Betrothed to the Demon Alpha

FOR THE SAKE OF FAMILY

CLARITY

The weather was colder than usual, making me awake and embracing myself. Trembling from the cold wasn’t really unusual for me. I’ve experienced and endured worse during the winter. My little sleepy moment quickly ended when I heard commotions from outside the house.

I quickly lifted myself up, feeling both dizzy and nervous about what would happen to me. It was the day that I had been dreading. I’ve already accepted my fate as an omega. Because of that, I’ve rarely prayed to the goddess to change something in my life. But right now, I found myself hoping to be spared. I know that I would never get picked by the Alpha, but what my mom wanted me to do was clearly in opposition to the orders the new Alpha had brought down. I will surely be punished if I get caught, and I doubt they will do anything about it.

I gasped in surprise when the door suddenly opened. My mom purposely broke the locks to the quarters, saying that I should be accessible at all times. As a werewolf, I should be able to sense her even before she entered, but having no wolf means I don’t have any enhanced senses.

At this point, a child has better senses than I do.

“How are you not up yet?” She asked, merely keeping it in so as not to yell at me.

I quickly got up, making my knees wobble. Being degraded to an omega made my body more resistant to heavy labor, but I have felt under the weather since yesterday.

It felt like something was going to happen, but I don’t can’t pinpoint what it was.

“I’m sorry.” I quickly uttered after my vision straightened.

She rolled her eyes but pointed outside, “The people from Alpha’s place are coming for you in a few hours. Clean yourself, and I’ll let you fit in one of Camille’s dresses.”

My mother is really doing it; she’s sending me to the Alpha’s place to pose as my sister…

“Quit slacking off and get inside!” She exclaimed and practically dragged me towards the main house. Her hold was painful and would surely bruise, but that was the least of my concerns today.

I held my arm and massaged it a little, but it didn’t comfort me at all. Camille exited her room and looked at me with annoyance and disgust.

I lowered my gaze while I couldn’t help but feel wronged. I was already taking her place when it was clearly stated that both of us should come, but I still couldn’t even see a speck of gratitude in her.

“Go take a bath. You smell like filth. It’s disgusting. Hurry and get out of my face!” I flinched and quickly rushed to the bathroom, and did as I was told… just like what I did all these years.

Is this really my fate?

I’ve been asking myself that question for years. I wanted it to change, but I knew that it was impossible. I perfectly understand our hierarchy, but I never expected that my own family would deny me like this.

Escaping crossed my mind several times already, but I knew that the world out there was more ferocious than what I had been through here. Becoming a rogue wasn’t worth it, as no rogue camp would accept an omega like me without being exploited in the scariest way possible. Just thinking about it sends a shiver down my spine.

Sending me to impersonate my sister was already bad, but doing it without any preparation was the worst. Unlike all of them, I’ve never been to the Alpha’s place. I don’t know how to act properly, what to say or do.

I don’t even know if people knew they had another child besides my older sister.

“Quit stalling; the people of the Alpha are coming soon!” I flinched when I heard my mother yell from outside, leaving me no choice but to finally get out.

I was thrown a dress after I had finished drying myself. We were in Camille’s room, which I could only enter while cleaning. The same is true for my parents’ room.

“Remember, you would present yourself as Camille Ylva. Don’t you dare mess up, or you’ll ruin our family. I will disown you if something goes wrong.” She threatens me while “helping” me to get dressed.

I can’t help but shudder at her words. Being disowned means that I will be sold as a servant to another household or, worse, another pack. Those that couldn’t be sold were either thrown as rogues or, so I heard, killed.

I don’t want to experience any of those outcomes.

“P-please, anything but that. I’ll do whatever you ask. Please don’t disown me.” I pleaded to my own flesh and blood. At this point, I knew that she was serious with her threat. I was ready to kneel and plead as I had heard enough awful things about nearby packs, and I couldn’t imagine what people would do to a wolfless omega like me.

My mother scoffed, “That is right, so you must do what it takes not to be caught. They are sending a lot of women there. All you have to do is stay low profile. Don’t talk to anyone unless asked, and don’t forget, you are your sister for today. I just don’t want to send Camille because she definitely has a better chance of being chosen than you. This is for the sake of our family. Remember that.” She repeated and wiped the tears from my eyes.

I quickly nodded. She was right. There was no need to fret or panic. There would be too many people to check, and I would never be chosen by the Alpha, either.

I just have to endure for a bit longer.

Right, a bit longer.

--

It wasn’t long before the person who should have been fetching Camille, and I agreed with my mother’s plan. All it took was money and a bit of persuasion, which I didn’t have much energy to listen to.

My mom held me one last time before we left.

“Remember everything that I’ve told you.” She warned me again before I could leave the house.

I nodded without much conviction. I don’t have a lot of choices right now, aren’t I? The man waiting for me quickly opened the car door. I didn’t speak a word and tried to make the most of the moment. It’s been ages since I have ridden a car and gotten past the market, which I usually frequent whenever I get permitted to go outside.

“We’re here, Ms. Camille.” I almost forgot to respond. I was spacing out and forgot that I had to act like I was my older sister. The travel didn’t take as long as I wished for to somehow extend the moment I could still be myself.

The Alpha’s place was way larger than it seemed from afar. It quickly intimidated me, but there was no turning back anymore.

He got out of the car and opened the door for me. I looked into his eyes, expecting to see any hint of guilt, but he had already gone back to the car and left before I could utter a word.

I sighed, realizing I shouldn’t expect much from anyone. My eyes roamed the place. Several cars were parked outside, and women were being led inside. They all looked like they knew what they were doing, but no one told me what to do besides acting like Camille and keeping my head down.

A woman approached me with an indifferent expression, close to startling me as she appeared behind me.

"Your name, please."

“I’m Cla-Camille, Camille Ylva.” I answered, already messing up from the start. She wrote something on the paper she was holding, and I was promptly led inside. It was difficult to act like someone I barely knew, even if we lived in the same household.

I was led into a huge hall and felt my knees weakening again. There were many people in the place, but my eyes were directed to one person. My father was amongst the crowd.

Expectations started growing in my heart, and I wished he would say something and let me out of this place or at least correct this mistake. My smallest hope shattered the moment we made eye contact. He casually walked away, not wondering where Camille was at all.

I scoffed and did my best not to shed tears. Of course, he knew about the plan. For all I know, it was even his plan all along. I quickly composed myself, knowing that I couldn’t attract any attention from anyone.

“Just endure…” I mumbled to myself and looked around. It seems like I wasn’t the only one who looked scared or bothered by our current situation.

They did invite every she-wolf. This was very unusual, as most alphas marry from the families of their betas or even distant cousins from their own clan to keep the familial connections close.

There were rare instances where they married someone else if they found their mate, and sometimes, women from different packs, but that was mostly to make an alliance between packs. But everyone from all classes is here.

What exactly is happening here?

I stayed in one corner, feeling alienated from everyone and everything. As I was told, I kept quiet and observed my surroundings. It was what I imagined a formal gathering would look like. Everyone was in their best attire, whether they really wanted to be there or not.

My mind wandered for a second. There was a gnawing feeling in my chest that I can’t explain. Am I just nervous?

My breathing hitched at the sudden pain. I held my chest in utter confusion. I was used to getting sick all the time, but I’ve never felt like this before.

“Are you alright?” A woman near me asked. She looked bothered by my condition.

I swallowed my tears looming from the pain and quickly nodded. She wasn’t a bit convinced and was about to speak, but an announcement was made.

“Alpha Amos has arrived.”

Everyone bowed their heads regarding the new Alpha, and I should be doing the same, except that I couldn’t take my eyes off him. My heart beat erratically as if it wanted to jump out of my chest. Was it from fear? I’m not sure, but I know he was also looking at me, and I can’t read his expression.

A voice in my mind spoke, “mate.”

It snapped me back to reality, and I quickly lowered my head just like the rest of the pack.

This is impossible. How can someone like me mated to an alpha?