A Sinister World of Alphas & Their Chosen Omegas
There will be biting…
“You’re cordially invited to attend the celebration nuptials between Beta Snow, Princess of Winter Sector, and Alpha Enrique of Bariloche Sector on—” I stopped reading, the paper in my hand spoiling my mood. “What the fuck is this bullshit?”
“An engagement party,” Ludvig replied dryly. “It seems Vanessa wishes to show off whatever enhancements she’s made to Winter Sector. Because we both know this isn’t for her ‘stepdaughter.’ ”
I snorted. Stepdaughter. Right.
How the Betas of Winter Sector hadn’t seen through the assassination plot and kingdom takeover was beyond me. It couldn’t be a coincidence that Alpha Einar and his Omega mate died shortly after Vanessa joined their court as a mentor for their youngling. Yet everyone accepted the tale and welcomed the new female Alpha with open arms, particularly after she benevolently adopted the sole royal heir and promised to raise the child as her own.
“It’s interesting she agreed to let the Beta girl mate,” I said, thinking out loud. “Particularly, to another Alpha. Won’t that make him the king by their archaic laws?”
The Frost family dynasty surpassed all other claims to the throne, trumping the Alpha hierarchy that many other sectors preferred. Which technically meant Beta Snow was the Queen of Winter Sector. Yet Vanessa wore the title in the interim while she groomed the girl to take over the kingdom.
“I’m shocked the girl is still alive,” I added out loud.
Ludvig grunted. “I’m more shocked by the betrothal. Which is why you’re going to accept the invitation to attend and report back your findings on the situation.”
I groaned, not at all interested in such a frivolous assignment.
“You’re the only one I trust to pay attention, Kaz.” He arched a brow. “You won’t be distracted by the Beta offerings like some of my other lieutenants.”
My jaw clenched just thinking about the infamous brothels Vanessa enjoyed flaunting to the other sectors. Her Beta colony didn’t offer much in terms of exports other than fish—which Norse Sector had in spades—so she’d created a network of sex workers meant to entice Alphas without mates.
Betas built to accept the knot.
Whatever the fuck that meant.
My cock wasn’t interested.
“Fine.” I didn’t like the assignment, but I’d accept it because he was right—I’d be the only one fit to pay attention. The others would be too eager to indulge in willing Beta pussy to consider the state of affairs in Winter Sector. “But I’m taking Mick.”
Ludvig smirked, his overgrown beard barely moving with the motion. “Thinking you might need a quick escape?”
I shrugged. “Doesn’t hurt to have the best pilot in existence at my back.”
The Norse Sector Alpha conceded with a nod, a flicker of pride curling his lips. “Consider it done. He’s been itching for a good mission to show off on, and this’ll suit him well. I’ll ask Mila to organize a wedding-appropriate gift for you to take.” His blue eyes brightened as he spoke of his Omega mate, his demeanor softening instinctually. The two had been together for nearly five hundred years but acted as though it’d been minutes every time they saw each other.
Some pairings were forced.
Theirs was definitely not.
“I’ll take the comms in case something goes wrong.” Not that I expected it to, but I always considered caution over pride. It paid to be prepared, particularly as a result of my origin.
Some wolves chose to ridicule my lack of a birthright, preferring to challenge my Alpha status because I was born a human. They didn’t care that Ludvig himself had created me. Having mortal parents made me weak in their eyes.
And their assumptions made them weak in mine.
I rolled my neck, my amusement already rising.
An engagement party in Winter Sector would bring all sorts of Alphas out to play.
Maybe it wouldn’t be such a waste of time after all.
Snow
Smile.
Nod.
Wave.
Repeat.
Don’t let them see that anything’s wrong, I coached myself. You can’t afford for Vanessa to find out what you overheard. Just keeping grinning.
I sat at the head table, receiving the kind words of our visitors and playing my part as the perfect little princess. If I could just make it through tonight, I’d survive. That was my mantra, my hope, my reason for continuing to smile even while my heart broke inside.
“We’ll tell them you were a little overzealous on your wedding night. You’re an Alpha. They’ll understand. Betas aren’t made to take the knot. It’s her fault for being born inferior to you.”
“How? I can’t just force it.”
“I have ways to induce the sensations. You’ll see.”
The words revolved through my mind on repeat, Vanessa’s coldhearted tone lancing my insides each time.
My mentor.
My protector.
My stepmother.
My betrayer.
“Winter Sector will believe whatever I tell them to believe. Trust me. I have experience in this, as you well know.”
Laughter.
Pain.
Fury.
I had run instead of confronting her, my world in shambles as I reached my quarters. For years, I’d suspected her of treachery, but the sector wolves loved her. They saw her as the solution to all their problems, their savior for taking me—Snow Frost—under her wing after the tragic death of my parents.
A death I now knew was orchestrated for Vanessa’s claim to the throne.
Only, I had no proof.
And her conversation with my betrothed implied I was next on her chopping block.
My fiancé sat beside me now, his strong arm wrapped around my frail shoulders, his presence a sturdy heat in our frozen world.
Snow blanketed the grounds, and ice coated the surrounding lakes. The candles inside our palace walls did little to dispel the cold undertones. Not even the bonfire raging in the center of the grand hall helped warm our home.
Yet he burned like the summer sun.
Once upon a time, I loved that about him. I adored his muscular embrace and hot kisses. Had even looked forward to our wedding night.
Which should happen tomorrow.
And he intended to kill me instead, by bleeding me from the inside out while forcing a knot on me that should never be able to form with a Beta.
I shuddered, my stomach twisting with the notion. How? I wondered for the thousandth time. How did he plan to force it? They never reached that part of the discussion. Or perhaps it’d been covered before I’d found them together in his quarters.
To think, I’d gone to him wanting a midnight kiss and instead… instead my world came crashing to a sudden halt.
I ran first to my quarters, then called a midnight meeting with my protective seven. The Beta circle had believed my tale without flinching, but their leader, Doc, told me to remain quiet and not tell another soul. Because while the kingdom adored my family birthright, the Queen of Mirrors had pulled shutters over all their eyes, her reign supreme in a land that should be mine.