Chapter 3
Evie
I woke up to the bright rays of the morning sun, squinting my eyes as I adjusted my vision. The memory of last night flooded my mind, making my lips curl up in a smile. I trailed my hands on the sheets to feel Kieran’s warmth one last time before I got out of bed, but I felt nothing.
I jerked up from the bed, searching frantically for him as he left with no traces. I stood up, heading for the bathroom when my eyes caught the beautifully decorated gown that stood right in front of me. My racing heart immediately came to a halt as I strode there, awestruck, staring at the radiating beauty of the fabric.
I ran my hands through the fabric, taking in the intentionality in the hemming. “Are you going to keep staring at it, or are you actually going to get dressed in it?” Cyan spoke, jolting me back from my reverie.
“Cyan, you startled me,” I retorted, holding my chest and calming my racing heart.
“Sorry, but someone had to say something. You were spending too much time on the dress,” she spat at me.
“It's called admiration, Cyan,” I fired back.
“Well, you can admire it better when it's on you. Now go freshen up!!” She urged, making me spring into action as I headed for the bathroom.
Soon I was done, and when I was out, I came out only to meet eyes with Madam Montana, the chief maid, and several other maids standing behind her with expressionless faces. I could immediately feel my heart pounding against my ribs.
Oh shit, was I in trouble? I wondered.
“I swear I can explain. I didn't mean to trespass or anything, it's just…” I spoke, but they all just stood there whispering with furrowed brows. Why weren't they saying anything?
“What’s wrong with you, Evie?” Madam Montana spoke, calling me by my name without actually adding maid or Omega Evie in front of it, leaving me stunned.
“Huh?” I blurted, confused.
“We're actually here to get you dressed for the ceremony,” she said, making me widen my eyes in awe.
“What?” I mumbled, my voice barely audible.
“Alpha Kieran ordered that we get you ready,” she explained. “What the hell are you all waiting for? Get to work!” she ordered, making all the maids spring into a frenzy of motion.
I was brought to the dressing mirror as they got my makeup and hair done. They styled my long blonde hair in a messy bun just like that of a bride. I stared at myself in the mirror while Cyan danced in ecstasy. Such an irony, the server is finally getting served, I thought as I smiled inwardly.
“I'm sure she gave something to the Alpha. How’s this even possible?” My senses heightened as I overheard whispers amongst the maids.
“A weak Omega like her doesn't deserve this. She definitely used some dark magic…” another said.
“I heard her mom was a hybrid. I'm sure she's from the lineage of witches,” another added.
“The three of you are suspended from the palace maids indefinitely!” Madam Montana’s voice cut through before I could even say a word, leaving me stunned.
My gaze darted to the three girls who had shocked expressions on their faces, and it turned out their whispers weren't low enough.
“The king said no whispers!!” She fired at them, making them go on their knees, pleading for mercy, but Madam Montana was having none of it.
“Out!!” she thundered.
I just sat there watching the drama unfold. Kieran had really done a great job in making sure no one brushed my ego. I thought as my eyes became glassy, glad that I had kept my promise.
“So sorry about that, dear. Do you need anything?” Madam Montana asked with unusual concern, but I just replied to her with a nod.
I was still trying to process how the cold and mean woman became so sweet overnight, all because of a king's decree.
Soon they were done. I kept staring at myself in the mirror, stunned at how beautiful I looked. Indeed, being a maid had really done a great job in hiding my beauty, I thought.
I wore my dress and headed for the ceremony as I beamed from ear to ear with smiles. I couldn't wait to finally be crowned Luna. I got to the entrance as I walked down the aisle just a few meters away from Kieran as he stood beneath the oak tree, staring at me with excitement on his face.
Memories came flooding back as I remembered this was the exact spot where we made our promise to each other.
Everyone could see that he was so happy about his choice. I bowed my head shyly as I walked past everyone, as they all stared at me, marveled. I guess they didn't see this coming. My eyes darted to Kieran's parents as they both sat beside the oak tree with expressionless faces, making it hard to tell if they were happy with Kieran's decision or not.
But as expected, Ava’s face dropped, awestruck as she stared at me. I would pay a huge amount of Wolf coin to see that face over and over again, I thought.
I was just a few meters away from Kieran when a guard walked up to him, handing him a sealed envelope and whispering something in his ear. But I paid less attention to that.
I climbed the podium, my face beaming with smiles as I stared at Kieran, but the excitement on his face had suddenly vanished as he stared down at the contents of the envelope.
My heart began pounding against my chest as my gaze darted from Kieran to Gamma Chris, who was to conduct the ceremony, and back. Everywhere suddenly became quiet as an eerie wind filled the air, sending cold chills down my spine.
“Kieran? Are you okay?” I asked, concern etched in my voice, but the only response I got was a deafening silence.
“Kieran?” I called out again, but his reaction left me stunned.
He let out his claws, digging them into my dress, leaving a huge tear in it. “Ahh!” I yelled in fear as I stared at him, his eyes filled with fury and rage.
“Kieran! Stop!!” I yelled in agony as I felt his claw dig into my skin, making everyone gasp in awe.
My world immediately began to crumble as my eyes welled up with tears. My legs grew weak as they couldn't hold my body's weight. My mind was a jumble of different thoughts as I sat there, wondering what had just happened.
“How dare you lie to me!” he finally spoke with a thunderous voice.
“What do you mean?” I asked with furrowed brows.
“Explain this!!” he said, throwing the envelope and its contents in my face, making me flinch.
I picked it up, with tears in my eyes as I stared at myself in bed with several men I hadn't even met in my entire life. My hands ran roughly through the pictures, shocked at this revelation.
“Please, Kieran, don't tell me you believe this?” I retorted with a trembling voice.
“Do you have an explanation for me?” he fired at me.
“What? No… I mean, come on, Kieran, you said it yourself that I kept my promise last night. You even marked me, so what's all this?” I asked, drowning in my emotions.
“Come on, Kieran, you can't let something as little as this come between us?” I said.
“Little? Did you just say little, Evie? Evie, you promised never to give anyone access to your body. Have you suddenly forgotten?” he snarled.
“And I kept my promise, Kieran. I freaking kept my promise. I don't know where this is from!!” I yelled back in pain as my heart had just been shattered into a million pieces.
“You will control your tone, Omega!!” his dad interjected, making me flinch as I took several steps backward. I stared at Kieran, with blurred vision, desperately wishing he would say something.
But he just stood there with a tight jaw as he looked away. “I… I waited Kieran. I kept my pro…” I stuttered, struggling to find the right words.
“Dear subjects!” his voice echoed. “I'm guessing you're all wondering what's going on,” he began. “I'll tell you, I made a promise to Evie years ago to make her my Luna if she was able to do one task perfectly. And that was to keep herself and wait for me. Just last night, I was almost convinced that she'd done that. But just a few minutes ago, I got this from a reliable source showing her infidelity, and this breaks my heart,” he announced.
“I was even willing to sacrifice the one person who had always come to check on me during my training to be with her, but after this? I have no other choice but to openly reject her and hereby choose Selene to be my Luna.” He said, making my eyes widen in shock as I locked eyes with her, working majestically down the aisle with a smirk on her face and the exact same dress I wore, which had just been ripped apart by Kieran.
Her mom trailed beside her together with the princess; it was then it hit me. This wasn't just anybody's doing but theirs. How foolish could I have been? I thought as the tears kept pouring down my cheeks uncontrollably.
I couldn't bear it any longer—the pain, the whispers from the people present, the torture, the mockery I received. This was the last straw for me, I thought as I quickly took my wolf shape and fled into the woods with no particular place in mind to go.
All I wanted was to get away and go far away where no one else knew me, where there wouldn't be any Omega trauma. I wanted freedom. I took one last glance at Kieran, but he just looked away, turning his gaze to Selene, making fresh tears flow down my cheeks.