Omega to Lycan Princess

The scent of pine and hostility hung heavy in the mountain air as I stood beside Alpha Marcus Thorne at the Shadowmere-Silvermoon alliance summit. My heart hammered against my ribs, but I kept my expression neutral. This meeting would determine Ryan's future as the pack's next Alpha—and by extension, our future together.

"Are you certain about this, Mia?" Alpha Marcus's gruff voice was low enough that only I could hear. "The trial is designed for Alphas and high-ranking Betas. As an Omega..." He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.

I nodded firmly. "I'm ready, Alpha. Ryan has trained me well."

The lie tasted bitter on my tongue. Ryan hadn't trained me at all—I'd spent the past month secretly preparing myself, pushing my body to its limits every night while he slept. All because I knew this moment would come, and I would not let him down.

From across the clearing, I caught Ryan's eye. He stood tall among the other Betas, his sandy hair catching the sunlight, his shoulders squared with confidence. The slight nod he gave me carried the weight of eight years of promises. *Do this for us, Mia. Prove I'm worthy.*

"Let the trial begin!" Alpha Marcus's voice boomed across the training grounds.

I stepped into the circle drawn in the dirt, facing five of Silvermoon's strongest warriors. An Omega against elite fighters. The whispers and snickers from the watching pack members stung, but I pushed them away. This wasn't about me—it was about Ryan.

The first warrior lunged. I dodged, barely, feeling the rush of air as claws grazed past my cheek. I countered with a swift kick, connecting with his knee. One down, temporarily.

The second and third attacked simultaneously. Pain exploded across my back as claws tore through my shirt, through skin. I bit back a scream, twisting to deliver a punch to one's throat. Blood—my blood—spattered the dirt.

"She's still standing," someone murmured, surprise evident.

I had no time to savor the small victory. The fourth warrior, a massive male with a scarred face, slammed into me with the force of a freight train. My ribs cracked audibly. Black spots danced at the edges of my vision.

*Get up, Mia. For Ryan. For us.*

I staggered to my feet, swaying. My body screamed in protest as I forced myself back into a fighting stance. Blood dripped steadily from multiple wounds, soaking into the dirt beneath my feet.

Two hours later, I was still fighting. My lungs burned with each ragged breath. My muscles spasmed with exhaustion. But I refused to yield.

I caught a glimpse of Ryan's face through my swollen eye. He was smiling—not at me, but at the Alpha of Silvermoon Pack. *Look what my Omega can endure. Imagine what I could do as your ally.*

The fifth warrior, fresh and uninjured, circled me like a predator. I could barely lift my arms to defend myself. When he struck, I managed one last, desperate counter-attack before my legs finally buckled beneath me.

I collapsed face-first into the blood-soaked dirt, my body betraying me at last.

Through the haze of pain, I heard Alpha Marcus declare: "The Omega has proven the strength of Shadowmere's bloodlines. The alliance discussions may proceed."

Strong arms lifted me. Not Ryan's—a Delta's. As they carried me to the healing den, I caught fragments of conversation:

"...never seen an Omega fight like that..."

"...should have died an hour ago..."

"...Mitchell's chosen female has heart, I'll give her that..."

The healing den was cool and dim after the harsh sunlight of the training grounds. The Delta placed me on a cot, his expression grim as he assessed my injuries.

"Ryan will be here soon," I whispered, my split lip making speech painful.

The Delta's eyes flickered with something like pity before he turned away.

I drifted in and out of consciousness, the pain coming in waves. When I finally forced my eyes open again, it wasn't Ryan standing over me—it was a petite female with glossy black hair and delicate features.

"Who...?" I managed to croak.

"I'm Stephanie Chen, from Silvermoon," she said, her voice soft and melodic. "Ryan asked me to tend to you while he speaks with the Alphas."

Something in her scent made my wolf stir uneasily. But before I could identify what it was, Stephanie pressed a cloth soaked in something acrid against my deepest wound.

The pain that followed was blinding, consuming. I arched off the cot, a scream tearing from my throat.

"Oh!" Stephanie jumped back, eyes wide. "I'm sorry! I've never actually treated wounds this severe before."

As darkness claimed me once more, one thought echoed in my mind: *Where are you, Ryan? I need you.*

I didn't know then that he was already gone, taking Stephanie on a moonlit run through our territory, leaving me alone with my sacrifice and my pain.