Chapter 3 3
Tiara’s POV
I was certain I was about to die. My vision blurred, my breath slipped away, and darkness clawed at the edges of my mind. Alpha Killian’s hands tightened around my throat, and I felt myself slipping.
Then it happened.
A voice. A commanding voice that cut through the chaos like thunder splitting the night.
Killian’s grip faltered, and he released me, letting me crumple to the ground, half-conscious and gasping. Air rushed back into my lungs as I coughed violently, each breath scraping my throat like broken glass. My chest burned, but I was alive.
I raised my head just in time to see Killian turn. The voice that saved me belonged to none other than his younger brother, the one everyone had been whispering about, the newly returned Alpha.
Alpha Damien.
The entire hall seemed to shift. The weight of every eye, every breath, every heartbeat moved from Killian to Damien. The crowd stirred with gasps and murmurs, some even screaming as if a god had just walked among us.
“He’s so handsome… and terrifyingly powerful,” a she-wolf whispered near me.
“He must have been blessed by the Moon Goddess herself,” another added breathlessly.
Killian sneered. “So, you’ve finally decided to show yourself, brother. But don’t interfere,allow me to finish teaching this worthless omega her place.”
Damien’s steps were slow but purposeful as he walked through the parting crowd. Wolves stepped aside instantly, clearing his path as though guided by instinct. The female wolves fawned over him with desperate eyes, screaming softly in admiration, but he didn’t spare them a glance. His gaze… it was locked on me.
“Spare her, brother,” Damien said, his voice steady yet gentle. “This day is not meant for bloodshed.”
When he reached us, he gripped Killian’s wrist and peeled his hand from my head, smiling faintly. “Don’t ruin this day for me. Take it easy on the young pup.”
The words stunned me. No one had ever called me that before. Not a burden. Not a failure. Not a slave. A pup. My throat tightened, not from Killian’s grip this time, but from the strange ache of being seen.
Killian’s eyes blazed with fury. “Brother, brother, brother! Always so righteous. This is my business. Do not interfere.” He shoved Damien’s hand away roughly. “These are not your subjects.”
Damien didn’t flinch. His tone sharpened, low but unwavering. “As long as I carry the title of Alpha, every wolf here is my subject, including her. Let her go.”
The air thickened. The crowd was silent, watching as the two brothers clashed, their words laced with a tension that could erupt into war at any second.
Killian’s jaw clenched. His eyes narrowed to slits. But Damien’s calm gaze didn’t waver. He crouched beside me and extended his hand.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. Care? For me? That was foreign. My body trembled as I bowed my head, refusing to touch him. “Forgive me, Alpha,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “I have no right to take your hand. The taskmaster will punish me if I do. I’m fine… please.”
Damien only smiled faintly. Then, to my shock, he bent lower and placed his hands firmly on my shoulders. “Get up, pup. No one will harm you while I am here.”
His words wrapped around me like a shield. For the first time in my life, I believed them. He lifted me gently to my feet, right in front of the entire pack.
Gasps filled the hall.
“She belongs on the floor!” someone spat.
“Better to rot in the dungeons!” another snarled.
“Asher’s voice rang out sharply. “Alpha Killian shouldn’t let her go unpunished!”
Sarai’s lips curled in a wicked smile as she slinked closer to Killian. “Unbelievable,” she mocked. “That lowly omega dares stain Alpha Killian’s honor? And just walks away like this?”
Their words should have crushed me. But for once, they didn’t. Alpha Damien’s presence was like armor, shielding me from every insult.
And then someone whispered too loudly, “I guess Alpha Damien is the more powerful brother now.”
The words lit a fire in Killian’s eyes. He moved forward, blocking Damien’s path. “She humiliated me. She must pay.”
“Brother, I’ll replace what she ruined,” Damien said smoothly, almost pleading for my sake. “But let her go.”
“I will not be insulted by a filthy omega and let her walk free!” Killian snarled.
“Allow her to go,” Damien repeated firmly.
The tension was seconds away from snapping into violence when the sound of glass chiming rang out. The master of ceremonies tapped his claws against his cup, demanding attention.
“To the Fairly Moon Pack!” he cried.
The hall shifted, the pack turning as one to raise their cups.
The Alpha King Gregory rose to his feet. The father of both Killian and Damien. His presence silenced even the angriest murmurs.
“Welcome, my wolves,” he began, his voice deep and commanding. “Tonight, we honor the full moon feast. In ten days, as tradition demands, we will hold the Great Hunt, where the worthy will earn promotion in this pack.”
Cheers erupted, shaking the walls.
“And tonight,” Alpha Gregory continued, “we also celebrate the return of my second son. Damien has completed his training and now stands as Alpha. He will soon choose his Luna, his fated mate, who is among us tonight. Any of you could be the one.”
The she-wolves gasped and straightened instantly, fixing hair, smoothing dresses, vying for Damien’s unseen attention.
I stood frozen at Damien’s side, wishing I could disappear before the world noticed me again.
The music swelled, the feast resumed, and I slipped quietly into the crowd, grateful for the distraction.
Damien’s POV
The full moon was near, its pull heavy on the air. Around me, wolves laughed, danced, and flirted. The females were restless, their eyes always on me, their scents overwhelming. Yet my wolf was silent.
For months, he had pushed me, begged me, whispered of the mate I would one day find. But tonight, the night destiny was supposed to reveal her, he said nothing.
Perhaps the Goddess had been wrong.
“Alpha Damien, where are you going? I can accompany you.” Sarai’s shrill voice cut into my thoughts. She had been hovering all evening, insisting we were childhood friends, though I remembered little of her.
I sighed. “I just need some air. Alone.”
But she trailed after me anyway as I descended the staircase. And then it hit me.
My wolf stirred,then roared. There! She’s here!
A scent unlike any other filled my lungs, sharp and sweet, pulling me forward with relentless force. My wolf surged with joy. I’ve found her.
I barely heard Sarai’s footsteps anymore. My body moved on instinct, dragged by something far stronger than willpower.
And then I saw her.
The little omega pup I had pulled from Killian’s hands. Broken. Fragile. Brave.
My wolf howled inside me. She’s the one.
My heart pounded as I crossed the floor toward her. Every step felt fated, every breath heavier than the last. I reached her, trembling with certainty, and took her hand in mine, gently, reverently.
The world fell silent. The pack’s music, the laughter, even Sarai’s voice, it all faded.
Dropping to one knee before her, I let the words slip from my lips.
“My mate.”
