---- Chapter 7 No.7 Elara POV: "Why?" | asked, my voice shaking with the effort of resisting his command. "Because | am an Omega? Am | supposed to be grateful for the scraps she throws at my feet?" Kaelen's face was a storm of conflicting emotions. He looked from my defiant expression to Seraphina's tear-streaked face, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss. He couldn't answer because he knew | was right. In our world, the strong protected the weak, but they did not demand gratitude for it. Seraphina's gesture was not kindness; it was a display of dominance. Seeing his hesitation, Seraphina escalated her performance. She let out a small gasp, pressing a hand to her chest. "I... | can't breathe," she choked out, her eyes wide with manufactured panic. "My spirit... it feels so weak." That was all it took. Kaelen's conflict vanished, replaced by pure, unadulterated concern for her. "You've gone too far, Elara," he snapped at me, his voice raw with accusation. He scooped a "fainting" Seraphina into his arms. "Drive faster!" he yelled at the "horseman" who was waiting nearby with a "carriage". "Get us to the healing ward!" ---- The "carriage" sped away, leaving me standing alone on the dark forest path as a light, cold snow began to fall. The flakes melted on my cheeks, mingling with the silent tears | refused to let fall. | walked the rest of the way back to the village. The journey felt endless. When | finally arrived, my heart sank. The area around the Omega shacks was being decorated. Cheerful lanterns were being hung from the trees, and ribbons of crimson and silver were being tied to every post. They were preparing for Kaelen and Seraphina's bonding ceremony, right on my doorstep. A final, cruel twist of the knife. Through the thin walls of my parents' home, | could hear their voices, filled with a joy and tenderness | had never received. "She'll look so beautiful," my mother was saying. "l can't believe our little girl is having her ceremony." "She deserves this happiness," my father agreed. "She has brought so much light to our lives." Their words confirmed a truth | had long known but never wanted to face. They loved their adopted daughter more than they had ever loved me, their own flesh and blood. | remembered an old pack story about a lost wolf cub who was found and returned to its family after years away. The family in the story had rejoiced. My own return had brought nothing but trouble and resentment. Perhaps it would have been better if | had never come back at all. ---- The next day was the pre-ceremony celebration. The entire pack elite gathered in the great hall. High-ranking warriors, elders, and their families mingled, their laughter echoing off the high ceilings. During the feast, one of the warriors, flushed with ale, raised his glass. "To our Alpha and his symbolic mate! Let's see you two share a dance!" The hall erupted in cheers. Kaelen looked uncomfortable, but Seraphina, glowing in a silver gown, looked ecstatic. Then, someone shouted, "The Alpha's true mate should be here to witness this! Where is Elara? Let her give her blessing!" All eyes turned to the doorway where | had been standing, watching from the shadows. Seraphina's smile faltered, her eyes darting towards Kaelen with a look of pure, theatrical vulnerability. Kaelen's gaze met mine across the crowded room. His silent plea came through the mind-link, swift and sharp. 'Please, Elara. Just for tonight. For her sake. Don't make this difficult.' Understanding dawned. He wanted me to play along, to smile and clap and pretend this didn't feel like my heart was being carved out of my chest. | gave him a small, almost imperceptible nod. Then | turned and walked away, melting back into the night. Behind me, | heard the music swell and the crowd roar with ---- approval as Kaelen took Seraphina into his arms for their dance. 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