My Sister's Fiance Ordered Me To Kneel In Public

Crystal chandeliers cast a harsh, blinding glare over the banquet hall. I balanced the heavy silver tray on my left hand, keeping my bruised right knuckles tucked against the rim. The burgundy silk of my dress clung uncomfortably to my skin, trapping the heat of a hundred pack members.

"More champagne, Elara?" Beta Garrick asked, stepping into my path.

"Of course."

He held out his empty flute. Next to him, his mate, Livia, offered a mocking smile.

"Make sure you don't drop it," Garrick warned. "Omegas are notoriously clumsy."

"I'll manage."

"I don't know," Livia chimed in, tracing the rim of her glass. "She looks a bit shaky today. Maybe the dress is too tight. Didn't your sister pick that out for you?"

"The pack sent it," I corrected sharply.

"Right. Charity," Livia sneered. "Well, run along. The Alpha's table is parched."

I poured the champagne, keeping my movements stiff and controlled. "Enjoy."

"We will," Garrick laughed.

I moved past them. The pack didn't treat me like the Luna's sister. They treated me like a stray dog allowed indoors for the night.

I navigated the sea of tailored suits and glittering gowns. Every step felt heavy. Whispers followed in my wake.

"Why is she serving?"

"Seraphina wanted to humble her."

"Good. She needs to know her place."

"Look at those bruises on her hand. Probably got into a fight with another Omega."

I kept my eyes fixed straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge the venom.

The head table sat on a raised dais at the far end of the hall. Seraphina glowed in a white evening gown, a crown of fresh white roses nestled in her golden hair. Kaelen sat beside her, his charcoal suit immaculate, one arm draped over the back of her chair like a king surveying his court.

He wasn't looking at his bride.

Across the crowded hall, over the heads of a hundred chattering guests, his pitch-black eyes locked directly onto me.

I tightened my grip on the silver tray and forced my legs to move. One step. Then another.

The whispers faded behind me. The crystal glasses on my tray trembled with each step, chiming softly against one another.

I was walking straight toward the head table.

Straight toward him.