Lyanna’s POV

“Lyanna! Lyanna!” I heard a voice behind me, and my hands froze mid-movement as I wondered who was calling. I turned, surprised to see my friend standing at the edge of the cliff, waving frantically.

“Brittany, what’s going on?” I hollered back, but before she could answer, another voice cut in.

“Oh, it’s the weak omega.”

Zanny, one of the girls in the pack, sneered. I knew exactly what was coming, they would bully me again, but Brittany was already on her way to stop them.

“Stay away from my friend!” Brittany growled. In a flash, she was at my side. That didn’t surprise me, Brittany already had her wolf, and she was strong. Even someone like Zanny wouldn’t dare challenge her for long.

“Oh, looks like your dog is here. We’ll take our leave now.” Zanny snarled, retreating with her group.

“Those brutes! Why do you always let them bully you?” Brittany asked angrily.

“What’s the point of fighting back? It’s not like I could win,” I muttered.

That had been my reality for a year now. Everyone had high expectations for me; my father had been the pack’s Beta before he died, and my mother was the pack doctor. But they’d all been disappointed when I failed to shift. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t connect with my wolf.

As a werewolf, I was useless.

“I know you can’t win, but fighting back doesn’t—wait! What’s that?” Brittany grabbed my hand, frowning at the burn mark on my palm.

“I got hurt cooking this morning,” I said quickly, but Brittany’s eyes narrowed—she knew it was a lie.

It was my stepmother’s doing. She’d gotten angry over how I was walking earlier, so she’d burned me. With her, even my breathing could be an irritation. I still didn’t know why she hated me so much.

“I’m leaving the pack soon,” Brittany said suddenly. My chest tightened at her words. She’d found her mate months ago and was moving to be with him, since he wasn’t part of our pack.

“You know you can come with me, Lyanna. No—I want you to come with me. How long are you going to let your stepmother treat you like this?” she asked.

I sighed. It wasn’t that I wanted to stay, but fear kept me here. What could a weak omega like me do out in the cruel world?

“I’m sorry, Brittany, but I have to say no.” I bent down to gather the clams I’d been collecting.

“Really? You’re going to be stubborn like this?” she pressed.

“Do you think I don’t want to leave? But what would become of me? I can’t even run properly. Last time I followed you out, I almost became breakfast for some rogues. I can’t risk that.” My voice wavered, my eyes stinging.

With no wolf, no special skills, and no strength, I couldn’t get a decent job. Picking clams was the only way I could afford food, since my stepmother refused to feed me unless I contributed to the household expenses.

I said goodbye to Brittany and hurried home, knowing my stepmother’s anger would be fierce if I was late.

“Pah!”

The sound of glass shattering filled the air the moment I stepped inside our small, rundown house. My breath shortened; my head had been the target.

“Sorry, Mother, I went to get clams,” I said quickly. She stepped toward me, her eyes cold.

“How much is this going to feed us?” she asked, snatching the clams from my hands and throwing them to the floor. I scrambled to pick them up before her temper flared again.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I’ll do something about it. I’ll go to the Caster estate and see if there’s any work.”

“Is that all you’re good for? But then, what can I expect from a lowly omega birthed by the village whore? Of course no greatness could be expected from you.” Her words cut deep, but I swallowed my tears.

“I’ll do better this time. I promise you and my sister won’t have to starve.” I assured.

“You don’t have to do anything. I’ve already found a way your useless self can be useful,” she interrupted.

My heart leapt in cautious hope. “Really? Did you find me a job at one of the estates?”

She snorted. “As if anyone would want you as a worker.”

“Then… what did you find?”

“A buyer.”

I frowned. “What? You mean you’re going to sell me? To slave traders?”

“I’m not going to sell you,” she said.

Relief barely had time to settle before her next words dropped like stones. “I already sold you. Looks like you’re too dumb to notice the difference.”

“What? You can’t, my father left me in your care..”

Her slap stung my cheek. “How dare you be so unfilial! I raised you all these years, clothed you, fed you, and this is what I get in return?”

“That’s not it, Mother, but we can..”

The door banged open. Several rough-looking men stepped inside.

“Where’s the girl?” one of them asked.

“This is her,” my stepmother said, pointing straight at me.

Fear turned my palms clammy. “What do you mean?” I whispered.

“I need money to care for your sister and brother. This is the only way. You have to go.” She shoved me toward them.

“Please, Mother!” I begged, but she didn’t even look at me.

I stopped struggling as they forced me into a carriage filled with other captives. We traveled through the night, and by morning we reached a slave market. They put me on a stand with the others.

People came, inspected, and bargained for the others..but when they learned I was a weak omega, they walked away.

“An omega this weak? There’s nothing my household could do with that,” they said.

One by one, the others were chosen. I remained.

“Ahh! Such bad luck. I should have refused to buy you,” the slave trader complained.

Even a slave trader found me useless.

“I can’t lose money on you. If I can’t sell you, I’ll take you to.."

“How much is she worth?” a deep voice interrupted.

I lifted my head. Someone wanted to buy me? I had dreaded being sold, but after being rejected again and again, the thought felt… almost like hope.

“So much gold for this worthless piece?” the trader exclaimed.

The man bought me without hesitation. From his aura, I could tell he was powerful, though not dressed like someone wealthy enough to throw gold away.

I followed him silently as he rode his horse.

“Ask,” he said suddenly. “I know you’re curious.”

I looked up at his stern face. He smiled faintly, but it didn’t soften the sharpness of his presence.

“Which estate are we going to?” I finally asked.

“No estate. The palace. I’m taking you to the Viladae Palace.”

My breath caught. My eyes widened.

“The Viladae Palace? You mean… the palace of the Hideous Alpha?”