As soon as David pushed me into the darkness, my breath got caught in my throat.
My back hit the cold stone wall so hard and I could hear the sound of my own heartbeat as Lila's voice echoed down the hallway.
"David? Bryan? Where are you?"
Her footsteps got closer and I pushed myself deeper into the shadows, my heart slamming against my ribs. If she saw me here, if she even suspect what just happened, she would make my life even more worse than it already was.
Facing David, Bryan cursed under his breath. “Get rid of her.”
David exhaled sharply, his voice indifferent. “We’re here, Lila.”
I couldn't see them from my hiding place, but I could hear their voices.
"Ahh, there you are." Lila's voice was gentle. Nothing like the voice she use when talking to me. I imagined her reaching out, tracing her fingers down David's arm the way she always did. "The full moon is strong tonight. You should be careful."
"We're fine." David said coldly.
Lila let out a laugh. "Of course you are."
I heaved a sigh of relief. It seem she doesn't suspect anything. I decided to leave through the back door. There was silence before Lila's next words stopped me in my track.
"Why are you out here, my love?"
My stomach twisted. She was talking to David. I waited for him to push her away, to say something to dismiss her.
Instead, his voice was gentle. "I could ask you the same."
I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I shouldn't have felt hurt. David and Bryan had already rejected me. They made it clear that I mean nothing to them. And yet, something inside me twisted painfully at the way he played along with her so easily.
Lila sighed softly. "I was waiting for you. You've been so distant these few days."
Bryan yawnedp. "If you two are going to get started, I would rather not be here."
Lila laughed softly. "Come to my chambers tonight."
David purred and my breathing stopped for a moment. "If that's what you want, my love." he said.
Something in me broke as he uttered the statement. I barely took notice of the sound of their steps disappearing down the corridor, of the empty space they left behind.
I heard just one thing over and over again. If that's what you want.
I stood in the darkness for a long time, long after they were gone. My fists tightened to the point my nails tore into my flesh.
I had been an idiot to think this bond meant something. It meant nothing.
****
I barely had any sleep that night. The next morning, I was back at work, scrubbing the floors of the palace with aching fingers.
I forced myself to move faster, to work harder. If I kept my head down, if I acted like the maid they wanted me to be, maybe and just maybe they would forget I exist.
But Lila did not forget. She never did.
"Slower, Omega. You're making a mess."
She stood over me, swirling a goblet of wine in her hand as I scrubbed the dining hall floor. I bit my tongue, paying attention to the work I was doing.
"She's ignoring you, my lady." one of the noblewomen said from across the table.
Lila sighed. "How rude.
Before I could stop her, she tipped the goblet forward, spilling deep red wine across the floor. The liquid splashed over my hands, my dress and the already cleaned floors.
My stomach tightened. "Oops." She smiled. "It looks like you'll have to start over again."
The noblewomen laughed. I closed my eyes for a moment, gripping the brush so hard my fingers ached.
This was a game to her. A test. She was waiting for me to break.
But I wouldn't give her the satisfaction.
Slowly, I dipped the brush into the bucket of soapy water and started scrubbing again.
Lila laughed. "See? This is what happens when you let lowly omegas into the palace."
I kept my head down. "If it were up to me, I would have you thrown to the rogues." She continued.
Hours later, I was on my knees in the corridor outside the throne room still cleaning. I was glad Lila left already with the other women after making my life difficult. I made a note to finish the chores before she comes back.
But the instant the door to the throne room opened, I froze.
David and Bryan walked past me without sparing me as much as a glance. Their faces held no expression as they strode past me and walked into the throne room where their father, King Aldric Moonshade sat waiting. He must have summoned them.
Curiosity tickled my skin. The king never summoned both his sons at once. I shouldn't have stayed here. I should have kept scrubbing with my head down but I couldn't. I kept feeling the urge to listen, so I did.
I said nothing as I placed my ear on the door straining to catch every word through the open doorway while praying I don't get caught.
"Do you know why I called you here?" the king's deep voice sounded from inside the throne room.
David's voice was cold. "If this is about the war council…"
"It is not." He said before continuing. "A prophecy was revealed."
My breath got caught in my throat.
"A prophecy?" Bryan repeated, sounding bored. "Let me guess, another warning of death and destruction?"
The king ignored his sarcasm. "A seer has spoken. If you do not accept your mate, calamity will befall this kingdom."
My heart stopped momentarily. Mate. So he knew. But how?
Bryan let out a laugh. "That's ridiculous."
"Is it?" the king snapped. "Strange things are happening in the pack. Different sicknesses keep spreading in villages. The animals are aggressive. The last time something like this happened, the Moon Goddess punished our ancestors for denying their mates."
I felt a shiver ran down my spine.
"It does not matter. We will never accept her."
The words sliced through me. Though I knew already that they won't accept me, it still hurt because of the mate bond. The king let out a deep breath. "You are making a mistake."
"You expect us to claim some omega maid just because a seer says so?"
The king insisted. "You will take her in."
"You cannot force this." David retorted.
"Yes, I can or you are to take her as your breeder."
There was silence in the room and I had to pinch myself to make sure I'm not having a bad dream. A breeder. Not a mate. Not a wife. Just a vessel for producing babies.
Bryan was the first to break the silence. "Are you serious?"
"Very." The king's tone remained the same. "You will observe her for months. If any one of you impregnates her first, you will inherit the throne."
My stomach twisted. This couldn't be real.
"You are gambling the throne on this?"
"I am ensuring our survival," the king corrected. "If the prophecy is true, we cannot risk defying fate."
Bryan's chair scraped against the floor. "You expect us to fight over a weakling?"
"You will do what is necessary," the king said. "Or you suffer the consequences."
There was a moment of silence before David finally spoke, his voice colder than ever.
"If we must take her, then we will make her regret ever being born."
I didn't wait to hear anymore. I ran down the corridor before I could hear another word. My chest heaved and my breath came in short painful gasps.
They were not just rejecting me. They were going to destroy me.
And there is nothing I can do to stop it.
