Savage Fate: Sold to the Cold-Hearted Alpha

There was nothing worse than losing one's family on the day of your own birthday. The irony gnawed at Tanya every year, a cruel reminder that always seemed to knock at her door. And when it did, it delivered a harsh slap, an unwelcome intruder she could never avoid.

Tanya believed she was the root of all her misfortunes. She remembered the loss of the Connelly farmhouse when her mother discovered she was pregnant with her, her father's death during her birth, her mother's worsening illness, and now, her mother's death just as she turned eighteen.

It all felt like her fault, the consequence of being an omega born out of an accident.

At first, Tanya refused to believe her birth was the cause of such bad luck. Her mother had always told her she was special, that being an omega didn't make her an evil harbinger of misfortune. Rather, she would say Tanya was a blessing in disguise, the most wonderful gift she had received from the heavens. But when her mother passed away, Tanya began to realize that maybe her mother had only been trying to console her.

Fate had always been cruel to her for some reason she never understood.

All Tanya knew was that her existence seemed to be the opposite of a blessing. The reminders came harsher each time, knocking her to the ground, emphasizing that her birth was a curse.

With both parents gone, Tanya's heart felt hollow, unsure of how it would continue beating or for whom.

"Tanya! How long are you going to make us wait? I need my juice now!" Danica, the only daughter of the Alpha of the pack, yelled from the second floor.

When Tanya was brought here two years ago, she thought this main house was one of the most beautiful places she had ever seen. Coming from a farm, the large pack house was a new and impressive sight. Initially, she was treated well and even had a bedroom downstairs.

However, after making a mistake, she was punished and sent to live in the shed in the backyard. Tanya tried to change their minds, but eventually, she accepted that nothing would improve. Over time, their treatment of her worsened, and she soon found herself working as a servant in the main house.

"These are the consequences of being an omega without a wolf," she recalled someone telling her once.

Tanya gripped the tray she carried and prepared a drink for Danica. Of her three cousins, Alpha Princess Danica was the least cruel. Her requests were usually minor, like asking for drinks and food, unlike the other two, who found more inventive ways to bully Tanya.

Trying to console herself with these thoughts, Tanya headed upstairs with a tray of snacks and juice in her hands. She knocked softly on Danica's door. "Here's your juice, Danica."

Twirling her hair between her fingers, the alpha princess of the pack glanced up from her magazine and motioned for Tanya to place the tray on the table next to her bed.

"My boyfriend is coming soon, so you better clean my room fast. If I see a single speck of dirt, you know what will happen, right?" she said, flipping the pages casually.

At the mention of her boyfriend, Tanya felt a cold chill run through her body.

"Are you deaf or what? Go clean my room now!" Danica demanded, her voice irritated.

"I-I understand," Tanya responded, avoiding Danica's gaze as she tried to remain calm.

Danica might have been the least cruel of her cousins, but her boyfriend, Jethro, was one of Tanya's greatest nightmares.

Trying not to tremble, Tanya grabbed the cleaning tools and began to clean Danica's princess-themed bedroom as quickly as she could. Her fear of Jethro outweighed her dislike for Danica, driving her to clean faster than usual.

Just as she finished and headed downstairs, reality struck a cruel blow. A tall, handsome man appeared before her.

"My, my, isn't it our sweet Tanya?" The mocking voice of Danica's older brother, Archer, pierced through the hallway.

Tanya kept her head low, trying to ignore Archer as she walked ahead. As expected, he didn't let her go, grabbing her arm with a vice-like grip.

Looking up, Tanya pleaded, "A-Archer... please let me go..."

Archer raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "Let you go? Why would I do that?"

Tanya's heart raced. Danica's boyfriend could arrive any moment, and she needed to hide in the shed as quickly as possible.

Seeing her tremble, Archer's eyes glinted with a sinister red hue. "Why are you trembling? Are you scared of something?" His grip tightened, and he pulled her closer. "What? You're not going to tell me? You're hiding things from me now?"

Pain shot through Tanya's arm, but she couldn't pull away. Of her three cousins, Archer, the 21-year-old alpha prince of the pack, was the most mischievous and cruel. Watching Tanya suffer and cower in fear thrilled him more than anything.

"I-It's not like that... but please, let me go!" Tanya begged, her eyes darting to the clock. She couldn't let Jethro see her like this.

"What's going on here?" Another voice demanded, drawing their attention.

Alpha Prince Jakob, the 25-year-old alpha prince of the pack and eldest child of the Alpha, glared at Tanya and Archer as if ready to cut them down on the spot.

Archer reluctantly released Tanya's arm with a snicker. Irritation etched on his face, he openly declared, "This brat is hiding things from us."

"Hiding things?" Jakob's gaze bored into Tanya, landing on the visible handprint on her arm. "Are you really hiding something from us, Tanya?"

Tanya swallowed hard. Jakob rarely used such a domineering tone unless he was truly angry. While Archer was wicked for his own amusement, Jakob was cunning and devilish, using his intelligence to make others suffer. He was the person Tanya most feared in this household.

"N-No... I r-really just need to do something," Tanya stammered, desperately trying to conceal her intentions.

"Really? You know nothing can be hidden from us, right?" Jakob's eyes drilled into hers, his words a clear threat. Tanya knew he meant every syllable.

Lowering her head, Tanya nodded. "Y-Yes..."

Jakob stared at her for a moment before dismissing her with a stern warning. "Mother and father won't be around for a month. If you want to live in peace, you better not do anything disgraceful or embarrassing."

Finally released, Tanya hurried to the shed in the backyard. She managed to enter and lock the door just in time, letting out a sigh of relief.

Jethro, Danica's boyfriend, had once been Tanya's best friend. She had treated him like a brother, and he had treated her like a sister. But after her mother's death, Jethro revealed his true colors. Compared to her cousins, Jethro was the epitome of evil.

His betrayal, right after her mother's death, was the worst event of Tanya's life. Jethro was the worst thing that had ever happened to her.

Clenching her fists, Tanya shook her head, trying to dispel the haunting memories. But before she could fully relax, her heart sank at the sound of a knock on the door.

"Tanya? Are you here? Open the door."

Trembling, Tanya stared at the closed door. The voice belonged to the one person she refused to see—the despicable man, Danica's boyfriend – Jethro.

"Open the door... Or do you want your cousins to know what happened two years ago?" Jethro taunted.

"No! Please don't tell them!" Tanya screamed, her voice breaking with desperation.

"Then open the door," Jethro demanded, all traces of humor gone from his tone.

With a pale face and trembling hands, Tanya held her breath as she slowly reached for the doorknob. If she opened the door, Jethro would torment her again. If she didn't, he would reveal her secrets to those devils...

But would it matter? In the end, nobody would side with her. They always told her she was cursed, the cause of her family's demise.

"Then tell them..." Tanya whispered.

On the other side of the door, Jethro, with his handsome face and predator's eyes, frowned. "What did you say?"

"I said tell them! Go ahead and tell them what happened! I don't care anymore!" Tanya shouted, her body shaking uncontrollably. The cold air seemed to pierce her skin, and her heart pounded with fear. Why did everyone treat her this way? What had she done to deserve such cruelty?

"You're going to regret this, Tanya," Jethro hissed, his face contorted with frustration. With a loud huff, he turned and stormed back into the Connelly residence.

"Where have you been? I was looking for you everywhere! I thought you left without telling me again, like last time," Danica pouted, her eyes welling up with fresh tears.

Jethro reached out, gently caressing her hand. "Come on, don't be like this. I already told you, that other time was an emergency. I just went outside to catch some fresh air. It's too stuffy here. You know I'm a beta; your brothers' pheromones are too much for me..."

"Is that really the reason?" Danica looked up, her anxiety melting away at the sight of her lover's handsome face. "Okay, I'll tell them not to spread too much of their pheromones. In return, please don't leave my side again. Okay?" she said, her eyes twinkling as she wrapped her arms around Jethro's arm.

Jethro smiled again, "Of course, baby. I'll follow every word you say."

Danica finally smiled, a satisfied sigh escaping her pouty lips.

Deep inside, Jethro wanted to punch something. How could Tanya refuse to see him as if he was nothing? He knew everything about her—her secrets, even her powers...

Clenching his teeth, Jethro silently plotted. He absolutely must get Tanya back under his control. By doing this, he would become the most powerful. He might even become an alpha and rule the land!

The thought of standing at the apex of his life, ruling over everyone and crushing any opposition, made his heart pound with excitement.

"Darling, are you that happy to see me? Do you love me that much?" Danica asked, obviously pleased as she caught the loud pounding of Jethro's heart. Her eyes were full of love and affection.

To please her, Jethro kissed her forehead. "Of course. You're the only one I want to see. Naturally, my heart is like this because of you."

The couple exchanged smiles before leaning in to kiss each other.

Upstairs, by the window, another figure watched his sister and her lover near the entrance of the house.

"Alpha Prince, you've called for me. Do you need anything?" a maid greeted him from the doorway.

Jakob didn't turn around as he uttered in a low voice, "Watch that man and find out what he's doing near the shed."

The maid bowed respectfully. "Yes, Alpha Prince."

It was obvious Jethro wasn't an ordinary boyfriend. Suspiciously, he had gone near the shed "by accident" more than three times since visiting the mansion. With his heightened senses, Jakob was quick to notice.

Apparently, Jethro wanted to see Tanya. But why? Jakob didn't know yet.

Jakob's eyes moved to his sister, who was smiling from ear to ear while walking with her boyfriend. Danica was an airhead. Archer, on the other hand, was too playful for his own good. If anyone tried to cause any trouble in the pack, Jakob wouldn't let them off easily. He wouldn't hesitate to use violence if necessary.

His eyes shifted to the path leading to the shed, a sense of unease creeping in. Tanya... Was she hiding something after all?

The thought made Jakob uncomfortable. Unaware of why, his eyes began to change color, his hand clenching in the shadows.

Tanya couldn't hide anything. Anyone else could, but not Tanya.

No matter what, Jakob wouldn't allow it.

Later that evening, Archer was passing by the garden when he heard an unusual sound coming from the shed. Curious, he approached the door and was about to open it when a voice came from behind.

"A-Archer... What are you doing here?" Tanya asked.

Archer turned around, his gaze piercing. "I could ask you the same thing. Just what are you doing outside? Did you sneak out? Or are you hiding something?"

Tanya swallowed hard. She had anticipated Archer passing by at this time; he always took his night walks past nine o'clock. Trying her best not to show any fear, Tanya looked sideways and muttered in a low voice, "I didn’t, and I'm not hiding anything..."

"Really?" Archer's eyes scanned Tanya from head to toe, his scrutiny intense.

"Y-Yes," Tanya replied, cold sweat beginning to form on her brow.

"Alright," Archer said, much to Tanya's surprise. Oddly enough, he turned around and headed back towards the house.

Tanya was about to let out a sigh of relief as she touched the doorknob and opened the door. But in a swift movement, Archer slipped past her and entered the shed.

Before Tanya could react, Archer entered. Her eyes locked onto a visible tuft of fur peeking from behind the bed. He quickly grabbed it, lifting a small puppy into the air. "So, you're hiding this thing here? Wow, how bold of you, Tanya. Do Father and Mother know you're keeping an outsider here? Since when did you start..."

"No! Let him go!" Tanya exclaimed, her eyes filled with panic as she watched the puppy squirm in Archer's grasp, its legs kicking frantically and barking in distress.

"A-Archer, please!" Tanya cried, rushing forward and grabbing Archer's arm, pulling and pleading desperately.

Archer looked down at Tanya's tear-streaked face, a snicker forming on his lips. Before he could speak, his eyes widened as he felt a sudden push, causing him to stumble onto the bed and release the puppy from his grip.

"What the fuck..." Archer growled, struggling to regain his balance.

"I..." Tanya whispered, her voice barely audible. Archer stared in stunned silence as he found Tanya hovering over him, panting and covering her face. She seemed to be trying to say something but found it hard to speak.

Archer looked at Tanya, feeling a sudden heat rising within him. The temperature seemed to spike, and time itself felt like it had slowed. An unidentified desire and thirst began to emerge from the depths of his blood and body, confusing and overwhelming him.

The shed's air grew thick with tension, the dim light casting shadows on Tanya's anguished face. Her breaths came in quick, shallow bursts, and her body trembled as she struggled to find words.

"Are you nuts? What the hell–" Archer's words trailed off, his eyes widening in surprise as he felt his blood beginning to throb. A sweet, luscious scent began to waft through the air, hitting every nerve and numbing Archer’s senses.

Tanya, with eyes turning into something nobody had seen before, suddenly bit her arm. Blood trickled down her smooth, porcelain skin as she staggered to her feet and moved towards the exit.

Yet, before she could even reach the door, Archer blocked her, his eyes full of madness and overflowing lust. “Where the hell are you going?”

The crazed look Tanya had seen numerous times before sent shivers down her spine, making her shudder in horror.

“Don’t touch me…!” She exclaimed through clenched teeth, trying to collect herself and push forward.

But full-blooded alphas were just too strong and powerful. In the end, Tanya found herself captured by Archer.

He grabbed her and pulled her back, growling and muttering dangerously, “You’re not going anywhere, Tanya.”