Chapter 1: Chapter 1

"Mommy what's a mate?" my mommy looked at me in amusement.

"Well honey, you know that." She gave me a reproachful look.

Well, yeah, I already knew what a mate was. But I loved it when my mommy described what a mate was. On top of that I didn't want to go to sleep yet, I hated sleeping. Why did I have to sleep now when Mommy and Daddy could stay up?

So unfair! my wolf growled in agreement.

"All right. I'll explain one last time what a mate is." Now my mommy smiled. She had such a beautiful smile, I hoped I would smile as beautiful as Mommy. Daddy always says Mommy and I have the most adorable smiles in the whole world.

"A mate is the most beautiful thing in the whole world, the best thing that can ever happen to you. He is your other half, the half that completely complements your soul. He will adore and love you as you can only dream." , their eyes widened and they began to glow like they always did when mommy talked about mates.

"Will he treat me like a princess?" I asked excitedly, already knowing the answer. But I was always happy to hear them.

"Darling, he'll take care of you like a queen. His queen!"

"Waahh," I gushed, now sitting upright in my bed. "And how do I know who my mate is?" I asked curiously, waiting impatiently for Mommy's answer.

"Oh, you'll know from the start. When you see him you feel like you're floating on clouds, you can't take your eyes off him." She wagged her eyebrows, which made me giggle .

"It's going to feel like the happiness is literally coursing through your body, like it's Christmas when you unwrap presents, only 100 times, no, 1000 times better!" A wide grin graced my mommy's lips and she was really beaming.

"And Zaira, the best part is," she looked deep into my eyes, "that he will love you to infinity!".

I widened my eyes. Wow, to infinity.

I can't wait to meet our mate! My wolf jumped around excitedly inside me. When it comes to mate, it always comes out and I loved when I felt it inside me. However, this does not happen much, she prefers to hide and withdraw.

Mommy says it's because I'm an omega. I don't know exactly what an Omega is, but Daddy always says it makes me special and I can be proud of it.

"Now you really have to go to sleep." She tucked me in and gave me a kiss on the forehead. "Good night my little princess, have a nice dream.", snuggled up in my warm blanket, I looked up at my mommy one last time and then closed my eyes.

***

A scream jerked me awake from my sleep.

What was that?!

Confused, I looked around my room when another scream sounded and then loud noises penetrated my room, which didn't exactly sound peaceful. Fear crept into my body.

"Mommy, Daddy?!" I yelled in panic. Nothing, no answer. Curled up in my bed I yelled at them again and again and again.

Tears flow down my cheeks until suddenly the door opens and my mommy bursts in.

"Mommy? What's wrong?" My voice trembled and I let out a sob when I noticed something red and sticky on her clothes. Blood.

"Calm down Princess, Mommy is with you." She wrapped me in a hug and hugged me tightly.

"Zaira, you have to listen to me very carefully now, okay?" She broke away from me and looked at me intently.

"Okay..." I said quietly.

"Good. So honey, we were attacked by rogues.", I widened my eyes and started to cry. Mommy lifted my chin so I could look into her eyes again. "Listen dear, you must be a big girl now, okay? You're a really big, strong girl, aren't you?".

I nodded vigorously and wiped the tears from my face.

"Daddy and I will take care of the rogues here while you run ahead into the woods. run so sh-“

"What?! No, I don't want to leave you! I want to stay with you Mommy!" Tears threatened to fall again and my lips began to tremble.

"Hei hei hei." She hugged me tightly. "Mommy and Daddy will be right over there okay? You just run ahead."

"Promise?" I asked, my voice shaking.

Now there were tears in Mommy's eyes too, "I promise."

Her arms pressed me even tighter to her.

"Run into the woods. Don't look back, don't wait for anyone and no matter what, run . Run as fast as you can !"

She gently wrapped her hands around my face.

"And if anything happens, remember Zaira, your mate is out there somewhere. He will find you and save you. You are always safe with him and then everything will be fine."

"Okay..." I whispered, burying my head in her neck.

***

My legs carried me as fast as they could. My breathing was shallow and irregular, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins kept me running through the forest.

I could still hear the horrid noises, thanks to my keen senses.

Suddenly there was a shrill scream. I stopped immediately.

Mommy.

Panic spread through my body when a second, equally painful scream filled the night.

Daddy.

There was complete silence now.

"No!" I yelled and sobbed. I was about to turn to get back to Mommy and Daddy when my wolf stopped me.

No Zaira, we can't go back. You and I know for a fact that Mommy and Daddy died We heard it. She whimpered softly but still stridently. We have to keep running. Remember Mommy's words .

So I did the only thing left to do. I ran.

"Ouch!" Pain shot through my body as I tripped on a branch and fell.

I wish I could just lay here and never get up. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be with Daddy and Mommy. But I knew that I'll never be able to do this again,

my heart clenched in agony at the thought and I curled up crying on the cold floor.

"Well, who do we have here?" came a deep, dark voice that made my body tremble. It belonged to a very, very big man . Very large.

Then his mouth twisted into a cruel smile that made me flinch. "What's your name, Omega?".

I whimpered in fear.

'and no matter what happens Zaira, run. Run as fast as you can.' My mommy's voice appeared in my head.

So I did what my mommy told me and ran. I ran faster than I've ever run in my entire life. Unfortunately for me, I was painfully pulled back and caught in an iron grip.

"Oh no, little omega, you will not escape me. You stay here with me, forever."

I shouted. I screamed as loud as I could. I screamed for Mommy, for Daddy, but all I could hear was his malicious laughter, echoing through the endless forest.

With heavy breathing I opened my eyes . I haven't woken up screaming for a long time, I learned early on the consequences of this.

I slowly got up, I should get up right away and get to work. What I quickly regretted, however, because pain shot through my body immediately.

Moaning softly in agony, I pulled up my t-shirt to examine my wound, only to find my bruises and bruises were healing worse by the day.

But what great thing could I do?

Nothing at all, except praying that this day will be better than yesterday.