Chapter 7

Katia had been on edge all morning. Her heart pounded violently against her ribs.

She thought maybe this was the omen of her failed attempt to kill Xandar.

Today was a special day.

She knew Xandar would be appointed Head Alpha. King Cahir would be in attendance. Which meant her execution was imminent.

Xandar would surely order her death after the ceremony. A gift to Cahir, her life offered up to appease the Mad King's fury over losing his fiancée, Allison.

Since she was going to die anyway, why should Xandar, that monster, get to live? Why should he stand before everyone and bask in their praise?

He should die with her.

But she'd failed.

Everyone was busy with the appointment ceremony. The Omegas rushed around, making sure everything was perfect.

Katia took advantage of the chaos and slipped out of the Omega quarters, running toward the forest behind the pack house.

She'd hidden Rena there, her only comfort. She couldn't let Rena suffer alongside her.

The moment Rena caught Katia's scent, the black wolf burst from the underbrush.

Katia dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around Rena. The wolf pressed her head against Katia's cheek, whimpering softly.

"Go, Rena," Katia whispered, her voice breaking. "Leave this pack. Don't ever come back."

Rena stared at her, refusing to move.

"Today might be the day I die," Katia said, fighting back tears. "You have to live for me. Find somewhere safe. Far away from here."

Rena shook her head, nudging Katia's hand with her nose.

"Go!" Katia suddenly raised her hand and struck Rena's side hard. "Go! I don't want you anymore!"

She shoved Rena again and again, tears finally streaming down her face.

Rena let out a wounded howl and backed away, her eyes full of confusion and pain.

Katia glanced at the time. The ceremony was about to start. Liz would definitely give her hell.

She steeled herself and turned away.

"I'm never coming back for you," she said without looking back.

The moment Katia returned to the Omega quarters, Liz tore into her.

"Where the hell have you been?!" Liz's round face flushed red, her full lips twisted with rage. "The ceremony's about to start! Go clean the guest rooms! Now!"

Katia said nothing. She turned and headed for the guest wing.

She pushed down the discomfort in her chest, the bone-deep exhaustion. Xandar had tormented her all night. She'd barely slept. Her body screamed for rest, but she couldn't stop.

She pushed open a guest room door.

And froze.

Kaelen was on the bed with an Omega.

"What are you staring at? Get out!" Kaelen snarled when he saw Katia.

Katia turned and left without a word. Her expression didn't change. She hadn't angered him.

The ceremony didn't start for another two hours. Kaelen had plenty of time to get ready. No need to rush.

"Where are you going?" the Omega asked as Kaelen climbed off the bed. She watched him silently pull on his pants and shirt, leaving her naked and hanging.

Kaelen walked out of the room and caught up with Katia in the hallway. He grabbed her elbow hard and slammed her against the wall.

"You dare ignore me!"

Kaelen growled low, both hands wrapping around Katia's slender throat.

"You told me to leave. I left," Katia said calmly. She stared at her brother without expression.

"Don't talk back to me!"

Kaelen slapped her across the face.

"You stink," he said with disgust, wrinkling his nose. "Been visiting that wild wolf again?"

Katia's heart dropped.

"I've warned you so many times," Kaelen said coldly, his fingers digging into her jaw. "If you disrespect me again, I'll kill that mongrel."

Fury flashed in Katia's eyes, but she forced it down.

She couldn't put Rena in danger.

"Understood," she said quietly.

Kaelen sneered and released her.

Katia wiped the spit from her face, went to the bathroom to clean up, then came out to continue working.

Of course, Liz chewed her out, but she couldn't punish her, not until after the ceremony.

"Here! Take this drink to the front row. To Beta Glen," Liz said, then frowned. A moment later, she realized the man was Katia's father. It seemed inappropriate to send her, but there was no one else available.

"I will," Katia answered briefly. She didn't care about seeing her father.

He was like everyone else. He didn't matter to her anymore. The last time they'd spoken was the night she lost Carol. He knew what she endured, but he turned a blind eye to it.

Meanwhile, the appointment ceremony proceeded smoothly. People cheered for the Head Alpha, and Xandar smiled as he looked out at them.

But when King Cahir rose and walked toward the podium, the cheerful atmosphere vanished almost instantly.

That was when Katia entered the hall, the restlessness in her chest growing stronger. Her heart pounded like a war drum. The closer she got to the hall, the faster it beat. Fear and longing intertwined, driving her to quicken her pace. For some reason, she desperately wanted to enter the hall, as if someone was waiting for her.

The feeling was strange, but Katia didn't know how to put it into words. The closer she got, the more her heart ached. As if she longed for someone or something, and the moment she'd been waiting for was finally about to arrive.

Katia jogged down the hallway, then broke into a full run. When she reached the hall, she yanked the door open and walked inside without thinking.

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to the King.

About three hundred important figures sat in their chairs, facing the raised podium where the King was speaking.

His voice echoed through the spacious hall.

Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, bathing him in light and casting long shadows across the white tile floor.

The moment Katia stepped into the hall, her gaze locked onto him.

It was him.

He was the one making her heart race.

His scent hit her, faint, because the room was filled with so many different scents, but there was no doubt. He was the one making Katia's heart pound.

The moment their eyes met, Katia felt like her entire world revolved around him. She didn't think about anything else. She only wanted to get closer to him. Touch him.

The desire caused her indescribable pain.

At the same time, King Cahir stopped speaking.

His gaze met hers. He narrowed his eyes dangerously, watching this young woman walk toward him through the crowd.

Murmurs and gasps erupted from the audience because of her uniform.

They stared at Katia in shock. An Omega. It was obvious.

"What the hell is she doing here?!" Beta Glen hissed viciously.

Kaelen sat beside him, along with their mother, Julie.

All eyes fixed on Katia as she walked steadily toward the podium.

"Stop her," Xandar said darkly to a nearby warrior. His hands trembled slightly. He recognized the expression on her face. He'd seen it before.

The realization made him feel sick.

Impossible. This couldn't be happening.

A powerful premonition seized Xandar's chest. He knew that a threat was looming over everything he possessed.