Claire

I had always loved the scent of sandalwood and rain.

Even when mother said I wasn't allowed to play more than an omega should for a day, whenever I took a glimpse outside and saw the members of our pack - playing under the rain with their brightest smiles - I couldn't help but feel comforted. Most especially when my eyes would land on him.

Ajax Larwoods.

The smell of rain and wood, the colors of the sky that turned into a mellow orange hue that always made ways in giving my heart a touch of comfort, drizzled by unspeakable flying insects as he spoke to me with his low, husky voice. From my birth to my current self, these crazy thoughts were brought upon by my affection toward one person―Ajax.

This was especially not easy for the fact that I was an omega and Ajax was an alpha. He was the son of the current Alpha King of the Crescent Glacier Pack in the Northern Woods, the biggest territory in this place. Being the next king of one of the most strongest packs in the world, I've known for a long time that Ajax would surely find his very own mate, a strong female alpha like himself, to stand and rule the pack someday.

Surely, a low omega like me could only ever wish to be noticed by a mighty and powerful figure such as Ajax. As the majority only treat us as nothing more than servants and slaves, I've long accepted my fate and only wished Ajax the best. From afar, I could see him and that was more than enough to make my little omega heart happy.

Well, that was until things began to change when I turned eighteen.

The day I transformed into my wolf form for the first time, I realized my affection toward the Alpha Prince no longer belonged to me solely. Much to my embarrassment, it happened during the academy's night class' last two kilometer run, where everyone was present.

"Look, Claire transformed!" David, one of the strongest alphas in our academy, exclaimed, looking at me.

Everybody―both in their human and wolf forms―turned their heads to look in my direction.

I couldn't control myself and began to move around like a mad wolf. It was one of the disadvantages of being an omega, the inability to control one's own transformation, regardless whether there was a full moon or not. Unlike alphas and betas who could control their transformations once they reached a certain stage or gained enough power, omegas' will was limited, causing us to have our tails picked by others when they witnessed our weaknesses.

Soon, a crowd began to surround me. Laughters erupted through my ears as they all mocked my appearance and strange behavior. I wanted to speak but no sound could even come out of my mouth.

Unlike alphas, omegas were much smaller and weaker in looks. This was one of the main reasons why omegas were always deemed to be subjects to bullying.

At this time, I wanted to speak but no sound could even come out of my lips. All I could use perfectly were my two senses, vision and hearing, much to my horror to have seen and heard the same noise of endless ridicule toward my own race.

"Isn't she the one who always looks at Ajax like she wants to eat him?" Another wolf said with a mocking tone. I remember her name being Lilith.

I felt so exposed. I wanted to run away and hide, but more and more werewolves surrounded me, pushing me back to the center. When I tried to roar at them, they only laughed louder.

"Ajax likes her?" Another commented, stepping closer to me. If I remember it right, this person was one of the popular betas in Ajax's group.

My heart began to beat fast. I didn't want Ajax to know about my feelings for him. Not like this, not in this situation...

A shrilling voice came and said with an upset tone, "Oh please, stop making things up, Gary. Ajax will never look at this low being. Besides, he already has Selene."

"You're right. Selene is the best Luna candidate for Ajax. This omega is really too brave, dreaming to be with Ajax! How shameless!" A beta from another class exclaimed.

All I could do was stare at their faces and listen to their comments. I wanted to tell them I was not wishing for more, that I only liked Ajax and did not dare to ask for more from him or anyone else. But all of these remained stuck in my throat. For some reason, I could not explain however I wished to.

My eyes scanned around the crowd and found Selene Alcarez, the most beautiful werewolf in the academy. She came from another pack whom Ajax was always being rumored to be paired to. From head to toe, she was described to be beautiful, a rare piece of gem that every guy wanted to look and stare at with love and admiration. I was, in all truths there were, the complete opposite of her. And by all means, as everyone dictated and believed, she was the one fated to stay beside Ajax.

Or so I thought.

Because on the day of the blue moon, a day when all werewolves on their right age and fated time were expected to feel in their blood the identity of their mates, Ajax who was supposed to declare his mate, did not utter a sound.

"Ajax, son, you can tell us who your mate is," his mother, Luna Olive, seated beside Ajax's father, the Alpha King Thomas, asked.

Ajax stood still in the center as everyone, including me and the rest of the omegas, watched him. We waited for him to introduce and say the name of his mate as part of the tradition. However, minutes passed and Ajax did not say anything, not even a word.

Instead, his father, Alpha King Thomas, went on his stead and spoke, "The night is young. Perhaps, Ajax is still in search of his mate. Let's not be bothered by this, everyone. My son will soon announce who his mate is. For now, everyone should go and find their mates as part of the tradition. We will all meet at midnight to give our praises to the Moon Goddess."

This announcement declared in an authoritative and powerful tone made everyone zip their mouths, only following the alpha king's orders. I, as one of the omegas―the servants―immediately went back to work. After all, there were visitors from other packs who had come from different locations to personally witness and listen to the next Alpha King and his mate, the next Luna.

Announcing the mate of the next Alpha King of the North was indeed a big deal. Even Selene Alcarez and her family came, but much to their disappointment, Ajax didn't mention her name at all.

"Stop dilly dallying and quickly go to your brother. You need to scout the area and make sure no other beings will step into our place tonight," my mother, an omega as well, said as we reached our small dwelling.

This house was occupied by many omegas, from youngest to oldest, female and male. My brother who was also an omega was currently training as one of the wolves charged to scout the territory. From what I have learned, he was doing it to be part of the list - the Next Beta. Next Beta meant an opportunity for omega males to be betas, and to be part of the security group responsible to follow and protect the Alpha and his bloodline.

In order to transform to a beta, an omega needed to undergo series of trainings and battles with real betas and alphas. If one could succeed without dying or being heavily injured, then they may have a chance to be bitten by an alpha to turn into a beta, giving more power when it came to strength and of course, responsibility.

"I will, mother," I politely obeyed then thought for a minute before adding, "Can I watch the full moon after?"

Mother had always known my feelings, whenever I was confused, angry, or just being stupid. Though, she rarely spoke of affectionate words and refused to be overly intimate with her actions too. She stared at me and only said simply, "Do whatever you want, but make sure to finish all your tasks first."

As always, that made me smile as I nodded. "Understood!"

I wasn't completely lying when I told her I wanted to watch the full moon. Part of what I originally intended was that, and the other... Well, I sort of wanted to see the Alpha Prince.

I mean, it must've come out a shock to him when he couldn't see his mate's identity, right? I wanted to check on him and see if he was doing and feeling okay. Sighing as I imagined a saddened expression on the Alpha Prince's face, I headed out of our mini dwelling.

I began to walk toward the location where my brother, Navi, currently was. As soon as I saw him, I quickly sprinted toward him. But before that happened, a huge black wolf suddenly stopped in front of me, blocking my way. My eyes widened as I realized who it was―

"A-Ajax..." I couldn't help but whisper as I stared at those clear blue eyes illuminated by the full moon above.

He was staring at me, full of concentration and something more to which I could not define. To my surprise, Ajax used his powers and gave me a message by only looking at his eyes.

"Follow me."

The scent of sandalwood and fresh soil trickled by raindrops wafted through the air, gently attacking my nostrils.

I followed Ajax through the woods which I realized were already near and almost reaching the boundary the pack's Alpha King had previously placed. There were thorns and strong scents of Ajax's father in this kind of boundaries to, of course, declare territory and possession.

"A-Ajax, where are we going?" I asked him as I warily looked around. There were no other werewolves aside from us.

Ajax stopped abruptly and glanced at me from the side.

Did something happen? Did Ajax do something and wanted my help? Questions began to swirl in my mind, wondering why Ajax suddenly wanted to take me here.

For the record, Ajax only treated me as someone he could order around. Both in the academy and at home, as an omega, I heeded and obeyed to every order of the Alpha King's family, particularly of the Alpha Prince Ajax.

Ever since I was a child, I had always followed him and catered to his needs and wants without any hesitation. And even when other members of the pack bullied me and mocked me for having a crush on Ajax, I remained strong-willed and stayed... Not by his side, of course, but at his back, where I naturally and supposedly should be, so that I can listen to his orders and commands. Whether by luck or fate, Ajax never witnessed the times I was ridiculed for being an omega. More than half of me preferred not to let him see, afraid his vision of me as a cheerful and obedient omega would be tainted once he saw me being made fun of easily.

For me, having to stay by his side was enough. I could and would never ask for more.

"Say, Claire," Ajax suddenly spoke. He was still in his wolf form. "What will you do if you found out your mate is someone everybody dislikes?"

I couldn't help but look at him in surprise. I didn't expect such a question from him at all. As much as I found his question to be odd, I still wanted to help him and make our master-servant relationship better. So with a smile, I told him, "If my mate is someone everybody dislikes... Umm, I think I will try to learn more about him or her first. Instead of relying too much about others' opinions. In the end, if the person is my mate, I should accept him or her, right? After all, having a mate is a gift given by the moon goddess. Ah, but this doesn't apply to everyone. Of course, if the mate is a horrible person, one should think twice before accepting that person!"

Ajax looked at me, face expressionless. The wind made a loud wheezing sound as the leaves on the trees and vines danced in a direction-confused manner. Rubbing my arm for a bit as I suddenly felt shameful for speaking too much, I stared down at the ground, waiting for Ajax's reply.

After a few minutes, Ajax finally spoke. "You're right. Maybe I should learn more about my mate first and see whether they are worthy to be my mate... or they need to be rejected."

Then he turned to me and looked straight into my eyes, his voice full of seriousness and clear authority, "Claire, from now on, you only need to follow me. There's no need to think about anything or anyone else. Do you understand?"

My heart began to pound loudly at his words. I never expected such words to come out from Ajax's lips. It was like asking to remain by his side forever...!

"Yes, I understand," I bowed down as a salute, a warm feeling spreading across my chest. I couldn't help but smile. Now I was sure Ajax was the Alpha I would forever serve and love with all my heart.

The night was becoming colder and deeper and the pleasant scent coming from Ajax soothed me like a lullaby in spring. The moon was full and bright, my eyes became heavy as I began to picture images of the future together with Ajax.

When I returned home, my brother Navi was already there and was in the middle of talking with my mother. They stopped as they turned to look at me. I could feel their worry upon looking at their eyes which made me began to worry too.

"Mother, brother, is there something wrong?" I asked them.

Mother looked away while my brother Navi stared at me with a pair of serious eyes which he rarely ever used. "Claire, we're leaving the pack."

I frowned as I heard his words. "Brother...?"

Navi sighed, face constricted as if he wanted to tell me something but couldn't. "There's no time to argue. We'll leave tomorrow before the sun rises."

"No!" I shouted, furious at their sudden announcement. "I'm not going to leave North! This is our pack. We belong here, brother! What's up with you and mother, suddenly thinking of such things?"

I couldn't imagine myself leaving North. Especially with Ajax here, the one I vowed to stay beside and serve with all my life... There was no way I was leaving this place whatever happened!

"Stop being selfish and listen to your elder brother!" My brother Navi exclaimed, now looking madly furious as well. "Mother and I have decided. Claire, you're only eighteen and you... You..."

He gave me that look once more, the look as if he was in great pain and desperately wanted to tell me something but couldn't.

My heart remained steeled as I angrily refuted, "No means no, brother! Why are you deciding this all of sudden anyway? Tell me!"

"Claire!" My brother roared.

"Claire, do you really need to raise your voice to your brother like that?" My mother said, intervening between me and Navi.

"Then tell me, mother, why are we leaving? Why do we need to leave?" I asked them, feeling the formation of hot tears at the back of my eyes.

My mother who rarely ever showed her emotions, for once, gave a pained expression. "It's... It's not good for us to stay here."

Surprised and confused, I was about to ask once more when Navi spoke.

"Claire, we're leaving whether you like it or not."

Fisting my hands as his words fueled my anger more, I looked at them with fury and hate enough to make my words across. "Brother... and you too mother... you can go wherever you please but I will remain here. No matter what, I'm not going to leave the pack."

I couldn't leave Ajax. I didn't want to be part from him.

I heard my mother and brother calling my name numerous times but I remained deaf to their words as I ran out. I ran fast as I could, wanting to relieve all the frustration I was feeling at the moment as I tried to transform.

Harder and harder, I tried but failed. In the end, I could only pant as I felt air seeming to escape from my lungs after the long sprint I had done. Leaning on the huge mahogany tree, I slowly closed my eyes and tried to rest, deciding to go back home as soon as I had finally let off some of my hot and angered steam.

With the thought of not wanting to leave Ajax and trying to replace the arguments I just had with my family with more pleasant imaginations, I slowly, unknowingly, drifted off to sleep.

It was the first time I heard a voice talking to me in an almost agonizing, desperate plea.

"Claire, you need to wake up... Ajax, this scum alpha, will be the cause of your demise... You will lose everything because of him... Wake up, Claire... Ajax is only trying to fool you... Omegas are nothing but trash to his eyes... Claire, you must do something... He's the reason your entire family will be killed...!! You need to act before it's too late...!"

With my heart racing and my body almost feeling as if it was in scorching hot flames, I opened my eyes and saw the moon shining brightly above. What was that? A nightmare? But whose voice was that? It sounded like a woman's voice, nearly similar to my mother's...

Mother... Where's mother?!

I quickly got up, unbothered by the fact that I was already at home. Not thinking about how I ended up back here, I immediately went to check my mother. She was supposed to be next to me. But when I turned my head to see, I found out the space next to me was empty.

Sprinting ahead, I went to check my brother Navi whose room was on the next door. To my horror, he also wasn't there.

Gasping for breath and hearing the loud beating of my heart, I went out of our house and began to search for them. I needed to see them to clear my head out of that nightmare!

"Mother! Navi!" I shouted but no one seemed to hear and willing to respond.

Passing by different dwellings, I asked the members of the pack if they had seen my mother and brother. "Have you seen my mother? And my brother? Have you seen them?"

One of them stared at me with irritation. "Aren't you with them?"

"Omegas should stick with omegas."

"Stop bothering us and ask your fellow omegas about omegas."

"If you've got nothing else to do, go to the river and help other omegas gather some food. Stop lazing around, an omega should know her place."

The blood in my veins began to boil at the other higher rank's remarks and comments. All I wanted was to know where my mother and brother were! Even in this situation, why would ranks still matter?!

"Despicable..." I couldn't help but let out under my breath.

Why... Why were we being treated like this? Just because we were omegas, we were treated as nothing but mere servants and slaves... and even at this time of need, no help could even be asked! Why?!!

"Claire."

Before tears could spill from my eyes, I heard a familiar voice coming from the back. I turned around and saw Ajax, together with Selene. There was a frown on Ajax's face as he spoke directly to me. "I've been looking for you everywhere. Just where have you been?"

I couldn't speak a word nor utter a sound. My heart felt like breaking and the tears wanting to come out from my eyes wavered as I saw it.

On Selene's neck was a freshly bitten mark.

And although I was an omega, I could fairly smell the scent of a newly fated pair.

Ajax and Selene... They finally did it...

"Hey, what's wrong with you?" Ajax asked, moving closer to where I was.

My emotions were messy and I couldn't think straight anymore. Head turning to the ground, I hid my face and said in a low voice. "My mother and brother... they are missing... Can I look for them first?"

"Your mother and brother..." Ajax uttered more to himself which caught my attention.

"Do you- Do you know where they are?" I faced Ajax and almost knelt down to ask, my hands grabbing his arm.

To my surprise, however, Ajax only stared down at the pair of hands that touched his arm with a deep frown on his face. If I could see it clearly, they were full of loathing and disgust.

Trembling, I retracted my hands and once more stared at the ground. This was it. If nobody was willing to help me, then I should at least do something, even if I have to do it alone.

Bowing my head down, I excused myself and turned around. Not even a minute left when I heard Ajax's domineering voice that almost echoed through the entire vicinity.

"Stop!"

My body stopped as a reflex and turned to look at him.

Looking cold and distant, with Selene by his left and a beta, his right hand in command, by his other side, Ajax declared, "You're staying."

My eyes widened at his words. What was he saying? Didn't I just mention my family members were missing?

"But my mother and my brother! They could be in danger!" I told him once again, begging to be understood.

But Ajax's eyes were filled with no warmth at all. Instead, he began to say the coldest words I have ever heard.

"Dead or alive, do you think anyone would care about them?"

I felt my heart breaking into more pieces. Paired with my anxiety and my mind that was almost driven to insanity, my whole body began to turn cold.

I only realized Ajax was already near me when he began to speak in a low and dark voice, "You only need to stay here, just as I ordered you a month ago. Claire, you're the only omega I want. Isn't that enough for you?"

His words made me dumbstruck, slowly breaking the steel walls I had constantly built the past years. Bit by bit, the world I had created where Ajax and I could live together in harmony, despite being from different identities and statuses, slowly fell and broke into pieces.

As it turned out, Ajax was also the same. He despised omegas like myself, and I, miserably, became too blind and failed to see it.

"Horrible..." I murmured as I bawled my fists, barely containing my anger and misery.

"You know what to do, Claire. I don't need to tell you twice," Ajax said again.

But I didn't listen to him anymore. I couldn't. My head and heart began to break and voices began to emerge along with different images flashing through my eyes.

"I can help you... Claire... Call my name... Say my name Alix... I can lend you my powers... Call my name..."

My head started to pound louder and louder as I braced myself, grabbing unto my head. I could somewhat hear Ajax's voice calling out to me but I could no longer care.

The last thing I remembered was being carried and placed on a soft bed with Ajax looming over me before everything turned black.

"Claire, do you want to know where your mother and brother are?" A woman's voice asked me. I could hear her well but I couldn't see her.

There was a wisp of light in the center of the dark - this dark place to which I assume was a room. There were no walls, ceilings, nor floors. It was plain darkness tinted by one single light coming from the small wisp like a candle flame at the center.

"Yes. Please tell me where they are," I responded. Unexpectedly, my voice sounded calmer than I thought it would be.

I remember making a huge scene earlier, after all. My emotions were all over the place and my fear for my family's lives made me even more anxious. I couldn't help but lose my sanity and myself back then.

"They are in a safe place, Claire. But I am afraid to tell you, you can no longer see them in the world you're living in," the voice continued to explain to me.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"They are not dead, but they aren't alive either," the woman replied vaguely.

I frowned, feeling something was wrong. I swallowed down my fears and bravely asked, "What's the cause of this? And what should I do to see them again?"

It didn't matter what the future held or what the things I would need to do were. If it meant being able to see my mother and brother―my only family members left―then I was more than willing to sell my own soul to the devil. Or whatever creature it was I was talking to.

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you more than this as fate dictated you're already bound to know it all yourself. But as for the reason, I can tell you some things. I believe it is a curse, a dark spell given to your race after experiencing a rejection."

"A rejection?" I couldn't help but feel my body turned cold. Rejection? Why would I suffer from a rejection? From all I know, only mates could do something such as this rejection. And it was a painful process too.

"Your mate is an alpha," the woman said, making my eyes wide in surprise. "Unfortunately, your mate rejected you. And as a consequence, your mother and brother disappeared..."

"What did you say...?" I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Both my mother and brother... disappeared... because of me?

"It is something beyond your control, Claire," she said with a gentler voice, "A witch cursed your family race a long time ago. If one of you gets rejected by his or her fated mate, one or more of the other living family members and his or her mate's family members, will vanish. They or they may not continue to live in another world, lifetime, or timeline, as completely different people."

"What does that even mean..." I muttered between my breaths. I couldn't decipher what she was saying at all. Mates, rejection, living in another world...

In the first place, wouldn't this happen at all if not due to me and my recklessness? Just who was it that was rejected and caused the entire family's demise?

It was me. I was the one who caused it. All because I was rejected.

But by who? Who was my mate and why did he reject me? Was it because I was an omega? But how did he know? And when did he reject me? Didn't they say only after being confessed to about fated pairing and mating, could a werewolf "reject" his or her mate?

When did I ever confess my feelings to? And who was it that rejected me?

As I began to ask more questions in my head, the small wisp of flame before me began to disintegrate with the dark and slowly, I felt my eyes open. An unfamiliar white ceiling immediately welcomed me, paired with the soft fabric beneath my body.

Almost dying out of dehydration, I began to open my lips. My weak hearing that resembled an ordinary human failed to notice another person was, in actuality, in the same room I was in.

It was only after a while when I regained some more senses and strength to move my fingers that I realized the other person's presence. It was Ajax.

And he was sleeping right next to me.

With surprised eyes, my heart began to pound loud in confusion, anxiety, and fear. What was I doing in Ajax's bedroom?

From what I knew, this was the concrete house of the Larwoods family near the city. It resembled the ones being used by humans of high statuses like Alphas did in our pack. I had only been here for a couple of times and they were only whenever I and my family were asked to lend a hand in cleaning and doing some maintenance to this house. After all, such a huge house was ever barely used by the Larwoods family. As per tradition and origin, they still preferred to live near the Northern woods where their real territory was located.

Suddenly going to this mansion... Why was Ajax doing this? Didn't he hate this mansion?

I remembered it clearly. It was only an accident but I once heard Ajax arguing with his father. As it turned out, Ajax refused to stay in this mansion as he didn't want to live near creatures such as humans. He hated them for some reason.

But then again, after hearing his words earlier while I was begging to look for my family, it might be that I was wrong again.

Perhaps, Ajax hated us omegas more than he had hated humans.

Just thinking about this possibility made a twinge in my heart. I couldn't believe I was too blind to see for myself. Ajax clearly didn't like us, omegas, not even a bit...

So that led to the question―why did he bring me here? And why was I in his bedroom?

A thought began to cross my mind. An extremely ridiculous one.

With a heart almost jumping out of my throat, I slowly looked down at my body, beneath the white covers. My face almost fell and my whole world stopped as I found out―I was naked.

And when I glanced over Ajax, I found out that he, too, didn't wear any single clothing...

Alarmed, I tried to move slowly, eager to leave. But before I could produce any sound or make a move, Ajax's eyes opened. Blazing, deep blue eyes stared right back at mine as he slowly parted his lips.

"Where do you think you're going?"