Lyra

The needle pricked my finger for the eighth time already. I let out a bitter laugh as I hurriedly wiped the blood on my apron, preventing it from staining the white silk.

Everyone told me that I should be grateful that I was given the task to make my dream wedding dress for the Alpha’s Luna.

That I should be happy with this privilege.

But how could I be happy, when this white shimmering dress—once the Alpha and I had dreamed for our big day—was no longer mine to wear?

And the Alpha who once promised to stay by my side…will now stand beside his new Luna.

“Careful bitch! What if you ruin the wedding dress for the Luna?!” The voice brought me back to my senses, and I slowly raised my head, watching Cassie, who was looking at me in disgust.

Beside her, Mara smirks. “Tsk. What else can you expect from an orphan Omega? Some people are just better suited to the filth they came from.”

I let out a heavy sigh. They are at it again.

I ignored their laugh filled with mockery, along with the other maids who were also giggling behind their cupped palms. Their eyes were filled with amusement as they looked at me.

“What? Still dreaming about being the Alpha’s Luna?” Cassie spat out a laugh. “Please. You should have seen yourself in the mirror. An Omega like you—the closest you’ll ever get to him is cleaning his boots.”

I paused from my needlework, looking at her in the eyes before I let out a soft chuckle. “An Omega like me? You talk a lot for someone who folds the Alpha’s sheets but will never get the chance to lie in them.”

Her face flushed for a moment, and I saw the fury and jealousy she was trying hard to hide.

“How dare a worthless Omega like you talk back! Don’t fucking forget whose wedding it is today—still fucking dreaming the Luna will be you, huh? You’re nothing but a woman he cast aside!”

I stiffened, feeling the sting in my chest, but I swallowed it down as I looked her in the eye. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe I’ve fallen far. But isn’t it pathetic that even down there, I’m still higher than where you’re reaching from?”

“You bitch—” Just when she was about to raise her hands, it happened that Beta Darren appeared, which made the other maid hurriedly bow and look away as if they were afraid of being implicated.

Seeing this, Cassie gritted her teeth and was about to speak when Beta Darren coldly looked at her.

“Enough. Go back to your chores. Now.” Every one of his words was filled with authority, leaving Cassie with no choice but to put her hands down as she was dragged by Mara away, while she gritted her teeth, giving me a death glare as if she couldn’t wait to tear me apart.

I just smiled at her, then glanced at Beta Darren. “Thank you.”

I watched as his eyes softened. “You okay?”

I gave him a bitter smile as I showed him the wedding dress. “Well… I’m almost done with the wedding dress.”

Darren paused, letting out a heavy sigh as he reached out to pat my head. “Kyle…fuck, how could he be so cruel? Making you sew a wedding dress for his Luna… is he crazy? And, why didn’t you refuse it?”

I let out a soft laugh, though it didn’t reach my eyes. “Refuse the Alpha’s order? You know that’s something an Omega like me doesn’t get to do.”

“But—”

Before he could finish his words, the door suddenly burst open. Before I could tell them that the wedding dress is not yet ready, they had already spoken.

“Omega Lyra, the Alpha requests your presence.”

Kyle?

My throat tightened. “Now?”

The guard nodded. “He said it’s urgent. He wants to see you.”

Something inside me faltered, as if my heart had forgotten how to beat for a moment. Even after everything, just hearing that he wanted to see me was enough to shake the walls that I had tried to build.

“Lyra…”

I looked at Darren, who was looking at me with worry. I just nodded at him, giving him a reassuring smile.

I don’t know why he still wants to see me. Was it not enough to make me suffer by letting me make a wedding dress for his new Luna?

Despite that, part of me was also looking forward to it.

I let out a laugh in mockery.

Upon arriving there, the guard simply left me standing alone and in front of the familiar door. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what to feel about this. It was the same room that contained a lot of our memories together, but now, it felt strange.

I took a deep breath and was about to raise my hand to knock on the door when the door suddenly burst open as if it was already expecting my presence, and a hand caught my wrist. In one pull, I stumbled inside, crashing into a familiar chest as a hand wrapped around my waist.

Realizing how close we were, I hurriedly pushed him away.

But his grip tightened, refusing to let go.

Seeing that we were about to play tug of war at this point, I helplessly sighed, swallowing the grievance I felt.

“W-Why…why did you call me here, Alpha?” The word felt heavy on my tongue, and I couldn’t even bring myself to meet his eyes.

However, he suddenly caught my chin, forcing me to look at him as I watched as his brows furrowed. And when my eyes fell onto the suit he was wearing, I forced out a small smile despite the ache in my heart.

“You’re getting married…congratulations.”

I know that if I saw myself in the mirror, for sure that it looked ugly right now.

Sensing his silence, I finally dared to look up and was taken aback at the color of his eyes. They were not golden anymore—it was red. Even his aura had changed—it became more aggressive.

“You—”

I couldn’t even finish my words when he suddenly leaned in, taking my lips to his mouth, sliding his tongue inside.

My eyes widened, and I hurriedly pushed him away.

“What are you doing?!” I looked at him in horror and was about to back away, but he stopped me.

I tried to turn away, but he hugged me from behind. My breath hitched when I felt a cold moisture trail on my neck that made me tremble and gasp when he was about to bite my neck, but I pushed him away.

My whole body trembled as I looked at him in shame and anger. “W-What are you trying to do, Kyle?!”

However, it was as if he had become deaf to my words and continued to do what his instincts were telling him to do.

I watched as his face darkened whenever I tried to push him away. His hand grasped the back of my head, pulling me to him as he bit my lips as a punishment while his hands were roaming around my body, tearing my clothes as he brought me to his bed.

Ignoring the cold, I kicked him in the stomach—but it was no use. It was as if he had become a madman; he no longer resembled the Alpha that I once loved. He grasped both of my hands and put them above my head to chain me using his hand while he restrained my legs using his thighs as he was on top of me, nibbling my lips despite being bitten.

I couldn’t tell whose blood it is between our kisses. No matter how many times I bit him, it was as if it only ignited the fire burning in him as I felt his thick member rubbing against my stomach, sending shivers down my spine.

“Wake up! Kyle… please… you’re getting married… this is wrong…”

I pleaded again and again that my voice becoming hoarse, but he never listened.

I don’t know how much time had passed while he was claiming me over and over. My heart, my body…was already on the verge of limits. In the end, I no longer had the energy to stop him and let him do me.

I thought it would last us until the morning, when suddenly, Kyle, after cumming inside me, fell onto the bed next to me. I paused and glanced at him, whose breathing was calm and steady—as if he wasn’t the one who had bought me misery.

My throat tightened, and tears slipped down my cheeks. I’ve never felt so dirty about myself. I pulled the blanket tighter around myself, trembling. I wanted to leave, I wanted to disappear, but my legs wouldn’t move.

When I finally gathered the courage to stand, the door turned.

“Alpha, it’s time for the ritual! What took you so long to prepare—”

I froze in my spot as I watched Kyle’s parents appear. Just like mine, their eyes widened upon seeing me as I clutched the sheets tighter. Behind them was a woman in white.

Kyle’s fiancée.

And she was wearing the wedding dress I made.

I watched as her eyes went wide, her face draining of color as she looked at us in disbelief. Her eyes reddened. Seeing her reaction made my heart feel like it had been pinched by needles.

“L-Let me explain…” My voice was hoarse as I tried to speak, but she didn’t listen. Instead, she turned around, dragging her wedding dress, and ran away.

“You slut! How dare you sleep with my son!” Kyle’s mother, Helena, angrily cursed as she turned around, chasing after Kyle’s fiancée.

No… this is not what I want…

I gritted my teeth, ignoring the pain all over my body, and hurriedly put Kyle’s clothes on before I went out to chase after them.

However, the moment I stepped out. The loud commotion took me back.

I watched as Kyle’s fiancée, who was running on the streets while dragging the wedding dress, suddenly got struck by a truck. Blood spurted onto the ground as her eyes widened, couldn’t believe what had happened to her, and I watched as her eyes slowly lost their luster.

I stood rooted in my spot as her body lay lifeless, wrapped in the wedding dress I made…the same one that was supposed to symbolize love, now soaked in blood.

How could this be?

I snapped back to reality when Kyle’s mother slapped burning across my cheek.

Her voice broke into fury. “You disgusting little slut! You killed her! You killed the Luna who was supposed to stand beside my son! You think sleeping with my son makes you his mate again? You’re nothing but filth he used and threw away!”

I…I didn’t…

I didn’t kill her… I…I never want this to happen…

I tried to open my mouth to explain—but the moment I saw the hatred in their eyes, the words I wanted to say died in my throat.

I watched as they stepped back—as if I were some monster.

Helena’s voice cut through the murmurs. “Guards! Take this wretched Omega to the cells! She’ll pay for what she has done!”

As the guards stepped closer to me, my legs gave out.

I knew there was no escaping to what was coming.