Omega's Christmas Ball

Cursed Beast

River had wandered so far from the ballroom that she no longer heard the faint echoes of music and laughter. Lost in her thoughts, she replayed the events of the evening, the humiliation, the heartbreak, and the hollow sense of exhaustion. When she finally looked around, her heart sank. She had no idea where she was… again.

Sighing, she turned to retrace her steps. But before she could take a single step, her breath caught in her throat, her entire body freezing in place.

Just a few feet in front of her stood a massive, terrifying creature, an enormous black wolf-like beast. Its glowing silver eyes bore into her, and it growled menacingly, baring sharp, lethal teeth. The sound rumbled deep and guttural, vibrating through the air with deadly intent. She saw wolves in her life, but even Alpha Taylor would look like a puppy next to this beast.

For a moment, River thought her soul had left her body. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think. All she could do was stand there, paralyzed by fear. In her entire existence, she had never faced anything as horrifying as the beast before her.

Her pulse pounded in her ears, and as the creature crouched low, its aggression escalating, becoming unhinged, she realized there was no escape. No chance to run. No way to defend herself. The beast would tear her apart before she could even scream.

Her breathing came in shallow, panicked gasps, but then something shifted inside her. Her terror gave way to a strange calm, a weary resignation. Maybe this was her fate. Maybe this was how the Moon Goddess decided to end her suffering.

She closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep, trembling breath.

Maybe this is my escape. Maybe this is the mercy I’ve been waiting for.

She thought of her parents and felt a pang of sadness. They would grieve her loss. But then she thought of Isabelle and Damon, and her lips curled into a bitter smile. They wouldn’t care. If anything, her absence would make their lives easier.

Opening her eyes, she stared straight into the beast’s glowing silver gaze, raising her trembling hands out to her sides in surrender. “Go ahead,” she said, her voice quiet but steady. “But make it quick.”

The beast tilted its massive head, its growl softening, as if her reaction had caught it off guard. They stared at each other, time stretching and bending. River didn’t move, her heart pounding so loudly she was sure it could hear.

Then the beast stepped toward her. She flinched as she closed her eyes, but stood her ground, waiting for the inevitable.

But instead of sharp teeth sinking into her flesh, she heard the unsettling crackle of bones shifting. The sound sent chills racing down her spine. Her breathing hitched as she sensed a strong, imposing presence near her.

And then came the voice, a deep, guttural growl that sent shivers straight through her, as she realised that it was the inner beast speaking.

“Do you want to die?”

River’s body trembled as the voice’s question echoed around her. She was too terrified to respond.

“I asked you something,” the voice boomed again, more forcefully this time.

She jumped, her voice a shaky whisper as she replied, “I... I don’t know.”

The beast, or rather, the figure standing before her, growled again, the sound low and dangerous. “Hmm,” it rumbled. Then it asked a strange question, one that left her reeling.

“Are you spoken for?”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I don’t…”

“Do you have a fated or chosen mate?” the voice interrupted impatiently, the words almost snarled.

River blinked, taken aback. The question was so unexpected that it didn’t register at first.

“No,” she finally whispered. “My fated died before I had the chance to meet him. And... chosen...” Her voice cracked, choking on the word. “There is no one.”

Tears welled in her eyes, and she let them fall as she dared to open her eyes fully.

What she saw stole her breath.

Standing before her was not the beast but the man she had encountered earlier. His enormous, naked frame loomed over her, his broad, muscular chest rising and falling with each steady breath. Dark, slightly curly hair dusted his chest, and his skin glistened faintly in the moonlight.

Her gaze traveled upward, and her breath hitched. The sharp, chiseled features, the piercing dark eyes, and that serious expression, it was him. The rude, infuriating Alpha who had offended her earlier and then reluctantly helped her.

“It’s you,” she managed to say, her voice barely audible, her cheeks burning with flustered embarrassment, realising that he was standing fully naked in front of her.

The man’s lips curled into a smirk, his dimples appearing even in the dim light. “You sound surprised,” he drawled, his voice a mixture of amusement and something darker.

River swallowed hard, her heart hammering in her chest. “I... I didn’t know...”

“That I was the beast?” he finished for her, his smirk fading into a serious expression. “And yet, you still didn’t run. You accepted death instead.”

“I thought...” River’s voice faltered, her trembling legs barely holding her up. “I thought it was my fate.”

His dark eyes studied her intently, and for a moment, silence stretched between them. Then he took a step closer, his massive frame towering over her.

“You’re not fated to die,” he said, his voice low and firm. “Not tonight. Not like this.”

River’s confusion only deepened when the stranger spoke again, his voice low and chilling.

“Maybe it would have been better if you’d died,” he said with unsettling calm, “than to face what waits for you in the future.”

She stared at him, utterly bewildered. “I don’t understand your words...”

But he cut her off, his tone sharp with impatience. “The entire night, you'd been playing with fire, little girl, and now you’re about to get burned. Return to the ballroom. The night isn’t over yet. Someone might still select you as their mate.”

River felt the sting of his words, her emotions bubbling over. “I really doubt that,” she snapped, the bitterness in her voice impossible to hide. “And I’m done with mates.”

The stranger smirked, an ironic twist of his lips that only made her feel smaller. “Return now. Or don’t you know it’s disrespectful to miss the king’s ending speech?” His tone turned mocking as he added, “You’re quite rebellious for an omega.”

She shook her head, frustration and confusion swirling together. “I didn’t know...”

“What is your name?” he interrupted, his tone demanding and cold.

River hesitated, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. The weight of his question was heavy, and she could sense that revealing her name could mean trouble. Still, she couldn’t deny him. Swallowing hard, she answered, “River Smith.”

The stranger’s intense gaze locked onto her. “Return now,” he ordered, his voice a menacing growl. “As I just told you, you wouldn’t like it if my beast came hunting for you.”

A shiver ran down her spine, and without another word, she turned on her heel and rushed back toward the ballroom. Her heart thundered in her chest, each beat a sharp reminder of how close she had come to death tonight. Her legs felt weak beneath her, and her mind spun with everything she’d endured.

Oh, Moon Goddess... help me... she prayed silently as she slipped through the ballroom doors.

Once inside, she paused to take a long, shuddering breath of relief. She scanned the room quickly and spotted Luna Cara and Alpha Taylor near the edge of the crowd. The sight of her pack members gave her a small measure of comfort, even as the weight of the evening threatened to crush her. She’d had more adventures in one night than she’d had in her entire 25 years of life.

But her relief was short-lived.

The king cleared his throat, and the entire room fell silent as he addressed the crowd.

“I have one more important announcement to make,” the king declared, his deep voice commanding everyone’s attention.

“My son, Prince Heiko Nightshade, has decided to also select a chosen mate tonight,” the king continued. “I request all unmated girls to align again.”

The announcement sent shockwaves through the crowd. A collective shiver of unease rippled through the ballroom.

Everyone had heard of Prince Heiko, the king and queen’s only child. Years ago, he famously relinquished his role as crown prince to his cousin, Prince Thas.

The reason? A supposed curse, known only to the royal family. Despite this mystery, Prince Heiko was infamous for his blood lust and terrifying strength, being feared and respected everywhere. He was the only person you did not want to cross, even worse than the King himself.

River felt the tension in the room skyrocket as the unmated girls reluctantly moved to align themselves once more. She found herself in the line again, her heart hammering as dread settled in her stomach like a stone.

A heavy, suffocating aura filled the room, growing stronger with each passing moment. Everyone fell silent, the weight of it pressing down on them like a physical force.

River kept her eyes on the ground similar to last time, unwilling to lift them even as the sound of deliberate, heavy footsteps echoed through the ballroom. The steps grew louder, closer, until finally, they stopped in front of her.

A black, polished pair of shoes stood just inches away.

Her breath caught in her throat, her heart thudding painfully.

No... not again, she thought. Surely not me. What are the odds tonight to stay next to the future Princesses?

But her blood froze in her veins when she heard her name called in a deep, familiar voice, “River.”