The Prophecy's Reject

Zylia's POV My knees were sore from delivering food to the dinner hall. The air was filled with the smell of roasted steak and it clung to my hair. "Present this to the female warriors' table." Another server came by to pass me a tray of silver. Moon Goddess please forgive my fumbles, I did. I always trip at the worst times. The festivity was a lively one filled with noise. Of the men that had won great feats of war to tell of, and the women which were mad with laughter, the air was full. I went out into the hall. "She was a scared deer," a voice said. "More like a rat" went another voice.

I looked down. All I wanted was to set the tray down and not cause a scene. I went up to the table and placed the tray. "Careful there," she purred but it was a false sound. "Our little Zylia is a bit green when the eyes of the world are upon her." Then a voice broke in. Her friends at the table laughed. I went quiet and my face grew hot. Lilith Storme. The Beta's daughter. The pack's pride and joy. She has hazel eyes which light up in the fire and her hair which shimmers. An angel at a dagger when she speaks. I ran my hands over the hem of my servant's skirt and turned to leave. "Did you see what her hands did?" Lilith said out loud as she got up from her seat. "They shake as if she's going to drop everything again. Pathetic." Her voice echoed in my head. A chorus of laughter followed. My chest tightened. "I wasn't... I ..." "You weren't what?" Lilith folded her arms and tilted her head. Her lips curved into something far from a smile, a little grin. "You're not going to bring your misfortune here and ruin our night...again." I opened my mouth but no words came out. Omegas didn't argue. Omegas bowed, scraped, endured. Hot tears built up in my eyes, but if it dropped, I was doomed. I won't hear the last of it. Lilith's friends leaned in closer to me. Lilith came forward and lifted my chin. "Careful, Lilith, you don't want to get her filth and bad luck all over you," one of them said. She dropped her hand and rinsed her fingers, sprinkling the water back on my face. She was their queen and I was their entertainment. Leave. A voice in my head said. It was the best idea. I turned to walk away, to find another corner of the hall where I could vanish too, but the heel of my boot betrayed me. They snapped. My pulse climbed itself. I fell to the ground, eating the dust. The skin on my knee peeled and crimson gushed out. The hall went silent. Then, laughter erupted, sharper and louder. "Clumsy Omega!" A warrior jeered. "She can't even serve food right!" Another added. I stood up, limping. My palms stung from the cold floors. Their laughter echoed, blurring out any other sound in my head. I wanted to vanish, to melt under the shadows and never return. But not even a shadow would claim me. I stood before the people who derived joy in my shame, my humiliation. Lilith's laugh was the loudest of all. The way she looked at me sent a chill to my spine. She sipped her wine, "After all, she's an omega. She belonged on her knees." Laughter erupted once more. Her words sting more than the stung on my knees, cutting deep through my chest. "Moon Goddess, please make it stop," I prayed, my tears holding in my eyes. I couldn't afford to let it out. The words had no power, or so I thought. The hall grew colder. The air thickened, the hairs on my body rose, sending a warning. Did anyone else feel it too? Or was I the only one who could? Their laughter faltered. Even Lilith's eyes darted across the hall. What was going on? "Enough." A voice cut through the silence. Alpha Killian. My heart stopped. He scanned the room until his gaze landed on me. I swallowed. His voice was commanding. His aura was dominating. "Clean yourself and leave." The words were flat, but they struck me harder than Lilith's insults. He hadn't spoken them with cruelty or pity. Just dismissal. As though I wasn't even worth the effort of anger. I bowed and ran out of there. The night air greeted me like a crisp slap. It was suffocating. I hurried down to the dirt path leading to my house. I pushed open the door and my adoptive father's gaze was the first thing that met me. "Zylia...." His eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms. He had a look of disgust in his eyes. But I didn't blame him. I was filthy. There was dirt all over me and I was bloodied. "What did you do this time?" His voice was tired and heavy with disgust. "I...uhm..." "Speak!" He roared. "I tripped...and fell." I muttered but I couldn't meet his eyes. He kissed his teeth, "You always bring shame to this family. Do you know what they'll say? That we cannot even raise an Omega properly. That our house is cursed! You're a living proof of shame!" I flinched. His words cut deep. My jaw clenched and my fingers dug the depth of my palm. I stopped before it made an actual cut. "I didn't mean..." "Enough!" He snapped at me. "Go to your room before I say anything I regret." I nodded quickly and dashed off the stairs, my chest aching with unspilled tears. Inside my small room, I sank onto the wooden stool and pulled up my torn skirt to wash the wound on my knee. I went into the bathroom The water stung, pink clouds swirling as blood slipped into the basin. I scrubbed harder, desperate to erase every trace of tonight's humiliation. The blood didn't wash off. Neither did the shame. It still lingered. The fall. Lilith. The Alpha. Their laughter. The urge to vanish after the incident swelled inside me. A knock came on my door. It was my father. "Get downstairs, you have a visitor." A visitor? Why would I have a visitor? Why would someone want to see me? When I got downstairs, it was....

Zylia's POV A tall, sharp man stood by the door. He had broad shoulders, and was dressed in black. His dark eyes fixed on me, and his jaw tightened like he hated what he saw. "Lucien Storme." My father muttered, bowing his head. The echo of his name sent a chill to my spine. It slid like slime. It was the Beta of Alpha Killian. Who didn't know him?. The Alpha's shadow, his blade. His gaze swept over me slowly, and then his lip curled. "So, you're Zylia Nightshade. The clumsy little Omega who can't stay on her feet." Heat rushed into my cheeks.

My fingers twisted into my skirt, "I..." "Save your excuses," he said flatly. "The Alpha doesn't care for them." My cheeks burned with heat and I bit my lip slightly. He reached into his coat and pulled out a black scroll sealed with scarlet red wax. "By order of Alpha Killian, you are hereby commanded to attend the royal mating ball tonight." I blinked, "Me?" The royal mating ball? And I'm invited? No, that can't be right. "Am I..." I swallowed. "Am I serving food...or something?" He kissed his teeth and face formed into a look of disgust. "It seems you're so accustomed to a life of servitude." His words jabbed my heart. "Have this." He shoved the scroll into my hands. He scanned me from head to toe, "And find something decent to wear. Don't embarrass the Alpha further." Before I could say another word, he turned around and left, his steps leaving a trail behind him. The silence left behind felt heavier than his presence. I unrolled the scroll, and my name stared back at me in bold silver ink, stamped with the Alpha's seal. Zylia Nightshade. Why me? "You heard him. Get something decent to wear and don't embarrass the Alpha or this family further." My father's voice dragged. "Yes, father." My voice, low. I rushed to my room. Opening all the bags that I had, searching for something decent. By nightfall, I was dressed in the only thing I owned that could be considered a gown. It was simple, pale blue, worn from years of being folded in a trunk. I brushed the dirt from my skin, combed my hair until it fell smooth, and tied a ribbon at the side. My hands trembled the whole time. The carriage arrived with two guards at its sides. Their eyes barely flicked toward me, like I was already beneath their notice. I climbed in, clutching the skirt in my fists. The ride was silent but my heart thudded...no, it pounded, like a drum. Moon Goddess, guide me. I was here. The Mating Ceremony. The pack's ballroom was brighter than the moon itself. The chandeliers dripped light over polished floors, and music curled through the air like silk. The room glittered with crystal lamps and banners, light bouncing off every surface until it almost blinded me. It felt like stepping into another world. The wolves were adorned in gowns and sharp suits. The sounds of whispers filled the air. I swallowed. And then the whispers shifted. "She doesn't belong here." "An Omega? At the mating ball?" "Maybe she's a servant." "What is she doing here?" My cheeks burned. I wanted to run and hide under the tables, but I forced myself to walk further. The Moon Goddess would guide me. I was safe. I was not cursed. I echoed in my head. I kept walking. "Well, well, well," a voice said from behind me. Lilith. And her little sidekicks. My stomach twisted by the drag of her voice. "You look a little bit presentable tonight," her eyes narrowed, looking at me from head to toe. "Th...thank you," I muttered "She's said thank you," her minions laughed. They were mocking me, not complimenting me. Why would I even think they were complimenting me? Lilith was arrayed in midnight silk. Her skin dripped under the beam of light. Then the music faded. And a hush spread across the room. The grand doors opened with a heavy thud. He walked in. Tall. Broad. Dark. Alpha Killian. His very name seems to echo in the air. It was heavy and commanding. His aura rolled through the room like a storm. My knees nearly gave out under the weight of it. Everyone bowed their heads. No one dared to look at him. I stood frozen. My breath caught. I bowed...maybe too late or maybe too fast. I just didn't want to get into trouble. The chandeliers caught in his black hair, throwing glints of light that made him look sharper. Too sharp. The priestess stepped forward, white robes glowing in the firelight. She lifted her arms. "Wolves of the Howlborne Pack," her voice rang clear. "We gather tonight under the Moon's blessing. Tonight, the Alpha will choose his fated mate." The wolves gasped, excitement filling the air. And one by one, noble daughters stepped forward into the light. Their gowns gleamed under the chandelier. Their heads stood up high, and they had proud smiles drawn on their faces. At the front, Lilith stood elegantly. She gleamed like she already wore the crown. Her smile was bright and certain. Her gaze was locked on the Alpha. He moved. Slow, steady steps. His boots clicked softly against the floor. His gaze studied each girl in silence. One. Two. Three. None chosen. The crowd stirred in confusion. "Why hasn't he stopped?" someone whispered. "He's saving it for Lilith," another hissed back. But he passed her too. Lilith's smile faded for a little bit. Her eyes furrowed into confusion. But she tilted her chin higher, waiting, certain he would turn back. But he didn't. His steps slowed. His gaze lifted, not at the line of daughters, but across the room. His eyes searched until they found me. On me. The air fled my lungs. "He's looking at... her?" a woman whispered. "No. Impossible." I shrank back, but his stare held me in a chokehold. The Alpha stepped out of the line. Everyone in the hall gasped as the Alpha walked past the noble daughters. Each step echoed like thunder, too loud, too heavy. "Not her," I whispered, shaking my head. My chest ached with the pounding of my heart. But he didn't stop there. He stopped in front of me. The hall fell silent, the kind of silence that pressed on your skin and made your heartbeat sound too loud, like even that was a crime. I trembled under the weight of his aura. His presence pressed against my skin, made it hard to breathe. His eyes locked on mine, dark and unreadable. He spoke. His voice was low, steady, and it rolled through the hall like a decree. "Zylia Nightshade," he said. My breath caught. The crowd gasped. "You are my fated mate..."

Zylia's POV Killian's words echoed in my skull. It was heavy and dismissive. I wanted the floor to swallow me whole. The hall was frozen. Everyone's head turned to me. They all had disgust and shock written in their faces. My lips parted, but I found no words to say. My chest tightened, making it hard to breathe. "I...uhm.." My voice was cracked, breaking my words. Killian didn't move, nor did he waver. His dark gaze was locked on me as he moved closer. His hands stretched at me, "Come forward," He wasn't talking about me.

Was he? "Come," he said again, confirming I was the one he was talking about. I stared at his hand, then I looked back at him. Should I take it? Should I not? My legs moved on their own. I couldn't control them. It was like they had a mind of their own. They trembled as I moved closer to him, trembling. Then, I placed my hand into his. His touch sent a sudden warmth through me. I had never felt anything like it before, almost like it awakened my whole body, like my heart was set on fire. My knees felt weak at every step but I couldn't help it. Then, the whispers broke loose. "This is madness..." "She's an omega!" "Impossible." Lilith's voice cut louder than them all. "This is madness, Alpha Killian!" Her gown shimmered as she walked forward. She had fury written all over her face. "She is an omega. How can she be your fated mate?!" Gasps scattered again. "Alpha," Beta Lucious's voice added, low but sharp. He bowed his head but his eyes gleamed with disdain. "Forgive me, but this cannot be. The Moon Goddess would never tie you to... her." My stomach clenched. I wanted to shrink into the floor, vanish into shadow. My hand twitched in Killian's grasp, but he held firm. Then the priestess moved forward. White robes trailed the floor, her staff clinking softly. The room silenced again. She raised her eyes toward the chandeliers, then to Killian. "Alpha," she said solemnly, "before the bond is sealed, hear the words given to me." Killian's jaw tensed. "Speak." The priestess's voice carried, strong and clear. "The Alpha's mate shall be his downfall. Beneath the blood moon, she will betray him. One he loves will wear the crown of ruin." A wave of gasps surged once again, but this time it was louder. My chest constricted. Betray him? Crown of ruin? All eyes cut to me. I would never do such a thing. "No..." I whispered, shaking my head. "That's not... I can't.... I won't" My words galloped, I couldn't get a single thing out. "She's the one!" someone hissed. "The prophecy fits her." "Betrayal. Of course it would be her." "What? Do you really think a servant like her would actually stay loyal to you?" Lilith's eyes glittered, and she smirked faintly. "You see, Alpha? Even the Goddess warns you. She will betray you." Beta Lucious stepped closer. "Killian, you must reject her. If you don't, the prophecy will destroy us all." "No..." My voice came thin, desperate. "I would never...." Killian's chest rose and fell hard. His hand trembled against mine. His dark eyes fixed on me, and for a moment, I could've sworn I saw something. It seemed like...conflict, longing, pain. Did he... Did he really mean that? Before I could figure it out, his face hardened. All emotions were lost. "No," he muttered again, but this time to himself. "Alpha," Lucious pressed, "save the pack. End this bond now." "Killian," Lilith whispered sweetly, "you know it's true." The weight of the room pressed down on him. His grip slipped from mine. Cold shot through me like ice water. "No," I whispered. "Please... don't listen to them." Killian shut his eyes, jaw tight, then opened them. An inferno burned in them. "I, Killian Stormbane, Alpha of the Howlborne Pack..." His voice trembled just once, before it sharpened. "...reject you, Zylia Nightshade, as my mate." The words struck like claws ripping my chest open. "What?" My throat burned. "No... you can't..." Gasps washed the hall. "I am sorry," Killian said, but his gaze slid away from me. "But you just...." My voice cracked. "You just claimed me!" The priestess lifted her staff. "Repeat the words, girl. Release him." Tears stung my eyes. "I don't... I don't understand..." "You must," she snapped. Everyone looked at me with pity, curiosity, satisfaction. Lilith's smirk widened. My chest heaved. My heart shattered. Finally, broken, I whispered, "I... accept your rejection, Alpha Killian." The bond tore apart, and I gasped like all air had been ripped from my lungs. Killian turned, striding away without a second glance. Lilith glided after him, her smile like victory. "No!" I cried, stumbling a step after him. "Please, don't....don't leave" "Enough!" The priestess's voice cracked like a whip. "Zylia Nightshade is marked by betrayal. She must be banished at once!" "What?" My voice broke. The situation just got worse. "She cannot stay," the priestess declared. "She will doom us. If she can betray the Alpha, then who are we?" Her words drop like a bomb. Everyone's eyes turned to me. "I knew there was something wrong with her," someone hissed. Before I knew it, the guards seized me. "No...please...I haven't done anything," I begged. Beta Lucious's cold eyes met mine. His lips curled. "You heard the prophecy. You are a traitor in waiting." "No!" I begged. "Please.....please, Killian!" But he was gone. Lucious turned to the guards. "Take her home. Let her gather what little she owns. Then cast her out before moonrise." The guards dragged me, whispers chasing me like daggers. *** At my foster father's house, they shoved me inside. He sat at the table, shadows across his face. His eyes met mine, disgust etched in them. "You've brought nothing but shame," he said coldly. "Father, please..." "Don't call me that." His hand slammed the table, the sound like a crack of thunder. "If the Alpha rejects you, then you are nothing. If the priestess condemns you, you are cursed." Tears blurred my vision. "You're sending me away, just like that?" "You should never have been here to begin with." His voice was flat, final. The guards shoved a torn bag at me. "Pack. Quickly." My fingers shook as I stuffed what little I had into the bag. My father did not even look at me. When I stepped outside, the guards pulled me through the village. Neighbors watched from their doors. Whispers followed me like fire. At the gates, Beta Lucious stood waiting, arms folded. He handed me my bag with a smirk. "Go. Do not return." "Please," I begged one last time. "Let me speak to Killian." Lucious's smirk widened. "The Alpha gave no such order. This is where you belong, omen girl." The gate slammed shut behind me. I stood there, staring at the wood until their boots faded. Slowly, I turned. The path in front of me was dark, no one knew what evil lay ahead of them. I walked. My tears blurred everything. My bag dug into my shoulder, heavy, but not as heavy as my chest. Every step replayed his voice: first claiming me, then casting me aside. Then, a branch snapped. I froze. Another step crunched closer. Someone was there in the shadows...behind me....