His secret omega

I dragged myself down the cobblestone path. My body ached. My feet hurt. But my heart was singing.

“Just a few more hours,” I whispered. “Until tonight.”

Tonight was everything. No more going back to that house. No more pretending they were family.

I’d already asked for time off work. My boss spat at me. Called me lazy. Typical. Omegas always got the worst treatment.

But I didn’t care tonight.

I was going to Kaelen’s. My boyfriend. Soon-to-be fiancé.

Tomorrow was the Lunar Assembly. Sacred ceremony. Wolves finding their mates under the Moon Goddess. Tomorrow was also my eighteenth birthday. Finally old enough.

Kaelen promised we’d bond tomorrow. I could escape forever.

Kaelen. Rich. Gorgeous. An Alpha’s brother. Sure, I was just an omega. But Kaelen said bloodlines didn’t matter. Love mattered.

I practically skipped toward his house. My heart hammered with excitement. Beautiful stone building in the center of town. So much better than our pathetic wooden shack. Soon I’d live here. With Kaelen. Forever.

I knocked eagerly.

My smile faltered. That’s… odd. Kaelen said he’d be waiting. He promised.

I tried the handle. Unlocked. Relief flooded through me. He must be inside. Maybe preparing a surprise?

“Kaelen? It’s me!” I called out cheerfully.

Wait. What was that? Sounds from upstairs. My heart lifted again. He was home after all.

Then I heard it clearly.

Female laughter. My world stopped spinning. No. No, that couldn’t be—

My feet moved on their own. Step by step. Up the stairs. Each step felt like walking to my execution.

The sounds grew louder. Clearer. Destroying me with every breath.

Gasps. Bed springs creaking. A voice that made my soul shatter.

“Oh God, Kaelen… right there…”

Cassandra. My stepsister.

My brain refused to process it. This wasn’t happening. This was a nightmare. I’d wake up any second.

The bedroom door hung slightly open. Like a cruel invitation to witness my destruction. I saw them.

Kaelen’s muscled back. Moving. Cassandra’s pale body beneath him. Her golden hair fanned across his pillow like a victory flag.

No no no no no.

“You feel so much better than I imagined,” Kaelen panted.

My heart exploded into a thousand pieces. Each word was a dagger.

Cassandra laughed. That cruel, sharp sound I knew so well. “Better than that pathetic omega sister of mine, I bet. Poor little Lyra probably doesn’t even know what to do with a real man.”

The air left my lungs. I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Could only feel the agony ripping through my chest.

“Don’t.” Kaelen’s voice was rough. “Don’t mention her when we’re like this.”

“Why not?” Cassandra’s fingers traced his spine like she owned him. “After tomorrow, she’ll know exactly where she stands. An omega like her could never satisfy you.”

Each word was a physical blow. I stumbled backward, gasping for air. My shoulder slammed into the wall. The sound echoed like a gunshot.

“What was that?” Cassandra hissed.

My wolf surged forward. Rage I’d never felt before. My foot connected with the door. It crashed against the wall.

“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?”

They jumped apart. Kaelen nearly fell off the bed scrambling for his pants. Cassandra just sat up. Didn’t even cover herself.

“Lyra!” Kaelen went white. “I can explain—”

“Explain?” My voice cracked. “Explain how you’re screwing my sister?”

“It’s not what you think—”

“IT’S EXACTLY WHAT I THINK!” Tears streamed down my face. “You lying, cheating b*st*rd!”

Cassandra stretched. Finally reached for Kaelen’s shirt. “Oh, sister dear. You really thought he’d choose you?” She tilted her head. Mock sympathy. “How cute.”

“Cassandra, don’t,” Kaelen warned. But his voice was weak.

“Don’t what? Tell her the truth?” Cassandra stood up slowly. “That Mom and Dad have known about us for months? That they practically threw me at Kaelen because they were embarrassed by their precious Alpha family being tied to an omega reject?”

The world spun. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Cassandra moved to the mirror. Ran her fingers through her hair. “Why don’t you go home and ask them? I’m sure they’re waiting. Probably with our engagement announcement.”

“Lyra, listen—” Kaelen finally got his pants on. “This doesn’t have to change anything between us. We can still be friends—”

“FRIENDS?” I lunged toward him. He caught my wrists. “You need to calm down,” he said. His grip was tight. Bruising. “Think about your position. Your family. You don’t want to make this worse.”

I stared into his eyes. Eyes that had whispered promises just days ago. Now they were cold. Calculating.

“Let go of me,” I whispered.

“LET GO OF ME!”

I wrenched free and ran. I burst through our front door. Gareth and Rosalind sat calmly in the living room. An elegant invitation lay on the coffee table between them.

They showed no surprise at my tear-stained face.

“You already knew?” My voice was barely a whisper.

“Lyra, sit down.” Gareth’s voice was ice. “Yes, we know about Kaelen and Cassandra. We fully support it.”

Rosalind picked up the invitation. Held it out. “This is their engagement announcement. Tomorrow at the Lunar Assembly, Kaelen will propose to Cassandra. They hope you’ll attend as Cassandra’s sister.”

I stared at the beautiful invitation. Kaelen and Cassandra’s names in gold. The silver Nightshadow crest. It was all real. “Why?” My voice cracked. “Why would you do this to me?”

“Enough!” Gareth shot to his feet. Backhanded me across the face. Hard. I crashed to the floor. My cheek burned.

“You’re nothing but an abandoned child we took in out of pity. What right do you have to insult our daughter?”

“You should be grateful we raised you.” Rosalind’s voice was cold. “Now you know your place. Tomorrow you’ll bless your sister’s engagement. Then find yourself a suitable omega mate.”

“I won’t!” I struggled to my feet. Tasted blood. “I’ll never bless this betrayal!”

Gareth raised his hand again. This time I was ready. I dodged and ran for the door.

“Get out of our house!” Rosalind shrieked behind me. “Ungrateful little brat!”

I fled into the night. Running blindly. Tears falling like broken pearls.

I didn’t know where I was going; I only knew I couldn’t stop moving or the crushing pain would swallow me whole. I didn’t know how long I ran, but eventually I found myself on Main Street when a familiar voice made me stop. I spun around to see Maya running toward me, her dark hair flying behind her.

“I saw you run in—what happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“Worse.” I collapsed into her arms. “I’ve seen the truth.”

So I did. Every horrible detail, every cruel word. Maya held me while I shook.

“Those bastards,” she hissed when I finished. “All of them. Kaelen, Cassandra, your so-called parents.”

“What am I going to do?” I cried against her shoulder. “Tomorrow is the Lunar Assembly. Everyone will see Kaelen and Cassandra’s engagement. I’ll be the laughingstock of the entire pack.”

“Listen to me, Lyra.” Maya stroked my hair gently. “We’re not waiting for that damned ceremony. Tonight, we’re going to Silver Moon Harbor!”

“What?” I pulled back to look at her, still having tears on my face.

“I heard there’s a huge party in Silver Moon Harbor tonight. Lots of wolves from other packs who are here for tomorrow’s ceremony will be there.” Maya’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “We’re going to have some fun and forget all about these bastards and your heartless family!”

“But… but I…” I hesitated. As an omega, Silver Moon Harbor was completely foreign territory to me.

“But what?” Maya gripped my hands. “Lyra, you’ve lost everything here. Instead of staying to be humiliated tomorrow, let's go to Silver Moon Harbor and try our luck. Maybe you’ll meet your real destined mate—someone who won’t give a d*mn about your bloodline.”

I looked into Maya’s determined eyes, thinking about the cruel words I’d heard in Kaelen’s bedroom, remembering my parents’ cold faces, imagining the humiliation I’d face tomorrow…

“Okay.” I wiped away my tears, feeling a fierce courage I’d never experienced before. “Let’s go to Silver Moon Harbor tonight. Let all those people go to hell!”

Maya grinned with delight. “Now that’s my Lyra! Come on, let’s go back to my place and get ready. Tonight, we’re going to show them the most beautiful girl!”

Maya dragged me back to her small apartment above the bakery, her eyes blazing with determination. “We’re not letting those bastards win,” she declared, pulling out makeup and rifling through her closet.

She spun around, holding up an emerald green dress that perfectly matched my eyes. “Tonight, we show them what they lost.”

The dress was beautiful—silky and elegant, with a flowing skirt that hugged my curves in all the right places.

As Maya worked on my makeup, carefully applying smoky eyeshadow that made my green eyes pop, I felt something shifting inside me.

“There,” Maya stepped back, admiring her handiwork. “Now you look like the goddess you are.”

I barely recognized myself in the mirror. The woman staring back at me looked confident, mysterious, beautiful. Nothing like the broken omega who’d fled Kaelen’s house just hours ago.

“Come on,” Maya grabbed my hand. “Silver Moon Harbor awaits.”

“I can’t believe we’re actually doing this,” I w