Chapter 4 The Public Divorce

Mira's POV

When I wake up, my body feels like stones. My head hurts so much that I can hardly open my eyes. My stomach turns, and my skin feels hot and sticky. My name is Mira, and I'm supposed to be quiet and humble because I'm the Omega in this big castle. But I have a problem. I keep hearing that menacing rumble and seeing those gleaming eyes outside my window. Last night, I noticed that the shadow had blood in its mouth. I didn't get much sleep after that.

I pull at my frayed garments with shaking hands. I don't have the strength to brush my silver hair, no matter how messy it is. I want to stay in bed, but I can't. If I don't work, Lila will yell and Dane will be upset. Dane, my Alpha husband, no longer pretends to love me. I take a deep breath and head for the kitchen, my legs as wobbly as a baby bird's.

The kitchen is filled with the sound of pots crashing against one another. As Lila stirs soup, her face is red and sweaty. She yells, "Mira! You're running late again!" Her piercing eyes seem to be trying to bite me. I nod and accept a basket of bread. My hands feel weak, and the basket is heavy. I drop a loaf, and it hits the ground.

Lila grabs my arm. She shouts, "Stupid girl!" "You're causing chaos!" Her fingers dig into my skin, and I wince. As I dust off the bread, my cheeks are burning. I want to apologize, but my throat feels tight. My head spins, and I hold onto the table to keep myself upright.

Tora, the gray-haired senior wolf, is chopping vegetables. She looks at me and frowns. "Mira, you look so pale," she says. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright," I mumble, but my voice is tremulous. I don't want people to know that I'm sick. After they tell him, Dane will be more antagonistic towards me. I keep working, cutting bread with a knife that feels too big. My hands trembled and I cut my finger. The table has a tiny drop of blood on it. In the hopes Lila won't notice, I hastily conceal it.

After the bread, I carry a tray of cups into the great hall. My arms are so exhausted that I can hardly raise them. In the hall, wolves are laughing and eating. Dane sits at the head table, his brown hair gleaming in the sunlight. Selina stands next to him, dressed in a fiery red outfit. She's smiling and her hand is back on his arm. When I see someone, I feel like my stomach is being squeezed.

I set the tray down, being careful not to spill. I want Dane to look at me and say something nice, but he doesn't. "Mira," he adds coldly. "These cups are dirty. Can't you do anything right?

My face is on fire. "I'm sorry," I mumble. My voice is so small that I can hardly hear it.

Selina laughs, her eyes a nasty blue. "Dane, she's not good for you," she says. "An Alpha needs a strong partner, not this weak thing." The other wolves are also laughing loudly, and I can hear it. I look at Dane, hoping he'll say something to stop them, but he just shakes his head.

"Go wipe the mugs," he says. "Don't go back until they're perfect."

I tremble so badly that a cup breaks on the floor as I nod and pick up the tray. The hall falls silent, and everyone watches. My heart thuds and my eyes burn with tears. My fingers are clumsy, so I cut my hand while kneeling to pick up the pieces. Blood drips from the stone floor.

"Enough!" Dane shouts. His voice is so loud that I freeze when he speaks. He stands up, his grey eyes hard as a storm. "Mira, you're embarrassing me in front of the pack. Rise.

I stand with unsteady legs. My hand hurts and blood runs down my fingers. I want to run, but I can't. As the whole pack watches, Selina is beaming as if she's won something.

Dane comes over, looking angry. You are unfit to be his partner, he says. You're weak, Mira. You are nothing. His words are like a smack, and they make my chest tighten. I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out.

Selina stands up, her crimson hair shining. "Dane is correct," she says. "An Alpha needs a strong person, not an Omega who can't hold a platter." The group's cheers are hurting my ears. I expect Dane to deny it as I look at him, but he doesn't.

Instead, he turns to face the pack. "I have finished with her," he says. "Mira is no longer my partner. I am currently divorcing her. The words cut like a knife through my heart. Selina claps with a wide, piercing smile as the audience bursts into cheers.

My breathing is difficult. I did nothing to stop the tears that filled my eyes. "Dane," I murmur, but he doesn't listen. He turns to Selina, who holds his hand. I feel like I'm vanishing as the pack keeps cheering.

Dane says quietly, "Get out." "Leave the castle. This is not the place for you.

I stumble back, my legs shaking. My stomach is twisting so much and my brain is spinning so much that I feel like I'm going to fall. When I drop the tray, more cups break. The group laughs as someone throws a piece of bread at me. When it hits my shoulder, I wince.

I run out of the hallway, my bare feet slapping the cold floor. I stutter and fall heavily to my knees, my eyes watering. I get up and keep jogging despite the pain. I grab my blanket, the only thing I own, as soon as I get to my room. My body feels hot and cold all at once, and my head hurts so much that I can't think.

I hear footsteps behind me. It's Tor, the giant wolf. "You heard the Alpha, Mira," he says. " Proceed. Now. He has a horrible voice and steely eyes. Grabbing my arm, he pulls me towards the castle gate.

The wind is stinging my skin, and it's cold outside tonight. I'm still wearing my cheap dress, and my feet are bare. Tor pushes me through, and the gate slams behind me. I stand alone on the dirt path. The castle looks big and scary, like it's mocking me.

My legs give out and I fall to the ground. My head is pounding and my stomach feels like it's breaking. I'm tired and everything hurts. Dane used to hold my hand, I recall. He suddenly hates me, and I don't know why. I cry until my throat aches.

Then I hear the rumble. It comes from the dark forest and is low and deep. My heart stops. The shadow with the eyes like fire is back when I look up. It's nearer now, standing at the edge of the trees. The bleeding object is no longer in its mouth, but something else seems strange. It is holding a piece of fabric, my dress, torn when I fell. It lifts its head in a howl that makes my blood freeze. Then it starts to go towards me.