Maeve's POV
My heart pounded as I raced through the forest. I was late! The most important night of my life, and I was going to miss it because I had spent too long helping old Mrs. Willow with her back pain.
"Hurry, hurry!" As I jumped over downed trees and dove under low branches, I whispered to myself. In ten minutes, my first adult pack ritual would begin, and I still had to cross the whole forest to get to the meeting place.
It was bad to be late to a pack ritual. It was worse to be late as an omega. Being as late as an omega to your first event as an adult? It was a bad idea to do that.
Through the trees, the full moon shone on my road and lit it up. In the background, I could hear drums. The ceremony was starting!
I pushed myself to run faster. My legs ached and my lungs burned, but I couldn't be late. Not tonight.
Finally, I burst into the area where hundreds of wolves had gathered. Many were already in their wolf forms, their fur shining silver in the moonlight. Others stayed human, dressed in their best clothes.
I tried to sneak in quietly at the back of the crowd. No such luck.
"Look who decided to join us," a voice called out. It was Tina, one of the beta females who never missed a chance to pick on me. "The little omega finally arrives."
Every head turned to look at me. My face burned hot with shame.
"I'm sorry," I mumbled, looking at my feet. "I was helping Mrs. Willow with—"
"Always the helpful one, aren't you, Maeve?" Tina laughed. "Too bad being helpful won't make you any less of a lowly omega."
I bit my lip, fighting back tears. I hated being called "lowly." Just because I was an omega didn't mean I was worth less than anyone else. But in our pack, rank was everything. Alphas at the top, betas in the middle, and omegas at the bottom.
I had spent my whole life at the bottom.
"Leave her alone," my friend Evelyn whispered, appearing beside me. "Don't listen to them. Come stand with me."
Grateful, I followed her to the edge of the circle. The ceremony was in full swing now. Pack members danced around the giant bonfire in the center of the clearing, enjoying the full moon.
"You're not just any omega," Evelyn said, squeezing my hand. "Everyone knows you're special. You have the strongest healing gift our pack has seen in generations."
I shrugged. My ability to take away pain and heal minor injuries was helpful, but it didn't change my rank. Nothing could change that. I was born an omega, and I would always be an omega.
"Oh!" Evelyn suddenly gripped my arm so hard it hurt. "Maeve, look! The Alpha is watching you!"
I glanced up and froze. Across the blaze, through the dancing flames, a pair of silver eyes locked with mine.
Alpha Raiden.
The most powerful dog in our pack. Maybe the most powerful wolf in all the land. He stood tall and proud, his strong body tense like a predator about to pounce. His dark hair fell across his face, making his silver eyes seem to glow even brighter.
And those eyes were fixed on me.
I couldn't look away. It was like he had cast a spell on me. My heart raced even faster than when I'd been running through the forest. The noise of the ritual faded away until all I could hear was my own pulse pounding in my ears.
"Maeve, breathe!" Evelyn shook me gently.
I sucked in a sharp breath, not realizing I'd been holding it.
"Why is he looking at me?" I whispered, panicking. "Did I do something wrong?"
Alpha Raiden was known for his strength and power. He was also known for his anger. If you made him angry, you'd regret it.
"I don't think you're in trouble," Evelyn said slowly. "That's not an angry look."
She was right. There was something else in his eyes. Something that made my skin tingle and my wolf stir restlessly inside me.
The crowd suddenly grew quiet. Alpha Raiden had started walking. Walking straight toward me.
People stepped away, creating a path for him. Nobody would dare stand in an Alpha's way, especially not this Alpha. The strongest, the toughest, the most handsome...
Wait. Why was I thinking about how beautiful he was? I shook my head, trying to clear it.
"Evelyn," I whispered desperately. "What do I do?"
But Evelyn had already stepped away, leaving me standing alone. Traitor!
Alpha Raiden stopped right in front of me. He was so tall I had to tilt my head back to look at his face. Up close, his silver eyes were even more focused.
"What's your name?" he asked. His voice was low and smooth like honey, but with an edge that reminded me of a thunderstorm.
"M-Maeve," I stammered. "My name is Maeve, Alpha."
He studied me for a long moment. The entire pack watched in silence. I could feel hundreds of eyes on us, burning with interest and surprise.
"Maeve," he repeated slowly, like he was smelling my name. "You're the healer."
It wasn't a question, but I nodded anyway.
"I've heard about your gift," he continued. "They say you healed old Thomas's leg when the doctors said he'd never walk again."
"I just helped the pain," I explained quickly. "His body did the real healing."
A hint of a smile touched his lips. "Modest, too."
I didn't know what to say to that, so I stayed quiet. My heart was beating so loudly I was sure he could hear it.
"Dance with me," Alpha Raiden said suddenly.
The crowd gasped. I gasped too.
"I... what?" I couldn't have heard him right.
"Dance with me," he continued, holding out his hand.
This couldn't be happening. Alphas didn't dance with omegas. Especially not this Alpha. Everyone knew Raiden never paid attention to the same woman twice. He was the pack's most eligible bachelor, and he planned to stay that way.
So why was he asking me to dance? "Alpha, I don't think—" I started.
"Are you refusing me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No! I mean, no, Alpha," I said quickly. Refusing an Alpha's request was not something anyone did easily.
Slowly, I put my trembling hand in his. His fingers closed around mine, warm and strong. A jolt of electricity shot up my arm at his touch.
As he led me toward the campfire, the whispers started.
"Why her?" "She's just an omega." "What does he see in her?"
I tried to ignore them, but each whisper felt like a tiny needle pricking my skin.
The drums began again, a slow, rhythmic beat. Alpha Raiden pulled me close, one hand on my waist, the other still holding mine. I put my free hand on his shoulder, feeling the hard muscle beneath my fingers.
"Relax," he whispered, so only I could hear. "You're too tense."
Easy for him to say. He wasn't the one being looked at by the entire pack.
As we moved to the music, something strange happened. The world around us seemed to fade away. The whispers, the stares, even my own nervousness—all of it vanished until there was just me and him, dancing in the firelight.
"Why me?" I finally found the guts to ask.
His silver eyes darkened. "Because you're different."
"Different how?"
Instead of answering, he spun me around and pulled me even closer. I could feel his breath on my cheek, could smell his scent—pine trees and mountain air.
"There's something about you, little omega," he whispered. "Something... special."
The music stopped, and he stepped back, breaking the spell. I felt suddenly cold without his warmth.
Alpha Raiden bowed slightly. "Thank you for the dance, Maeve."
Before I could reply, a commotion broke out at the edge of the clearing. Wolves were screaming and pointing.
"Intruders!" someone yelled. "Northern pack wolves on our land!"
Alpha Raiden's face hardened quickly. He turned toward the disturbance, his body tensing for fight.
But before he left, he leaned down and whispered in my ear, "This isn't over, little omega. I'll be seeing you again. Soon."
Then he was gone, racing toward the danger with his warriors following close behind.
I stood there, frozen in place, my heart still racing from his words.
This isn't over.
What did he mean? What did he want from me?
And why, despite all the warnings in my head about staying away from the dangerous Alpha, did part of me hope he'd keep that promise?