A loud crash and the crystal flower vase shattered across the tiled floor. Then went the bottle of wine. I cowered in fear in the kitchen, silently making Aunt Jude's black coffee, while Ophelia screamed curses at Adeline in the adjoined dining room.

She couldn't have Vin after all her fantasies to become Luna for years. And the coming blood moon would shatter her dreams completely.

My heart clenched at the thought of Blood Moon. The night he will claim someone else officially forever. Tears started to burn my vision again for the umpteenth time since last night. My wolf was so much in pain, keeping me awake the whole night. It was getting weaker.

"Ophelia, calm down! And lower your voice! You stayed out the whole night drinking God knows where and now throwing a tantrum! I swear, if anyone hears you…"

"I don't fucking care!" Ophelia snapped, glaring at her mother. Mascara smeared beneath her eyes whilst her hair was a mess. "How can she appear all of a sudden and snatch my Vinson away just like that! I don't care if she is his mate or not! I'm far better than her! I've known him since childhood! He is mine!"

Fury was written across her features.

Aunt Jude grabbed her arms and shook her to her senses. "Shut your mouth before anyone overhears you! Rebellion against the future Luna can be considered treachery. Did you forget what happened to Sam just for touching that maid? Vision will do worse if he finds out your hatred for his mate! You are not his fated mate, so accept it! Don't get us into trouble!"

Her voice was low as she hissed at her daughter. But her words were like needles to my heart. No matter how much I was aware of Adeline's being his mate, my heart didn't seem to accept it.

He wasn't my fated mate, but it felt like I was facing his rejection seeing him with his actual partner.

Taking a deep breath, I composed myself and took the black coffee out.

Ophelia shrugged off her mother's hands. "I won't accept it! I will see how that bitch takes my position from me! I have dreamt of it for years! I don't care if she is an alpha female or not!"

Just as she turned around furiously to leave, she stumbled on her heels. Her shoulder collided with mine, causing the hot coffee to fall on the ground. Some splashes burned my skin, making me hiss. Ophelia took a quick step back from the hot beverage.

"I'm sorry…"

Before I could finish, a smack across my face threw me on the ground. A ringing pain shot through my skull. The mug shattered on the ground.

"Watch where you are going, bitch! Were you trying to burn me with that shit?" she bellowed, before lifting her leg, aiming for me.

Whimpering, I closed my eyes, waiting for the hit, but it never came.

"What the hell are you doing, Lia?" Matt's hiss made me open my eyes. He stood between me and his cousin.

A tear fell from my eye as I crawled back from her murderous gaze. My cheek throbbed with pain.

"I'm teaching this bitch a lesson! She seems to keep forgetting her place!" Ophelia snapped.

Matt's gaze fell on me, then my cheek. Brown eyes widened. Sympathy and…fear flickered across his features. He went abnormally pale before rushing to me and helping me on my feet. My fists clenched at the pity in his eyes. I didn't want that.

"Are you all right, Rory? Does it hurt? I'm so sorry, I…" He turned to his cousin again. "How dare you put your hands on her? Have you lost it! Is that how you treat her?"

"Calm down, Matt. It's nothing new for her. A slap won't kill her. Ophelia was mad, and she almost spilled the coffee on her," Aunt Jude said.

Matt's nostrils flared as he glared his aunt down. "What do you mean it's nothing new to her? You mean…" His head tilted to the side. "You have been treating her like this for the past seven years? How dare you! She is…"

"Just an Omega!" Aunt Jude argued. "Watch who are you talking to, young man! I'm your beta female, mate to the second in command of this pack!"

"And you are talking to your soon-to-be beta!" Matt growled at the disrespect. After Alphas, Betas were the most powerful in a pack. No one dared to disobey or disrespect them.

Aunt Jude flinched before taking a step back.

Sniffling, I whispered, "M-matt, it's alright. I'm okay. Please don't make it an issue."

They were going to make my life hell later if he defended me.

"You are not! No one deserves to be treated like this in this pack!" A deep line of worry etched across his features as he shot a glance at Ophelia. "Lia, apologize to Rory. Now. You don't have any idea what you have done."

Before she could say anything, I let out a dry smile. My heart was hollow.  "Don't worry, Matt. As Aunt Jude said, it's nothing new for me. I'm used to it. Thank you for your concern, but you don't need to be concerned for Ophelia either. No one cares if I get a small slap on my face."

Something flashed into his brown orbs. His shoulders sagged as I turned and walked into the kitchen to get the mop to clean the floor.

"You have done this to yourself. I can just wish you all the luck in the world," Matt said before a slam of the door was heard.

"What did he mean by that? Was he warning me of something?" Ophelia asked.

"Nothing. He is a softy just like your dad. Now compose yourself and get freshen up. You need to be in the training grounds in half an hour!"

***

"Why don't you leave that house full of witches?" Mia asked as we walked towards the training grounds.

Despite trying to hide the red swell on my cheek with my hair, she noticed it. Being aware of Ophelia's behavior, she didn't ask what happened.

"I have nowhere to go, Mia." I shrugged.

I had thought of leaving countless times, away from everyone's verbal and sometimes physical abuse. But the thought of Vin always stopped me. I naively believed when he would return, no one would disrespect me again. He would protect and care for me. But I was wrong. To survive in this cruel world, one had to defend themselves.

Mia sighed. "I wish I could help you out. But I'm just an omega as well."

I smiled, though my inside was exhausted. "You treat me like a person. That's more than enough."

Her lips pursed. "I thought now that Alpha Vinson was here, he would help you out. But…he seems to be so cold towards you. Did anything happen between you two?"

I looked away. "Only he knows the answer."

I thought we still had something left after he almost marked me yesterday. But I was wrong. My tear filled eyes waited for him to say something or deny about his mating ceremony after the announcement last night, but never did he look at me or say anything.

The night he arrived, his wolf didn't seem to hate me at all no matter what I thought at that moment. But then he said I meant nothing to him when Adeline asked.

What should I think of his changing characters? What was actually going on in his head?

When we reached the training grounds, I didn't feel any excitement like I felt every time we Omegas were given the chance to train twice a month. It was a chance for us to stay fit enough to defend ourselves during attacks. Though warriors and upper class wolves trained every single day.

Groans of pain and heavy breathing of exercising reached my ears. Half naked male wolves were busy in intense training while females practiced battle with each other. Some were in their human form, and some were wolves. The guest Alphas and Betas were here as well.

Suddenly a familiar scent hit my nostrils, sending my wolf haywire. My ardent gaze roamed across the field before setting on the tall, mascular, half naked man engaged in a hand battle with his future beta.

My heart started racing at the sight of him. The gloom and pain washed away. The way his strong shoulder blades moved with each movement of his, the way drops of sweat rolled down his tanned and taut skin brought warmth to my cheeks. His hard abs shone under the scorching sun while his hair was wet with sweat, some dark strands covered his wide forehead.

A sigh of yearning left me. My fingers itched to run through those midnight locks. Just like I used to do years ago. He loved it. 

Suddenly his shoulders tensed, his movements ceased. Matt frowned before his eyes fell on me.

But my gaze caught the woman who soon wrapped her arms around Vin before placing her lips at the corner of his mouth. His arms didn't hesitate to pull her in.

My eyes burned, my throat clogged up as I looked away. He definitely knew about my presence. But why would he care? I didn't mean anything to him.

I turned around to leave. It was unbearable to see him with her.

"Hey, where are you going? We need to train." Mia frowned.

"I don't feel well, Mia. I will skip today."

"Is your cheek hurting that bad?"

I froze at the voice. Turning around, I met Kate's cold dark eyes. I haven't seen her since Sam's death. She couldn't do anything to Vin for revenge, but she wasn't leaving me that easily.

Ophelia stood right beside her, rolling her blue eyes.

'Damn! This bitch will do her best to make you suffer, Rory.' Mia's words in my head didn't help.

"Isn't she the one who caused the Gemma's son's death?" one of the guests from the neighboring pack asked.

"Yes. Though I don't blame him for going after her. She is fine…" A rough voice groaned, making my wolf displeased.

I could feel a pair of scorching eyes burning my skin. I didn't dare look back at him.

Kate's eyes ran down my body, her hands clenched. I wore the sports bra and yoga pants Mia forced me to wear for comfort. They fit well on my curvy structure.

"After getting done with Sam, now you are trying to seduce another one?"

My eyes widened. "No. What are you talking about? Of all the people, you s-should know how Sam was…"

Before I could finish, she gripped my arm in a vice-like grip, hissing. I flinched at her long sharp nails cutting my skin. "Don't you dare even take his name! You little slut…"

Suddenly her features scrunched, she stumbled back before letting out a blood curdling scream. I stared in horror as she fell on the ground, clutching her stomach. No one touched her, there was no injury, but her face turned red, her eyes were glazing over.

"Kate!" Ophelia rushed to her. Matt and Adeline followed behind. While Mia gaped at the scene before us.

Kate's scream echoed across the training grounds as she writhed on the floor in pain.

What was happening to her?

"Kate!" Ophelia soon snapped her head to me. "You! What did you do to her?"

I shook my head. "I didn't…you saw everything. I-I don't even touch her." Fear and anxiety gripped my chest.

Everyone's gaze was set on me, and mine instinctively fell on the man who still stood in his place. With a tight jaw, his hands were secured in his pockets. Silver eyes were set on Kate with an emotion that sent a shiver down my spine.

They were so cold…

"Let's take her to the pack doctor. Something is wrong," Adeline said, her eyes falling on me with a frown for a second.

When Kate was carried away, Mia gripped my hand tightly.

"What was that?"

I licked my dry lips, my heart was racing. When I looked back at Vin, he was prowling towards me with ease. Silver eyes set on me.

Nervous butterflies stormed in my stomach the way his gaze took a troll on my body. A muscle of his jaw ticked.

"I-i didn't do anything," I rushed out before he could blame me as well.

Standing a hand away from me, he stared me down with hard eyes. He was so big…towering over me like a pillar. Broad and powerful. "Who allowed you here?*

Voice deep.

I blinked. "Vin…"

"Alpha," he cut me off with a snap, making me flinch.

"A-alpha," I whispered, casting my gaze on the ground to hide the tears that threatened to gather in my eyes. I wasn't even allowed to call him by his name.

Silver eyes glanced at my cheek for a fleeting second. "What are you doing here?" His question came out hard, strained.

"T-training," I managed to reply. My wolf went silent at the cold and distant demeanor of his.

His head tilted to the side. "Until the guests are here, omegas aren't allowed to train. Now leave."

'Why didn't I know of such a rule? Did he just decide that himself?' Mia asked through mind link.

While I just stood there, staring at him with glossy eyes. I wanted to talk to him so badly. I wanted to ask why he hated me so much all of a sudden. What did I do to deserve such treatment?

When a brow of his raised, with a clench in my chest, I left the grounds.

"He is such a jerk! How can he talk to you like that?" Mia grumbled once we were far away from him.

I swiftly wiped the tear that fell down my cheek. "He is Vinson Salvatore Rustov, the most powerful Alpha across the country. He can do anything."

She snorted. "He is yet to be announced as an Alpha. You don't get upset over him. You should think about your mate instead. You're nineteen already, I think he is going to show up any moment now! Maybe one of the guests who will arrive at the Blood Moon?"

Her words were a stab for my wolf. I never thought of my mate, never wanted one. Because all I wanted was him, my cruel step brother. But he didn't even want me around him anymore.

I bit my lip again, trying to control the tears that threatened to spill.

"I wonder what happened to Kate all of a sudden. She…"

Gina stopped us on our tracks. Her hands folded on her chest, giving us a look of disinterest.

"What do you want now? I think your friend was enough for today," Mia rolled her eyes.

"I'm not interested in wasting my time by talking to you Omegas either. I'm here to deliver a message to her."

Her eyes met mine.

"You're summoned to the new Alpha Manor."

Alpha manor?

"Who wants her there?" Mia asked.

Gina's lips pursed. "Alpha Vinson."

Ooo! Why do you think Vin has summoned her for? Any guesses? 😉

What's your opinion about Ophelia? And what do you think happened to Kate all of a sudden? Let me know in the comments! And you can follow my Facebook page to stay updated about my books and sneak peeks of the upcoming chapters!

With love,

Eva Zahan