Claimed by the Alpha that rejected me

I

the servants' qua

n my shoulders. The cold air wrapped around me like a second skin, but I hardly

marry

your

t the contr

longer a statement, it was a sentence. Like I'd been judge

as arranged. D

the last

ady to marry a man who looked at them

t me with love. Or symp

s held

ger. N

. empt

d that made me feel

am. My hand reached out to touch the edge of the stone railing, the cold biting in

lt so loud, the wind through the trees, the water beneath the b

y

ck. Strong, graceful, beau

seen. The one they all looked past. I didn't have a family name. I di

low. An omega girl who

supposed to m

uel. A sick joke from t

edge of the stone dig into my skin. It

tears st

my cheeks, traitorous drops that carried all the things I cou

t want

ike you los

my thoughts like a b

need to

a

ow up now, like a w

chest, her expression unreadable but her tone sharp with amusement.

nt?" I asked, m

ee and taking a step toward me. "Just

augh or scream. "Well, congratulations. Y

a grin that didn't reac

rs from my cheeks before she could see them. B

ical fairytale, didn't you?" she continued. "Sorry to di

ed. "I never a

said, stepping closer. "And

ard. I turned to face her

like us get chances like this? Ever? You've been invisibl

t didn't belong to me. It belonged to the girls who wore silk and

d. "He doesn't care about me.

ut love, Siena. It never was. This is about survival. And for the first tim

ut her words settled in m

is is a gift?

ou've always been nothing here. Just another n

me

word

wished to be seen? To

t like

with a man who didn't even blink w

omething softer. "You could have, respect. For once, people wo

rom work. Calloused from years of be

ed power," I

don't take it now, someone else will. And you'll be right ba

r presence overwhelming, he

to spend the rest of

on hit me

o

ant that.

thing didn't mak

ched between us,

the mistake

I whispered. "Maybe this is my only

ough the night like a b

ever see you as one of them? You'll nev

at her,

e that, I sa

come to e

e to offer adv

ind me that even when I was given something, i

ure disappearing into the shadows l

words

ger

more than the om

dge again, but this

n't s

k deeper into my bones, until I couldn't

what this ma

re who I wo

new one

s no goi

servant quarters again, slower this time. My legs fe

goodbye to the

a step toward something

would break m

me woul