《OUTCAST: Bow Before The Omega》


 Chapter One

    Artemis Starr¡¯s POV


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Starr, you hit like a girl,¡± Master Groiler barked as I blocked another strike from Catherine, my least favorite person in the pack. My arms trembled under the force, but I refused to let her see me falter. If there was one thing I wanted more than to kick her smug ass, it was to put her in her place once and for all.


    ¡°Go on, bitch. Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± Catherine sneered, prodding me with her bamboo stick as I wiped the sweat from my face.


    She wanted a fight? Fine. She was going to get one.


    I sidestepped her next swipe, slamming the center of her stick hard enough to send one end clattering to the ground. The vibration made her wince, and I almost smirked¡ªuntil she flicked sand into my face with the other end.


    The grains stung my eyes and filled my mouth. I spat and stumbled back as laughter erupted around me.


    ¡°Wanna eat more?¡± Catherine taunted, her grin widening.


    I clenched my fists, my wolf growling in my mind, but before I could lunge at her, Master Groiler stepped forward. ¡°And that, little wolves, brings us to the end of today¡¯s training,¡± he announced, clapping Catherine on the shoulder as if she¡¯d won some great victory.


    *****


    ¡°C¡¯mon, close your eyes,¡± Calum¡¯s voice came out from behind me with a tinge of excitement. He knew how I felt about surprises; they always made me nervous, and this moment was no exception. His scent, a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of sweet caramel, danced around my nose as I felt his finger pick a strand of hair from my face.


    We had only been mates for three days, and I¡¯d admit that the mate bond thing was a bit annoying to me, mainly because whenever we were apart, I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest. Going to pick herbs for my grandma, Dolly, the pack¡¯s healer, without inviting him felt like being subjected to suffocation. I wondered why people loved this bonding thing when privacy was completely off the table once one was bonded.


    I exhaled and tightened my eyes shut. ¡°If this is a toad again, I swear the next funeral will be yours.¡± I threatened. The reason I feared surprises since I was five was because on my fifth birthday, he took me to the riverside and told me the same thing: to close my eyes, and he handed me a paper bag. Upon opening my eyes, a toad croaked and hopped into my face. That was the first time he frightened me to the core and made me cry. He spent a month apologizing after that and swore never to pull something like that off ever again.


    I felt a gentle blow of air around my neck, and then his finger brushing it gently like he was caressing me. My breathing hitched. His, came, warm and gentle at the back of my neck, and I felt his body pressed against mine. My body tensed.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°Almost¡­there,¡± he whispered. What the hell was he doing?


    I felt something cold tap in between my cleavages, and I swallowed the lump in my throat. ¡°Wh-what¡¯re you doing?¡± I managed to ask hesitantly.


    ¡°Open your eyes,¡± he said in a soft voice. As I opened my eyes, I felt a sudden burst of light in my face, causing me to shut them as quickly as I had opened them.


    ¡°What the fuck?¡± I hissed, but he wrapped his arms around me from behind tightly and kissed my cheek, and then, to the tune of the birthday song, he began swaying our bodies from left to right gently as he hummed in his deep voice.


    I felt my cheeks grow pinkish when I slowly opened my eyes once more to see a torchlight on the mirrorhead, pointing directly at me. That was when I noticed it. A glittering diamond locket resting in my cleavages, hanging on a silver necklace. My lips parted, but no words came out. I saw our reflection in the mirror; his face was buried in my neck from the left like a baby, but he gently lifted up his head to face the mirror, and his bright, piercing green eyes seemed to gleam with intensity that made me fall even harder for him, but I was speechless.


    ¡°This is the part where you say something,¡± he whispered, cracking me. He knew how hard it was for me to say ¡®I love you,¡¯ and that was what he wanted to hear at the moment.


    Sia, my wolf, growled within me as she stepped forward to make her presence felt. ¡°Don¡¯t be a spoiled kitten,¡± she said in mockery. ¡°Kiss him now or forever keep your romantic fantasies to yourself.¡±


    I passed my finger on the diamond and gasped. Surprising even myself, I spun around quickly and pressed my lips against his, firmly like a lifeline. For a moment he hesitated, then wrapped his arms around my waist and returned the favor, teaching me how it was properly done. We had never shared a kiss or done anything aside from talking, having fun, and acting goofy, even when we became aware of our bond three days ago.


    His fingers lingered a bit too long around my waist till I felt the cold air rush over my stomach. It was bare. My heartbeat quickened, and I quickly broke the kiss shamefully and pushed my shirt down, clearing my throat and anxiously looking around for anything that could help me with the excuse I was planning. Then suddenly my phone rang.


    ¡°It''s my grandma!¡± I blurted, although he hadn''t asked me anything. Sia bent and shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re such a loser.¡± She mumbled and disappeared to the back of my mind.


    Calum gave a reassuring smile. He took a step forward to close the gap between us and pressed a kiss on my cheek before walking out.


    ¡°Artie, are you there?¡± My grandma¡¯s voice broke through, reminding me of the call.


    ¡°Yes-yes, grandma,¡± I said, mistakenly breathing louder through my mouth. The observant old woman was quiet for a few seconds before speaking, and I knew she had questions already.


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to get worried¡ªjealous even¡ªthat you have Calum¡ª¡±


    ¡°C''mon, Grandma, you always asked me to get married and leave you alone, remember?¡± I teased, passing my finger on the diamond locket once more before leaving Calum¡¯s place.


    He wasn''t outside when I got there, but his scent was in the air, so I knew he was close by.


    ¡°Shut up, Will,¡± Grandma scolded, and I heard someone groan from her side of the line. ¡°Hey, um... can I interrupt whatever unholy thing you''re doing? I need help.¡±


    ¡°Goddess, grandma,¡±


    ¡°It''s obvious from how you''re breathing, but whatever, go to the eastern forest and get me some aloe vera, please?¡±


    I shook my head and responded before sending a text to Calum that I¡¯d sleep over tonight.


    Just as I hit the ''send'' button, Sia showed up. ¡°Perve,¡± she mumbled. I frowned and went off to do what had been asked of me.


    ****


    It was six fifty-eight in the evening when I finished gathering the aloe vera Grandma would need, along with extra for the week. The forest was dark, and the only sound was that of my own footsteps¡ªuntil I caught the all-too-familiar scent of our pack''s Luna, Aria. Perhaps she had come with the Alpha, and I didn¡¯t want to distract them.


    I softened my footsteps so no one could hear me, but the scent grew stronger and was soon mixed with another I couldn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°Won¡¯t you check it out?¡± Sia prompted. ¡°She could be in danger.¡±


    I pulled out the jackknife I carried everywhere, and gripped the sack full of aloe vera tightly in my left hand as I scanned the area. I continued walking lightly, and then suddenly, I heard a giggle. The sound was unmistakably the Luna.


    I figured if she was excited, there was no need to interfere, but Sia insisted we check to make sure she was okay. I hid behind a tree, tilting my head to see who she was with. The flashlight I had noticed earlier illuminated the face of a man¡ªhairy, with a well-developed body.


    My breath hitched, and my eyes narrowed as the torch lit his face. He lowered his gaze to the ground as they began to lock lips. She was the Luna, and the pack¡¯s number one rule was that no one, not even the Alpha, was allowed to cheat.


    Sia bombarded my mind with noise, urging me to take a photo and run. For some reason, our pack¡¯s Luna didn''t like me much and catching me doing something like that could turn out really nasty for me.


    In my pani


    c, I accidentally snapped a twig beneath my feet, drawing their attention.


    ¡°Oh no!¡±

 CHAPTER TWO

    Luna Aria''s senses caught the faint sound of a twig snap, and she quickly spun in the direction she had heard it.


    ¡°Oh no!" Artemis mumbled. She slowly lifted her feet off the twig and was going to run when Luna Aria''s voice came out serious and commanding.


    "Stop right there!" She saw a shadow of someone hiding in the woods with a sack in hand, then the scent hit her. Her face clouded darkly.


    ¡°Your highness?" Artemis managed in a calm voice, trying to mask her fear. ¡°I thought I caught your scent. Is everything alright?¡±


    The man behind Luna Aria furrowed his brows and held Luna''s hand to keep her from going, but she yanked him off and took a step forward. ¡°What''re you doing here? And what did you see?" She asked, firmly, as her brows furrowed and her fingers curled into a fist.


    ¡°She''s cheating on the alpha; say it to her shameless face!" Sia hissed at Artemis.


    ¡°I went to pick aloe vera for Doctor Dolly."


    ¡°And what did you see, Starr?" She demanded, her voice threatening as she walked up to Artemis with calculated steps.


    ¡°I thought you were in danger, so I came to help, I swear."


    ¡°As you can see," Luna Aria continued. ¡°I¡¯m not hurt. But you will be more than hurt if you so much as breathe a word about this to anyone¡ª¡±


    "C''mon, Aria, she''s a loudmouth; they always talk." The man interrupted, his voice husky. He slipped his hand inside his pocket and pulled out a pistol, cocking it. ¡°Let''s just silence her once and for all."


    Artemis shrieked when the barrel was pointed at her face. Her heart began pounding loudly in her chest, and the sack fell from her hand as she quickly put her hands up.


    ¡°Your highness, I swear I didn''t see anything; please, spare my life." She begged, in a panicked tone,


    "What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Luna Aria turned to her companion, beating his hand down. "If she dies, my scent and yours will be all over her body. Think!¡±


    She turned back to Artemis. "If you dare tell anybody about what you''ve seen here¡­I''ll make you regret it, understood? Get out of my sight.¡± The ¡®get out of my sight'' was uttered through gritted teeth with a disgusted tone, sending Starr nodding profusely before picking up her sack and scurrying off.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    ¡°You''re making a huge mistake, Aria." Luna Aria''s companion snarled, grabbing her hand and pulling her to himself.


    Their eyes met, but the anger in her eyes died sharply as they landed on his face. "I''ll take care of it." She responded in a hushed tone before giving him a quick kiss on his cheek. ¡°I have to now, Thane; the stupid alpha might be out of his office by now."


    At the mention of the alpha, Thane''s fingers curled up. "You''re taking it easy on him." He growled, ¡°I¡¯m tired of having to see you in the dark and once a week. One of these days I''ll march in with my wolves, and we''ll lay waste to everyone if you don''t finish off that alpha quickly.¡±


    ¡°Keep it down, will you?" Luna Aria sibilated, scanning their surroundings cautiously. "Someone might hear you. And as for the alpha, just relax and trust me, will you?"


    She turned, and without a goodbye, hurried back to the Blue Rock Pack territory.


    *****


    Artemis'' POV


    ¡°Slow down.¡± Sia shouted, snapping me back to reality, where I almost ran into a pack member. ¡°You''re out of their reach now.¡±


    I had entered the village and was subconsciously heading to my grandma''s house. I dried my eyes, rubbing the right eye vigorously so my observant grandma wouldn''t notice I had cried. In case she asked why it was red, I''d say that something fell on it.


    Just as I was about to knock on her door, it opened from the other side. A beta''s face met mine, and he simply nodded, then shut the door so I could open it myself. There''d been rumors that in some packs, most high-rank wolves treated the omegas like shit, but here in Blue Rock, we were founded on equality and respect. Rarely would one hear of cases where a pack member is maltreated by a high ranker.


    I opened the door gently and walked up to the living room where a hunter lay before my grandma. With how he was clutching his leg, I could tell he was the man in need of the aloe vera.


    ¡°You took forever." Grandma Dolly grumbled lightly without looking up. She removed the Band-Aid wrapped around the man''s knee and signaled for me to bring her some of the aloe vera.


    I washed some as quickly as I could, trying to steady my breathing as images of the gun to my kept replaying. I was told that my father was shot in the forehead when I was little. He was our pack''s strongest fighter back then, but one night, after he had returned from the human world from an undercover mission, right at the pack''s borders, he was found dead. Hence my fear of guns.


    ¡°You look awfully quiet. I need a relaxed aura if he''s going to be alright." My grandma stated, as I handed the bowl filled with the washed aloe veras.


    ¡°If Calum hurt you, tell him I''m coming for him¡ª¡±


    "It''s not Calum!" I rasped before I knew it. When I cupped my mouth, I knew she had already seen through me from the tone I had given her.


    "This should do, Chuck. You''ll be okay in seven minutes, but I need the room.¡±


    Chuck, the hunter, held on to the table beside him and forced himself off the ground and cautiously walked out of the house, leaving me with my Doctor Dolly.


    She got up and faced me, but I averted my eyes to look down and was going to leave.


    ¡°Starr, don''t you dare walk out on me.¡± She ordered. My breathing began to hitch as the pounding of my heart started again. "Who hurt my girl¡ª"


    ¡°Nobody."


    ¡°You will not insult me under my own roof, Artie. Look at me.¡± She demanded.


    My eyes and fingers began to tremble in her palm as I turned. Heat began to rise from our touch, and I could tell she was going to use her psychic abilities to find out what had happened.


    ¡°The Luna." I said, my voice shaking as I forced myself free.


    ¡°What did that vermin do this time?" She snarled. Ever since Aria became Luna of Blue Rock, my grandmother has hated her and her witch sister for reasons she hadn''t disclosed to me, but I could tell were darker than what I imagined.


    ¡°I caught her cheating," I answered, my eyes dashing to a corner to look at her. "She threatened me, and her partner pointed a gun at me¡ª¡±


    My grandma snapped and began walking towards the door, but I crossed her, pleading with her not to do anything. Suddenly, I heard footsteps of someone running from the window''s side. My grandma clutched her chest, trying to steady her breathing. She had a blood pressure problem that only came when she was overly angry.


    I guided her to her rocking chair and made a cup of herbal tea before going out to check who had been eavesdropping. At least to catch a faint scent.


    Just as I shut the door behind me, I locked eyes on Luna Aria and Catherine, who looked disheveled with claw markings on her face and two betas with them. Catherine was an omega like me, but I had something she had badly wanted all these years, and that is Calum, my mate.


    Luna Aria walked up to me, closing the gap between us. ¡°I told you to be quiet. Now you have to suffer for it.¡±

 CHAPTER THREE

    The Luna''s eyes flickered orange, and I swallowed hard, grabbing the doorknob behind me.


    ¡°Do whatever you want with me, but please leave my grandma out of this." I pleaded, my chest rising and falling fast. Sia wanted me to attack them, but ever since three days ago, when I got her as my wolf, I had never fought before. My training started yesterday, so I didn''t know what my full strength was, and those were a luna, two betas, and an entire pack I would have to deal with if I just attacked without any evidence of self-defense.


    ¡°Leave the doctor to me, your highness; I will make it quick and painless.¡± Catherine vowed, a smile spreading over her face.


    ¡°Make what quick? What is she talking about?¡±


    "Grab her!" Luna Aria ordered. The two betas approached, and before I could protest, they held me firmly and were going to drag me when Sia, who had been dying for a fight, growled within, and I began to transform. As my claws stretched out, the Luna sprinkled some liquid substance on me that caused my insides to burn like fire and my wolf to recede.


    She reached to touch my forehead and whispered words I couldn''t hear. Suddenly my thoughts felt calm. There was no Sia to distract. It was as if she had left. I felt my chest burning and a strange cold settle within my beating heart, causing me to cough painfully.


    ¡°W-what did you¡ª" My strength dissipated abruptly, and I felt darkness cloud my sight as I grew weaker and weaker by the second till I could feel nothing.


    *****


    I heard the sound of someone pacing back and forth beside me. But I couldn''t smell them like before. All I could smell was dust and decay.


    Decay? Where was I?


    I flicked my eyes open, only to feel the harshness of the sun''s rays hitting my face as it burned with unforgiving intensity. I rubbed my eyes vigorously and felt all my muscles aching like I''d been beaten up by a mob.


    ¡°Why did you do it?" A familiar voice questioned. Calum''s Voice. It came with a tone of disappointment and anger. "Since when, Artie?¡±


    I opened my eyes slowly to adjust and found myself in the pack''s prison cell. Calum''s brows were furrowed, and his jaws looked tightened while his eyes were fixed on me as if he was reading my very soul.


    were


    ¡°Do what?" I asked, ¡°Why am I here?"


    "Oh, please, Artie," he scoffed. ¡°It could''ve been anyone. Anyone but not you. I trusted you. How could you do this to me? To us?¡± His angry facade cracked, and for a split second, it gave way to sadness.


    "Do what, Calum? I haven''t done anything. And why am I in a prison cell?¡±


    He shook his head in disgust, and his lips parted for what looked like ages, but he didn''t know what to say.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    "I hate you." He finally let out, ¡°I should never have trusted you." His words cut deep, and although I didn''t know what he was talking about, the pain of his anger ached more than the body aches I was feeling.


    The main gates in the south opened, and in walked the two betas I had seen with the Luna yesterday. I believed it was yesterday because the sun was already up.


    ¡°Calum!" I screamed after him as he walked away. ¡°Please, help me!"


    The two betas unlocked the cell and dragged me by the shackles around my hands into the council room, where, to my surprise, a pack member stood waiting for me.


    The betas threw me to the ground, and my forehead banged hard on the metallic shackles around my wrist, sending a jolt of pain through my skull. I choked on a lump in my throat and couldn''t get a chance to catch my breath when one of the two held my wrist and pulled me up to stand and face the alpha and his Luna, who was disgustingly comfortably seated by his left.


    Alpha Asher stood up, and running the fingers of his right hand through his dark blond hair that''s often messy, he fixed his bright blue, piercing, and intense eyes on me for what seemed like ages before speaking in a loud voice so everyone could hear him.


    ¡°Artemis Starr, you stand accused of infidelity against your bonded mate. How do you plead?¡±


    Infidelity? What? Was it why Calum was angry at me?


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have never been with anyone aside from Calum Gray, and I can swear that on my grave.¡±


    "Silence!" Alpha Asher''s voice boomed. In the past, this level of anger of an alpha was supposed to cause me pain because my wolf was subject to him.


    My wolf. Where''s Sia?


    ¡°¡®Not guilty or guilty¡¯¡ªthose¡¯ are the choice of words you''re to voice back, and nothing more.¡±


    ¡°She is innocent," I heard my grandma cry from my right.


    "With utmost respect, Doctor,¡± the luna interjected, "your granddaughter has lips and can defend herself. Another word and you will be sent out of this court."


    My grandma shot her an angry stare, grinding her teeth with barely contained rage. The alpha didn''t say anything, and my guess was that it was because he owed my grandma for the countless lives she had saved or that it was because my grandmother served as his nanny when he was ten and I was seven.


    ¡°Not guilty." I replied, my brows closing as I gritted my teeth.


    ¡°Very well then, may our first witness step forward.¡± Alpha Asher commanded.


    For some reason, my gaze was fixed on Luna, who was standing as a witness against me, but it had to be that sniffer dog, Catherine.


    She stepped forward, giving a gentle bow, then began to speak, ¡°Your Majesty, as surely as the moongoddess lives, I swear that I was out to train on my own close to the borders last night, then I caught the scent of my friend, Artemis¡ª¡±


    "We are not even friends!¡±


    "Silence!¡± Alpha Asher''s voice boomed once more, and I replied with a hardened frown, but soon, tears began to spill down as Catherine continued her lie, twisting everything to make me the cheat. When she was done, whispers rippled through the crowd, but it didn''t last as the alpha''s hand went up to silence everyone.


    "As evidence, your scent was all over the said place, and so was a jackknife that only you had. One last time, how do you plead?¡± He asked, grinding his teeth.


    ¡°My Alpha, and my King,¡± I began, breaking down on my knees as the thoughts of an inevitable death or subjection to pack slavery started to play on my mind. ¡°If the moongoddess lives, she is my only witness, and my justice will come only from her. If false witnesses claim I did it, I accept my fate, but may the untamed wrath of the goddess pour out on anyone who was part of the plan to defame me if I''m innocent.¡±


    The Alpha''s eyes flickered with a yellowish intensity, and the crowd began to throw whatever they had at me to show their discomfort. I turned slowly to my right and saw my grandma run to me and throw her arms around me, sobbing while the noise in the council room grew.


    "I will do everything to prove your innocence." My grandma vowed, forcing me to kiss my dusty face as the betas came to drag her out.


    ¡°For attacking your fellow omega to protect your harlotry and for lying before the entire pack, as according to the pack''s laws and constitution, Omega Artemis Starr, you have been condemned to indefinite slavery. Your job from now on is to work day and night, cleaning the entire palace, the stables, and the training grounds, and eating from leftovers. All rights to the healer''s services have been revoked, and from now on, you are subject to every member of this pack. So says the law, and that is your fate.¡±


    I felt my heart seize when the words sank in. Catherine smiled in my direction, but I didn''t bother to look at Luna Aria.


    The worst part was already on its way. As part of the rules, in order for my mate not to be defiled, it was compulsory for him to break all ties with me.


    Calum walked up to me with hurt in his eyes and stopped about a foot away. I shook my head to beg him not to, but the crowd went mute, and all eyes turned to us. For a brief moment, his eyes searched mine, and then firmly he said, ¡°I, Calum Price, sever the bond between us as mates. From now on, you''re nothing to me.¡±


    I should have felt more pain, because the bond is not only between us but also between our wolves, but I hadn''t felt Sia since the queen sprinkled whatever liquid that was a night ago. I didn''t have my wolf anymore. I was but a mere human, but even so, the pain of heartbreak superseded the punishment from the pack. I scurried toward him to plead, but he pushed me away with his foot, which caught me by the jaw, causing me to bite my tongue.


    ¡°Get to work!" A beta behind me ordered, and I dragged my chains, ignoring the fact that I was in pain.