Prologue

Prologue

Lyra

M y alpha fathers were taking on a new omega. I couldn't believe my eyes when she finally walked into our palace, confirming all the rumors that my fathers had not been loyal to my mother.

Perched atop the staircase, I watched my three alpha fathers greet their new omega into the throne room.

At least, I was sure she was an omega.

She was young, with fiery red hair and oval eyes. They hugged her in turn, and I felt sick to my stomach. They had taken in a new omega from the last Omega Ball.

This was a nightmare in the making. King Saku, the oldest of my fathers, passed away three months ago, and the rest of the fathers had already started to act on their lust.

My mom was still wearing black and mourning my oldest father. Saku was the only one who held the family together like glue, with everyone trying to seek his wisdom.

The family bond was over once he passed away.

The distance between my fathers and my mother, Queen Ophelia, lengthened day by day. My fathers pounced like lions on the next omega they saw without their brother's guidance just because my mother could not bear any more children.

I watched, shocked and dismayed, as the omega kissed them all on the lips. Her hips swayed seductively as she walked to each of them in turn, and bile rose in my throat.

My fathers were supposed to be comforting my mother and not blatantly kissing this omega for all to see.

Making my way down the stairs, I decided to destroy this little party. They all looked at me when my heels clicked on the throne room floors, announcing my presence. They quickly distanced themselves from the red-haired omega.

King Armon, now the oldest of my fathers, smiled upon seeing me. He was tall and lanky with a long gray goatee. He had taken over as king after Saku passed away.

"Daughter, meet Vanessa," he said, gesturing to the new smirking omega. "We didn't expect you'd be here at this hour."

"Saku died. Not Mom," I hissed. Then I turned to the omega. "My mom is still alive and married to them. So why don't you pack up and go back home, bitch?"

My fathers gasped at my audacity, but I didn't care.

Vanessa's eyebrows rose, but her smile was still stuck on her face. She had a permanent clown face with thick red lipstick.

One of my fathers jumped in, trying to cover for me.

"Lyra's still grieving, and she's only nineteen–just a kid. Let's get to know each other some more in the other room."

"Of course," said Vanessa in a silky, thin voice, following the alphas deeper into the palace.

I felt like throwing up. Weren't my dads too old to keep up with a horny omega?

I sighed loudly, and my bodyguard walked over to me. Luke was my friend and confidante while growing up at the castle. He was the only person in the world besides my mother, whom I trusted. He was tall and had a body made of rock, and he was wearing his official black and red royal guard uniform.

"You should check on your mother," he said in a low voice. "Forget what they're doing here, my princess."

"You're right," I said. I had no idea if she'd seen the brand-new shiny omega yet. "Do you know where she is?"

I had to tell my mother the news. My fathers had already found a new omega to breed with.

"She's in the library."

"Okay," I said, heading off toward the library. I walked down the vast hallways, my heels echoing down the chamber.

My mother was sitting in a large armchair that was too big for her as she sobbed into her hands. The upper half of her body was wrapped in a large black shawl.

"Mom?" I said, wrapping my arms around her in a hug. "I'm sorry."

She didn't say anything as she quietly sobbed into my shoulder. Burning tears pricked my eyes. She had most likely seen everything that transpired in the throne room.

If my fathers could act like this and discard my mother to the side, how could I trust anyone?

I vowed never to fall for any alpha, no matter how nice he was. Because if one day, I couldn't have babies as my mother did after her miscarriage, it would be easy for an alpha to leave.

And that wasn't going to happen to me. Not if I could help it.