Chapter 3: First Love

Layne Ember is an adopted of the NightShade pack. Mater Cora the head Omega found her one day, and because of that she automatically assumed the rank of an Omega. The female Omega in their pack is born with two duties: to become the slave of the Alpha and the Alpha's family or to be a farm laborer, while the Omega males automatically serve those in the higher ranks.

In the NightShade pack, it's a horror to be a female Omega. You are without dreams or freedom. You live your life for the Alpha's comfort, and it would be a nightmare if the Alpha were merciless. Ember never wanted this kind of life, but she heard that the system of all werewolf packs is like this, so she doesn't have a choice. She's caught in this tiring life of being a female Omega in the NightShade pack.

Before she used to dream of becoming a Luna to the Alpha, thinking it would save her from her distressing pack status, but then a group of wolves always taunted her, slapping her face about how no one would like her and that even a lowly male wolf would not choose her. How could it not? She's perhaps even lower than an Omega. Perhaps when the universe showered with bad luck, she caught all of them.

She's an ugly orphan, Omega. That's how she thought of herself because that's what they told her. Yeah, how could she not be ugly with this freaky scar she has?

In the NightShade pack, being an orphan is a disgrace. It comes along with the impression of being unwanted, unloved, and unlucky. That image of hers intensifies even more because of this obvious scar on the right side of her neck, a vein-like scar that goes down to her arms.

She can't even wear a short-sleeved shirt because of this. It's a good thing that, as a vet Famer she would always wear long sleeves and overalls. She rarely ties her hair up. She doesn't want to expose her scar.

'How's Ember?' That question doesn't sound concerned, but gossipy.

'Are you now dating?' one of the men asked Jayden. And the entire group laughs.

'Make sure you bring home the trophy, dude!' said the other. And the group cheered wildly.

Jayden just shook his head. If not for the initiation into this Alpha Club, he wouldn't be getting near that girl. He couldn't imagine the patience he was exerting every time he came near her.

First, he doesn't like women. He finds them attractive but he swears not to commit to any woman! Second, that Omega wolf is ugly. He hates women of all types, but he hates Ember more! She is always crying and weak and useless.

Female wolves like her are the reason why their job as Alphas is difficult. They've got more weak, useless wolves in the pack to take care of. But getting into this club is his dream. His father would be proud of him if he got into the Alpha Club. So, he needs to close his eyes and swallow all those that irritate him.

He is Jayden Luca. He is known to be the heartthrob alpha of the Crystal Blood pack. He's the heir to the alpha throne. He's the kind of guy whose charm always stands out even without him trying. Yet, he's choosy when it comes to women, perhaps it's because of his misogynistic personality.

'So..what dude?' his friends asked again.

Jayden frowned. "Not yet," he replied.

'What?'

'But...getting there," he said, smiling.

Jayden remembers asking his beta to spy on Ember, to know her daily routine, and everything else so he could study how he could make his task easy. What actually happened on selection night was his plan. He intended to save her. Jayden is certain that a damsel in distress like her easily falls for a savior type of guy. And that night, he was that guy. Now, his next step is to arrange their next meeting.

After learning that Jayden had saved Ember, Mater Cora invited him for breakfast. Jayden wants to get close to Ember, so he accepts the invitation. He was a bit surprised when he arrived at the farm. He expected that it would be just Ember and Mater Cora; he didn't know that breakfast with Omegas on the farm would be a different experience. The other laborers were present. They were happily chatting when he arrived until his presence made them uncomfortable.

Jayden smiled at them. They greeted him and offered him a seat. He must admit that they were nice and hospitable. He glanced around, observing the surroundings. He couldn't imagine how these lowly wolves would settle for a meal like this.

His eyes trailed at the shabby tables with a checkered cloth mat under the shade of trees, then to the simple meals, and to the Omegas working suits. The ambiance was light and nice. He must admit. And it made him wonder how these lowly wolves seemed happy despite the mundane, lowly lives they have.

'Here, eat.' Mater Cora placed food on his plate. 'It's Ember who cooks this,' she said, smiling.

Jayden turned to Ember and smiled. He noticed how she blushed as she smiled back at him.

It seemed like everyone was finished eating when he arrived; that's why he was the only one left at the table while the other laborers were serving him, wanting to be friendly, of course, because he's the heir to the Alpha throne.

These Omega wolves here are the farm laborers of their pack, and such acquaintance was all new to him. He didn't expect that Omegas would be this nice and cheerful. Jayden felt guilty somehow. But then he tried to shake it off from his thoughts. He's here to win Ember's heart. He must win what is required of him to get into the Alpha Club.

'What do you think?' Mater Cora asks him about how the food tastes, grinning.

Jayden raised his thumb. "Delicious!" he muttered while his mouth was full.

And they laugh.

Jayden's plan was just to pass by for breakfast, but he didn't expect he'd end up spending his whole day on the farm. The people here are fun to be with. They aren't boring. They made his day enjoyable. He didn't expect that farm work would interest him.

He finds himself enjoying tending crops and animals, and more than that, he gets to know Ember more. To be fair to her, her diligence is admirable. She's very opposite to those women he usually meets in his circle, who are always busy beautifying their faces. She can even do physically challenging work such as standing long under the sun, plowing, and carpentry.

'Wait. Why am I even drawn to her?' Jayden thought to himself.

He saw Ember waving at him, smiling. Perhaps she noticed that he had been watching her.

He waved back.

Ember's sculpted body was still obvious despite the checkered long sleeve and long skirt she was wearing. Jayden noticed her slim waist and her dark brown hair shining as sunlight crashed on them. Her skin was burnished, and her waist was slim. And from here, while he was standing a distance away from her, he could hardly see her scar.

If not for those scars on her neck, she could be exceptionally beautiful. Jayden thinks.

After that breakfast, Jayden visits Ember more frequently on the farm. Yes, he is aware that she is only a bet, but every now and then he questions whether his conscience is simply making him feel sorry for her that's why he started to admire her.

But every time those things cross his mind, he tries hard to deny them because he is Jayden Luca, an heir to the Alpha throne of the Crystal Blood Pack. He shouldn't feel flimsy. It would be such a pity if he lost this bet.

'You've really got a green hand, huh?' Jayden commented. Now he's watching Ember plant in a seedbed.

'So, how do you know which seed is a female and not?' he curiously asked.

Ember laughs, 'You can't tell, of course, unless you look closely or wait for these seeds to mature,' she replied.

'Look closely? Like this?' Jayden said, and he moved closer to her, looking straight into her eyes as if teasing her, seducing her.

Ember tried to step back so he could hear how her heart beat faster. 'Uhm...yeah,' she stuttered.

She took a deep breath, tried to compose herself, and explained, 'You know they all could have different structures, and to answer your question, you need to look through a lens.'

But Jayden isn't really paying attention to what she's saying. His gaze was fixed on her hair, which was messily plunging on her shoulders, and on his lips, which seemed to curve in slow motion as she spoke.

Oh...her scent! Why doesn't she smell like the other wolves? And damn! Why is her scent disturbing me? He thinks.

Jayden shook his head, removing what had slipped into his thoughts.

'So? Which seeds would likely survive? The male or female?' He asked with raised eyebrows, in a different tone. Jayden again put on his usual manner, the kind that he is known for - a misogynist alpha.

The smile on Ember's face slowly faded. She sensed where Jayden was now leading.

'In the little world of these seeds...' Ember pointed at the seedbed. She then sounded serious, too.

'They don't need to compete with each other to survive,' she continued, then Ember turned to Jayden and looked straight into his eyes, "They don't need to compete when they're getting the love they need," she said.

Jayden meets Ember's gaze. He was lost for words for a moment. He must admit that Ember is not the kind of girl he expected. Her intelligence and depth surprised him and somehow excited him. She's bullied for being different, but now as he looks closer, he's slowly realizing that this Omega is an intelligent beautiful soul.

Why are her eyes sucking me in? This can't be! I'm always with stunning girls! She's too out of my league! He thinks.

Jayden shook his head and withdrew his eyes before he got lost in hers. But the more he denies it to himself, the more he finds himself becoming close to her, and though he can't admit to himself what's real, Jayden Luca is obviously no longer faking his friendship with Ember. The more he knows her. The more he finds her interesting.

Ember likes stargazing. That's her favorite thing. She loves animals and plants. No wonder she's the best vet farmer in the pack. But she's an introvert. She doesn't want to be in a crowd. She would rather play guitar and sing in the quiet than go out with friends; besides, she has none.

She's selective when it comes to people she'll be spending time with, and yet now Jayden could say that he had gained her trust, for her heart is now beginning to open for him, widely accepting him without hesitation.

While Jayden saw Ember's realness, he became more certain that Ember did not deserve the harsh things he and his friends planned against her. His conscience is now screaming louder. He wanted to stop this betting thing, but... Just two more nights and he'll be completely accepted into the Alpha of Alphas Club.

First Day of School

The next day, Ember sat nervously at the end of the row. If not for Mater Cora and Jayden, she would not dare go back to school this semester. She already accepted to herself that her status in the pack wouldn't change and that she'd permanently be in the dark, unnoticed and unheard, living simply on the farm.

But then Jayden changed her mind. He told her that she had a lot of beautiful things to show the world, and that would start with her going back to study. Besides, he promised her that he'd take care of her, and so her fear faded away.

Ember could feel the ridicule in most of the students' eyes when she entered the classroom. Later, when the class started, all heads turned to her when her name was called. Ember feels like shrinking in her seat. She's not comfortable with the way her classmates stare at her. But then, when she looked at Jayden, there he was smiling at her, reassuring her that everything would be alright.

Jayden was always there for her. When it was break time, he would share his food, and when he didn't know the lesson, he would tutor her. While the other girls envy her, they also hate her.

Yeah, she earned more hate because of Jayden openly showing his closeness to her. She gets even more bullied because of that; the other girls would shout in her face that she doesn't deserve Jayden. Every day in school, she was reminded how lowly she was and how high Jayden was. Daily life in school has become a struggle. But Jayden was always there for her, comforting and saving her.

During break hours, Ember would hide in the back of the gym, far from the crowd, with that tiny guitar as her companion. Jayden was just his classmate in one subject. He's actually from another class, so he can't always be with her. So, in times when he can't be with her, she spends her time strumming her guitar alone.

'Hey, you're just here.' It's Jayden.

'How did you find me?' Ember asked.

Jayden smiled, showing off those heart-melting dimples of his, ' Of course, I will always find you,' he replied.

He sat beside him. She could smell his scent. Ember smiled back at him. And she began singing the piece she had been composing in her thoughts these days.

Jayden listened to her. It was like her voice was taking him to a lovely place. It was like she was taking all his worries away. He's getting goosebumps while on the side of his mind, he's wondering what could be in her voice that it's luring him in, taking all his complete attention.

Jayden can't take his eyes away from Ember. His eyes trailed across her face. And now he's here again, wondering how perfect she could have looked without that scar and without that weird fashion style of hers.

He must admit that her eyes were as enchanting as her voice, and her lips were inviting. It evokes his curiosity. Jayden shook his head. He withdraws his gaze from Ember before he completely gets lost in her.

But then he was more caught off guard when a scent was suddenly cast off without warning. It feels like he was on the verge of losing all sense of logic in his mind when his wolf identified it as Ember's scent.

Damn! How could she just cast out her scent like that without being aware? Jayden thought to himself. It was like his defenses were slowly crumbling.

'Damn!' Jayden whispered as his wolf eyes suddenly manifested, glistening with passion.

'Huh?' Ember stopped singing.

She's too naive to know that it was her who was causing Jayden's wolf to behave like this! And as Jayden's eyes meet with hers, they both felt as if their world seemed to fade away like nothing matters at that moment but just their closeness. The scent of her breath. The look in his eyes. She could see yearning. He sees passion. Ember felt Jayden's fingers traced a line down her jawline as his palm caressed her cheek before his lips finally touched hers. Her heart raced as their lips met. It was soft and gentle at first until with a growing intensity.

Ember could feel the soft tickle of his breath beneath her nose. She could hardly breath by the hunger she sensed in the way he kissed her. She could hear both of their heartbeats as they were captivated by emotions they themselves were unaware of or couldn't even acknowledge. Yet here they are, despite many denials. Their lips are betraying their minds.

Jayden can no longer fight this. Ember can't resist his kiss. And so they both find themselves so lost in this magical rhythm that they don't even notice that someone is hiding in the bushes and taking pictures of them.

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