I was used to being ignored in Pack Riverdale—my father's Pack nestled along the eastern rivers.
But not today. Today, the entire school was staring at me like I was the juiciest piece of gossip they'd ever sunk their fangs into. And that was never a good sign.
"Did you hear? They said in the pictures, she looked recipient."
"Poor Elian. Thought she was a nice girl because she's a weirdo—but she's worse."
"But three men? How?"
Silence. Each voice dared the other to say it. Then someone whispered…
"Uhh, you think... that validates the rumours she's a repressed Omega?"
I shut my eyes, clutching my books tighter as I walked the hallway. Idiots. They couldn't even tell a real photo from an altered one.
Right now, Riverdale was buzzing with scandal—about the Alpha's daughter. You know, the one who walked around with her nose in the air, like everyone else was beneath her?
The one in sneakers, black pants and shirt, who claimed she didn't give a damn about the other elites? With her red curls and turquoise-hued eyes?
Yeah. That one.
Me.
In the pictures, I was sprawled naked on a white bed, three massive men surrounding me equally naked, sweaty backs mid-stroke. A flawed photo. But deeply humiliating.
At least I looked cute.
And it was all thanks to that bastard.
My ex-boyfriend, Elian Zander, stood by his locker, surrounded by his packmates. The perfect Alpha. Beta prime. One of the school's top brawlers.
Just then, his voice drifted through the corridor. "Yeah, I was picked for the Trials of Dominion," he said proudly. "My blood triggered a pink light on the system. They had no choice."
Even now, he turned, met my gaze and he winked.
Bastard. I couldn't believe I'd ever thought I loved him. And now, just because I told him no when he tried to get in my pants he was spreading a scandal.
"Hey, Kai!" he called, waving.
People laughed.
I ignored him and opened my locker. I was going to ignore him. Caspian—my brother—said it was best. And no one knew better than Caspian.
But it was hard when the laughter and sneers slithered into my ears… and the idiot himself who knew nothing about survival crept into my space.
I shoved my books in and slammed the door shut. And there he was—leaning against the wall behind it.
"Hey, you're not speaking to me?"
I turned, scanning his face. He looked so calm a smug. Yeah, he was gorgeous—dark hair, full lips and all—but with a heart so vile, so twisted...
"Do you feel good?" I asked.
The hallway hushed. Every eye turned to us. I hated that the tension thick enough to slice through but I was too angry to care.
He leaned in, lips curled into a tiny smirk. "Which one? The pictures? Or..."
Ignore him, Kai. Walk away.
"Or telling them you're a repressed—"
Too late. My fist crashed into his nose.
The hallway exploded.
---
Two hours later, I sat in the leather seat of my father's car, face blank, while he drove in simmering silence. The car was warm, but I felt cold.
My fate was sealed.
"You've embarrassed the family," growled Alpha Drenvar of Riverdale. "What were you thinking, hitting Elian?"
"Because he deserved it," Caspian snapped from the backseat, just as furious as Father, but not at me.
"You'll stay quiet when I speak, Caspian. You're no Alpha yet. You will know your place."
In the rearview mirror, Caspian's blue eyes like Father's burned. They were copies of each other. Stubborn men, both. The kind who'd raze packs just to prove they were right.
But thank the moon, Caspian always stood by me. Two years older and already an Alpha, he'd been crowned warrior at sixteen. Now he was twenty-one.
Elian was lucky to still be breathing after Caspian found him about to lay a hand on me following the nose incident.
Father was called, and he showed up hours later—demanding I be suspended to "learn a lesson." My father was all about duty, and duty meant protecting the family name at any cost.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. "You were given a place here, Kai. And you ruined it."
"By what?" I sneered. "Not letting an Alpha treat me like dirt?"
"By thinking you were more than what you are."
His words hit me like a punch to the gut. He used them to shut me down. Always yet I could never get used it.
There was a condition—called repression.
A wolf that never shifted. There were repressed Alphas, repressed Betas, and worst of all: repressed Omegas. Being a repressed Omega was the lowest fate imaginable, especially for an Alpha's daughter.
It meant you were basically human. And in my world, Omegas were commodities—to be married off if they came from powerful families, or used as pleasure tools if the underworld got hold of them. Always despised by Alphas and Betas who thought themselves gods.
That's why my father hid my identity. It worked. I got into college, trained as a healer. But then Elian happened. And I just had to open my big mouth.
I was more than my Omega status. Even if those idiot Alphas and Betas couldn't see it.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
Father exhaled sharply. "You're being sent away."
My stomach twisted. "What?"
Caspian's brow furrowed.
"You'll be relocated. Given a fresh start." Father's grip tightened on the wheel. "You will not disgrace this family again."
My nails dug into my thighs. His words were final.
I looked at Caspian's stricken eyes. Sure, they weren't marrying me off to some random Alpha or Beta, and that was a favor.
But still...
They wanted me to disappear. To fade into nothing as though hiding me all my life wasn't enough.
I turned, heart pounding. "I won't go."
Father didn't even glance at me. "You don't have a choice. Your grandmother's waiting to receive you."
"Kai goes nowhere," Caspian snarled.
"You'll be off to the Trials of Dominion at dusk, Caspian. Let's see how you stop it from there."
Caspian... was going to the Trials of Dominion?
Oh goddess. My gut sank.
Then I'd be alone. All alone.
No. No, no, no.
The car swerved into a sharp turn—
But I was already unbuckling my seatbelt. Before they noticed, my hand was on the door handle.
"Caspian, grab—Kai—!" Father cursed.
I jumped, hiting pavement, rolling hard on the deserted road. Pain bloomed in my bones.
But I didn't stop.
Pushing myself up, I ran.
***
It was dangerous for an Omega to be out here. Rogues were known to lurk around, waiting for the first unlucky soul they could sink their claws into.
But it was still better than being sold off.
I knew Father wouldn't come after me. He probably thought I'd have nowhere to go and then I'd crawl back home.
But Caspian—I knew he'd come.
Even now, I caught his scent moments before he appeared, eyes furious as he looked over my bruised body. "Don't ever pull that again."
My glare met his. Then he faltered, guilt all over his face. "Okay, I'm sorry. I should've told you I got in. But I thought you'd figure it out—I mean, I'm an Alpha."
I'd heard the whispers. The new Trials of Dominion. A court-mandated program to forge alliances—after years of war among packs and species. Peace was the goal. Of course, only the strong were welcome. Only men.
So yeah. It made sense I should have known Caspian would be going.
"You're really leaving?"
He sat beside me, took my hand. "It's not just for me. The Pack's future depends on it. You know that, right?"
"I do. But—" I inhaled shakily. "I'm scared. Father's going to send me away. Then what? Marry me off? To some Alpha or, worse, some old noble?"
He squeezed my hand. "I won't let that happen."
"You can't stop it," I said quietly. Then softer, "I don't know what I'd do without you."
My hands were sweaty. I bit the inside of my cheek, watching his face, hoping my guilt-tripping worked.
And of course, Caspian loved me. No matter how much I manipulated him, he always fell for my tricks. Sometimes, it made me feel bad.
But this?
This I needed.
"Should I stay back?" Caspian asked. "I could default. Stay with you..."
"No." I shook my head—too innocently.
Silence.
I felt his eyes on me. Then they dropped.
And I looked up.
"How about..." I breathed.
He glanced over.
"How about you take me with you?"
His face drained of color. "What?!"