Lila

This morning felt... different. There was a smile tugging at my lips, one I couldn't suppress. My body ached in the best way, a soreness that reminded me of last night-a night unlike any I'd ever known.

Something had shifted in me. There was power coursing through my veins, raw and untamed, as if I were no longer bound to the labels they'd placed on me. Submissive omega? My father's obedient little girl? Not anymore. Last night, I'd taken charge. I wasn't the one bowing down; I was the one worshipped.

The way he touched me, revered me... Oh, Goddess. Heat pooled in my core just at the memory. If only I'd had more cash on me-he deserved far more than the hundred dollars I'd left him.

"Lila, come here!"

My father's furious voice ripped through my pleasant reverie, snapping me back to reality. The smile on my face faltered, fading as I realized I was already in the hall, my feet carrying me toward the stairs.

I froze, my breath catching as his gaze locked onto mine, brimming with anger. Instinctively, my head dipped in submission, all the confidence I'd felt moments ago evaporating. My legs moved of their own accord, carrying me toward him.

"I won't ask where you were last night," he began, his voice sharp and laced with authority. "Since I don't care about your little rebellious adventure. But what I do care about is the shame you've brought upon this family."

Shame?

He continued, his tone biting. "Alpha Sheldon was furious when you didn't show up at the party. He ended the engagement in front of everyone. Do you have any idea how humiliating that was for me? You will go to him, apologize, and beg him to marry you."

The words hit me like a slap. Apologize? Beg? To that lying, cheating asshole?

Fury boiled under my skin, hotter and more intense than I'd ever felt before.

"You've got to be kidding me, Dad," I snapped, venom dripping from my words. "I'm not apologizing to that bastard, let alone begging him to marry me. He cheated on me, and you're more concerned about your reputation than my dignity. Did it ever occur to you to ask how I'm feeling?"

The words tumbled out before I could stop them. They weren't the words of the meek daughter he'd raised-they were defiant, bold, and unapologetic.

My father pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. His anger, oddly, didn't flare. Instead, he seemed tired, almost resigned, as he rose from his chair.

"Lila, I know how you're feeling but this is for your own good," he said softly, as if his calm tone could somehow justify the unbearable demand he was making.

I crossed my arms, my nails digging into my skin. "For my own good? Or yours? What's the real reason you're so desperate to marry me off to Alpha Sheldon?"

For a moment, his stoic mask cracked. A flicker of guilt flashed across his face, but it was gone before I could grasp it.

"It's the business," he admitted finally, his tone hollow. "It's failing. Without Alpha Sheldon's financial backing, I'll lose my company."

I stared at him, disgust and disbelief warring in my chest. "And that's supposed to make this okay?" I snapped. "You're selling me off to save your sinking company?"

"Lila-" His palm exploded against my cheek and my heart stopped for a second.

"Sweetheart," a saccharine voice interrupted.

I turned, spotting Bella, my stepmother, gliding into the room with her trademark syrupy smile. She placed a manicured hand on my father's arm as if to soothe him, though her gaze was fixed on me with condescension.

"Your father has done everything for you," she purred. "He's given you the best of everything. Treated you like a princess your whole life. And now, when he needs you most, this is how you repay him?"

The room plunged into silence, her words hanging in the air like a cruel joke. Treated like a princess? The corners of my lips twisted into a smile-sharp, humorless, and laced with venom.

I took a deliberate step forward, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor, each sound echoing like a challenge. "Treated like a princess?" I gestured to myself, letting out a bitter laugh. "Are you sure you're talking about the right daughter, Bella?"

Her carefully painted mask of superiority faltered, her brown eyes widening in shock. For the first time, I had dared to speak back, and it was gratifying to watch her composure crumble. She wasn't prepared for this version of me, but she'd better learn quickly-the Lila who begged for scraps of her father's love was long gone.

"You ungrateful brat," Bella hissed, snapping her gaze to my father. Her tone dripped with mock pain. "I'm sorry, I didn't raise her well."

"No, you raised me enough well to be your pawn," I shot back, my voice cold and unforgiving. "A tool to seal your precious deal. That's why you kept me here all these years, isn't it? So you could use me when the time came? Let's not pretend this marriage was about me-it's always been about the company."

"Lila, that's enough," my father growled, his Alpha aura flaring.

But for the first time, his power didn't cow me. I stood my ground, defiance blazing in my eyes.

I dipped into a mocking bow. "My apologies, Alpha. Here's a suggestion-if saving the company is so important, why not sell me to another Alpha who is at least loyal to me?"

His face had gone pale, his fists trembling with barely restrained rage.

"Guards!" he thundered. "Restrain her. If she escapes, I'll skin you alive!"

The door burst open, and two towering guards strode in, their heavy boots thudding against the floor.

"No! You can't do this to me!" I screamed, thrashing as their hands gripped my arms like iron shackles.

My father's gaze bore into mine, cold and unrelenting. "I gave you everything. I arranged the best union for you despite you being a weakling, an omega." His voice was filled with venom, his expression a mask of disgust. "You should be grateful Alpha Sheldon even considered you. Have you ever heard of an Alpha taking an omega as his mate?"

Pain sliced through me, but I forced my voice to remain steady. "Mom was an omega, too, and you loved her." My throat tightened, and tears threatened to spill.

He turned his face away, his reply devoid of emotion. "It was different. You wouldn't understand. All you need to know is this-you're going to apologize to Alpha Sheldon and beg him to marry you. Be prepared to see him with his fated mate, because an Alpha needs powerful heirs bound by the mate bond."

My heart shattered all over again. Sheldon had betrayed me, but it was my father's defense of him that gutted me most. All for money. All because I was an omega.

"Why?" My voice broke, trembling with desperation. "I'm your first daughter. Why do you treat me like this?"

But he didn't answer. He never did.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, hot and relentless, as the fight drained from me. Bella stepped forward, her hand brushing against my arm as if in sympathy, but her whisper was poison.

"Don't forget your place, Lila," she murmured, her voice sickly sweet. "An omega's purpose is to bring the benefits to the family. Defying your father will only hurt you in the end."

Her words coiled around me like a serpent, and I knew better than to trust the facade of compassion.

The guards dragged me toward my room, their grip bruising, but I didn't resist. What was the point? They were stronger, and I had no fight left in me.

The door slammed shut behind me, and I stumbled forward, barely catching myself before I fell.

A slow, mocking drawl broke the tense silence.

"Hello, future wife."

I looked up, my stomach sinking as I took in Sheldon lounging on my bed like he owned it. His lips curled into a lazy smile, arrogance radiating off him in waves.

Lila

"What are you doing here?" I hissed, my voice sharp with fury, though I could feel the tremble beneath it.

Sheldon pushed himself up from my bed with a lazy, predatory smirk. "Came to see my little omega humbled, finally realizing she can't escape me or this engagement."

"I already have," I shot back, my tone biting as I folded my arms across my chest. "You forfeited any claim the moment you cheated on me."

My words were steel, but inside, my heart thudded unevenly. I couldn't afford to let him see the cracks-the pain he'd caused me would only fuel his sick power play.

Sheldon chuckled, the sound low and dangerous. His eyes raked over me with a disgusting sense of ownership.

"You're so naive," he sneered, stepping closer. His Alpha aura pressed down on me, heavy and suffocating. "You think you can break the engagement? You think you have that kind of power?"

I stayed silent, my fists clenching at my sides as he loomed over me.

"Didn't your father teach you anything?" His voice dripped with venom. "Like how to apologize when you've made a mistake?"

The words stung, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

Suddenly, his hand snaked around my waist, and before I could push him away, he shoved me onto the bed. His weight pinned me, his hot breath grazing my ear as he hissed, "What did you think? That you could disrespect me, humiliate me, and get away with it? You're just an omega."

My stomach twisted with disgust, but I wouldn't let it consume me. "Get off me!" I snarled, my voice raw as I thrashed beneath him.

"Did you forget your place? I was doing you a favor by agreeing to marry you," he snapped, his hand striking my cheek with a sharp slap.

Pain bloomed across my face, but I bit down on the inside of my cheek, refusing to cry out.

"I thought omegas were taught to be submissive," he sneered. "Obedient. But you, you dared to rebel." His eyes darkened as they fell to my neck, landing on the faint mark left behind from last night. A low, guttural growl rumbled through his chest.

"You think you can disgrace me?" he seethed, his fury uncontained. "I own you, Lila. I bought you from your father. How dare you let someone else-"

Before he could finish, he forced his lips onto mine, the vile act sending bile rising in my throat.

Adrenaline surged through my veins, and instinct took over. I brought my knee up with all my strength, driving it into his groin.

Sheldon let out a strangled groan, his grip loosening as he staggered back, clutching himself.

"You little bitch," he spat, his face twisting in a mix of rage and pain.

I didn't waste a second. Grabbing the nearest object-a heavy vase from the nightstand-I swung it with all my might, the impact cracking against the back of his head.

The sound was sickening, but I didn't hesitate. Blood trickled down his scalp as his body crumpled to the floor, unconscious.

Panting, I crouched beside him, my hands trembling as I checked for a pulse. Relief washed over me when I felt the faint, steady rhythm beneath my fingertips.

Thank Goddess he wasn't dead.

But the relief was fleeting. Cold, stark reality set in as I stared at his body. Sheldon wasn't going to let this slide when he woke up. And my father? He wouldn't take a stand for me, he had made it clear earlier.

I was utterly alone.

I searched frantically for my phone, only to find out that it was dead and I didn't have enough time to put it on charge. My options dwindled to nothing, and desperation clawed at my chest.

Elena's words echoed in my mind, her voice from last night clear as if she were standing beside me. "Live life on your own terms, Lila."

She was right. I had to run away from this hellhole.

One Month Later

The dizzy spell hit me again as I swayed on my feet, rocking little John to sleep in my arms. Exhaustion clung to me like a second skin, so I eased down onto the couch, patting his back gently. His eyelids fluttered closed, his soft breathing finally evening out.

His parents would be home soon. Then, I could clock out and head to the club, where I worked nights as a waitress. Babysitting during the day and hustling through chaotic club shifts at night-it wasn't easy, but it kept food on my plate and a roof over my head.

Sheldon and my father had launched a massive search for me. Their influence stretched farther than I could've imagined, forcing me to stay in the shadows, always looking over my shoulder.

I liked kids but taking care of them wasn't as easy as I'd assumed. John was sweet, but the constant juggling between work and sleep was grinding me down. Most nights, I barely managed a few hours of rest. Weekends were the only time I could exhale, but even then, it never felt like enough.

The front door creaked open, and Emily stepped in, her cold expression slicing through the dim light of the living room. She strode toward me, taking John from my arms with the same detached air she always carried.

"We're home," she said curtly. "And you don't need to come from tomorrow."

Her words hit like a slap. "What? Why?"

Emily didn't even blink, her tone clipped and final. "Do you think I owe you an explanation?"

My mouth opened, but no words came out. I just nodded stiffly, grabbed my worn-out bag, and left.

The cool night air stung my cheeks as I stepped outside. My shift at the club wasn't for a few hours, and without the babysitting gig, I had extra time. A part of me wanted to collapse into bed and sleep for days, but I didn't have that luxury.

With no money for a cab, I started the twenty-minute walk back to the tiny dorm room I'd managed to rent. The streets were quiet, lit by dim streetlights casting long, eerie shadows.

My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling my attention. I fished it out, and my heart skipped a beat at the name flashing on the screen.

Sophia.

It had been so long since I'd heard from her. My fingers trembled as I opened the message, excitement and relief flooding me all at once. For a moment, it felt like I could breathe again. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed her until now.

I was so lost in the euphoria that I didn't hear the sound of tires screeching behind me until it was too late.

The impact came like a freight train, the world spinning wildly before everything faded into black.

Elliot

Sunlight streamed through the windows, piercing my eyelids and dragging me out of sleep. Groaning, I rubbed my face and turned toward the other side of the bed. My lips curved into a lazy smirk, expecting to find her there, tangled in the sheets, as breathtaking in the morning light as she had been last night.

But the bed was empty.

My heart kicked up its pace. I sat up, scanning the room. The faint scent of her still lingered in the air-a mix of jasmine and plum that had driven my wolf wild. But she was gone.

"Damn it," I muttered, raking a hand through my hair. I hadn't even learned her name.

It wasn't like me to stay after a night like that. I was the one who disappeared before dawn, leaving no room for attachments or awkward conversations. But last night had been...different. I'd stayed, letting my guard down for the first time in years. And she'd vanished.

My wolf paced restlessly in the back of my mind, his frustration mirroring mine. Where is she?

Then I saw it. A crisp hundred-dollar bill on the nightstand.

A growl rumbled low in my chest as I grabbed the bill, crushing it in my fist.

"What the hell?" I hissed. "Did she mistake me for a damn sex worker?"

My wolf snorted, clearly amused by my outrage. The humiliation burned hotter with every second. Not only had she left before I woke up, but she'd left a tip.

And to add insult to injury, it was only a hundred dollars.

"Unbelievable," I muttered. "If I were in this business, women would be paying me thousands, not this insult."

The memory of her touch, the way her body had responded to mine, flashed through my mind. It only fueled my anger. She'd left, and worse-she'd made me want more.

I yanked out my phone and texted Kai, my Beta.

"Bring the car around. Now."

Minutes later, I was sliding into the back seat of the sleek black SUV. Kai, ever the wise ass, was already grinning as he glanced at me in the rearview mirror.

"Morning, Alpha. Rough night?"

"Drive," I snapped.

Kai arched a brow but obeyed, though his smirk didn't falter. "You actually stayed the night. That's a first. She must've been something special."

"Shut the fuck up," I growled.

He chuckled but didn't push further, sensing the thin thread of my patience.

I dialed the club manager. "I need information on the woman I was with last night," I ordered. "Who is she?"

"Alpha Sinclair," the manager stammered, clearly panicked. "I...I don't know. She wasn't a regular. I've never seen her before."

My jaw tightened. That wasn't the answer I wanted.

"Kai," I barked, ending the call. "I need her found. Now. Put the best trackers on it. I want to know who she is, where she's from, and why she disappeared before sunrise. I want answers before I finish my breakfast."

Kai's jaw dropped as he met my gaze in the mirror. "Seriously? Before breakfast?"

I shot him a glare. "Do it. Or you'll be skipping lunch, too."

Grumbling under his breath, Kai pulled out his phone to relay my orders. But he couldn't resist one last jab. "You're really going all in on this, huh? Never thought I'd see the day. The great Alpha Elliot Sinclair, the notorious fuckboy, brought to his knees by one night with a mystery woman."

I ignored him, leaning back in the seat. My wolf growled low in my chest, restless and agitated, but I shoved him down.

Her scent was still burned into my senses, her touch a phantom memory that wouldn't fade. No one had ever done this to me, consumed me so completely.

Whoever she was, she wouldn't stay a mystery for long.

"One more thing," Kai added, his smirk returning. "You should take a shower."

***********

Later that afternoon

By the time I returned to my office, the scent of coffee and leather greeted me like an old friend. Breakfast had done little to curb my frustration, so I dove into work, poring over reports of rogue attacks on an ally pack.

The details were...peculiar. No traces left behind. No scent trails, no witnesses. It was as if the rogues had materialized from thin air, wreaked havoc, and vanished without a trace.

I drummed my fingers against the desk, my thoughts racing, when Kai walked in. His usual cocky demeanor was gone, replaced with a grim determination. He held a set of photographs in his hands.

"Alpha," he started, his tone heavy, "I've found her."

My heart kicked up, but I kept my expression impassive. "And?"

Kai laid three pictures on my desk. My eyes immediately locked onto her. My mystery woman.

Beside her was Sophia, my cousin, and another woman I didn't recognize.

"This is Lila Emerson," Kai said, his voice careful. Too careful.

I leaned back in my chair, crossing my arms. "And?"

Kai exhaled, the tension rolling off him in waves. "Alpha, Lila Emerson is the only woman you can't have."

The growl that tore from my throat echoed through the room. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

Kai hesitated, but he knew better than to keep me waiting. "She's the daughter of Alpha Andrew Emerson. Your father's sworn enemy. The man who's been a thorn in the Blue Moon pack's side for years. The Alpha King will never approve of this...connection. He will make your stepbrother the King if you defy him."

His words hit like a punch to the gut. The room fell silent, my mind spinning with the weight of his revelation. My mate, yes, she was my fucking mate-the woman my wolf and I craved-was the daughter of the one man I had vowed to destroy and make him suffer till he would beg for his death.

Fate wasn't cruel; it was a sadistic game master. The Moon Goddess wasn't just mocking me-she was throwing down a challenge. My wolf bristled, snarling in my mind, but his desire for her burned hotter than any hatred we'd carried for her bloodline.

"And? Tell me everything that you have found about her," I demanded, my voice low, dangerous.

Kai rubbed the back of his neck. "There was a party in the Mystic Shadow pack. A celebration of her engagement to Alpha Sheldon. But she didn't show up."

My lips curled into a smirk. "Instead, she was in the club. With me."

Kai nodded. "Yes, Alpha. The next day, she fled the arranged marriage. She's currently in hiding. Her father and Sheldon's men are searching for her."

A laugh, dark and twisted, bubbled from my chest. "She ran away for me. She must have felt the mate bond, even if she didn't show it."

Kai frowned. "Mate bond? If she is your fated mate, it's worse than I had assumed it already was."

But I wasn't listening. The image of her emerald eyes, filled with shock and recognition when she learned who I was, burned in my mind.

"Kai," I said, leaning forward, my smirk widening, "find her, before they do. I want her here. I want her to know exactly who she chose that night."

"Alpha..." Kai hesitated. "You're playing with fire. Your father will not-"

"Will love it," I cut him off, my voice sharp. "When the daughter of an enemy falls for you, the war is already half-won. And as for the Moon Goddess?" I chuckled darkly, my wolf stirring with unease, showing his disapproval for my plan. "She started a game. I'll show her how to win."