Fated Twice,Rejected Twice

CHAPTER 2

Selene's pov

Alpha Clyde Dawson

Tears were streaming down my face as I was literally dragged away from the only person who had ever loved and accepted me as more than a weak, useless omega. I was pulled between trees, my heart breaking with every step, until finally, I got thrown in a carriage.

And the exact moment the door slammed shut was when my last hope was gone. The carriage then jerked to a movement, and I knew I was on my way to my fate.

To Alpha Clyde.

End of flashback.

The doors pushed me forward, with the uneven, rough grip of the guards on my arms as they made me stumble into the darkness of the room. The door slammed shut behind me, leaving me alone with him.

His Highness.

Alpha Clyde Dawson.

He rose from his chair, or rather a throne, his dark gaze locking onto me with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. Everything the stories promised was there: towering, broad-shouldered, oozing raw, unyielding authority.

His sharp features were obscured by the firelight, but the sneer on his lips wasn't difficult to make out.

The atmosphere was thick with the smell of burning wood, and that more ominous, indefinable smell that was always present. As I was led along a long hall of poor illumination, the creaking in the stone halls kept my racing heartbeat in my chest.

Finally, there was a set of doors at the far end of the corridor. One of the guards knocked on it, and a deep, commanding voice answered back from the other side. "Enter."

The doors opened into a large room lit by dancing flames in a fireplace. At the far end of the room, Alpha Clyde sat on a chair that could only be described as a throne.

"Close the door," he growled low.

Without another word, the guards backpedaled out, shutting the heavy doors with a resounding clunk. Just him and me. My heart hammered against my ribs, instinct screaming to get away, but where could I go?

Clyde's steps were slow, and calculated, as he approached me, suffocating me in his presence. He stopped before me, then c****d his head to study me like I was some poor creature.

"So," he said, his voice full of distaste. "This is the omega that was promised to me."

His words cut deep, but I refused to show it. I squared my shoulders against the weight of my knees, which seemed to buckle in. "I'm more than just an omega," I said, my voice trembling but steady enough.

Clyde's lips curled into a wicked grin. "More?" he repeated mockingly. His hand shot out, catching my chin firmly and tilting my face up so I couldn't look away from him. "You are what I say you are. You'll learn that quickly enough."

"You can say what you want," I managed, my voice barely more than a whisper, "but I'm still a person."

He leaned in, his warm breath against my skin, his voice cold as ice. "A person?" he repeated. "Let me tell you something, Selene. In my world, you're not a person. You're a tool, a means to an end. And the sooner you accept that the easier this will be for you."

My chest tightened, and fear clawed at my resolve. But I couldn't let him win yet. "You can call me whatever you want," I said, my voice shaking but defiant. "But I'll never stop being who I am."

For a moment, Clyde's eyes narrowed, and I thought I saw a flicker of something-annoyance, maybe even curiosity. But it vanished as quickly as it came, replaced by that same cold indifference.

"You've got spirit," he said, his hand still clenching my chin. "That's good. It'll make breaking you all the more satisfying."

I winced at the words, but I didn't look away. "You won't break me," I said quietly.

Clyde's smirk faltered for a heartbeat, then he released my chin and stepped away. "We shall see," he said to his back, strode toward the fire. He stared into the flames, sharp silhouetted against a warm glow.

"You'll follow my rules, Selene," he said without glancing at me. "You'll do what I say when I say it. Disobedience will not be tolerated."

"And if I don't?" I asked, my voice trembling but firm.

He turned back to me then, his gaze piercing. "You'll wish you had," he said simply.

My throat closed up, but I made myself stand taller. "Why me?" I asked. "Why did you even want this?"

Clyde let out a low, mirthless chuckle. "Want? Oh, omega, don't delude yourself. This wasn't about want. Your old Alpha offered you to me as compensation. You're here because you're useful to me. Nothing more."

"Useful?" The word left a bitter taste in my mouth. "I'm not a thing to be traded."

"You are whatever I need you to be," Clyde said coldly. "And right now, you're exactly where you belong."

I fisted my hands at my sides to stop the tears from bursting. "You can keep me here," I said, my voice shaking, "but you'll never own me."

His eyes narrowed, but rather than strike out, he sneered. "You'll learn, Selene. They all do."

His words hung heavy in the air. For the time being, I was stuck. But deep inside my despair, a small flame of defiance blazed, and I just would not let him have the satisfaction of having broken me-not now, not ever.

They finally stopped in front of a massive door with an intricate carving of something on the wood. They pushed me towards the door, shoving me inside and slamming the door shut after me. I stumbled to brace myself against the corner of a large dark-wood desk.

"Selene," Alpha Clyde's deep voice stopped me in my tracks, oozing with cold humor. "Welcome to your home."

I froze, my hands resting on the desk as I slowly turned around. Standing before me was the cold Aloha.

And he gave me a cruel long smirk before I was being pushed out of his sight.