SKYLAR

Snow devours the Storm pack. Yesterday, there was no sign of winter. Today, it’s the only thing visible.

A knock sounds on my door. I sweep my black ball gown aside and rush from the arched window to the door.

“Alara!” I exclaim, throwing my arms around my best friend, whom I haven’t seen in six months. “Shit! Sorry. I forgot that there’s two of you now.” I stealthily take steps back, checking her swollen belly to make sure it’s still intact.

Afterwards, I smile up at her, tilting my head a bit. “You didn’t have to come all the way—“

With a hand on her back, she paddles into my bedroom, tossing her purse on the sofa adjacent to the door.

“Or what? Miss watching you get crowned Alpha of the Storm pack? Skylar, I rather not breathe for a day than let that happen.”

Alara lifts her hands to tie her long blonde hair into a messy bun. “Please, your highness, do a three-sixty for this loyal servant of yours.” Her hand goes over her heart dramatically, but I frown, lost on her sarcasm, transfixed by the silver bracelet on her right wrist.

I raise up the brown furry cuff of my sleeve, dropping my eyes to the Valentine’s Day gift my husband got for me last year. They are exactly the same.

Alara notices I’m distracted. She leans closer, and her loud squeal almost sends my heart into cardiac arrest.

“We are matching!” She brings her arm next to mine. “My mate got this for me for Valentines. It’s cute, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, same.” My smile is tight-lipped.

“Really? Then our men must have similar tastes, Skylar,” she beams, playfully nudging my arm through her winter coat. “Zade just texted that he’s bringing with him a pre-celebratory gift,” she adds in a sing-song voice seconds later, glued to her phone as she types furiously.

No, Zade is my husband, not hers, even though sometimes I feel like a third wheel in their friendship. Alara’s mate is a doctor who lives in Storm town, and after she got pregnant six months ago, she took their relationship to the next level by moving in with him.

Alara and I grew up in the Storm pack house together. Her parents served my father until they died, then he began to treat her like one of his own, like a part of our family. We’ve been inseparable all our lives.

A long sigh later. “I’m scared... Alara, my brother might do something crazy today. You know how he is,” I confess as I lean against the wall by the window, watching the snow again.

Alara walks over to the window moments later. I glimpse her still warring with her keyboard from the corner of my eye.

“Crane won’t dare. The deceased Alpha’s will made you the heir to the Storm throne. Everyone has been aware of this for years.”

“But our people murmur behind my back—“

She grabs my shoulder, and forces my gaze on her. “Nonsense, Skylar. What they say about you does not matter, for crying out loud!”

“For once, let’s just be honest. Who crowns an Omega wolf Alpha of a pack, huh?” my chest vibrates with emotions I absolutely detest, making my eyes burn like ice. “By birthright, I have no claim, Alara. If Crane unites Storm wolves against me today, he will succeed.”

“You have Zade and I to always stand with you. Trust me, Skylar. I swear that nothing will go wrong today.”

Her smile is sweet but… foreboding.

Or maybe it’s just me being in my head. It always is. I nod, lightly squeezing my stomach. I have a lot more to lose now.

“Might I also add that Crane is far from ‘leader of the year,” Alara deadpans, her lips folding as she rocks her head.

I lift my shoulders. “Well…”

“He’s a brute. And this is me trying out sugarcoating.”

A knock at the door steals our attention. Zade walks in, holding a bottle of champagne and three flute glasses.

A warm smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. I wave excitedly.

Omegas are rare in the Storm pack. I’m the first ever living one, and that made me an outcast in my home. I only had Alara until Zade became a part of our pack years back. But the way he loves me should be physically impossible, but it’s not.

“The time has come.” Zade sets the items down on the center table and quickly kisses my cheek, “A toast before I walk you to the aisle, my love?"

“Baby, I’m honored, but can I have water just like Alara?" I say as soon as he starts filling the glasses.

And he freezes, mouth open, head snapping over his shoulder. He locks eyes with Alara. His question silent.

Then he turns back to me, slowly stepping away from the table.

“Are you…”

I wave him off. “No! We’ll be late if you don’t do that quickly.” My giggle masks the lie I just told perfectly.

Alara nudges him to zap out of it after a moment. And he listens only then.

He hands me my glass. “You’ve always carried the weight of this pack on your shoulders, even when no one saw it.”

Zade lifts his glass to me, eyes lingering just a second too long on mine.

“To my beautiful wife, Skylar. Alpha of the Storm pack.”

I drink the water before wrapping him in a tight hug.

“Thank you so much,” I whisper and cup his face tenderly.

Suddenly, an itch creeps up my throat. I cough, harder as it intensifies. Then I glance at my palm, and I go pale.

Blood. My blood. My fearful eyes find Zade’s. He’s watching me, his expression vague, but he can see the blood.

“Zade…” I collapse.

He doesn’t rush for me. He doesn’t scream. He steps over me, my glass in his hand.

I can’t breathe. My arm lifts, barely reaching for him, begging. This feels like death.

I turn to Alara. “What’s happening?” My voice is a ghost, tears glazing my eyes.

But she’s just rooted there, watching me with a thorny smile like she has waited for this moment all her life. My best friend. The only Storm wolf who never turned her back on me... Why?

Zade’s hand on my cheek alerts me, so gentle it makes me sob. I shake my head, begging as he lowers himself.

“Crane Silva kills his baby sister out of jealousy by poisoning her glass. Now that the throne is empty, her beloved husband must take her place,” Zade murmurs, his words colder than the snow outside. “And once he wears the Storm crown, he can finally be with the love of his life who’s almost due with his first heir,” he finishes like it’s a lullaby, every word knifing through my chest alongside the poison he fed me.

Alara kisses his cheek after he stands. Their hands entwine. She smiles, so in love. How… How could I have been so blind?

My stomach suddenly burns, my tears turning fearful as I cradle it. The poison. He doesn’t know I’m pregnant. I don’t want to die. No.

“But… all… all I’ve ever done is love you.” Blood trickles down my chin.

“And all I’ve ever done is wait for this moment so I can steal your crown, Skylar.”

I try to stand. The Storm crown isn’t on my head, but my father willed it to me. It is MINE. “You won’t get away with this,” I gasp. “The pack—”

"You talk too damned much." Steel flashes and he stabs me.

Slowly, I lower my gaze, taking in the blade buried in my stomach…