Elara jumped awake with a gasp, her heart racing like drums in her chest. The dream had felt so real. A pair of golden eyes looking at her through the dark forest. A warm touch that made her whole body tingle. A voice that whispered, "I've been waiting for you."
She pushed her knotted brown hair from her sweaty face and looked around her small bedroom. The sun was barely up, painting the sky pink through her window. Another dream about her mate. The third one this week.
"Just a stupid dream," she mumbled, but her racing heart didn't believe her.
As an omega wolf, Elara was meant to be weak. That's what everyone in the pack told her. Omegas were at the bottom. Alphas were at the top. That's how it worked. But deep down, Elara never felt weak. She felt different, special somehow, even though she couldn't explain why.
A knock at her door made her jump again.
"Elara! Are you up?" It was her best friend Zane. "We're going to be late for water duty if you don't hurry!"
Elara groaned and rolled out of bed. Water duty was the worst job in the pack - bringing heavy buckets from the river to fill everyone's barrels. But as an omega, she didn't get to choose her work.
"Coming!" she called, quickly pulling on her clothes and splashing cold water on her face.
When she opened the door, Zane stood there with his usual grin. He was bigger than her, with kind eyes and messy dark hair. As a beta wolf, he outranked her, but he never acted like it.
"Another dream?" he asked, spotting the dark circles under her eyes.
Elara nodded as they started walking. "It felt so real this time, Zane. Like he was actually talking to me."
"Your mystery mate again?" Zane tried to sound light, but Elara could tell he was worried.
"I know it sounds crazy," she said. "But these dreams started on my twentieth birthday last month. That's when dogs usually find their mates."
Zane shrugged. "Maybe. But don't forget about the meeting tonight. Every wolf in five packs will be there, including Alpha Kael."
Elara's stomach flipped at the name of Alpha Kael. Everyone knew about him - the powerful boss who never stayed with the same woman twice. He was handsome, strong, and totally out of reach for an omega like her.
"Why would I care about that?" she lied. In truth, she'd been thinking about the meeting all week.
Zane gave her a knowing look but didn't push.
When they reached the river, other omegas were already working. Elara grabbed two buckets and dipped them in the cold water. As she lifted them, a sharp pain shot through her head. The world around her suddenly disappeared.
She was running through the forest, heart beating, legs burning. Someone was chasing her. No, two people were chasing her. She could feel them getting closer. A growl from behind made her run faster...
"Elara!" Zane's words snapped her back to reality. She was on her knees, water spilled all around her. Several wolves were looking.
"What happened?" she whispered, her hands shaking.
"You just froze and dropped everything," Zane helped her stand. "Then you started shaking."
Before Elara could explain, a cold voice cut through the air.
"Is there a problem here?"
Everyone straightened up at once. It was Beta Marcus, the pack's executioner. He was tall with cruel eyes that always seemed to find Elara.
"No problem," Zane answered quickly. "Elara just slipped."
Marcus's eyes narrowed. "Clumsy little omega. Maybe you need a reminder of your place." He stepped closer, and Elara could smell his rage.
"It won't happen again," she said, keeping her eyes down like omegas were meant to.
"See that it doesn't." He leaned in closer. "I hear you've been having strange dreams, Elara. Dreams that omegas shouldn't have."
Elara's blood turned cold. How did he know about her dreams?
"The Alpha doesn't like wolves who think they're special," Marcus whispered so only she could hear. "Be careful at the gathering tonight."
After he walked away, Zane grabbed her arm. "What did he say to you?"
"He knows about my dreams," Elara whispered. "But how? I've only told you."
Zane looked troubled. "I don't know, but I don't like it. Maybe you should skip the meeting."
"No!" Elara said too quickly. "I mean, that would look strange, right? I need to go and act normal."
The rest of the day passed in a blur. Elara couldn't stop thinking about Marcus's warning and her strange vision at the river. By the time evening came, her nerves were stretched thin.
"You look beautiful," her mother said as Elara got ready. Like Elara, her mother was an omega, always quiet and loyal.
"Thanks, Mom." Elara hugged her, breathing in her familiar smell. "Did you ever feel... different? Like you didn't quite fit in?"
Her mother's eyes moved around nervously. "Shh, don't say such things. Being different is dangerous for dogs like us."
"But—"
"No buts," her mother cut her off. "Tonight, stay near the other omegas. Don't draw attention. And whatever you do, don't catch Alpha Kael's eye."
This was the second warning about Alpha Kael in one day. Now Elara was really curious.
The meeting was held in a huge clearing in the forest. Five packs came together under the full moon, with fires burning and music playing. Alphas and betas danced and talked loudly while omegas served food and drinks.
Elara tried to follow her mother's advice. She stayed with the other omegas, bringing a tray of drinks. But she couldn't help stealing looks at the center of the clearing where Alpha Kael stood.
He was even more impressive than people said - tall and powerfully built, with dark hair and fierce eyes. Wolves from all packs surrounded him, laughing at his jokes and hanging on his every word.
"Stop staring," hissed another omega girl. "Alphas don't notice us unless we mess up."
But as soon as she said it, something strange happened. Alpha Kael stopped mid-sentence. His head turned slowly, like he was being pulled by some unseen force. And then his eyes locked with Elara's across the busy clearing.
The world seemed to stop. Elara couldn't breathe. Couldn't move. Something passed between them, like an electric shock.
Then Kael did something no one expected. He started walking straight toward her.
Wolves jumped out of his way. Conversations died. Everyone turned to watch as the powerful Alpha headed straight for a nobody omega.
Elara's hands started shaking so badly that her tray of drinks clattered. She wanted to run, but her feet felt stuck to the ground.
Three moves away. Two steps. One.
Alpha Kael stood right in front of her now, his golden eyes—the same golden eyes from her dream—boring into hers.
"You," he said, his deep voice sending shivers down her spine. "What's your name?"
Before she could answer, another pain shot through her head, worse than the one at the river. The tray fell from her hands, drinks splashing everywhere.
She was in the forest again. Running. Chasing. No—being chased. Blood. Pain. A baby crying. Golden eyes turning away from her. Betrayal. So much betrayal it choked her.
Elara gasped back to reality just in time to feel strong arms catching her before she hit the ground. Alpha Kael was holding her, his face a mix of surprise and something else... recognition?
"I know you," he whispered, so only she could hear. "I've seen you before."
Around them, wolves were talking in shock. An Alpha never touched an omega this way.
"How do you know about my dreams?" Elara asked, her voice barely audible.
Kael's eyes widened. Then his face changed, toughened. He set her back on her feet roughly and stepped away.
"Take her to my cabin," he told the nearest guards. "Now."
Terror shot through Elara. What had she done? What had she said?
As the guards grabbed her arms, she caught sight of Zane's terrified face in the crowd. She tried to call out to him, but her voice wouldn't work.
The last thing she saw before being pulled away was Beta Marcus smiling coldly at her from beside Alpha Kael. And in that moment, Elara knew with terrible certainty that her strange dreams had just become her worst fear.