The Lycan King's Choice.

{Ava}

"I remember telling you that you had to wake up early, didn't I?" Mama's cold voice rang in my head and I got out of bed immediately.

"I'm so sorry. I'm coming down now." I apologized and hurriedly slipped out of my pajamas and donned a pair of loose jeans and a t-shirt.

I pulled my hair into a high bun and wiped the drill of my face with a baby wipe.

I raced down the stairs nearly colliding with the workers going up and down the stairs.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." I apologized and continued on my way.

I'm Ava by the way and I'm the youngest daughter of the Woodridge family. My father is the Beta of the Whitemoon pack which makes me the Beta's daughter.

Though that didn't mean I had an easy life and it certainly didn't mean I got his genes. I have twin older brothers and one older sister.

My brothers, Caleb and Callum were pack warriors so they resided at the military base. I hadn't seen them in years but I could always feel them through our family bond and I knew they were safe.

They were the best and they treated me the nicest but I couldn't say the same thing about my older sister. For some reason Alma always despised me.

First it started from mean pranks then it graduated to name calling and rude remarks, now she's just plain evil.

The saddest thing is I actually do love and admire my older sister a lot and I just wish we could have a loving sibling relationship.

My parents are neutral though, when it comes to me I mean. Ever since Alma started dating the Crown Prince Oren, they couldn't see a wrong thing in anything she did.

At first they used to reprimand her when her pranks or meanness went too far but now they just ignored it and looked the other way.

It's funny what a taste of power can do to human beings.

My parents were already second class wolves in the whole pack but they still wanted more honor and power. Both of which Alma could give to them if her relationship with the Prince moved further and developed into mating.

And that brings us to why it's so crazy in my house today.

Today is the day Alma and Prince Oren turn eighteen and get to find out if their love was destined or not. Today they would find out if the moon goddess approved their union and made them mates or if they had different mates.

Alma had been so eager about today she hadn't once bothered me. A small part of me was relieved and happy that she might be leaving the house and finally leaving me alone but another part of me was jealous.

Yes, I said that.

"Ava! Come here and take these dresses to your sister's room." Mama yelled and I rushed to her immediately.

"Yes, mother." I took the clothes and dashed up to Alma's room.

In my hurry I forgot to knock and as I pushed the door open my breath caught at the sight in front of me.

A shirtless Oren was standing in the middle of my sister's room. I stood stunned, staring at his naked chest shamelessly.

He was everything and more. From his handsome face, his amber eyes and pink lips to his large muscular chest and arms to his washboard stomach with perfect abs.

He was a mouthwatering sight and the man of every girl's dreams. Alma was such a lucky bastard, she'd become the envy of everyone overnight when they started dating.

"Hello!" He clicked his fingers in my face and I blinked back to reality.

"Ha.. sorry." I chuckled nervously.

"Yeah, you're back, I've been trying to get your attention." He smiled and I sucked in a huge breath.

Damn… how is that possible?

His smile knocked the air out of my lungs, he made my heart flutter and I suddenly felt weak in the knees.

I don't know how I've been able to hide it but this man right here was the source of my sixteen year old fantasy.

He came to me in my dreams during the night and even the daytime but sadly that was all he could ever be to me, a fantasy.

"I… um… came to deliver—"

"Ava, you're here." Alma came out of the bathroom and came in between us. "You came to drop off my dress, how sweet." She smiled tightly at me.

She had never spoken sweetly to me before and I wondered which was more terrifying, her frown or her smile.

"Yes, mama asked me to—"

"Thank you, Sis." She cut me off again. "I know Oren isn't supposed to be here but we couldn't help it. See we just know that we're going to be mates. Isn't that right, Oren." Her smile was so fake I didn't know how Oren couldn't see through it.

"Ah… yes." He scratched the back of his head and smiled.

Alma pulled him down for a kiss and my heart constricted in pain as he returned her kiss passionately.

"I'll just drop this here and leave." I said and turned to leave.

"Wait." Alma pulled away from Oren and pulled me into a hug. A tight hug, she was almost crushing my ribs. "Don't think I don't know what you were trying to do." She whispered venomous words into my ear. "You're nothing but a useless and ugly omega. Do you think it's possible for Oren to look twice at someone like you."

"I hear mama calling me in the mindlink." I pulled away from Alma and dashed away. I raced up to my room and then let the tears fall freely.

She was right. I was a weak and useless Omega, I could never be so lucky as to catch an Alpha's eye. Especially a descendant of the original lycans.

What was I thinking?

I wiped my tears off and went back to work, I didn't want mama to notice that I was slacking off or she would go off on me.

It was always me, I had to be the one to do everything around the house. Cooking, laundry, cleaning and errands. Alma didn't do anything around the house, she just got to prance around in her new clothes and throw parties for her cool friends while I had to pick up after her.

I continued working even though we had enough staff that could handle it all. The Lycan Queen had sent enough workers to help us prepare for the event but my mother still wanted me to work the event.

I cracked my neck as I packed up the tools used by the workers. I took them to the garage because that was where my father stored his tools.

I was about to turn back when a hand grabbed me and pulled me into a small office my father had set up in the garage.