One - The Omega's Secret

Aria's POV

"My Princess."

"My Princess!" The voice called out, frantic and much louder this time. It was Papa. He wasn’t supposed to be back until nighttime—something was wrong.

"Papa?" Fourteen-year-old me called out from my room just as my door flew open and Papa ran in, breathing heavily as his eyes scanned the room like he was expecting to see someone else other than me.

"Papa?" I called again, confused.

"Princess, we have to go now," he said, adjusting his stance once his eyes landed on me. He rushed over to my bedside, quickly helping me up.

"What's happening, Papa?" I asked shakily, grabbing my teddy bear from the bed. Papa always said he got it for me so that I could cuddle it whenever I was scared and remind myself that he would always come to save me.

"Some really bad people are here, and you need to hide so they don't hurt you, okay?" Dad answered softly as he led me out of my room and toward his office, where the safe room was.

"But Papa, you always say I should never run from a fight," I murmured.

"I know, my Princess, but not this fight, and not now. When the time comes for you to fight, you will know. But for now, I need you to hide and stay safe, alright?" he responded, inputting the code to the safe room that only Dad, Mum, and I knew about.

"Okay, Papa." I nodded.

"Stay here and don't make any noise," he instructed, tucking me safely inside the small bed at the corner of the room before turning to leave.

"Papa," I called out, grabbing his hand before he could go far.

"You will come back for me, right?" I asked as a drop of tear fell from my eyes, an unusual feeling of fear engulfing me.

"Of course, my Princess. Who else would protect you if I don't come back?" he asked, turning and crouching to my level.

"No one," I answered meekly, blinking away my tears.

"Exactly. So please don’t cry. I will be back before you know it." He pulled me into his arms, the scent of his perfume calming me like it always did.

"Okay, Papa. I will be waiting," I responded, much calmer now.

"That's my Princess." He placed a kiss on my forehead, beaming at me.

---

"Aria."

"Aria, where is that fucking bitch?" A voice I knew so well yelled from the hallway, followed by loud, approaching steps that startled me fully awake, tearing me out of the memory I wished I could stay in.

"Where is my breakfast?" Jack, Mum's all-time lover, yelled as my room door flew open, the creaking of the door a perfect reminder that it needed changing.

"I am sorry, I will bring it to you soon. I overslept," I quickly apologized, shooting up from my little bed.

"You overslept, really?" He spat, the fire in his eyes sending chills up my spine.

"I keep telling your Mum that she is being too calm with you, but she wouldn’t listen," he continued.

"I will bring your breakfast to you shortly," I said calmly, totally ignoring what he said.

"Of course you will." He rolled his eyes at me, the hate in them glaring. He knew that no matter how much I wanted to kill him with just my bare hands, I couldn’t—because Mum would have my neck for killing her beloved human boyfriend. Why else would I have allowed a human like him to talk to me however he wanted, whenever he wanted? I may be one of the weakest wolves in the pack—if not the weakest—but a human still cannot measure up to me.

"You have ten minutes. Any second later, and you know what will be coming your way," he threatened before he turned to leave, obviously going to blab to my dearest Mum.

Dad never returned. He never came back to me. He protected the pack till death and totally forgot that he promised he would be back to keep protecting me. It's been three years since the attack, and I still can't stop dreaming about that day. I still remember it like it was yesterday—the day I lost my Papa, the day I lost my family, and the day I lost a piece of myself I would never get back.

Dad’s lifeless body lay on the hospital bed while I begged and cried for him to come back to me, but he never answered. He let them take him away—away from me. He left me all alone.

Mum didn’t even bother to mourn or attend her mate’s burial. It was like she had hoped for that day to come all her life. She disappeared for a whole month and appeared one morning with Jack, instructing that I always attend to his every need like some slave she left behind and came back to keep using. I never really got any genuine motherly affection from her, but her treatment of me before Dad died can never be compared to her treatment now.

"Where is she?" Mum’s voice boomed, startling me back to reality.

"I am up already, Mum," I yelled back, doing my best to keep my tone balanced. She may not be the mother I always longed for, but at least she hasn’t thrown me out yet—and I have to keep it that way until my mate comes for me.

"It is going to be a really long morning," I sighed, running out of my room and heading to the kitchen. I would give anything to escape from here.

---

"There is my favorite best friend in the whole world," someone said behind me as hands circled my waist, pulling me back until we were touching.

"Well, technically your only best friend, but it’s fine," I chuckled, turning so I could face him.

"Hey, you," I beamed, nestling into his chest.

"Hey. How are you?" he asked softly as he moved his free hand to my hair, playing with it.

"I have been better," I answered, leaving any trace of emotion out of my voice.

Lev is the Beta’s son and, most importantly, my best and only friend in the whole wide world. Lev and I have been best friends for as long as I can remember—even before Dad died. Everyone believes we are destined mates and are just waiting until I turn eighteen to confirm it. I have always hoped it would be true because Lev has been there for me, even when I didn’t think I needed anyone. He has been my anchor through everything. If not for Lev, I may have broken long ago. He knows everything about me—except one thing.

"How are your Mum and her beloved?" he joked, oblivious to how much even talking about them breaks me.

"Being the lovers that they are, as usual," I answered, playing along.

"Please tell her I’ll be coming over tonight. I can’t wait to have beautiful mooncakes once again."

"Tonight?" I asked, my heart leaping in excitement—my first smile of the day finally gracing my face.

"Yes, Ri, tonight. Don’t you want me to come?" he asked, his face dropping a little.

"Of course I do. When have I ever not wanted you to come over? I’m just surprised, you know, considering your parents will be around tonight, and I know you love to have dinner with them," I quickly answered.

"I hope your Mum wouldn’t mind if they come over for dinner too. I know it wasn’t planned," his eyes were so hopeful it shattered me to lie to him every time.

Of course she minds. She has never once agreed to any of the dinners we’ve had with them. But I couldn’t raise any suspicions, so I always lie to him and then take the fall for it. Mum would have me killed the moment she found out someone in the pack knew about the ill-treatment I get from her and her human lover—and as much as I hate my life so freaking much, I really don’t want to die.

"Of course she doesn’t," I said sweetly, the fear in my heart a sharp contrast to the expression on my face.

Guess I have mooncakes to bake tonight.