Seraphina's POV
When the plate of glass broke on the kitchen floor, I jumped backward. I couldn't even hold a simple dish because my hands were shaking so badly. It wasn't even noon yet, but this was the third thing I broke today.
My best friend Maya looked at the broken bits and asked, "Sera, what's wrong with you?" "You've been acting weird all morning."
It was hard for me to tell her that things felt different. It was too hot on my skin. My heart was beating so fast. I felt like tiny lightning bolts were dancing under my skin, and mChapter 1: The Scent Changesy whole body tingled in a strange way.
"I'm fine," I told myself as I bent down to pick up the broken glass. But when I stood up, Maya's face had gone totally white.
"Oh no," she whispered, taking a step back from me. "Sera, your scent..."
My blood turned to ice. "What about my scent?"
Before Maya could answer, the kitchen door burst open. Mrs. Henderson from next door ran in, her eyes wild with fear.
"Where is she?" Mrs. Henderson shouted, looking around frantically. "Where's the omega whose scent just matured?"
My knees almost gave out. No. This couldn't be happening. Not today. Not like this.
Maya pointed at me with a shaking finger. "It's Sera. Her smell changed."
Mrs. Henderson's face went from worried to terrified. She grabbed my shoulders so hard it hurt. "Child, you need to hide. Right now. Do you understand me?"
"I don't understand anything!" I cried, pushing her hands away. "What's happening to me?"
The front door slammed open, and my mother rushed in. Her face was pale and scared, which made my stomach twist into knots. Mom was never scared.
"Everyone out!" Mom yelled at Maya and Mrs. Henderson. "Get out of my house right now!"
"But Mrs. Hale," Maya started to say.
"NOW!" Mom screamed.
Maya and Mrs. Henderson ran out so fast they almost knocked each other over. Mom slammed the door behind them and turned to face me. Her hands were shaking just like mine.
"Mom, what's wrong with everyone?" I asked, my words coming out small and scared. "Why is everyone acting like I have some terrible disease?"
Mom walked over and pulled me into a tight hug. I could feel her heart beating fast against my chest.
"Baby girl," she whispered into my hair, "your scent has fully developed. You're officially an adult omega now."
I pulled back to look at her face. "That's good, right? That means I can find my mate now."
Mom's eyes filled with tears. "Sera, your smell... it's not normal. It's too strong. Too clean. Every unmated male wolf for miles is going to smell it and want you."
My stomach dropped. "What do you mean want me?"
"They're going to come here," Mom said, grabbing my hands. "Alphas, Betas, even other omegas' mates. Your smell is going to drive them crazy. Some of them might try to take you by force. " I felt like I was going to throw up. "But that's not how it works. The mate bond is supposed to be beautiful and special. You're supposed to find your one true mate and live happily ever after."
Mom's laugh was sour and sad. "That's fairy story nonsense, sweetheart. In the real world, strong wolves take what they want. And right now, every wolf in three areas is going to want you."
Outside, I could hear voices getting louder. Men's sounds. Rough and demanding.
"She's in there," someone growled. "I can smell her. That sweet smell is coming from this house."
"Back off," another voice shouted. "I smelled her first."
"You're both wrong," a third voice said. "She belongs to whoever can claim her."
Mom rushed to the window and peeked through the curtains. Her face went even whiter.
"There's at least twenty wolves out there," she whispered. "And more coming."
My heart was beating so hard I thought it might burst. "What do we do?"
Mom ran to the kitchen and started throwing things into a bag. Food, water, a knife.
"We run," she said. "Right now. Out the back door before they surround the house."
"But this is our home," I said, tears starting to fall. "We can't just leave everything."
"Sera, listen to me," Mom said, grabbing my face with both hands. "Your smell is special. Dangerously special. I've only heard stories about omegas like you, but I thought they were just myths."
"What kind of myths?"
"Moon-blessed omegas. Omegas whose smell can make any Alpha lose control. The kind of omega that packs go to war over."
The voices outside were getting louder. Someone started beating on our front door.
"Open up!" a man yelled. "We know she's in there. Send out the omega!"
"We just want to meet her," another voice called, but it sounded mean and hungry.
Mom threw the bag over her shoulder and grabbed my hand. "We're going. Now."
We ran toward the back door, but before Mom could open it, someone started beating on it from the outside.
"Too late," Mom whispered. "They've surrounded us."
The front door started to crack under the beating. Angry growls and snarls filled the air outside. I could smell their scents now - wild and dangerous and wanting.
"Mom," I whispered, "I'm scared."
She pulled me close and kissed my face. "I know, baby. But I'm going to protect you. No matter what happens, I'm going to keep you safe."
The front door cracked and broke open.
Heavy footsteps entered our house.
"There she is," a deep voice said, and I could hear the hunger in it.
Mom pushed me behind her, but I could see over her shoulder. Five huge guys stood in our doorway. Their eyes were burning yellow, and their teeth looked sharp.
The biggest one stepped forward and smiled, showing his fangs.
"Hello, little omega," he said. "You're coming with us."
But before anyone could move, a howl echoed across the town. A howl so powerful and commanding that every wolf in our house instantly dropped to their knees.
"The Alpha," one of them whispered in fear. "The Alpha is coming."
Through the broken doorway, I could see a huge black wolf running toward our house.
And somehow, I knew my life was about to change forever.