Chapter 2
Iris With those glassy blue eyes trained on me, it was hard for me to remain composed, but I figured out that any wrong answer could send me straight to the cell. He chuckled, but his voice rang hard with disbelief and scorn. "I wasn't born yesterday, Iris. You were dragged to the market square because you stole, yet you say you did nothing?" Something snapped inside of me at his accusation. Yes, I had a deep crush on Prince Devin, but I wouldn't be ridiculed this way. Maybe I was a weak wolfless omega who found no better job than keeping records for a man who was interested in defiling her, but I had my self-dignity to protect. At this point, I didn't even care about getting arrested, but if they were to arrest me, it would be for the right reasons— that I stole from Giga. "Everything is an accusation, Prince Devin. You are not even sure that I stole from him." I shot back, fuming. I'd risen to my feet so that I could stare at his face squarely. "Yes, I was dragged out here, but with what proof? Don't you know the situation of every omega in this pack? We are treated like filth, and no one acknowledges us. Do you know how many of us are sold because we don't have mates? Because we are weak and useless?" My body visibly quaked with a deep kind of anger I hadn't felt in a while. I was angry at all of them—My parents who thought it was best to die and leave us without any inheritance, aside from that shit-hole I call a house, then the moon goddess who decided that the best way to punish me for being born was by becoming a wolfless omega. My anger doubled when I realized that my crush might not even save me. But if he wasn't going to save me, why was he here, acting like my knight in shining armor? "You have no manners, Iris... How dare you speak to the Alpha prince in such a manner?" The leader cut in, drawing closer to me. Prince Devin's hands shot out and he quickly restricted him from getting any closer. "Don't do anything to her, I'm here now." He warned as the sleeping butterflies resurrected in my stomach. How could he make me hate him and admire him at the same time? Why was my body reacting this way, anyway? Wasn't I supposed to be working on discarding any stupid crush I had on him? "I'm sorry, Prince Devin." He bowed and reclined. Prince Devin darted his gaze toward me, folded his hands and took some steps closer. "You said that you didn't steal the money, huh?" He asked menacingly. I almost cowered out of fear. His eyes weren't chill blue anymore, instead, they had switched to a darker shade and become ferocious, yet I stood my ground. "I swear in the name of the moon goddess, I didn't steal anything from him," I said in my defense again, though I was already tired of trying to convince him. He could do whatever he wanted at this point. "First of all, Omega, I have a strong hatred for thieves. People that steal what doesn't belong to them without caring less about how their actions affect their victims." He intoned as his voice emitted bitterness. "Then they go about their day like they haven't robbed someone of their happiness..." He trailed off and snapped his lips shut as silence reigned over us. His breaths became uneven and then I realised that he was speaking from a place of pain. He had been robbed, but by who? I wanted to ask. He sucked in air and blinked, and in a fleeting moment, all the anger had disappeared as a cold mask shielded his true feelings. I wanted to go closer to him and comfort him, but I held back, knowing that I would be further embarrassed if I made such a move. "Let the lady go, I'll settle her debts." He said harshly. I gasped, throwing my hands over my lips to stop myself from screaming then glanced at Giga whose eyes widened with surprise and disappointment. "But Prince Devin, she really stole the money. I can prove it. You don't need to let people like her roam on the streets, they'll only cause issues for the pack." He argued angrily while I bit my lips to keep myself from laughing. I never expected the twist, even the pack's police were surprised by the turn of events. "Who are you, Giga?" He rumbled as Giga inclined his head. "I'm... I'm just a merchant." His voice was almost inaudible. We barely heard him. "And who am I?" Prince Devin asked with the most confident and boss-like tone I'd ever heard, drawing my full attention to him. I studied the controlled rise and fall of his broad chest, my eyes scanning his ripped muscles that were hidden behind the black fitted button-down shirt he wore. He was different in a not-so-odd way. He acted differently and spoke with a beautiful accent that I could spend days listening to. And it was his distinct nature that made him stand out. It was what made the hairs on my body stand erect each time he spared a glance at me. Giga's shrill voice disrupted my reverie as he dropped to his knees. Funny how I was earlier in that position. Next time, he wouldn't defy the prince. "You are Prince Devin, the son of ......., and the next in line to rule Grey Rock pack. I'm so sorry for speaking to you like that..." He bellowed. "Get out." He fired and immediately Giga dashed off without looking back. "The rest of you can leave too." Relief washed over me as soon as they departed. Then I was alone with him, the man that sparked up erotic—no, not erotic, but feelings that made me lose my mind. "Thank you so much, Prince Devin. I promise you won't ever find me in such a situation again..." I palmed my hands in gratitude and drew closer to him but he raised his hand sharply to stop me. "Hold your horses, Omega. I don't even know why I saved you, but you are going to do me a favor and get lost. We can't have people like you in this pack." My lips parted but no words came out. My palms became clammy with sweat as I realized that I'd just jumped from a frying pan to fire. "But I have nowhere else to go," "I'm giving you two days to leave, if I find you around after two days, I'll escort you out of the pack myself." He threatened and stormed off, leaving me to wonder how I ended up with such bad luck. I sank onto the ground, letting the bitter tears out. A sob rose to my throat as I buried my face in my thighs. My heart was clouded with sadness and anger as the urge to end it all gnawed in my chest. It wouldn't be a bad idea, after all, no one would realize I was gone aside from my sister who didn't really care about me. I stood up with a new resolution burning within me as I began to plot the perfect way to actualize my plans without having anyone interrupt them. Moving with my mind distracted, my toe collided with a big stone, causing me to trip over. The impact of my fall was heavier than the first, but I didn't feel any pain. Instead, I pushed the stone aside and my eyes caught the sight of a black diamond bracelet lying on the ground. I snatched it and got to my feet, then began to examine it. The heart-shaped stones sparkled as the sun's rays hit. "It's so beautiful..." I cooed, then began to wonder who owned it. It was a rare precious stone that could only be owned by extremely wealthy people, and there was only one wealthy family in our pack that could afford it. The Alpha family. Could it be Prince Devin? If it belonged to him, then there was no way I'd give it back to him. He already considered me to be a thief and he wanted me out of the pack, so why don't I go ahead and do the real thing? While the mating ceremony is going on, I would look for a pawn shop, sell it and run away. That would be my compensation for all the suffering I've gone through, I decided. The only problem now was how to hide the treasure I'd found from my sister and inform her that I wouldn't be attending the mating ceremony like my mates.Chapter 3Gradel "Prince Devin?" I chuckled silently in amusement as I fixed my gaze on the bushy path leading to the pack house. She thought I was Prince Devin. It wasn't her fault. Most people her age didn't know I existed since I'd just recently returned to the pack. All thanks to my father who always saw me as the black sheep of the family because I didn't care about being his successor. Devin was more interested in being the Alpha king and that irked my father so much since I was the older twin. Let's say I had more concerns about changing things in the human world and not here until I met this beautiful omega who was in bad shape at the market. I knew that she didn't steal the money, but I didn't want to give her any ideas and that's why I acted like I didn't believe her. The car stopped at the driveway so that I could get down before the chauffeur would park it properly in the garage. Left to me, I'd have stayed longer at the market or gone for a run as my wolf was ge
Chapter 4Iris "I shouldn't be here," I whispered to myself... as I dragged my feet along the staircase. My head was bowed as I made my way to the pack's hall, and my heart galloped wildly in my chest as I imagined what would happen if I was found out. No. I couldn't afford to be seen. I pulled down on my hood and tugged at my sister's sleeve. "Remind me again why we are here, May?" I whined. I was secretly mad at myself for letting her cajole me into something this silly. A couple walked right past us, and from the looks on their faces, I could tell that they just found each other. Mates. Ugh!! "Don't be such a party popper, Iris. Be optimistic, who knows you can find your prince charming here." She replied with so much confidence that stirred up glints of jealousy within me. "And what about you? Aren't you scared of not finding a mate today?" She halted on her steps and slanted a nonchalant look at me. "I think you should be more worried about your shabby appearance, than my
Chapter 5Iris"I thought I asked you to leave, what are you still doing here?" He thundered as whispers and gasps from the crowd filled the hall, displaying their confusion. His smooth voice wasn't the cause of my confusion, his face was. How could I explain what I felt? What I saw yesterday?My mind was a jumbled zone, so I said the only thing that kept ringing in my head. "Your eyes. They… they are different," I forced out, my fingers itching to pinch my skin to be sure that I wasn't dreaming. He scowled, furrowing his brows in irritation. "That shouldn't bother you, lady. Do I have to remind you that I'm not supposed to ever set my eyes on you?" His voice deepened by the minute, and the noise that had thickened because of the prince's rejection died down.My hands fell to my side. "You aren't Prince Devin, are you?"I knew that my probing was of no use to me, if anything, it would only make the man standing in front of me angrier; but I was already in trouble so it would be bett
Chapter 6Gradel The lady was a born liar, I could sense it, but that was one of the many things I felt. The thrills of desire that worked through me when my thumb connected with her chin made me tense. I shouldn't feel this way for someone I hated. For a wrench who disgusted me, so I shrugged off the distasteful feelings and watched her shift from one foot to the other in uneasiness. Her brown eyes were like a blank screen, displaying her uncertainty and fear. I could smell both of them. "I-I don't know about any bracelet," She denied, her voice low and unconvincing. My temper was beginning to simmer, but I had to be calm if I wanted to retract my bracelet from her. "Look, woman, I didn't accuse you just for the fun of it and I don't have the time to visit people who don't matter for no reason. That bracelet is worth more than your existence so I need to have it back." Maybe I should have told her that the bracelet was the gift my late mother gave me before she died, but she di
Chapter 7Iris My eyes flashed open with my breaths bursting in and out heavily. I shrank backward with fear pounding hard in my chest. My body felt clammy and then I noticed that I was drenched with a cold liquid—water. How that happened I didn't know. A scary-looking guard strolled in, his gait intimidating. "You're not going to sleep all day, lady." "I'm sorry," I muttered, wondering why he came to visit then I heard light footsteps behind him. That couldn't be a man's step, I thought. May approached me, clutching onto the skirt of the dress she wore to the mating ceremony earlier. "Hi," She waved at me, keeping a long distance. I wanted to ask her why she couldn't come closer, but I already knew the answer. I was filthy and probably stank worse than a crate of rotten eggs. "You're here," I acknowledged quietly. I didn't want anyone around, not even my sister. Ever since the bracelet went missing, my ability to trust people wilted. "I'm sorry that you're in this condi
Chapter 8Gradel That was stupid. I shouldn't have said that. I was out of character. I wasn't the type of person who got attracted to anything in a skirt. Hell, women hardly intrigued me, but this captive of mine willed some control over me. It felt like my brain froze each time I met her. At first, I thought it was a mere coincidence, but now, I couldn't explain it. How could my body want a woman who stole from me without remorse? I spared her a glance and rolled my eyes. Her small chapped lips were still parted, and her eyes were about to pop out of their sockets in surprise. I cleared my throat as I slowly got a grip on myself. Thankfully, my slacks were loose enough to concede the bulge that had no business growing rapidly. I gulped and shut my eyes, regaining some strands of control. "You heard that wrong. I only came here to ascertain that you are still alive, after all, I can't execute a corpse. There won't be any fun in it." I said curtly. "I'm... I'm fine, sir." He
Chapter 9Gradel "You will do no such thing, Gradel. You have to stay here and fulfill your duties!" He hollered. "And what if I don't, Alpha Cronus?" I retorted sharply, my breathing coming in hitches. I was tired of his overbearing attitude and he should be happy that I hadn't given orders to the servants to prepare for my trip. The shock on his face switched to a death scowl. It was his signature expression that made his subordinates do his bidding without thinking twice, but it barely moved me, that was why he liked me. "Gradel," He began calmly, "I know that after all these years you haven't forgiven me for what happened in the past, but can't you keep your grudges aside for the sake of this pack?" We had already met face to face and his hands were on my shoulder, gripping me strongly. The respect I had for him was what stopped me from shrugging his hands off. I was about to respond when Devin let out a chuckle, clapping his hands as his chuckle metamorphosed into laughter.
Chapter 10Gradel The information my father just dropped on us solely occupied my thoughts to the extent that I didn't even remember I had asked Hegar to bring a woman over. Going to war was the last thing I looked forward to and now it seemed like my father told me, intending to stop from returning to the human world entirely. I was torn between acting nonchalant and getting my personal effects ready and staying back to help him with this war. "Hello, Prince Gradel, I've been waiting for you." I heard the moment I stepped into my room. Still irritated by the news, I glared at her, more disgusted that she sat on my favorite chair. I snorted at her and she jumped out of the chair, bowing her head. Her face became red in embarrassment as she kept shifting from one foot to the other. The act only reminded me of the woman I'd kept in the cell which made my skin crawl. I wasn't supposed to remember that. At least not when I was about to get a little respite. "Take off your clothes.