Kira
My sadness was choking me as the day went on. I was too caught off guard by sorrow to see where my future would lead.
I cupped my head in my left palm. I couldn't even participate in the Omega girls' activities. My heart was always hurting from the constant pain that the alpha would never accept me.
I was, after all, a dirty Omega.
I never bothered to talk to my mom about my problems. The woman had a lot on her plate already. It was going to break her to tell her that the Alpha was my mate. I turned to face the wall while lying on my thin mattress as footsteps drew near.
"Kira, honey, are you okay?" My mom's voice pierced through my thoughts as she held a bowl of soup above me.
"I'm fine, Mom," I lied, forcing a smile.
She knew me too well to believe it. She touched the spot on my arm where a long scar that extended from my shoulder to my elbow was still visible and asked, "Does your wound still hurt?"
"No, it doesn't," I said, pulling away.
"Is it something else, then? Are you having issues with Zion or Amari? Did any of the Omegas make offensive remarks to you? she asked, trying hard to guess the reason for my sadness.
"No, Mom, nothing like that.”
Amari was now very careful about hanging out with me. I was the latest swine, and she didn't want to incur the wrath of her mother.
"Since when did you start hiding things from me? You seem to have been keeping things from me ever since you turned eighteen."
She launched a brief rant about how I foolishly followed other people to the main pack and got into problems while they made their getaway.
"Please stop, Mom," I wobbled like a worm and grumbled, "I have a headache."
"I won't stop until you tell me what the problem is. I am done with surprises.
I turned my head away. How could I tell her that I felt a deep bond with the alpha? What the alpha had in store for me was beyond the power of my mom's comprehension.
Zion walked in with a foolish smile as if to irritate me even more. Or maybe I was exaggerating and becoming unnecessarily enraged.
Apart from the boyfriend tag, Zion was a great friend, and I was confident that we would remain friends even if he eventually met his soul mate.
Had he not guided me to that doomed terrace, had I not entered the main pack, I might never have found my mate, and maybe that would have been a better choice for me.
It was strange how all of my former affection for Zion was erased by the mating bond.
It just disappeared.
"Zion, what's wrong with Kira? Are there problems between you two?"
Mom always thought Zion was a good match for me and gave her approval. Often grinning, she would say, "He'll make a good husband. You need to be with someone who will not abandon you, as your father did for us."
Zion assisted me with everything, especially household tasks, and was a year older than I was. The only arguments we had before D'Angelo were when I would refuse to have sex with him and when I pushed him to focus on his studies.
Learning from our ignorant elders was a depressing method of education. They gave us lessons in grammar, math, and werewolf history. Zion was street-smart but sucked at schoolwork.
"Problems?” Zion questioned, looking puzzled and casting a glance at me, then back at my mom while I gave him the stink eye, signaling him to remain silent.
"We're good, aren't we, Kira?”
"Mm-hmm," I nodded, wishing they could just leave me alone.
"Why don't we go for a walk?" Zion said. "Maybe some fresh air will do you good—it is a nice evening."
I was not feeling it, but he and I enjoyed going for walks in the great outdoors. Grabbing my oversized, worn jacket, I made a quick exit from the tent knowing he would not take no for an answer.
My wolf growled, annoyed, when Zion grabbed my hand, but I kept it under control.
We walked quietly across the lush field. I have always loved the smell of grass.
"Is he the reason behind your mood swings?" Zion broke the silence, his voice sounding serious.
"Who?" I asked, playing dumb.
His chin jutted forward and his eyes narrowed. "Who else but that vile, bastard alpha?"
I felt my inner wolf snarl with irritation, wanting to rip Zion's face off for making fun of my mate.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I said while controlling my annoyance. "It's obvious that the alpha will never accept me."
“True, but you're growing feelings for him. You've never been the same since you realized he is your mate because you want him so badly.”
As usual, his envy skyrocketed. He went on rambling, and I said nothing.
"Do you know what kind of girls the Alpha is attracted to? Higher status, stronger blood, and sophisticated and elegant women. You just can't accept the truth because you are too greedy and stupid.”
My fist clenched, tears stinging my eyes as I warned him, "Do not insult me. Am I the moon goddess that paired us together? He is the other half of my soul, do you realize that?”
His laughter broke out. “The other half of your soul, for sure. Well, newsflash, he doesn't want you. You'll have my daily reminder, I promise you. Snap out of your illusion; D'Angelo will never accept you."
I closed my ears to Zion's words because they stung like hell. "Stop, stop, stop!”
His voice mockingly grew louder instead of stopping. “The other members of the pack could kill you if they discover you are the alpha's mate, you stupid girl.”
"There are other girls in the world besides me," I screamed at him. "Find someone else. Someone who will accept you and show you love."
"You should know that when I want something, I go for it.”
His breath pricked my ears as he drew nearer to me and spoke in a chilly tone. "You need my protection, Kira. You are mine, always have been. You should not be around that bastard. He will shatter you like spaghetti. He is an evil person."
He pulled me in, his lips gliding over mine without thinking. I quickly pulled away, and I gave him a hard slap across the face when he tried again.
Zion’s gaze doubled. He took a step back, realizing he had lost me.
"Oh no, I'm so sorry," I apologized profusely. "I warned you not to get any closer. It was a reflex action, I swear."
With pain and rage in his eyes, he rubbed the red mark on his cheek and glared at me.
"You should be sorry," he said, "for planning to waste your life."
He spoke again after a painful silence had passed between us."Kira, you're an idiot. I worry that you are going to fall into the grave you are digging for yourself."
I was sick of hearing him go back and forth and say the same things over and over again in an attempt to persuade me.
"Zion, do you believe I am ignorant? Think I do not give a damn?
“It sure doesn't seem that way, he snorted. "You're just like a fly perching into poison. I hear things; I know what that alpha is like. You are dreaming like a little bitch, and he is going to ruin your life."
I winced at his choice of words. "Why do you even bother? I don't share a bodily organ with you; you aren't my brother. Zion, you have no right to dictate to me how I should feel. You have no idea how much pain my heart and soul are hurting."
He caught hold of my arm. "I care about you, I love you, and I do not want to see you hurt, which is why I bother."
With a yank, I released my arm from his hold and turned to face away from him.
He hurried after me, his feet banging on the floor, saying, "Come back here." With his face just inches from mine, he caught up with me and twirled me around. With a growl, he spat out, "Don't ever walk out on me."
"This is pathetic. You can never compete with the alpha, why are you envious of him?"
He yelled, "How would you feel if you were in my shoes?" Are you implying that you have no affection for me? Is that why you declined to have sex with me?"
"Zion, we knew from the start the relationship was bound to crumble. Even though it is the wrong person, I have found my soulmate. You do not have to bring up the alpha all the time.
An evil smile curled Zion's lips. "I have a very important question for you. I need an honest response from you. Tell me, why haven't you told your mother that D'Angelo is your mate?”
I felt a wave of fear sweep through me. This was bad.
"Zion, please, please promise me that you won't tell her anything. I beg you."
"And why not?" he snorted. "She should know about these things because she is your mother, in case you decide to act crazy and ask the alpha to mark you."
"I won't," I said, going on my knees. "I just don't want my mum to get worried. I will make things right, I promise.”
"Let's get married. I swear to protect you from the alpha. Marry me, Kira.”