Chapter 3 Too Many Omegas

• Lyra’s POV
• “Hey! Why are you standing there?”
• I stiffened and turned to see Elder Mordecai glaring at me. His wrinkled face twisted in irritation as he strode closer, his long robes flowing around his feet.
• “Since you’re of no use standing around, you and the rest of the omegas should start packing up the dirty dishes. The mating ceremony will be over soon,” he barked.
• I nodded quickly and hurried off without a word. It wasn’t worth arguing. Omegas had no place questioning orders.
• Moments later, Elder Mordecai walked into our omegas chamber, flanked by several guards. We all knew that when Mordecai came like this, it was never for something good.
• His eyes swept over us, then he sneered. “We have too many omegas in the Pack,” he announced. “All you do is eat and waste space. It’s time to get rid of some of the useless ones.”
• No one dared to speak. We all knew what he meant. He had done this before, selling off omegas to merchants like livestock.
• “Take them,” he ordered, and the guards moved swiftly, yanking some of us forward. I was among them. My stomach twisted, but I didn’t resist. Resistance only brought worse punishment.
• We were shoved out into the cold evening, lined up like cattle waiting to be sold. Our heads remained bowed, as was expected. The merchant, a plump man, walked down the line, examining each of us, his fingers gripping our chins, assessing bodies like one who wants to be sure of the goods he is paying for.
• I kept my head low as he reached me, barely breathing as his gaze fell on me. Just as he opened his mouth to bargain my price, a deep, authoritative voice cut through.
• “What the hell is going on here?”
• A chill ran down my spine. I knew that voice. Everyone did, it was Alpha Kieran.
• Mordecai flinched beside me. The merchant immediately straightened, looking uncertain. Heavy footsteps approached, stopping right before me. I still didn’t raise my head, but I could feel the weight of the Alpha’s presence, the sheer dominance rolling off him.
• “Who gave you permission to sell my omegas?” Kieran’s voice was laced with barely restrained fury. He met my gaze and it lasted for some seconds before turning to elder Mordecai.
• Elder Mordecai stammered, “Alpha, I…I thought…”
• “You thought wrong,” Kieran cut him off sharply. “I was never informed of this.” His voice was like ice, his anger barely contained. “How long has this been going on?”
• Mordecai stayed silent.
• I dared a glance upward, just for a second.
• Kieran Darkmoor stood before me, towering, his eyes burning with rage.
• Just then, Lord Ulric Duskbane, the Council Member and the Pack’s financial head, approached.
• Kieran’s voice rang out again, sharp and unrelenting. “How long has this been going on?”
• No one dared to answer. Kieran’s eyes then swept everyone but none of the omegas dared to speak and then finally, he turned to Lord Ulric.
• Ulric didn’t flinch.
• “I was never aware,” he lied. Someone who had grown rich by selling omegas to other Packs with the help of Elder Mordecai now suddenly wasn’t aware?
• “Never aware?” His voice dripped with disbelief.
• Ulric straightened. “Yes, Alpha. If there were any irregularities, they were hidden from me as well.”
• The omegas exchanged wary glances, though none of us dared to challenge Ulric outright.
• On the other hand, Lord Mordecai, the council’s head, had lost all ways to defend himself. He stood there, shoulders hunched, eyes pleading.
• “Alpha Kieran, please. This… this is a misunderstanding.”
• Kieran didn’t even look at him.
• Lord Mordecai’s hands trembled at his sides. “I only did what I thought was best for the Pack.”
• “You lined your pockets with the Pack’s wealth and called it what was best?” Kieran’s voice was deceptively cold.
• Mordecai took a stumbling step forward. “Alpha…”
• “Enough.” Kieran’s command was absolute.
• Silence stretched among us.
• Mordecai continued to plead. “Please, forgive me Alpha. I don’t want to be punished.”
• “You should have thought about it.”
• Kieran stepped forward, towering over him, his eyes burning with contempt. “You are hereby suspended from your position as the head of the Pack council.”
• Mordecai’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Even Ulric, who had moments ago denied involvement, made no move to intervene.
• With that, Kieran turned on his heel and left. For a long moment, no one spoke.
• “Why are you staring? Take them back inside.”
• Mordecai’s voice cut through and immediately, the guards tightened their grips on our arms, dragging us back through the heavy wooden doors of the Pack house.
• Mordecai followed closely behind. When we reached the center of the room, he motioned for the guards to let go. His eyes bore into us.
• “Listen carefully,” he said, “None of you will say a word to Alpha Kieran about what happened. Do you understand?”
• I forced myself to hold his gaze.
• “If any of you disobey me,” he continued, “I won’t hesitate to make an example out of you. It would cost me nothing to take a life and perhaps even less to lie to the Alpha about it. Do you really think he would question me?”
• A shiver ran down my spine. I believed him. Mordecai had done it before.
• Months ago, a woman had evidence of Mordecai stealing from the Pack’s supplies. She had planned to report it to Alpha Kieran, but she never got the chance.
• The next morning after she told me how she caught mordecai stealing, her dead body was found on the outskirts of the territory.
• Mordecai had been the first to inform Kieran, spinning the story of rogue attacks, saying the woman died through the rogue attack and Kieran believed him.
• The truth was buried with the woman and I.
• Now, standing here, I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to do the same to any of us.
• “Do I make myself clear?” His voice was low and dangerous.
• I swallowed hard and nodded. Others nodded too.
• “Good,” he said, “Now get out of my sight.”