In the Moonshadow Pack, being mated to an Alpha is seen as a great honor. But for me, it's a nightmare. When I learns that my mate is Alpha Xander, the most powerful leader around, I thought my life would be filled with love and support. Instead, Xander treats me like I don't matter. He only cares about having a mate for his status and ignore me, leaving me to struggle alone. Everything changes when a rogue named Lucien enters the pack. With his mysterious past, he sees me in a way no one else ever has. He gives me the attention and understanding I desperately craves, and I finds myself drawn to him, even though he's dangerous. As I becomes too attached to Lucien, Xander's jealousy grows. He realizes too late that pushing me away was a mistake. Now, I must choose between my mate, Alpha Xander, who rejected me and the rogue, Lucien, who accepts me for who I truly am.
Chapter 1: Introduction
Note: This story moves at a relaxed pace, focusing on character growth and setting. It's a slow-developing tale that needs some patience. If you're okay with that, let's keep reading together. If not, no worries - feel free to stop anytime.
~ARIA~
Selena stormed into the room, her face twisted in anger. Before I could even say a word, her hand came down hard across my cheek, the slap loud. I staggered back, clutching my face. My skin stung, but it wasn't just the pain of the slap... it was the humiliation that cut deeper.
"Worthless Omega," she spat, glaring at me with so much hate in her eyes. I didn't understand it. Why did she hate me so much? What had I ever done to her?
I stayed silent, not daring to meet her gaze. Selena was a Beta, and I was just an Omega, the lowest rank in the pack. I didn't have the power or authority to defend myself. If I so much as raised my voice, she'd only make things worse for me. So I bit my lip, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.
"You think you can just walk around here like you belong? You're nothing, Aria. An Omega like you should be scrubbing toilets, not walking around like you matter," Selena hissed, her voice dripping with venom.
Her words got to me, they always did. I had always done what I was told, worked hard, stayed out of trouble. But it never seemed to matter to her. Selena had always singled me out, making my life harder with each passing day.
"I don't want to see you anywhere near the palace unless you're cleaning the filth. Tomorrow morning, you'll be scrubbing toilets from now on," she said, her tone full of disgust as if I wasn't even human. "And if you're late, you'll regret it."
With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving me standing there, my cheek still burning, my heart heavy.
I waited until I was sure she was gone before I let the tears fall. I hated how weak I felt, how powerless I was to stop her from treating me like this. No matter what I did, I was never good enough in her eyes. And now I had been given the worst job possible... toilet duty.
I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. The palace was massive, and the work would be endless. I'd have to wake up before dawn to even stand a chance of getting it all done. And knowing Selena, she'd find a reason to punish me, no matter how hard I worked.
I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath. This was my life now. No one cared about what happened to an Omega like me. I was just a tool, something to be used and tossed aside when I wasn't needed.
This is my life. I'm a lone wolf, no parents, no siblings, no family. It's hard, but I've learned to survive. Being an Omega is tough, people treat us like trash. But for me, it's even worse. Selena always made sure of that. She hated me for reasons I couldn't understand. Every day felt like a new punishment.
Last night, after she slapped me and ordered me to clean the palace toilets, I couldn't stop crying. I hated that I let her get to me. I hated feeling so powerless. But what choice did I have? I had no one to turn to, no one to defend me. It was just me, struggling to get by in a world that didn't care.
I cried until I couldn't anymore and fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up before the sun rose, dragging myself out of bed to do what Selena had told me. If I didn't, I knew she'd find a way to make my life even worse. I grabbed the cleaning supplies and went to the palace bathrooms, scrubbing each one like my life depended on it.
As I scrubbed, I tried to keep quiet, but the brush kept squeaking against the tiles. The palace was so quiet that even the smallest sound echoed. I was almost done when suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps behind me.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A deep, angry voice snapped.
I froze, slowly turning around. My heart dropped when I saw him. Alpha Xander. He looked furious, his dark eyes glaring at me like I had just committed the worst crime.
"I-I was just cleaning," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. I kept my head down, not daring to look him in the eye. Omegas weren't allowed to meet the Alpha's gaze, especially not when they'd angered him.
"You woke me up," he growled. "Scrubbing so loud that it echoed through the halls. You have no sense, do you?"
"I'm sorry, Alpha," I whispered, shaking. I couldn't believe this was happening. Of all the people to wake up, it had to be him.
He took a step closer, and I could feel his presence screaming almighty. My heart raced, not just from fear, but from something else. Something I didn't understand.
Then it hit me. The air around us felt different. It was like a spark had ignited between us. I felt a strange pull towards him, and the way his expression softened for a brief second, I knew he felt it too. A connection.
My breath caught in my throat. No, it can't be. Alpha Xander? My mate?
I looked up at him, my eyes wide with shock. His expression changed too. He wasn't angry anymore, just surprised. He felt it. He knew.
"What..." he started to say, but I couldn't process anything else. My mate? The Alpha?
Should I be happy? Or scared? I didn't know. All I knew was my world had just turned upside down.
Elodie took a deep breath and knocked, the sound echoing in the quiet corridor. A moment of silence passed, broken only by the pounding of her heart. Finally, the door snicked open, revealing a surprised Dashiell. 'Can't you see the Do Not Disturb sign? We don't want-' His initial frown quickly morphed into confusion at the sight of his wife. 'What are you doing here?' he demanded. 'Your girlfriend invited me,' Elodie replied, her voice laced with icy calm. She tried to peer past him, but his broad frame blocked the view. A saccharine voice chimed in from within the room. 'Elodie? Oh dear, we didn't mean for you to find out this way. It's just that-' Elodie cut her short. 'Oh please, Selene. Spare me the fake apologies. You wouldn't have sent me all those texts if you didn't want me to know.' Dashiell shifted uncomfortably, his face a mask of annoyance. 'What texts?' Elodie stepped past him, taking in the luxurious suite with a sardonic smile. The king-sized bed, the scattered rose petals, the lingering scent of sex – it all painted a vivid picture of their betrayal. She looked up at Dashiell, her gaze unwavering. 'I want a divorce.' ****** Dashiell lived a life of luxury, surrounded by the best things money could buy. But when a car accident left him vulnerable, he met Elodie, a seemingly ordinary woman who nursed him back to health. Mistaking her for just another employee, Dashiell entered into a loveless marriage with her solely for convenience. However, fate had a different script in store. Elodie, the 'ordinary nurse,' held a secret more precious than any diamond: she was the sole heiress to Northstar, a vast and powerful enterprise. Unaware of her true identity, Dashiell cast her aside when his ex-girlfriend returned, leaving Elodie humiliated. But Elodie was not one to be easily broken. She shed the facade of the meek nurse, reclaiming her rightful inheritance and stepping into the role of Northstar's CEO. Now, the woman Dashiell discarded was the one holding the reins of power. As Elodie thrives in her new role, Dashiell is consumed by regret. He finally sees Elodie for the extraordinary woman she truly is, realising the depth of his mistake. But will his remorse be enough to win back the heart he so carelessly discarded?
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Betrayed by her mate and sister on the eve of her wedding, Makenna was handed to the ruthless Lycan Princes as a lover, her indifferent father ignoring her plight. Determined to escape and seek revenge, she captured the interest of the three Lycan princes, who desired her exclusively amid many admirers. This complicated her plans, trapping her and making her a rival to the future Lycan queen. Entwined in jealousy and vindictiveness, could Makenna achieve her vengeance in the intricate dance with the three princes?
"Love is blind!" Lucinda abandoned her beautiful and comfortable life because of a man. She married him and slaved off for him for three long years. One day, the scales finally fell off her eyes. She realized that all her efforts were in vain. Her husband, Nathaniel still treated her like shit. All he cared about was his lover. "Enough is enough! I quit wasting my years with an ungrateful man!" Lucinda's heart was shattered into many pieces, but she summoned up the courage to ask for a divorce. The news caused a stir online! A filthy rich young woman recently got divorced? She was a good catch! Countless CEOs and handsome young men immediately swarmed to her like bees to honey! Nathaniel couldn't take it anymore. He held a press conference and begged with teary eyes, "I love you, Lucinda. I can't live without you. Please come back to me." Would Lucinda give him a second chance? Read to find out!
Darya spent three years loving Micah, worshipping the ground he walked on. Until his neglect and his family's abuse finally woke her up to the ugly truth-he doesn't love her. Never did, never will. To her, he is a hero, her knight in shining armour. To him, she is an opportunist, a gold digger who schemed her way into his life. Darya accepts the harsh reality, gathers the shattered pieces of her dignity, divorces him, takes back her real name, reclaims her title as the country's youngest billionaire heiress. Their paths cross again at a party. Micah watches his ex-wife sing like an angel, tear up the dance floor, then thwart a lecher with a roundhouse kick. He realises, belatedly, that she's exactly the kind of woman he'd want to marry, if only he had taken the trouble to get to know her. Micah acts promptly to win her back, but discovers she's now surrounded by eligible bachelors: high-powered CEO, genius biochemist, award-winning singer, reformed playboy. Worse, she makes it pretty clear that she's done with him. Micah gears up for an uphill battle. He must prove to her he's still worthy of her love before she falls for someone else. And time is running out.
After two years of marriage, Sadie was finally pregnant. Filled with hope and joy, she was blindsided when Noah asked for a divorce. During a failed attempt on her life, Sadie found herself lying in a pool of blood, desperately calling Noah to ask him to save her and the baby. But her calls went unanswered. Shattered by his betrayal, she left the country. Time passed, and Sadie was about to be wed for a second time. Noah appeared in a frenzy and fell to his knees. "How dare you marry someone else after bearing my child?"