Grandpa and Grandma lavished praise on me, calling me a good Omega. But my father remained silent, his mood dark, heavy with unspoken tension. The air thickened with an oppressive silence, stretching on until the nightfall.

       After what felt like an eternity, we finally finished preparing two hundred and fifty kilograms of meatballs. My hands were sore, fingers stiff from the repetitive work, and every movement sent pangs of discomfort through my body.

       My father slipped out to grab a pack of cigarettes, leaving me alone on the couch. Grandpa and Grandma moved into the kitchen, beginning the slow process of cooking the meatballs. I scrolled through my phone idly, glancing out at the night sky with a faint, almost bitter smile.

       Today had been a rare one, a day spent within the confines of the house. I hadn’t left for a single moment, determined to avoid any more accusations. No one would pin the blame for my stepmother’s miscarriage on me again—not if I could help it.

       But as I took a sip of water, the front door slammed open, and in staggered my supposed mate, Beta Peregrine. His steps were unsteady, one arm wrapped around my stepmother, Odessa, who was visibly pregnant now—carrying the pup of another wolf.

       The moment her eyes locked with mine, they burned with fury. Her wolf’s rage boiled over, and she shrieked, “Tempest! You heartless wretch! I’ve done nothing but show you kindness, and you’ve made me lose my pup!”

       Before I could respond, Beta Peregrine’s voice rang out, filled with bitter disappointment. “She’s right, Tempest. I never thought you could be this cruel. I’m ashamed of you. I can\'t be mated to someone like you…… The bonding is off!”

       I blinked in confusion, feigning innocence. “What are you talking about? Mom, you’re really pregnant? Since when? Why didn’t I know about this?”

       Odessa’s tears spilled over as her anger reached a fever pitch. “Don’t act like you don’t know! I told you last night that I was carrying a pup! Then this morning, you tricked me into going to the market for discounted eggs, knowing it would be crowded. You made sure I was pushed around until I miscarried!”

       She sobbed bitterly. “I nearly died in the hospital, and here you are acting like you have no idea what happened!”

       “How could you do this to me, Tempest? We’re supposed to support each other, as women! But you…… you have no heart!” she screamed, her voice rising higher with every word.

       Our Pack still lived in the old courtyard house, despite the modern apartment we owned in the city. Tradition, they called it, and Grandpa was insistent on keeping the old ways alive.

       Tonight, being the night before the Full Moon, the Pack had gathered outside, some building snowmen, others lighting fireworks. Their curiosity got the better of them when they heard Odessa’s screams, and they began to gather outside our door, eager for drama.

       Odessa, always the drama queen, stood in the doorway, making sure to shout her accusations loud enough for everyone to hear.

       The Pack members, hearing her words, turned their eyes to me—those eyes filled with suspicion and wolfish judgment.

       “I always thought Tempest was such a sweet Omega. Who knew she had such a dark side?”

       “Looks can be deceiving. We’ve seen her grow up, but we never knew what she was capable of.”

       One older Omega shook her head in disbelief. “I’m warning my family. No one is safe around her. I don’t know what she might do to my pack one day.”

       Others chimed in, their voices growing louder in agreement. “Keep her away from our pups. She’s dangerous.”

       Tears welled up in my eyes, but not the helpless kind I once knew. No, these tears were different—this time, they were born of something else entirely. Excitement.

       Odessa, assuming my tears were those of guilt, became even more theatrical, painting me as the villain in front of the Pack.

       Meanwhile, my supposed mate, Beta Peregrine, didn’t even give me the chance to explain. With a rough grip, he yanked my arm, forcing me to kneel in front of Odessa.

       “You’ve not only disrespected your stepmother, but you’ve also caused her to lose her pup!” he shouted, his voice cold. “You will apologize to her. You will make things right.”

       “As an Omega, your duty is to obey your father, and once mated, to obey your mate. It is my responsibility to teach you a lesson,” he added, his grip tightening.

       With a cruel jerk, he grabbed my hair, forcing my head to bow. Again and again, he made me lower my head, pushing me down with force until my forehead hit the floor with sickening thuds.

       Blood trickled down my face, but Peregrine didn’t even glance at it. No, he pressed on, relentless.

       “An apology isn’t enough to make up for the loss of a pup,” he declared coldly. “There must be compensation.”

       “Tempest,” he said, “hand over your year-end bonus for your stepmother’s nutritional supplements. And sign over your apartment to her, so she has a proper place to recover.”