With a scowl on his face, my mate stares down at me.

"Ezra, you’re finally home!" the Beta greets him.

Ezra tears his green eyes away from me and nods. "Yes, finally home… for good."

What?! That can’t be right.

"Heard you finished your training?"

Ezra nods again. "I did."

Lauren takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. She is the only one who knows Ezra is my fated mate.

Memories flood back. I still remember the rage in his eyes the day our bond revealed itself, as if the whole thing was my fault. I’d been overjoyed that day — we’d finally learned the exact date of my birthday. I’d never known it growing up, so we’d always celebrated on a random day. That autumn day, when I awakened my wolf, everything changed. Then my gaze landed on Ezra, and joy turned to dread. He flew into such a fit of anger that he even wrecked a car, though no one ever knew the reason behind his rage.

Still, he never rejected me. I was confused at first, but I understand now. This is his way of punishing me. I was never the mate he wanted. He has always looked at me with disgust, and for years, he has used our bond to torment me.

When two fated mates find each other, an imprinting bond forms. It draws them close, and even without a physical mark, they can feel each other’s emotions — including betrayal and infidelity. This morning in the kitchen, I felt his betrayal clearly. He had most likely slept with one of the pack’s loose women, just to hurt me.

I knew it was nothing more than a cruel welcome-home gift from him.

He hates me. I tried to reject him once, but he refused to let it end, all to make me suffer. He blames me for being his fated mate, as if I had any choice in the matter. He is the last person I would ever want to be bound to. Not even the mate bond could make me crave him now.

I wish he would just reject me and move on to someone else. Fated mates are never forced to stay together if they do not wish to. Most choose to remain side by side, cherishing their unique connection, but it is possible to form new bonds with others through a mating mark. It will never equal the true fated bond, yet it is far better than being trapped with someone you loathe.

If only he would set me free.

James drifts away from the group, clearly feeling out of place. Lauren follows him, and I spin on my heel and run off too.

We head over to a table piled high with drinks.

"I really don’t see why Father lets them come to the festivals. Just look how filthy they are."

I do not need to turn around to know who is speaking. It is Bryn, one of the Alpha’s twin children. She and her brother Miles are the youngest in the family. Bryn is just as arrogant as her elder brothers, while Miles is different. He is always buried in books and never picks on me or the other Omegas. Bryn, however, is a total snob who acts as if she is better than everyone, and goes out of her way to make others feel inferior.

"They ought to hold their own festivals somewhere far away from important people. Keep their filth away from us."

What a horrible woman. If the Alpha and Luna did not leave us only scraps to survive on, we might look presentable too.

Omegas take on all the unwanted work in the pack, waiting on Gammas, Betas and the Alpha’s family hand and foot — though this hierarchy only exists here. Every pack runs differently, shaped by its Alpha’s rules.

Lauren, James and I ignore Bryn, just as we always do.

I take a drink and turn my attention to the stage, where the Alpha steps up to deliver a speech.

He is in his late forties, with dark hair streaked heavily with gray, fair skin and striking green eyes.

"Our sons and daughters have returned at last!" He raises his glass. "This is a joyous day. Hold your loved ones close, for tomorrow they may be gone. This war has stolen so many of our people, and our world is a harsh place. I raise this glass to my son Colt, whom we will never embrace or speak to again. He fell as a casualty of this war. In his memory, love your children every single day, and treasure every moment together. You never know when they will be taken from you."

Colt… I never liked him, but I never wished death upon him either. Among the five Alpha siblings — excluding Miles — he was the least cruel, though barely so. He died nine years ago, when Dark Fang Pack raided the training grounds.

His mate Skye was with him. She was just like Bryn, sharp and unkind. Yet the two were inseparable, and she was a fierce warrior in her own right. One morning, their camp was overrun. Every last fighter was killed. The enemy left their bodies piled, mutilated and burned.

That is the brutality of the Dark Fang Pack. Our pack is far from perfect, but we are nothing like them. They are far more ruthless, or so the stories say. The pack and its Alpha are shrouded in mystery, and they have expanded at an alarming speed.

Rumors claim their Alpha possesses the Alpha Command ability. The skill is uncommon, though not unheard of. Our own Alpha does not have it. It allows an Alpha to issue a compulsive suggestion to their pack members. While it can be resisted, only the strongest willed can do so — and defiance always brings harsh consequences.

Other packs refuse to get caught up in our feud. There are no alliances here. Every group fends for itself, and they all stay well out of our conflict.

I glance back at the stage, where Kayce now stands to speak. With Colt gone, he is next in line to become Alpha. Everyone can see he wants no part of the role, and he makes no effort to hide his disdain for it.

Suddenly a hand clamps down on my shoulder and twists me around.

"You didn’t come greet me this morning," Ezra says, folding his arms across his chest.

I roll my eyes. "As if you wanted me to." I watch Lauren and James walk ahead, unaware I have fallen behind.

"Actually, I did," he replies. "I wanted you to see the girl I was holding in my arms." He glances down at my clothes and winces, clearly disgusted by what I wear.

"Do you honestly think I care?" I retort.

I have never been one to hold my tongue around him, even though it always lands me in trouble.

He leans in close. "Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to have you as my mate?"

"You tell me every single day. If it bothers you that much, then reject me."

"No. I’m not done with you yet."

"Why are you so cruel?"

"A mate is supposed to be a gift," he says, staring at me before shaking his head. "But you are no gift. You are a punishment. And since I have been forced to endure this suffering, I will make you suffer right alongside me."

Bryn pops up out of nowhere. "What? Have you developed a crush on my brother now?"

I let out a mocking laugh. "I’d sooner fall for a frog."

"Ugh! You’re repulsive. You don’t even deserve to breathe. I bet your real mother died on purpose, just to get rid of you."

Her words trigger me. I throw a quick punch, catching her square on the nose. It happens so fast that neither of us reacts in time. She clutches her nose, staring at me in pure shock.

Rage surges through my veins. "What a pity. Clearly the wrong sibling died! It should have been one of you!" I shout.

The words leave my mouth before I can stop them, and regret crashes over me instantly.

A sharp slap strikes my cheek.

"How dare you speak like that!" the Luna screams.

"I—" I do not get to finish. She slaps me again, hard enough to draw blood at the corner of my mouth.

"Shut your mouth!"

Ezra looks faintly surprised by her sudden appearance, then smirks from behind her. All eyes in the crowd turn toward us.

I am furious, and every part of me wants to hit the Luna back. But that would be a death sentence. I force myself to hold back my anger.

"Nothing I do can fix your rotten attitude, you terrible girl!" she shouts.

Lauren and James rush over to my side. I shake my head at Lauren, begging her not to interfere. The last thing I want is for her to be punished because of my reckless words.

"Bring her." The Luna turns and walks away. A warrior grabs my wrist and drags me after her.

I do not struggle and keep pace as she leads me toward the rear of the pack grounds, muttering curses under her breath. She stops at an exterior door leading down to the basement.

I sigh inwardly.

She is locking me in the cells. I have cleaned this place countless times, but I have never been imprisoned here before. Normally I would be whipped for my mistakes, but the festival has left her with no time for that.

She grabs a lantern hanging on the wall at the top of the stairs, then we descend and turn right into the cell corridor. There are six cells in total, three of which hold prisoners. I recognize one captive — a rogue captured a few weeks ago. The other four are strangers, no doubt the war prisoners brought back from the fortress camps.

The four new men are naked, filthy and covered in fresh wounds. Two share each cell, and one of them lies motionless on the floor, seemingly unconscious. The old rogue sits alone in his cell.

"Lock her in here. I will decide her fate once the festival ends." The Luna opens the cell next to the unconscious man. The other two prisoners are in the cell across from mine, and the rogue is held in the cell beside it.

The warrior shoves me inside and slams the cell door shut.

The Luna grips the metal bars and glares down at me. "You are heartless. Losing a child is no trivial matter. I have already lost one son, and now you wish to lose another?"

I want to apologize, but I know she will only beat me if I do. I stay silent.

"If I had my way, I would leave you here to rot for the rest of your miserable life." She leans closer and mutters, "Perhaps that is exactly what I will do. Be rid of you for good."

She leaves, taking the lantern with her. The only light left comes from the corridor behind us and faint moonlight filtering through the small barred windows high on the walls.

I slide back to the far wall of the cell, sit down and pull my knees to my chest. I can feel the male prisoners’ gazes on me.

"What did you do to end up here?" a voice calls from the adjacent cell. I lift my head, but only his glinting eyes are visible in the dimness. As my eyes adjust to the dark, I notice the man who appeared unconscious on the floor is also awake, watching me.

I bury my face between my arms and knees.

How long will I be trapped here?

I have only ever come to this cellblock to clean and feed prisoners, never to be one of them.

Stupid, careless mouth.