In my pack, nobody knew their wolf type until they turned eighteen. Then, during a special ritual, they found out if they were Alpha, Beta, Delta, or Omega.
Two days ago, I hit eighteen, and today my test day. My dad ruled as the alpha of our pack, and my late mom had alpha blood too. But a growing fear gripped my heart—I worried I might turn out different. Maybe it was my stepmother Victoria's fault for constantly implying that I lacked the looks and strength of an alpha. She said it with such conviction that I started to believe her.My age mates moved forward in a long line. We were all dressed in the same white local handwoven dress with a cap made of pink, red, and blue threads. Everyone else seemed confident that they would inherit their parents' bloodline.Elders stood ready with kits at the testing center while parents hoped for the best. My dad wore a bored frown and looked unconcerned that his only legitimate child was about to be tested. My stepmother and her daughters were making mocking faces at me from a few feet away. It was a shame that my dad treated my step sisters, who were born from my stepmother's first marriage, better than me."Iris!" Ethan waved and ran towards me. He was my boyfriend and one year older than me.Ethan bowed respectfully to my dad, who grunted before gripping my sweaty palm."You're going to do great," he said and his green eyes twinkled as I offered him a weak smile. "Just remember that whatever happens, I'll be here."It was now my turn. The atmosphere was quiet, and I proceeded to the blood collection station. The needle prick didn't scare me, and the entire procedure was quick and painless.I arrived at the result station on autopilot, with my heart thumping like a marathon runner. Everyone seemed interested in my test result because I was my dad's only child and was expected to marry either an alpha or a beta to produce a male heir who would succeed my dad.That explained why my dad accepted Ethan as my boyfriend because he had Beta blood. The elders spoke quietly, and my heart sank when all of their eyes were fixed on me."What's her result?" My dad's bass voice boomed from behind me, startling the elders. I cringed as all of their attention returned to me. Ethan's grip tightened, but it didn't hurt.One of the elders stepped forward next to the table, where a piece of paper had been prepared. My results were written on it.There was one typed on the paper, in a large bold font reading 'Omega'.My stepmother and stepsisters smirked and dad continued to scan the paper. I felt literal chills run down my spine. It was so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.My life was over.No one said anything, and everyone stared at us in silence. My dad closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He spoke after a long pause."I have always suspected that your filthy mother cheated on me with an omega slave," he exclaimed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Now this proves that you're a despicable bastard!"Ethan begged him, but he responded with a yell. "Get out of my sight before I do something I regret." "But... Alpha," Ethan tried to argue, "you can't do this-""Out!" My dad commanded and right before me, my worst fears were manifesting."Take her away," he said to the wardens of the Sisters Sanctuary, a prison where omega women spent the rest of their lives. "Let her live in misery and suffer the agony and pain of her mother's sins." I felt frozen in place. Ethan attempted to fight the wardens, but they grabbed my arm, dragged me along with them, and led me to a van. As soon as they opened the door, I began screaming, tears streaming down my cheeks."Where are you taking me?!" I screamed at the top of my lungs as I struggled against them. "Dad! Please, don't abandon me with them. Help me!"My dad turned around, and the hatred in his eyes told me all I needed to know. I stopped struggling and got into the van.—------Three years laterReturning home once a year to celebrate my birthday with my family was agonizing. Dad never stopped reminding me that the omega blood in my veins made me worthless."I don't want to go home," I said to the matron who tapped on my bunk and handed me a vest and jeans to wear. "What makes you think I'm excited to celebrate my 21st birthday?""Rules are rules, Iris," she said, giving me a deadpan look and tapping her watch. "Hurry to the van."Like a lamb, I was bundled home. I looked in the van's mirror and saw a pair of sad eyes looking back at me. Sighing, I tied a scrunchie around my unusual chocolate and Burgundy hair color. Unfortunately, no children will inherit it.We arrived at my dad's four-story townhouse. Ethan would visit me today, which made my heart happy. Although he hadn't visited or responded to my letters in weeks, I knew he loved me.The music and cars parked outside suggested that a wedding ceremony was taking place inside. When I stepped into the foyer, my step-sister Bianca, who was caring for her young son, raised her head."Darling Iris, must you be so unlucky to show up today of all days?"Her statement was followed by soft laughter, and I frowned in confusion. "it's my birthday," I responded flatly. "I was forced to return home."Her son, who was to become the next alpha, gurgled after drinking breastmilk. Bianca wasn't as mean as her twin, Serena, and I could take her insults."You should leave right now because you'll never be able to unsee it."This made me curious. “What’s going on?”She didn't respond, so I pushed past her attempts to stop me and entered my dad's large hall, where he held pack activities. My feet wobbled when I saw Ethan, my last hope of leaving the sanctuary, marry a very beautiful woman.I held back my tears. Ethan promised to get me out of the sanctuary. We had a detailed plan. His wedding explained his prolonged silence. For weeks, he didn't pay me visits or write letters. It was strange at first, but I accepted it, thinking my dad had threatened him.Victoria, my stepmother and pack Luna, moved closer to me, her eyes shining with disgust."Iris, what a surprise! You would have been a bridesmaid at your beloved Ethan's wedding; I instructed your dad to write to the Sanctuary to allow you to attend. it's good you arrived before the ceremony ended."She toned down her voice. "His wife is beautiful. She has beta blood. Fortunately, Ethan would no longer have to be concerned about Omega contamination.”I ignored her and moved through the crowd. Ethan's eyes met mine and his face paled. My dad noticed my presence and, as usual, embarrassed me."Who let you out?"“It’s my birthday," I choked out and turned to face Ethan. “I'll just leave. Happy married life.”Ethan's wife must have heard about my relationship with her husband, as her eyes were glazed with malice."Go upstairs to your room," Dad ordered after dragging me into the foyer."I would rather return to the sanctuary. Could you please request that one of your drivers take me back?"He let go of his grip on me and slapped me across the face. The force knocked me to the ground. Except for Bianca, who looked very sorry, my family looked down at me in disgust."You bastard spinster. You repulse me.""Dad!" Bianca cried out. "Please don't hit her."My eyes became blind, and tears filled my voice. Dad's rejection crushed me to my core, but as I grew older, I realized that his feelings for me would never change. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, Ethan rushed out."My dear boy, don't bother yourself about her,” my stepmother said to him. "You did well to dump her."Ethan looked guilty and refused to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry you found out this way, Iris. But I refuse to settle for an omega. You're weak and destined to spend your life in that sanctuary."Those words hurt. Ethan walked away without giving me another glance. Dad ordered a guard to seize me. "Return her to the sanctuary and keep an eye on her to ensure she doesn't escape." The drive back was depressingly quiet, with only the radio playing. It began raining without warning. The sky darkened, and because the gate was quite far from the sanctuary, it took some time for someone to emerge from the building with an umbrella.My dad's guard drove away, and as the old man who mounted the gate approached to open it, an idea struck me.I could escape the sanctuary. Now was my chance. While he struggled with the padlock, I turned around and began running."Hey! Stop right there!" He cried out from behind me. "Get down here.""I'm sorry but I want a better life," I dared him and fled, making sure the guard could never catch me.I transformed into a tiny brown wolf and raced to Aunt Helena's pack. She was my late mom's older sister and the only person on earth who truly loved me. My heart raced, praying the border guards wouldn't spot me. Once past the border, I swiftly shifted into my tiny wolf form and dashed towards the Valley Pelt pack, a two-hour run from there. I ran through forests until I reached my aunt's cozy one-story cottage, surrounded by a large veranda and a flower garden. Shifting back, I shivered, raising my unsteady hand to knock on the door while scanning for any signs of trouble. Aunt Helena lived with her husband, Bruno, my dad's good friend. When I called out to her, tears welled up behind my eyelids as her voice rang from inside. She looked surprised and wide-eyed. "What are you doing here, Iris?" she asked, grabbing my hand inside. I fell onto the sofa while taking deep breaths to catch my breath. "Long story. I needed to escape from it all." She hesitated before speaking. “But
I was startled by the alpha's presence and couldn't help but laugh at my foolish daydreams about someone so unattainable. Hadn't Ethan's rejection taught me anything?“Damn, he looks so good.”Natalia whistled behind me and I agreed. A male and a female, who seemed to be the alpha's friends, trailed closely behind him. The male appeared laid-back and relaxed, while the beautiful woman exuded confidence, walking as if she owned the place. I noticed Alpha Adonis holding her hand.Were they lovers? If so, why would he be searching for a wife?Natalia was right all along. The alpha and his friends didn't make any selections during the first through fourth lines. The girls cried, and some even attempted to sneak into our line.The alpha's group approached us, and the air charged up. My heart was thumping furiously against my ribs. Adonis appeared uninterested and nearly tired of the hunt. I overheard him saying, "This is tiring, Fred. I'm not interested in any of the girls."His friend lau
I was still in complete shock when we made our way onto the stage. While climbing the final stair, the alpha and his entourage left the hall. The second they were out of sight, a few girls in the front let out frustrated screams.Some girls' faces crumpled, and they couldn't hold back their tears. They looked like raccoons with smudged masks running down their cheeks.Angry voices began to rise from different corners of the room. "This is not fair! How could they not see my potential?" one girl's voice cut through the air.The ten of us selected gathered near the edge of the stage. The rest of the girls were excited, and one of them leaned in closer. "Isn't it a miracle that only line six got picked? We should have our special name.”“How about the famous line six?" Another girl suggested, and the rest approved with their eyes lighting up with a thrill.MC Charles stepped back onto the stage, trying to calm the crying girls. "Ladies, ladies, please. Your emotions are running high rig
AdonisMy eyelids fluttered open. My vision was hazy and blurry because I awoke from a deep sleep. I rubbed my eyes to get rid of the grogginess, and it took a few seconds to clear up.Forcing my way through the maze of confusion, I looked up, feeling lost and surprised.As soon as the drizzle touched my skin, I knew that I was in my human form and looked around. I was outside in the purple garden on the grass.Never in my Twenty-Six years of living had I felt such serenity and calmness around me, but I couldn't remember why. It felt strange like someone had calmed my inner storm.My recollections were disorganized, so it was impossible to piece together the event. My crazy wolf was unusually quiet, as though its impulses had been restrained with a tight leash.Raindrops hit my skin as the drizzle got heavier. "What happened last night?" I kept asking myself.My wolf suffered from fast memory loss and impulse control disorders, so it was a relief not to feel the usual emptiness and de
Day 1IrisThe bell's harsh ring pierced my ears, making me jolt awake. After stretching, I sat up in bed, yawning and covering my mouth with my hand as I tried to blink away the last traces of sleep.The girls were up, and my heart skipped as I threw back the covers while running my fingers through my hair and tying it back into a ponytail, securing it with a scrunchie.Our first activity for the day began ten minutes ago. My friend and bunkmate, Natalia was snoring away, her nipple peeking through her tank top. I shook her shoulders attempting to wake her up. “Natalia, wake up,” I said with a groan. She didn't budge and I nudged her harder before rushing to the bathroom to splash cold water on my face.I stared into the mirror. The events of last night flooded back. I remembered the mad wolf and how my touch calmed it down.Something about that incident made me feel warm inside, but at the same time, I was terrified. Was that going to put me in trouble? And I knew for sure that
IrisA dermatologist was invited to take care of our skin. It was my turn, and I walked into an examination room whose walls were painted a soothing white color.Dressed in a white lab coat, the doctor greeted me with a friendly smile. Several shelves were filled with skincare products, and she passed me a magazine that explained different skin conditions and then made sure the room was well-lit."You have to take off your clothes and lay on the table," she pointed to the center while bringing out a scalpel, tweezers, and magnifying glasses."Let's talk about your skincare routine. Do you currently follow any?"I almost laughed, as if I was ever given such luxury. Even before the test, I had nothing to call my own. I was living like a maid in my father's house."No," I said simply. "I've never really thought about it."She smiled. "No worries, it's never too late to start taking care of your skin. Now, let's assess it. Do you have any specific reactions or sensitivities to skincare pr
Day 2Adonis My mind and body were in complete harmony, beyond description. Some people believe that having good sex, drinking alcohol, or getting high on marijuana are the only ways to feel euphoric.I have been celibate since Isabella's death; I was not drunk, but I was high on an unfathomable level of happiness. For the first time in my life, warmth flooded my heart, and I couldn't stop smiling. This unexpected sense of comfort puzzled me. Something was calming me down, but all I could recall was a touch.Those gentle, magical hands gave me goosebumps all over. The sun shone through the curtains, and I felt energized. The question was, "Whose hands were those?"It was driving me insane that I still couldn't recall anything. I wanted to put a face on those hands because their touch was the only thing that put me at ease. Trying to remember was like hitting a wall. When I shifted, there was no synergy between my human and wolf forms because my wolf memory was so bad. This was ou
IrisI felt humiliated and uneasy as my body gave way beneath me. I wasn't sure if my vertigo after landing on the floor from the unsuccessful catwalk was a result of tiredness or the fact that Alpha Adonis was in the room.I felt something pressing against my ribs and was eager to get out of there. The instructors and the girls were harsh, constantly laughing at those who were weak or lacked the necessary skills. They worsened my mood."Iris! Are you okay? Natalia rushed to my side. "Are you hurt?""A little," I managed to say. "Maybe I should sit for a while.""You okay, Iris?" Another girl asked. I nodded, feeling embarrassed.Adonis remained expressionless while watching. The man was almost too attractive for words. His green eyes, firm features, and the confidence he exuded made me forget to breathe.I despised the fact that my feet were wobbly in those high heels and that I foolishly fell when Alpha Adonis entered the room. His gaze was fixed on me, which made me extremely nervo