They Called Me Useless Until I Saved the Alpha's Pack

I was the useless rogue Omega Alpha Nolan Frost had brought home. I had no wolf form or fighting skills, and my sense of smell was no better than an ordinary human's. Everyone in the pack thought my pretty face was the only reason I'd found a place there. "A useless thing like you would be torn to pieces the moment you left the Alpha!" What they didn't know was that I was the Judge the Moon Goddess herself had chosen. I'd spent 60 years at my last job, settling one petty werewolf squabble after another until I was so exhausted that even my hair had turned white. Now I was retired and living as a pampered pet. No more of that nonsense. Just an endless supply of the finest food and luxuries. Life couldn't have been better. Until the pack came under siege. Nolan's father was gravely wounded, and his two older brothers were locked in silver cages and tortured. Even Nolan was being forced to sign a blood sacrifice pact, trading his life for his people's safety. The enemy Alpha sized me up and sneered. "Don't worry, Nolan. Once you're dead, I'll take good care of this useless pet for you." I studied the ugly Alpha before me. This was a problem. Nolan was the most handsome young Alpha I'd ever seen. If they tortured him to death, I'd be very unhappy. Just before Nolan was forced to sign the blood sacrifice pact, I stopped holding back my aura, and the Moon Goddess's mark appeared on my forehead. In an instant, all the werewolves there dropped to their knees, trembling. I looked at them coldly. "Who gave you the nerve to disturb my peace?" Chapter 1 I'd just paid for premium venison with obsidian and stepped outside when a few packless wolves bared their teeth and backed me into a corner. Annoyed, I held up the wolf-fang charm Nolan had given me to scare the lowlifes off, but it did nothing. The witch's magic in the charm was tied to Nolan's life. If it wasn't responding, something had happened to him. Nolan was the youngest and strongest Alpha in the North. He hadn't lost a single fight since he was 17, and he'd made the Frost family stronger than ever. Every pack in the land feared him! And yet this proud, untouchable Alpha spoiled only me. Looking at the dull, lifeless fang, I felt a strange flicker of panic. When I looked up again, the lazy look in my eyes was gone, replaced by cold, murderous intent. I didn't have time to waste on this trash. I closed my fingers around the lead wolf's throat and twisted hard, without mercy... Once I'd dealt with those idiots who didn't know when to quit, I pulled out my phone, but a werewolf news alert on the screen stopped me cold. Five major packs had joined forces to attack Nolan's territory. The front line had fallen, Nolan's father was gravely wounded, and his two older brothers had been captured... My heart clenched at the news. Without a second thought, I dropped the venison I'd just bought and raced back toward the pack. When I got back, the air was thick with the smell of blood and smoke. Nolan's father, Garrett Frost, lay unconscious from his wounds, and Nolan's mother, Helena Frost, sat beside him, weeping. She looked up, saw me, and snapped, "With the pack under attack, where have you been?!" "I went to the market to buy venison..." I said quietly. "Venison?!" Helena broke down before the word was even out. She shot to her feet and pointed at me, screaming, "The pack is under attack, and you're wandering around at a time like this?!" Her accusations didn't really bother me. I'd watched packs devour each other over territory more times than I could count. That was the law of survival here. But when I thought of Nolan, the proud Alpha who always kept me safe behind him, surrounded by enemies, my fingers curled at my sides. This unfamiliar unease made me restless. I decided it was time to find Nolan. A noise came from outside the door. "Mother." Nolan's hoarse voice rang out. I spun around and saw Nolan staggering into the room through sheer force of will. His bare skin was covered in brutal wounds. His flesh was torn open, and some cuts were deep enough to expose bone. I couldn't imagine how he'd fought his way free from a death trap set by five Southern Alphas. The heavy smell of blood stung my nose. I'd seen more than enough death in 60 years, yet my eyes still burned. I hurried over to support him. For once, my voice shook. "Are you okay?" He forced his ragged breathing under control, and the moment he looked at me, the hard edge left his face. He closed his hand around mine and held on tight, smiling. "Don't be scared. I'm fine." Once I was sure his wounds weren't fatal, I could finally breathe again. But Nolan touched my face and asked, "The fang charm stopped working. Did you get hurt out there?" I froze and stared at his wounds, unable to speak. Even in this condition, he was still worried about me. "No, I'm fine," I answered quietly, lowering my head as the sting in my eyes got worse. Only then did Nolan relax. He took a new wolf fang from inside his shirt and pressed it into my hand. "I just made this. It holds the power I managed to gather. Keep it with you." I took the fang, and my chest felt tight. He could barely stand, yet he'd still found the strength to strip away his own core power and make me a charm. I was touched, but a Judge had no right to interfere in ordinary pack conflicts. So I had no intention of intervening, even if Nolan's pack was conquered. Besides, even if Nolan was no longer a mighty Alpha, I would happily stay with him as long as he could still buy me venison and take care of me. Before bed, I went to find Nolan out of habit, wanting to fall asleep in his arms as usual. The moment I reached his door, I heard a muffled, heated argument inside. "They want to take all our territory and our forces. Without them, the Frost family will be completely defenseless!" The room was heavy with anxiety and despair. A few miles away, the combined armies of the five packs stood ready to strike. Less than two hours remained until their eight o'clock deadline. Every surviving leader turned to look at Nolan. Nolan swept his gaze over them, his voice low and cold. "My father is badly hurt, and my two brothers have been captured. Everyone in the Frost family can fight to the death, but what about the civilians and pups on our land?! "If we keep fighting, more people will die for nothing." Nolan's voice was heavy. "Tell them I'll sign the agreement." The moment he made that decision, Nolan's rigid posture sagged. He clenched his fists, furious at what he had to do and powerless to stop it. He had never shown weakness, yet he chose to surrender to save the people who depended on him. He lifted his head. His eyes were bloodshot. "Before that, I'm sending Iris away. She isn't a Frost. She doesn't need to face this with us." The room fell silent. I opened the door, walked over to Nolan, and asked, "Where are you sending me?" Nolan's hard expression softened the instant he saw me. Reluctance filled his eyes. "To my grandmother's, in the far north. It's safe there." Chapter 2 Unsettled by everyone's grieving stares and Nolan's exhausted face, I blurted out, "Will they have fresh venison there?" Nolan answered patiently, "They do." "Will you still make me a magic wolf fang every month to keep me safe?" I asked softly. Nolan leaned down and gently kissed my forehead. "Iris, there'll be guards to protect you." I pressed my lips together and didn't answer. After a moment, I asked, "Then are you coming with me? If you don't come, who will cuddle me to sleep? Who will dig up obsidian so I can buy things?" Helena heard me and stormed over in a rage, pointing at me. "Iris, do you even have a heart?! "His father is still unconscious. His two brothers are suffering in cages. And to keep you safe, Nolan is even using the family's last ancient portal to send you away. "And you're still standing here whining and asking for things?! Don't you know staying here means certain death for him?!" "Mother!" Nolan cut her off sharply. Exhausted as he was, he suddenly radiated the cold, crushing authority of an Alpha. He stepped forward and shielded me completely behind him, his tall frame blocking everyone's view. "Don't blame Iris for what's happening to the pack." Nolan's voice was cold, charged with an Alpha's power. "Iris is the mate I've chosen. I don't want to hear one more insult against her from anyone. Not even from you!" As I looked at Nolan's broad back, warmth spread through me. In all these years, he was the only one who had stepped in front of me without hesitation, every single time. Helena was close to tears. In the end, she didn't say anything else. She just turned and left. But when I left Nolan's room, she suddenly stepped out of the shadows in the hallway and blocked my way. She shoved a heavy bundle into my arms. "Take this money and get out of here. Go as far away as you can." I froze for a second and looked down at what I was holding. "Don't get the wrong idea." Helena turned her face away, her voice still cold and hard. "I still don't like you, you useless thing. But staying here will only drag Nolan down. So get out. The sooner, the better!" With that, she left without looking back. Something hard and frozen inside me shifted under the weight of that bundle. Back in my room, I started packing. I picked out a few keepsakes that reminded me of Nolan and packed the chests of moonstones that could boost a werewolf's power. But when my hand touched the rough new wolf fang on my chest, I couldn't help slowing down. It still seemed to hold the warmth of his fingertips and the faint scent of his blood. Am I really going to leave? Over my long life, I'd coldly watched countless things be destroyed, and I'd drifted from place to place more times than I could count. I'd never felt anything like this before. But now my chest felt so tight it scared me, like something sharp was slowly cutting through my hard shell. I couldn't help wondering what would happen to Nolan if I left. A loud crash sounded outside. Several Southern wolves had broken into the territory and were smashing everything in sight. Nolan's people could only watch in despair, humiliation in their eyes. Two Southern Alphas strode onto the estate with their guards. The lead Alpha raked a contemptuous gaze over me and sneered at Nolan. "Well, well. So this is the useless mate you keep around? "Nolan, once the agreement is signed, your territory and resources are all ours. Since this useless thing is pretty enough, once I get bored of her, I'll toss her to my low-ranking wolves to play with. How's that?" Before he could finish, bone cracked with a sickening snap, and a single punch sent him flying! Nolan glared at him as if he wanted to rip him apart, his eyes icy. "How dare you!" The Alpha slammed into the stone wall and spat out blood and broken teeth. He staggered to his feet and roared, "Nolan, you still think you're the almighty Alpha of the North?! You're nothing but a stray dog now, and you dare to hit me! "Ungrateful bastard! To hell with the eight o'clock deadline! I'm going to torture your two brothers to death and tear every wolf in the Frost family to pieces!" As he roared, deafening explosions erupted one after another outside, and the ground began to shake violently. Alarm flashed across Nolan's face. He spun around and shoved me toward his men, his voice hoarse. "Iris, run! Get out of here, now!" In that instant, panic seized me. It felt as though I was about to lose him. "Nolan..." Without thinking, I grabbed his sleeve. "Come with me." Nolan smiled bitterly and shook his head. "Iris, I can't go." He held my gaze for a long moment, as though there were countless things he wanted to say. Then he turned and strode toward the door. Nolan's men escorted me all the way to the portal, but the image of Nolan walking away consumed my thoughts, and my restlessness grew. I'd seen enough pack wars to know the Alphas of those five packs weren't going to let Nolan go this time. I could go back to my carefree life. I could find a new pack to settle down with. But then Nolan would be gone, and no one in the world would ever make charms for me or stand between me and harm the way he did. The moment I realized that, I made up my mind! "I'm not leaving!" I stepped out of the portal and ran back without a second thought, ignoring the guards who tried to stop me. Chapter 3 I shoved open the doors to the council hall and saw a horrifying scene. Several Southern Alphas had Nolan pinned to the floor. Sharp wolf claws pierced his shoulder blade, and blood streamed down his arm. "You were pretty tough when you punched me just now, weren't you?! Come on, get up and hit me again!" The Alpha Nolan had punched earlier planted a foot on Nolan's back and laughed wildly. "You're throwing your life away for some worthless nobody. Pathetic." With a vicious glare, he drove a dagger into Nolan's thigh. The pain made Nolan tremble. Sweat and blood dripped to the floor, but he clenched his teeth and didn't make a sound. That was when I pushed the doors open. When Nolan saw that I'd actually come back, he stared at me in shock. He tore free of the Alphas holding him, ignored the claws through his shoulder, and forced his way to my side, roaring, "Who told you to come back?! Damn it..." I looked at him and shook my head. "I'm not leaving. I can't sleep if you're not holding me." Nolan was stunned for a moment. Then he hugged me tight and said softly, "You little fool..." The Alphas across the room quickly recovered and eyed us menacingly. Nolan drew me behind him, trying to shield me with his own body. The idiot. He could barely stand, yet he was still trying to protect me. I looked at him, close to tears. The doors opened again, and a man walked in. It was Ennis Voss, the one who'd started this siege and the strongest of the Southern Alphas. His gaze slid past Nolan and raked over me. "Nolan, this useless little pet of yours really is pretty. No wonder you like her so much. "Listen, little pet. Take off your clothes right now, crawl around my feet in circles like a dog, and I'll spare your life. How about it?" "Ennis! You've got a death wish!" Nolan clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, and lunged at Ennis. "Damn you! How dare you ask her to do that?" A brutal fight broke out between the Alphas. Even badly wounded, Nolan held his ground and pressed his claws to Ennis's throat. Ennis didn't panic. He burst out laughing. "Drive those claws in, Nolan, and we'll tear your two brothers apart, along with every one of your people!" Nolan jolted, and his hand trembled at Ennis's throat. Humiliation and fury churned in his eyes, but in the end, he lowered his hand. Ennis took his time getting up, straightened his collar, and kicked a parchment scroll in front of Nolan. "Sign it." Nolan looked down at the agreement. His expression changed the instant he saw it. This was no treaty for handing over land or paying reparations. Instead, a sinister ritual circle had been drawn across the parchment in dark red blood. "A blood sacrifice pact?" Nolan ground his teeth and glared at Ennis. "You want a witch to drain my power with dark magic and transfer it to you?" "Smart." Ennis sneered and dropped the pretense. "The weak fall prey to the strong. That's the law of the ice fields. Sacrifice your life, and I'll withdraw my army at once. I'll spare your people and the useless little pet behind you. "Your life in exchange for the lives of your whole pack. That's a great deal, isn't it?" "Nolan! Don't sign it!" Nolan's parents burst in with several elders, all covered in blood. Helena threw herself forward to grab the scroll. "This is forbidden magic! It'll drain your soul, and you won't even get a chance to be reborn!" "Get out of the way, old woman!" Ennis kicked her aside with a vicious glare. "My patience has limits! Nolan, if you don't sign, I'll wipe out the Frost family right now! Then I'll rip your useless little pet apart in front of you!" "Don't touch her! I'll sign!" Red-eyed, Nolan bent down and picked up the dagger from the floor. Signing the blood sacrifice pact would pierce Nolan's heart with the pain of a thousand arrows and imprison his soul forever. But he had no way out. Nolan turned toward where I stood in the shadows. That proud Alpha of the North now looked at me with nothing but love and longing. "Iris..." He swallowed hard, his voice soft. "Leave this place. Live well." With that, he raised the dagger without hesitation, ready to drive it into his own heart. Before the blade could land, I caught Nolan's wrist. Every eye turned to me as I spoke. "You dare use forbidden blood sacrifice magic in front of the Moon Goddess's Judge? Ennis, you must have a death wish!"