It's Either You, Alpha or the Rogue

Chapter 1: Introduction

Note: This story moves at a relaxed pace, focusing on character growth and setting. It's a slow-developing tale that needs some patience. If you're okay with that, let's keep reading together. If not, no worries - feel free to stop anytime.

~ARIA~

Selena stormed into the room, her face twisted in anger. Before I could even say a word, her hand came down hard across my cheek, the slap loud. I staggered back, clutching my face. My skin stung, but it wasn't just the pain of the slap... it was the humiliation that cut deeper.

"Worthless Omega," she spat, glaring at me with so much hate in her eyes. I didn't understand it. Why did she hate me so much? What had I ever done to her?

I stayed silent, not daring to meet her gaze. Selena was a Beta, and I was just an Omega, the lowest rank in the pack. I didn't have the power or authority to defend myself. If I so much as raised my voice, she'd only make things worse for me. So I bit my lip, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.

"You think you can just walk around here like you belong? You're nothing, Aria. An Omega like you should be scrubbing toilets, not walking around like you matter," Selena hissed, her voice dripping with venom.

Her words got to me, they always did. I had always done what I was told, worked hard, stayed out of trouble. But it never seemed to matter to her. Selena had always singled me out, making my life harder with each passing day.

"I don't want to see you anywhere near the palace unless you're cleaning the filth. Tomorrow morning, you'll be scrubbing toilets from now on," she said, her tone full of disgust as if I wasn't even human. "And if you're late, you'll regret it."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving me standing there, my cheek still burning, my heart heavy.

I waited until I was sure she was gone before I let the tears fall. I hated how weak I felt, how powerless I was to stop her from treating me like this. No matter what I did, I was never good enough in her eyes. And now I had been given the worst job possible... toilet duty.

I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. The palace was massive, and the work would be endless. I'd have to wake up before dawn to even stand a chance of getting it all done. And knowing Selena, she'd find a reason to punish me, no matter how hard I worked.

I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath. This was my life now. No one cared about what happened to an Omega like me. I was just a tool, something to be used and tossed aside when I wasn't needed.

This is my life. I'm a lone wolf, no parents, no siblings, no family. It's hard, but I've learned to survive. Being an Omega is tough, people treat us like trash. But for me, it's even worse. Selena always made sure of that. She hated me for reasons I couldn't understand. Every day felt like a new punishment.

Last night, after she slapped me and ordered me to clean the palace toilets, I couldn't stop crying. I hated that I let her get to me. I hated feeling so powerless. But what choice did I have? I had no one to turn to, no one to defend me. It was just me, struggling to get by in a world that didn't care.

I cried until I couldn't anymore and fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up before the sun rose, dragging myself out of bed to do what Selena had told me. If I didn't, I knew she'd find a way to make my life even worse. I grabbed the cleaning supplies and went to the palace bathrooms, scrubbing each one like my life depended on it.

As I scrubbed, I tried to keep quiet, but the brush kept squeaking against the tiles. The palace was so quiet that even the smallest sound echoed. I was almost done when suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps behind me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A deep, angry voice snapped.

I froze, slowly turning around. My heart dropped when I saw him. Alpha Xander. He looked furious, his dark eyes glaring at me like I had just committed the worst crime.

"I-I was just cleaning," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. I kept my head down, not daring to look him in the eye. Omegas weren't allowed to meet the Alpha's gaze, especially not when they'd angered him.

"You woke me up," he growled. "Scrubbing so loud that it echoed through the halls. You have no sense, do you?"

"I'm sorry, Alpha," I whispered, shaking. I couldn't believe this was happening. Of all the people to wake up, it had to be him.

He took a step closer, and I could feel his presence screaming almighty. My heart raced, not just from fear, but from something else. Something I didn't understand.

Then it hit me. The air around us felt different. It was like a spark had ignited between us. I felt a strange pull towards him, and the way his expression softened for a brief second, I knew he felt it too. A connection.

My breath caught in my throat. No, it can't be. Alpha Xander? My mate?

I looked up at him, my eyes wide with shock. His expression changed too. He wasn't angry anymore, just surprised. He felt it. He knew.

"What..." he started to say, but I couldn't process anything else. My mate? The Alpha?

Should I be happy? Or scared? I didn't know. All I knew was my world had just turned upside down.

Chapter 2:

Aria POV

The look on Alpha Xander's face changed from shock to disbelief, his dark eyes narrowing as if he couldn't quite believe what he was feeling. My heart raced, and I immediately bowed my head when I realized I had stared at him too long. I wasn't supposed to look him in the eyes. What was I thinking?

He scoffed, the sound harsh and filled with something I couldn't quite place... anger? Disgust? He turned on his heel and stormed out of the bathroom. I stood frozen, still gripping the scrub brush in my hand, my mind spinning.

Why was he angry? Was it because of me? Because of the bond? I swallowed hard, my chest tightening with fear. I couldn't believe it. Alpha Xander, the most powerful wolf in the pack, was my mate? How was that even possible?

I was just an Omega, the lowest of the low. A lone wolf, with no family, no status, nothing. What could the Moon Goddess be thinking? How could I, someone who couldn't even defend herself from Selena's bullying, be mated to the Alpha?

The more I thought about it, the more terrified I became. How would this even work? Xander had always been distant, cold, and far above anything or anyone in my world. He commanded respect and fear from everyone. He was the Alpha. And me? I was nothing.

Then there was Selena. The Beta. She was always by his side, always close to him, like they belonged together. Selena made it clear that she hated me, and now that I was mated to Alpha Xander, what would she do? She already bullied me every chance she got, but if she found out about this... I shuddered at the thought. It would only get worse.

I leaned against the wall, trying to calm the storm of emotions swirling inside me. Xander didn't want me, that much was clear. He had stormed out like the idea of us being mates was some kind of cruel joke. I couldn't blame him. I didn't fit into his world.

But the bond was there, undeniable and strong, pulling at me in ways I couldn't explain. I felt it deep in my chest, a connection I had never experienced before. And as much as I wanted to ignore it, I knew there was no escaping it.

I sighed, feeling the weight of my situation press down on me. I was already struggling to survive in the pack as it was, and now this? How was I supposed to deal with being mated to the Alpha when he clearly didn't want me, when Selena would do anything to destroy me?

I wiped the sweat from my brow and exhaled. The bathroom felt suffocating, I couldn't stay there any longer. I needed to escape, to breathe. Just as I turned to flee, a voice stopped me dead in my tracks.

"Don't you dare think there will be any possibility that I'll ever make you my Luna. And don't you even tell anyone about this. If I hear this word from anybody, I'll punish you gravely." Alpha Xander's voice was cold and harsh, cutting through the silence like a knife.

I didn't look at him. I kept my head bowed, my heart racing as I processed what he was saying. "Was he rejecting me?" I thought. The bond between us pulsed in my chest, but it didn't seem to matter to him. I was nothing but a burden to him, just another mistake.

I stood there, frozen in place, my mind racing with confusion and hurt. I felt so small, so worthless. I had hoped, even for a moment, that being mates meant something special. But it seemed like he only saw me as an inconvenience.

"Please," I whispered, barely able to keep my voice steady. "I didn't mean to..."

"Just shut up," he snapped, cutting me off. "You don't understand what this means. You don't belong in my world. You're an Omega, and that's all you'll ever be."

I flinched at his words. Every insult hit harder than the last. I knew my place, but hearing it from him made it so much worse. I wanted to cry, to scream, to run away from all of this. But instead, I stood there, biting my lip to keep the tears at bay.

"Just do your job and keep your mouth shut," he continued, his tone icy. "If anyone finds out about this, I swear, you'll regret it."

I wanted to plead with him, to make him see me as more than just an Omega, but I knew it was pointless. He wouldn't listen. He didn't care.

How could I go on like this? How could I continue to work in the palace, knowing that my mate wanted nothing to do with me?

The thought of Selena finding out made my stomach churn. She would have a field day with this. The Beta who always made my life miserable would only find more joy in tearing me apart now. I couldn't let anyone know. I couldn't let them see how broken I felt inside.

I wiped my eyes. "Are you rejecting me?" The words came out, I didn't know where the courage came from.

Just as I opened my mouth to continue, the door swung wide open, and in walked Selena. She glanced between us, her eyes searching between us, like she sensed something was off.

"What's going on here?" she demanded, her voice sharp.

Before I could even think of a response, Alpha Xander shouted at her, "You couldn't knock?" His tone was harsh, filled with irritation.

Selena looked taken aback, her face flushing with anger. "Excuse me? I didn't know this was a private party."

I wanted to disappear, to blend into the walls. All I could think about was how to escape this moment, this nightmare.

In that moment, I saw my chance. I didn't want to be here any longer, not with Xander's anger radiating around me. I took a step back, ready to flee.

I didn't wait for anyone to say anything more. This was my moment. I dashed past Selena, who seemed angry, and slipped out the door. My heart raced as I hurried down the hall, the sound of my footsteps echoing in my ears. I didn't stop until I was far away from that bathroom, far away from Xander and his cruel words.

Once I reached the corridor that led to the back of the palace, I paused to catch my breath. I pressed my back against the cool wall, my heart racing.

Chapter 3

~Aria~

I blinked, still in a daze from what just happened. My head was spinning, trying to make sense of everything, but before I could figure anything out, I felt a sharp tug on my ear.

"Ouch!" I yelped, reaching up to grab my ear. I turned and saw Selena, her face twisted in anger. She was pulling my ear hard, and it hurt more than I wanted to admit.

"What happened in there, huh?" she demanded, pulling even harder. "Don't you dare lie to me!"

I winced, trying to keep calm even though my ear was throbbing. I still didn't know what I'd done wrong. Everything had happened so fast. But now I had to deal with Selena's temper on top of everything else.

"Nothing happened," I muttered, my voice small. "I swear, nothing happened."

She didn't believe me. I could see it in her eyes. Her grip tightened, and she pulled my ear again. "Liar," she spat. "You did something, didn't you? The Alpha shouted at me because of you! What did you do?"

My heart dropped. The Alpha had shouted at her? Because of me? I didn't understand. She knew she didn't knock on the door, that was why he shouted. So why blaming me?

"I didn't do anything," I said, my voice shaking a little now. The pain in my ear was getting worse, but I didn't dare pull away. Selena was mad enough already.

She let go of my ear, but the anger on her face didn't fade. She took a step closer, still glaring at me. "You provoked him, didn't you? You said or did something, and now he's mad at me!"

I shook my head quickly, my heart racing. "No, I didn't. I didn't say anything, Selena. I swear."

But she wasn't listening. She crossed her arms, her eyes narrowing. "The Alpha doesn't shout at me for no reason. And now I have to deal with him, thanks to you!"

"I'm sorry," I whispered, barely able to get the words out. "I really didn't mean to..."

Selena huffed and shook her head, clearly not impressed with my apology. "Sorry won't fix this," she snapped. "You better stay out of his way from now on, Aria. Or I'll kill you."

Hearing Selena threaten me, saying I should stay out of her way or she'd kill me, made my heart race. Fear gripped me, and I couldn't breathe properly. Before I could even process it, she grabbed my ear again, harder this time.

"Repeat what I said," Selena growled, her face close to mine. I could feel her anger, and it made me freeze.

I kept quiet. I didn't know what to say. My mind flashed back to what the Alpha had warned me. "Don't tell anyone we're mates." I had to keep that secret. No matter how scared I was or how much pain I was in, I couldn't tell Selena.

When I didn't speak, Selena's eyes narrowed, and she glared at me. "You're lying. I can tell you did something to provoke the Alpha, and now he's mad at me. You'll pay for this, Aria," she hissed. "I'll make sure of it."

She was ready to punish me, I could see it. My heart pounded in my chest, and without thinking, I grabbed her hand and yanked it away from my ear. The words spilled out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Selena. I didn't do anything!" I said, my voice trembling but firm.

For a moment, Selena just stared at me, completely shocked. I couldn't believe I had done that either... Standing up to her like that. The look on her face was pure surprise, but it quickly turned to anger.

She raised her hand and slapped me across the face, hard. The sting burned my cheek, and I gasped in pain. I could taste blood on my lip from the force of her slap.

"Who do you think you are?" she sneered. "You think you can talk back to me now? We'll see about that. You're going to pay for what you did."

Before I could say anything else, Selena straightened up, her voice cold and commanding. "You're going to clean Collins' office. Right now. And I don't want to hear a single word of complaint, or you'll regret it."

I didn't say anything. What could I say? My cheek still throbbed, and my heart felt heavy with fear.

Selena glared at me one last time before storming off. I touched my cheek, still feeling the sting from her slap. It hurt, but the fear in my chest was worse. I didn't know how long I could keep this up... hiding the truth, avoiding the Alpha, and now dealing with Selena's anger.

I started walking toward Collins' office. I didn't want to go, but I didn't have a choice. Right now, all I could do was survive. When I walked into Collins' office, I already had a bad feeling in my gut. I didn't want to be here, but I didn't have a choice. Selena had sent me, and if I didn't do what she said, things would get worse.

Collins was sitting behind his desk, looking at me with a weird smile. I didn't like it. Something about the way he was staring made me uncomfortable. I tried to focus on my task, keeping my head down, but then he stood up and walked toward me.

"You know, Aria," he said, his voice low and smooth, "you don't have to work so hard. You could make things easier for yourself."

I froze. My stomach turned as he got closer. I didn't like the way he was talking. "I... I just need to clean the office," I muttered, hoping he would leave me alone.

But he didn't. He moved closer, and I could feel his breath on my neck. "You don't get it, do you?" he whispered. "You're just an Omega. Do you know what that means?"

My heart started racing. I didn't like where this was going. I took a step back, trying to keep distance between us, but he grabbed my arm, holding me in place. His grip was tight, and it hurt.

"Stop struggling," Collins said, his voice cold now. "You're an Omega. Ask around. Omegas are tools, meant for satisfaction. It won't go down the easy way if you keep fighting."

Panic shot through me, and I felt my whole body freeze up. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. He was serious. He thought he could do whatever he wanted because of my rank, because I was just an Omega. Fear gripped me, and I screamed, hoping someone would hear me, someone would help.

But Collins just laughed. "No one's coming to help you," he said. "If you keep struggling, I'll make sure the Alpha hears about how you tried to steal from me. You know what happens to thieves around here, don't you?"

My heart sank. I knew he was telling the truth. The Alpha wouldn't question it. An Omega like me wouldn't stand a chance against Collins' word. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes. I didn't know what to do. My body was trembling, and fear made it hard to think.

"I don't want any trouble," I whispered, my voice shaking. "Please, just let me go."

Collins smirked, tightening his grip on me. "Then stop fighting," he said. "Be smart, Aria. This will go a lot smoother if you just accept your place."

I felt trapped. My mind raced, but I knew I couldn't let him win. Even if it meant risking everything, I couldn't let him do this to me. I had to find a way out, but I didn't know how.

Tears streamed down my face as I stood there, feeling helpless and scared.