even though it's late?"
"Yes, sweetie. You're intelligent, and you deserve it." Mom tearfully said, smiling at me.
"Read more, squirt." Alpha Ozmon told me to continue reading, and I was stunned.
PS.
This might sound surprising, but this is also a letter to honor your late parents' arranged marriage with us, the Knightrose family.
"My parents…arrange marriage? With their family?" I reread those parts for the fourth time, and I can't seem to believe it. "A Knightrose willingly to marry a weakling omega like me?"
The Knightrose family was one of the five most powerful families of vampire knights and was recognized by the royal vampire family. They had been granted a title to govern an empire, the Rosethorns. In this new era of respect and harmony, our pack was one of the three packs welcomed to stay in their territory. The old feud persisted in our history, alongside the usual threats and nuisance to everyone, the rogues.
"And here I thought you were going to be upset about being in an arranged marriage with a stranger, but I heard that instead." Alpha Ozmon chuckled amusingly because my doubt was not about my arranged marriage but the image itself.
"Well, their family is a strong lineage, and me, look at me, I'm pathetic." I scoffed, putting down the letter, crossing my arms as I rested my back on the couch. I'm thin, weak, and suffering from PTSD, which definitely wasn't a match with their family.
They knew my worried tone, but Mom sighed, patting my thigh, saying gently, "Image isn't important."
"But look, I'm so thin, so weak. Marrying a Knighrose would only make them look bad," I refuted, sharing my thoughts about my worry before adding softly, "I won't even look good standing with whoever I'm going to marry."
"Sweetheart, you're not weak, and you're beautiful, a wonderful person at heart," Dad reminded me softly, but I don't believe him, and yet, I'm affected.
"BUT I AM! LOOK AT ME! YOU'RE JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE WE'RE FAMILY." I shouted my broken part as I cried in front of them before adding, "I'm the worst omega of the pack and maybe throughout werewolf history. I'm much more fragile than any porcelain doll. I can't be strong like any of you aside from my brain."
"Hey, Sweetie, don't belittle yourself. You might not be looking like everyone else, but it doesn't mean that you have to compare yourself to any of us." Mom gently caressed my hands on my lap as she gave me sincere positive thoughts that I didn't know I needed.
"But I can't help it, Mom. What did I do wrong to have this kind of life?" I sadly admitted, showing my weakness to the adults. "I just want to be one of you and have fun like everyone else, but instead, this…so weak, and in just one terrible mistake, I'm gone. I don't know why I'm still alive when I'm supposed to be gone…"
"Seriously, I want to slap you for what you just said, but I won't; it's your birthday," Luna Taylor said firmly before sighing. She went to my side, cupping my face delicately in her hands, making me look at her. "Listen very carefully to me, Bernila. Everyone has their own flaws and uniqueness that they are afraid to show, so they won't be judged for being different. And more importantly, you're stronger than you think you are."
I was caught off guard that someone, somebody, still believes that I can. However, I had been a negative person throughout my growing up. It made it hard to believe that I could.
"What made you say that?" I wondered softly and painfully.
"Well, you've been through a lot and still choose to live," Alpha Ozmon replied gently, smiling at me.
"I already gave up plenty of times, but you guys won't let me." I chuckled sadly while Mom wiped my tears away, but Luna Taylor shook her head.
"We're here as a reminder, not a decision. I mean, you alone made that decision, not us, Bernila." She corrected my thoughts and added, "Also, sometimes being weak is not a weakness at all because in our weakest moments, we find our strength that keeps us going, pushing through the life we deserve."
"I'm not sure, Luna, if I could find it." I sighed heavily, wiping my tears away. Somehow, her words hit me, making me hope about it too.
"You will, because a true heroine didn't become a true hero if not for her struggles, and I, our entire family, believe in you, and again, happy birthday." She grinned, winking at me.
Our Luna's words always stung my chest whenever I'm feeling down. But her words also held something mystic about them, and she wouldn't say anything like that if it weren't true.
"Thanks, Luna, everyone, for not giving up on me, even though I'm thinking negatively like this." I smiled, thanking them.
"You don't need words that would bring you down. You need sincerity and positive words to give hope and encourage you to do more for yourself," Mom positively said, making my heart melt in warmth, but my dad had to ruin it.
"And about your arranged marriage, it's connected to your mark's sudden appearance when you were five. Sadly, before your parents could explain it to you, they died after the sudden raid of the Dark Pirates in the Empire." Dad briefly explained about the last will my parents had left for me.
"Because of my mark, they arranged me with the Knightrose family?" I wondered curiously, calming down my emotions, and used my brain to analyze my situation at hand.
"Precisely." Alpha Ozmon confirmed it.
"What's with my mark then?" I asked them carefully before adding, "Do you have any idea who I am going to marry from their family?"
"They didn't say about whom, but maybe Lady Alysia could tell us when she sees you personally, since your mark is different from the rest of the Knightrose marks," Alpha Ozmon answered, which is understandable if my mark is different from the rest of the Knightrose marks.
"Remember what I've told you about your mark…" Luna Taylor said, reminding me when she shared her conclusion about my rose thorn mark.
I nodded, and she confirmed it by smiling at me, making me sigh, "So, it's real. I've been marked by a Knightrose…" I muttered quietly after analyzing what they told me. But looking at myself, I still can't believe it, thinking, "I can't wrap my mind around who I'm going to marry. I'm no good, whoever it is." I'm still in denial because I'm literally no good for their family, a noble, while I'm just a weakling omega, before sighing, "I don't know what to say…I'm just—"
"Don't you dare finish that, Bernila. I'll slap you to wake you up. Remember, you're stronger than you think you are." Luna Taylor glared at me with a warning tone, leaving me no room for refute before she added, saying softly, "Also, think of this as an opportunity to improve your health."
"For my health…" I mumbled, thinking about my health: how physically thin I was despite having a great appetite and metabolism, and how my emotions were too quiet for a werewolf who was known for having a temper, making me timid, weaker than an omega.
"Yes, for your health, Sweetie. Remember, none of us know what made your wolf grow weaker than any omega in history. You're healthy, but it's not showing in your body, making me think it has something to do with your environment. The pack doctors, leaders, and elders agreed to the hypothesis and came to a decision to let you leave the pack for your own good. It's not because we don't want you here anymore; we don't want you to suffer more than you already have." Mom gently reminded me about what happened, and slowly, it was making sense.
"If you put it that way, it's understandable," I said calmly, yet my mind was racing, considering the marriage for the sake of my health.
"So, now, do you agree to their invitation and your arranged marriage?" Alpha Ozmon asked for the last time. I took a deep breath, analyzing everything from the bullied life, from what ruined me, from what I've lost, and up to the moment I felt safe. I may not like the idea of this marriage, but I made my decision.
"For my crazy mind and recovery of my health, I agree with all of it. As long as they were right for me." I firmly gave them my answer, and I know there's no going back anymore.
"Don't worry, they are." With her usual assuring smile, Luna Taylor said firmly, which I could not refuse.
***
After a serious meeting with the adults and their reasons for complying with the arranged marriage, here I am with Talia, out of the pack. We are at the huge park in the central district of the Rosethorns Empire, with a car filled with bags and a chilling time by the park's bench, eating ice cream at every stop we made.
"Still thinking about your marriage?" Talia broke the building silence in our ice cream time, making me nod before she added teasingly, "Just think about being lucky that the family has been looking out for you, regardless of how you looked at yourself with pity."
"Talia…" I whined like a kid, making her chuckle.
"Quit whining, even though it's cute on you." She chuckled and pinched my cheek before adding seriously, "Bernila, if the situation is different and we're still both mateless, I'll marry you instead."
"Why?" I wondered, almost choking on my ice cream.
"So, I could protect you more than I could," She proudly said, and it's warming my heart.
"It's nice that you do, but that will be a disaster," I teased, making her frown.
"Now that's offensive." She scoffed, making me laugh.
"I mean, you're short-tempered when it comes to me, and you shouldn't just focus on protecting me. You have to look over the pack, which your elder brother has been doing lately," I explained before adding, "Also, I've got the feeling I'll always nag you about buying too many clothes that you won't even wear."
"Hey, I wear them just occasionally." She pouted but giggled since she knew it was true.
"See, if we were married, the house would be full of shouting," I teased, making a point.
"Hahaha, I could picture it." She agreed and laughed with me.
"But thanks for considering yourself marrying someone weak," I softly said, thanking her for considering me as her potential spouse. She faced me and sternly looked into my eyes, making it hard for me to break.
"Bernila, you were never born weak," Talia said softly but firmly, catching my attention, puzzled but seeing her sincerity in her eyes, I felt warm.