Betrayed by the Prince, Claimed by the King

Dinner was served, and the Luna arrived as well.

I had prepared six dishes and a soup, all tailored to the Lycan Prince’s tastes.

Arielle Murray wrinkled her nose as she took a bite.

"Last time at the pack run, I thought your cooking was off because you were unwell, but now I see it’s just... mediocre," she said, her tone dripping with disdain.

I bowed my head and replied, "The Lycan Prince prefers milder flavors, so I adjusted the seasoning accordingly. Next time you visit, I’ll make it stronger for you."

Arielle turned to Jared Ross with a sweet smile.

"Alpha Jared, there’s nothing special about this. Just using less salt—how hard is that? And yet, she’s been the one handling your meals for nine years."

Jared glanced at me and nodded.

"That’s why she’s been fortunate, enjoying the privileges of the pack for so long."

Arielle scoffed and announced she’d send two chefs to the pack house tomorrow, insisting they’d do a better job than me.

The Luna nodded in agreement.

"It’s time for a change. Relying on one person for so long makes it seem like we can’t do without her."

Arielle seized the opportunity. "Then let’s release her from the pack. She’s nineteen now, after all."

Release me from the pack?

I looked at Jared, but he only furrowed his brow, lost in thought.

"Alpha Jared, do you disagree?" Arielle pressed.

"Why would I? She’s just an Omega," he said, waving a hand dismissively. "She can leave today."

Arielle shot me a triumphant look.

I had nothing to say. The fact that my superiors hadn’t ordered my death was already a mercy.

"Understood," I said, bowing before retreating from the hall.

Grady Hernandez was waiting for me outside. "Come on, I’ll keep an eye on you so you don’t take anything that doesn’t belong to you."

I smiled faintly and said I needed to say goodbye to Mary Bennett.

He finally had his chance to kick me down, jabbing my forehead with his finger.

"Arielle letting you leave is already a favor. Do you think she couldn’t find a reason to have you killed if she wanted to?"

His sycophantic behavior didn’t surprise me, so I asked another pack member to relay my message to Mary. Then I returned to my room.

My room was close to Jared’s office, a spot he had specially arranged for me years ago.

He said it was so he could call for me whenever he needed me.

But the room was tiny, barely fitting a bed, so I didn’t have much to pack.

The only thing of value was a small box I’d cherished for nine years.

I left the box behind, taking only a couple of wearable clothes and the savings I’d managed to accumulate over the years.

The path out of the pack territory was familiar—I’d walked it a few times over the years—but today it felt different.

My parents had died when I was four, and I’d been passed around by relatives and traders until I was nine. My memories before that were just a blur of faces and hands.

So, I had nowhere to go.

I wandered the city for half a day before renting a small room for a few coins. After adding some basic necessities, it almost felt like a home.

The neighbor, a nosy woman, kept asking about my background, saying I looked like I came from a wealthy pack and wondering why I was alone.

I evaded her questions, but her curiosity didn’t wane.

After two days, I still hadn’t figured out where to go. The only place I wanted to visit was the one I’d read about in a book—a line about the beauty of nature, something about the grandeur of mountains and the division of light and shadow.

I wanted to see it for myself.