The day before the final, my mate orchestrated a devastating scheme to ensure his favored talent, Francesca, would claim victory in the Pack Talent Show and steal the spotlight. As Alpha of the Blue Fang Pack, Leonard Howell’s word was law, and he used his authority to arrange a car accident that left me unable to shift into my wolf form or stand ever again.

When I regained consciousness in the pack’s infirmary, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air. Leonard sat beside me, his towering frame dominating the room, his muscles tense even as he casually peeled an apple. His voice was calm, almost detached, as he said, "Arianna, hang in there a bit longer. The Healer says there’s a chance for your legs, so be patient. I’ll call him soon."

His words sparked a flicker of hope within me. I reached for the call button, desperate to summon the Healer. But Leonard’s hand shot out, pressing mine down with an iron grip. The strength of an Alpha was overwhelming, and I felt my wrist ache under the pressure.

"Alpha, I’m begging you, let go," I whispered, my voice trembling.

Every word was torture, but Leonard was my only hope. My legs were my life, my passion. Now, the dreams of my entire dance troupe—comprised of Omegas who had found purpose in our art—were pinned on me.

"Alpha, whatever you do to me, my legs matter. I won’t interfere with you and Francesca again. I was wrong. Please, just call the Healer."

I pleaded, stripped of any pride I once had. Leonard knew how much I’d invested in this moment. The endless hours of practice, the precision demanded in every move—my effort lingered in the rehearsal studio. Everyone had poured their energy into this day, a chance for me to shine on stage, to prove that even Omegas could rise above their station.

But I hadn’t expected him to cup my face with chilling detachment and say, "Arianna, you know it’s Francesca’s dream to stand on that stage. She’s put in a lot of effort for it. Besides, I’ve already chosen you over her. Don’t be selfish like this. Be reasonable."

I held his hand tightly, pleading, "Alpha, you promised to protect me. You couldn’t stand to see me cry. I trusted you, yet you’re willing to destroy everything for her?"

My tears burned his hand, and for a moment, I thought I saw hesitation flicker in his dark eyes.

Noticing a window of opportunity, I continued, "Alpha, you used to say you loved watching me dance, remember? I won’t compete anymore, just call the Healer now. Please?"

Just when I thought there might be hope for my legs, Leonard’s phone rang. Francesca’s name appeared on the screen.

"Alpha, what about tomorrow’s finals?" Her voice came through, sweet and pleading.

Leonard’s expression softened, and I felt my heart sink.

"Francesca, don’t worry. I’ll help you," he assured her, his voice gentle in a way it hadn’t been with me.

Then, with a trace of regret in his gaze, he turned back to me and caressed my face. "Don’t worry, Arianna. I won’t leave you. You still have me."

I trembled violently, unable to discern the mix of anger and fear coursing through me.

"Alpha, please, don’t do this," I whispered, my voice breaking.

But the door closed with finality, extinguishing any hope of healing my legs and the possibility of taking the stage. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, a faint echo of the pain that now consumed me. I was trapped, not just in this bed, but in a world where the Alpha’s word was absolute—and Leonard had chosen Francesca over me.

Until they wheeled me into the operating room, I clung to a fragile hope—what if, just maybe, there was still a chance?

But the pack’s Healer only shook his head, his aura heavy with regret. "You were brought in too late; the tissue is dead. There’s no chance of recovery. You won’t be able to shift into your wolf form again."

This didn’t just mean I’d never dance again; it suggested that I might spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair. My future, my dreams, lay in ruins.

It was like being stuck in a never-ending nightmare, falling into an endless dark void.

When I finally came to, the first face I saw was Alpha Leonard’s.

Seeing me awake, he quickly picked up a glass of water and gently brought it to my lips, his Alpha aura pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket.

I turned my head away, tears streaming down my face.

He pulled me into his embrace, his grip unyielding, as though he could force my compliance through sheer dominance.

"Arianna, don’t worry. I’ll take care of you from now on, I promise."

His voice was soft, but I could hear the Alpha tone beneath it, the command that demanded obedience.

"You know, this was always Francesca’s dream, and I promised I’d make it up to her."

I don’t know where I found the strength, but I pushed him away with everything I had, my Omega status barely allowing me to resist his Alpha command.

"Alpha Leonard, this was my dream too!"

I looked at him, my eyes filled with bitterness. "Making it up to her? You destroyed me, destroyed us for this?"

"Do you understand how hard everyone in our group worked for this day? How could you throw all that effort and sacrifice away just for your promise to her?"

He seemed taken aback, his Alpha aura faltering for a moment before he tightened his hold on me again.

I bit his arm until I tasted blood before letting go, my defiance a rare challenge to his authority.

"Get out! Stay away from me."

My eyes were full of hatred, a side of me Alpha Leonard had never seen.

He held his bleeding arm, too shocked by my actions to react, but soon irritation flashed across his face, his Alpha tone sharpening.

"Arianna, I think you’ve lost your mind."

I tilted my head back and laughed, the sound hollow and bitter. "Yes, I have lost it. You destroyed my life, Alpha Leonard. I hate you!"

His expression softened slightly, though his Alpha aura remained oppressive.

"Arianna, I know you’re hurting. But you still have me. Once you’re out of the hospital, I’ll make you my Luna. Consider it my way of making things right."

A cold, bitter laugh escaped me. "Compensation, Alpha Leonard? How noble of you. But I don’t want it."

His eyes darkened, his long fingers brushing against my neck, his Alpha tone laced with restrained anger.

"Arianna, I won’t let you say that again. You need to focus on getting better, and once you’re discharged, I’ll make you my Luna."

Only after Alpha Leonard left did I break down into uncontrollable sobs, my wolf whimpering in the back of my mind, her voice faint but desperate.

*He doesn’t deserve you,* she whispered. *He never did.*

We first met at a pack gathering in the city, where Alpha Leonard was captivated by my performance and stayed longer than he planned, his Alpha aura drawing everyone’s attention.

After that, I often invited him to watch our shows, though his presence always made the Omegas in my group nervous, their submissive natures cowering under his Alpha dominance.

Our dance group was made up of Omegas who had found solace and purpose in the art of dance, and he knew just how much it meant to us.

When we first got together, I thought I was the luckiest person in the world.

It was only later that I realized he had a long-time love, Francesca, a Delta in his pack who still lingered in his life, even after they’d supposedly ended things.

Initially, I assumed they were just friends, but I later found out he had a special ringtone for her, his Alpha tone softening whenever she called.

He would leave me alone on our anniversary to celebrate Francesca’s birthday with her, his loyalty to her unwavering.

And because her dance group was our rival, he stole our team’s original music and drugged me with a heavy dose of sleeping pills, knowing I was the lead performer.

When I woke up, I found the qualifying round was long over, and because Francesca’s team performed the same piece first, our group was branded as plagiarists.

Francesca’s team advanced effortlessly, while ours became outcasts, our Omega status making us easy targets for scorn.

We didn’t give up, fighting our way back in the revival rounds, our determination a rare defiance in the face of our pack’s rigid hierarchy.

I thought we had finally overcome the odds.

Just when we believed we were on the verge of our dreams, reality hit us with a harsh slap.

And the pain was unbearable.