I had always known that being an Omega meant being different.

Not special.

Different.

In my pack, Omegas were the ones who served the stronger wolves. We prepared meals, cleaned the houses, carried messages, and stayed out of the way whenever the Alphas and Betas gathered.

No one expected anything from us.

And I had learned not to expect anything from myself either.

I was standing in the kitchen that morning, arranging breakfast on a large wooden tray, when I heard footsteps approaching from behind me.

I didn't need to turn around to know who it was.

Nike.

My heart immediately began beating faster.

I hated that it happened whenever he was near me.

Nike was one of the strongest young wolves in our pack. He was confident, respected, and admired by almost everyone. Unlike me, he had a future people actually cared about.

I had secretly admired him for years.

Sometimes, I wondered what it would feel like if someone like Nike looked at me and saw something more than an Omega.

I quickly pushed the thought away.

Dreaming was dangerous.

Especially for someone like me.

"Is breakfast ready?"

My sister's voice pulled me from my thoughts.

I turned around and nodded.

"Yes."

She walked into the kitchen, looking as perfect as ever. She had always been treated differently from me. Even though we were sisters, people rarely compared us.

She was beautiful.

She was confident.

And she was everything I was not.

"Take the tray outside," she ordered.

I lowered my eyes.

"Okay."

I picked up the tray and carried it toward the dining hall.

As I walked past Nike, our shoulders almost touched.

A strange warmth suddenly spread through my body.

I stopped.

My heart pounded.

For one brief moment, I could hear nothing except the sound of my own heartbeat.

Nike looked at me.

Our eyes met.

Something inside me stirred.

I didn't understand it, but a small part of me suddenly felt certain that something important had just happened.

Nike's expression changed too.

His eyes widened slightly before he quickly looked away.

I continued walking, trying to calm myself.

Maybe it meant nothing.

Maybe I was imagining things.

But deep inside, a tiny voice whispered something I had secretly wished to hear for years.

Mate.

My hands trembled.

Could Nike really be my mate?

I didn't dare believe it.

Not yet.

Later that morning, the pack gathered at the training grounds.

I stood at the edge of the crowd, watching the warriors train.

I usually avoided places like this. Omegas were rarely welcome among the warriors, and I didn't want to give anyone another reason to mock me.

But something kept pulling my attention toward Nike.

He stood in the middle of the training ground, sparring with another young wolf.

He was strong.

Every movement was controlled and precise.

I found myself smiling.

Then Nike suddenly stopped.

His head lifted.

His eyes found mine.

The strange sensation returned.

This time it was stronger.

My wolf stirred inside me.

A powerful warmth spread through my chest, and I instinctively took a step toward him.

Nike did the same.

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then his expression hardened.

He walked toward me.

My heart raced.

"Nike," I whispered.

He stopped in front of me.

The crowd had begun to notice us.

I swallowed nervously.

"Are you okay?"

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then he said the words that would change my life forever.

"I reject you as my mate."

Everything went silent.

My smile disappeared.

I stared at him, certain I had heard him incorrectly.

"What?"

Nike's face remained cold.

"I said I reject you."

A murmur spread through the crowd.

My chest tightened.

"But... we're mates."

"I know."

His next words hurt even more.

"I can't be with a weak Omega like you."

Someone laughed behind me.

I felt heat rush to my face.

I wanted to disappear.

I wanted the ground to open beneath my feet and swallow me whole.

Instead, I stood there while everyone watched.

Nike turned away from me as though the rejection meant nothing.

But for me, it was everything.

The tiny hope I had carried for years had been crushed in front of the entire pack.

I lowered my head, fighting the tears burning my eyes.

I had spent my whole life believing that maybe one day someone would see me differently.

Maybe one day someone would choose me.

But Nike had just reminded me of what everyone already believed.

I was an Omega.

I was weak.

And I was not worth choosing.

I turned around before anyone could see me cry.

I walked away from the crowd.

One step.

Then another.

I didn't look back.

That day, I made myself a promise.

I would never again allow myself to believe that I was meant for something more.

I didn't know then that the rejection that broke my heart would eventually become the beginning of the greatest transformation of my life.

I didn't know that fate had another mate waiting for me.

And I certainly didn't know that the man who would awaken the power hidden inside me would be the most powerful Alpha I had ever heard of.

At that moment, all I knew was that my mate had rejected me.

And I had never felt so alone.