"This ointment will help heal the wounds faster." The healer said, handing a bottle of oil to Ryker who stood by the window.
He had brought Ilara to the healer's quarters straight from Gaia's quarters.
Ilara sat at the edge of the bed, careful pulling her torn dress back on. Her skin burned under the fabric, the sting of the lashes still hurt. She didn't thank him,she didn't speak… she just stared out at the fading blue sky,her jaw clenched,her eyes distant.
The silence lingered until the door swung open with force.
Caesar stood there,broad-shouldered,radiating with authority. His presence instantly made the air suffocating. His eyes trailed over Illara like she was a misplaced possesion.
"She's healed enough," he said coldly stepping inside. "I'll take her back to my quarters."
Ilara frozen,her hand tightening around the hem of her dress. Then she looked up her him. Her eyes glassy but she didn't cry. "I'm not going anywhere with you."
Caesar's lips curved in a cruel dark smirk. "You think you have a choice,Omega?"
"I said don't touch me." Her voice cracking but still firm.
He crossed the room in two strides, reaching for her arm but He jerked back violently,wincing at the pain but refusing to let him pull her closer.
"Enough of this nonsense," he growled. "You belong to me. You'll go where I tell you to."
Ryker stepped forward immediately, blocking Caesar's path. "Alpha, she's barely recovered. You can't drag her off like this."
Caesar's glare shifted to him,cold and dark like a warning. "Move,Ryker."
Ryker didn't. "You gave Gaia the power to do this to her. You might as well have handed her the whip yourself."
Caesar's expression hardened. "I didn't give anyone anything."
Ryker scoffed,anger edging into his tone. "You knew exactly what would happen when you made her your concubine. You handed her to the wolves…Gaia just took the first bite."
The air between them thickened instantly. Caesar clenched his jaw,his voice dropped low with fury. "Watch your tongue,Ryker. Remember who you're speaking to."
"I remember," Ryker said Boldly. "But I also remember whose Beta I was before you…Alpha Malakai's."
The name hit a nerve and Caesar's eyes darkened. "Even in death,my brother still manages to crawl out of his grave and meddle in what's mine."
He glared between Ryker and Illara, resentment flickering heavy in his eyes before he turned sharply towards the door.
"Keep her here if you want," he said coldly. "But she'll come back to me eventually. She always does."
He slammed the door behind him,the echo reverberating through the room.
Ilara remained silent,her body trembling slightly with her gaze fixed on the floor. Ryker exhaled slowly, setting down the ointment bottle on the table beside her.
"You should have stayed away that night," he muttered,breaking the silence.
And for a moment,her chest tightened because she knew exactly which night he meant.
(FLASHBACK) 6yrs ago.
The Blood Moon Banquet glittered richly. Alpha corvin had spent a lot to throw the banquet that was one of a kind.
Illara kept her head down as she and her mother moved between the tables with trays. Her fingers trembling every time she passed the high table where the visiting Alphas sat…The Alpha king Malakai was calm and regal in black and beside him sat his younger brother Caesar,younger, sharp-eyed and radiating with impatience. Both were powerful Alphas
Everyone whispered the same thing. "The seer said his mate is from our Blood moon.."
"He came specially to find her tonight."
Ilara tried not to listen. Omega's weren't meant to dream. She had killed her dream of ever having a mate years ago.
Then it happened,a force like a punch to the chest slammed into her…a tightening pull around her ribs. She stumbled, gripping the tray in her hands tightly. Gasps rippled across the hall.
Because Caesar Midnight stood frozen...and he was staring directly at her.
A streak of pale golden golden light connected their chests. The mate bond snapped into place with violent clarity.
The murmurs and whispers rose louder.
"The Omega?"
"Her?"
"That's impossible.."
"Alpha Caesar's mate can't be the cursed Omega."
Ilara shook her head, backing away slightly. Her mother dropped the tray in her hands,her eyes wide with terror.
Caesar rose to feer slowly,stunned,his pupils dilating as the bond sugred through him.
He took a step toward her and she backed away… then a loud, mocking laugh silenced the moment.
Gaia stepped forward from the crowd,her gown trailing behind her,simmering under the lights.
"Surely you're all not serious," she drawled mockingly. "Your future Alpha's mate…can't be her."
The entire banquet fell silent again.
"She's a cursed Omega," Gaia continued,her voice dripping like poison. "Her birth nearly killed half the Pack's healers. Her Pheromones malfunction. She's considered a curse…a dangerous curse. You really think someone like that is fated to the next almighty Alpha king?"
Caesar's face twisted with anger,the humiliation of being challenged publicly igniting his temper.
"Is this true?" he demanded,glaring at Ilara.
She swallowed hard. "My condition is…"
"Answer me!" He barked.
Her lips trembled. "Yes…but I didn't choose…"
He snorted loudly, laughing in disbelief. "Of all the wolves in this pack…the moon chose you for me?"
"It must be a mistake," he said louder. "A malfunction. A cursed Omega like you isn't worthy of being tied to me."
Ilara felt her chest tightened and she stumbled backward.
Her mother tried to strop forward but was shoved back by a guard.
Tears well up in ilara's eyes. "The bond…"
Tears gathered at Ilara's eyes. "The
"I,Caesar Midnight of Midnight Pack,reject you,Ilara of blood moon pack as my mate." Caesar's voice cut into the murmurs like ice. "Right here,right now."
A ripple of shock surged through the hall.
Ilara gasped, stumbling backward. The rejection hit her like a physical blow. Before she could catch herself,Caesar shoved her shoulder roughly.
"Get out of my sight."
She fell to the floor,the tray in her hands clattering loudly. Laughter erupted from certain corners. Gaia's smirk tugging at her lips triumphantly.
Someone moved through the crowd,fast. It was Alpha Malakai.
He rose from his seat, his gaze simmering with disapproval. He crossed the floor without hesitation and knelt beside Ilara,offering her his hand.
"C'mon,let's get you out of here." He said softly.
She blinked up at him in shock as he pulled her up gently, steadying her. His voice was calm and kind,a jarring contrast to Caesar's violent and cruel outburst.
"No one should treat you that way."
Caesar's jaw clenched as he watched Malakai wrap an arm around Ilara's shoulders and led her through the side door out of the hall.
Outside in the garden, Ilara sucked in shaky ragged breaths, gripping her chest. Malakai stood beside her,his face tight with concern.
"You need some fresh air," he murmured. "breathe. The rejection and severing the bond is painful,I know."
She swallowed,her eyes glistening with tears. "Why…why did he do that in front of everyone?"
"Because he is a fool," Malakai said without hesitation. "And because he hates anything that challenges him."
Ilara blinked at him and Malakai softened, wiping a tear from her cheek with his thumb.
"You didn't deserve that," he said quietly. "I noticed you the moment we arrived. The way you moved…the way you tried to disappear." His lips curved faintly into a smile. "It drew my eyes every time."
She looked up at him. "Alpha Malakai…"
"I'm only asking you to consider something." He whispered. "Reject Caesar back. Take control of the bond. And…" he paused, lowering his voice tenderly. "Become mine instead."
Her heart churned. "You…don't even know me."
"I want to," he said sincerely, gently brushing her cheek.
He leaned in,his lips touched hers gently like a promise rather than a demand.
Then he pulled back slightly, brushing her jaw with his thumb.
"Think about it,Ilara. You don't have to stay tied to a man who treats you like filth.
He kissed her forehead and turned around, returning to rejoin the banquet.
Ilara stayed where she was, trembling in confusion…one brother had rejected her and now the other wanted to claim her.
She felt a presence behind her and a shadow stepped forward from behind the columns.
It was Caesar. He must have followed them. His eyes burned with raw rage.
"You little witch," he hissed. "I knew you were trouble the moment I saw you?"
Ilara stiffened, unconsciously taking a step back. "Alpha Caesar…"
"Don't you dare say my name." He moved closer,his voice rising. "So you realized you couldn't seduce me and you went for my brother?"
Her stomach twisted. "I didn't seduce anyone…"
"Don't lie!" he roared. "I saw you. Clinging to him. Kissing him like a cheap…"
"Stop," she whispered, shaking. "Please just stop…"
"Do you enjoy playing between us?" Caesar snarled. "Two brothers at once,is that your game?"
"No!" she cried. "I didn't even know he…"
"You disgust me."
She turned to walk away, desperate to escape but Caesar grabbed her arm and pinned her against the stone wall.
"You think you can walk away from me?" he growled. "After embarrassing me in front of everyone?"
"I didn't do anything…!"
"You're mine. Fated or not."
He leaned in,his face twisting with anger,he grilled her jaw like he intended to kiss her by force….
But before his lips touched hers,Caesar choked.
Blood spurted from his mouth. He staggered back,his eyes wide, collapsing to his knees before crashing to the the ground.
Ilara screamed rushing to him and the Chaos that would ruin all their lives was set in motion.