Chapter 2

Isabella

I stood at the entrance of Erotic Paradise, my heart pounding against my ribcage like a trapped wild animal. The black card burned between my fingers—my only weapon.

Under the moonlight, the obsidian doors glistened with a cold shine, the silver wolf totems carved into them staring back, questioning my courage. I inhaled deeply, the air thick with unfamiliar pheromones that prickled my skin.

Why was I here? This place was for high-ranking wolves, filled with Alphas and their power games, not for a low-tier Omega like me from the forest's edge. I was just a college student barely making ends meet in Moon City, working odd jobs to pay rent, burdened with the Omega label—destined to kneel, submit, and wait for a fated mate.

But tonight, my body had betrayed me. My eighteenth birthday brought burning desires, like a wolf howling inside, urging me to break free from my predestined chains.

I didn't want to be a typical Omega. I refused to bow my head, expose my neck, and wait for some male wolf to define my worth. I wanted to choose my own path, even if just for tonight, even if it only meant walking through these doors to prove I could challenge fate.

I smoothed down my simple black dress—the only decent thing in my closet—though my fingers trembled involuntarily. Every step screamed at me to flee back to my shabby apartment, to curl up in familiar safety. But that burning sensation, that intuition that someone was waiting for me beyond those doors, pushed me forward. Tonight was my maturity ritual, and I would fight for myself.

"Identification," the doorman said coldly, nostrils flaring slightly as he scented me. His eyes cut through my facade like knives.

I fumbled in my bag, pulling out my Moon University student ID, fingers slippery with nervousness. "Here."

He glanced at the card, his gaze penetrating. "Do you have an invitation? Tonight is only for unbonded wolves."

"I am," my voice sounded pathetically small, my cheeks burning, "not... not bonded to anyone."

He narrowed his eyes, releasing a hint of dominance that wrapped around my body like invisible chains. My spine instinctively arched, head tilting slightly, neck exposed—damn it, the textbook Omega submission posture. I clenched my jaw, forcing myself upright, staring at his boots, refusing to let my body betray my will.

"You're close to your maturity ceremony, your scent is strong," he said flatly, though his eyes flashed with assessment. "Go in."

He pushed open the door, and I stepped across the threshold, entering another world. The air was saturated with potent pheromones, like liquor flooding my lungs, making me dizzy, my core tightening. I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms, reminding myself: Don't lower your head. Don't shrink back. Don't be the Omega they expect.

The woman behind the reception desk—her nameplate read "Diana"—looked up, her brown hair sleek as silk, her gaze cold as ice. She scanned me, her nostrils slightly flared as if she'd smelled something dirty. "Welcome to Erotic Paradise," her words dripped with sweetness, barely masking her contempt.

"Hello," I forced out, hating the tremor in my voice, "I heard tonight was open to unbonded wolves?"

"That's right." Diana's nails struck the keyboard, each tap heavy with displeasure. "I need to register you and confirm you don't carry another wolf's mark. You understand."

Her tone made me feel like dirt beneath her shoes, her gaze constantly looking past me as if I wasn't worth direct attention. I straightened my back, forcing myself to meet her eyes, even as my heart raced. I wasn't here to beg for acceptance; I was here to reclaim my destiny.

She led me down a hallway adorned with ancient wolf pack emblems and moonlit paintings. The male scent grew stronger, pressing against my knees, my skin licked by invisible flames. My wolf stirred restlessly within, growling to submit, but I bit my lip, refusing to let it take control. Tonight, I was Isabella.

Why was I the only one affected this way? Why could other Omegas remain unfazed while I burned with desire? Was it because I was inferior, or because I refused to accept my fate?

At the end of the corridor stood massive doors carved with a silver moon and wolf head. Diana knocked twice and pushed them open. The room was dimly lit, the scent of male wolves crashing over me like waves, nearly buckling my knees. I took a deep breath, steadied myself, and told myself: You belong here. You have the right to be here.

"Violet, I've brought a new Omega," Diana's voice carried that high-handed disdain, "please explain the rules to her."

A woman dressed in leather turned around, her knee-high boots and tight corset accentuating her figure, her gloves gleaming with authority. Violet's smile was warm and genuine, a stark contrast to Diana's coldness. "Of course, Diana. I'll take good care of our little wolf girl," her words carried a hint of authority that made Diana's retreating form stiffen slightly.

Diana flipped her hair and left, leaving me with Violet. I stared after her, confused by her hostility, but Violet's gaze pulled back my attention. "What's your name, little wolf?" she asked, her eyes free of judgment, only curiosity.

"Isabella," I said softly, tentatively raising my head.

"Call me Violet." She gestured for me to sit, her movements respectful, easing the tension in my shoulders slightly. "Is this your first experience with mate bonding?"

"Yes," I admitted, my voice firmer now, "Today's my eighteenth birthday, my maturity ceremony. I want to... I want to know what I can become, beyond just an Omega's fate."

Violet's eyes softened, as if truly seeing me—not a label, but a flesh and blood girl. "Then you're brave, Isabella. Walking in here, challenging your identity, takes real courage." She stood, beckoning me to follow. "Come, let me show you this place, tell you how it works."

I followed her, my heart still racing, but no longer entirely from fear. A premonition bloomed in my chest: tonight, I would no longer be that low-tier Omega. Tonight, I would rewrite my story.