Omega at the Ball: A Reverse Harem Omegaverse Romance: Cinderella in Bear Country, #1

By Nikki Riker

The ball was my opportunity to be myself and find a mate. Instead, I find three. And they all claim I'm an Omega.

 

I'm just an average woman wearing a gown made from an old neighbor's curtain that I sewed myself. I want a mate, but I'm not lying and using pills and perfumes to fake being an Omega like so many others. I just want to meet the man for me.

 

At first, I think that man is Prince Charming… until he proves he's anything but charming.

 

When I escape to get some air, I'm cornered by three Alpha Bears. They call me Omega, and I call them liars. Omegas don't run in my family. But they're smelling me, circling me, touching me, and I feel… things. So I do the only thing I can;

 

I run.

 

This is a why choose fantasy romance where the main character will end up with more than one love interest and is part of a trilogy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Majestic Owl Publishing LLC
• Release date: Apr 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215727607

Book preview

one

O uch!

Viola brought her finger to her mouth and sucked on it. This was the fifth time she’d pricked the same finger trying to sew her gown. She was close to giving up on it. But it was the king’s ball. If she failed to attend this year, it would ruin her plans. She would have to wait an entire year to get this chance again. She couldn’t risk it.

A sigh slipped from her lips as she rose to her feet to assess her progress. She still had a long way to go before the dress was finished. But given the brief span of time Viola had to work with, she was pleased with how far she had come. Getting a dress for the ball wasn’t a simple thing to do in secret. She had no money, and the ball was the last place she was expected to be.

She’d been so close to giving up on her dream of attending the king’s ball. One night, when she was returning from an errand, she saw her neighbors disposing of their curtains. It gave her the idea to use the material for her gown. She was good with a needle and thread, and she had already envisioned how she wanted the dress to look. The only thing she had not considered was how long it would take to turn a mere curtain into a ball gown.

Viola! Come down here now!

Luciana’s croaky voice made Viola jerk and drop her dress. She quickly gathered it off the floor and stuffed it underneath her bed covers. If Luciana ever saw the dress, she would put two and two together and figure out that Viola was planning to attend the ball.

Viola! Did you not hear me? Or have you suddenly grown deaf?

Coming, Mother! Viola yelled back.

After making sure the dress was neatly tucked beneath the covers, Viola scurried out of her small room and up the flight of stairs. Luciana hated it when Viola called her mother, though Viola did it anyway. She couldn’t bring herself to call Luciana by her name or refer to her as stepmother every single day.

Viola! Luciana roared again. Do not make me come up there.

I’m here, Mother, Viola said, entering the room. What do you need?

Luciana rolled her eyes and brought both hands to her hips. How many times do I have to call you before you respond to me, Viola?

I’m sorry, Viola answered with a smile. I was so engrossed in my reading when you called.

You and your books, Darby groaned.

I hate listening to her talk about them, Elora added. She thinks just because she reads books, she’s better than everybody else.

Elora and Darby were Viola’s stepsisters and thorns in her side. It still puzzled Viola how they’d never gotten along, even as children. Her stepsisters disliked her for the oddest reasons. They had made it clear to Viola that although they shared the same father, they were not family at all.

Viola, have you mopped the kitchen floors like I asked you to yesterday? Luciana asked.

Yes, Mother, Viola answered. And I’ve done the dishes, and I’ve made dinner, and I’ve fed the horses, and I made a trip to the market to buy meat before you all woke up. She took in a deep breath. And I polished Elora and Darby’s shoes for the ball, and I also polished the living room floor, and I washed the bath, and I filled the drums with water, and I—

Enough! Luciana exclaimed, lifting her hand in the air. Doing your chores is nothing to brag about. Now help Darby with her dress. She’s wearing it to the ball this evening.

Put the ropes where they’re supposed to be, Darby demanded as she turned her back to Viola. And don’t pull too tightly. I’d like to breathe in the dress.

My love, it needs to be tight for your body to be perfectly accentuated, Luciana told her daughter.

My body is already beautiful as it is, Darby replied. If it’s any tighter, my nipples will be on full display for the entire kingdom to see.

That’s what you should want, Elora said, casually skimming through a book on the bed. I’m hungry, Mother. I should eat something before I battle with my dress, don’t you think?

Once Viola is done helping Darby with her dress, she will fix you something to eat, Luciana told her. Hurry, Viola. We don’t have all day.

When Viola was much younger, it used to hurt her how her stepmother and stepsisters would exclude her from their activities because she wasn’t their actual sister. Viola used to tell them how she felt, but the three of them would laugh in response. As she grew older, it became apparent that they would never accept her as part of their family. To Luciana and her daughters, Viola was merely their servant. She was a servant in her own father’s home.

Don’t pull it, you fool, Darby snarled at Viola as she started to tie the dress. I told you. Not too tight.

Let her pull it, Darby, Luciana chimed in. I’m telling you, the tighter it is, the better.

Am I to breathe, then? Darby wondered. Or would you rather I faint in the ballroom before I get to dance with Prince Darwin?

Don’t worry, sister. If you don’t dance with him, I will, Elora stated. I’m much prettier than you, anyway. I’m sure the prince would fancy the youngest daughter of the kingdom’s chief librarian more than the oldest.

You’re only a year younger than me, Darby scoffed. And you must be dreaming if you believe you’re prettier than me. I’m the prettiest lady in the kingdom, right, Mother?

Of course, my dear, Luciana agreed.

Mother! Elora gasped, slamming her book on the bed.

You’re both pretty! Luciana said. It doesn’t matter who the prince chooses amongst the two of you. All that matters is that he chooses one of the Martell daughters.

Elora scoffed and glanced at Viola. Before she opened her mouth, Viola could tell what she wanted to say.

What if he does the unthinkable and chooses Viola? She technically is a Martell daughter, after all.

Luciana gave Elora a stern look. That would never happen. Besides, where in the world is the prince of Montagoria going to meet someone like Viola? Don’t say such stupid things.

Viola rolled her eyes. She wondered if, deep down, Luciana had admitted to herself that Viola was prettier than her daughters. Their father had said it countless times, too. Perhaps that was why Luciana vehemently refused to let Viola attend the ball. There was no doubt that Elora and Darby were pretty, but no matter how many times they claimed to be better-looking than Viola, she found it absurd. Without being conceited, Viola could admit to herself that she had seen no one with her kind of blue eyes. They weren’t the color of the sky but a deeper, more sophisticated shade of blue. Everyone she’d met had complimented her eyes at some point.

Now that she thought about it, Viola noticed how few similarities she shared with her stepsisters. They had brown eyes, she had blue. They had silky-straight brown hair, she had sun-kissed, wavy blond hair. She was slender and possessed the figure Elora and Darby squeezed themselves into corsets to achieve—proud, perky bosoms, a small waist, and defined hips. Viola was pretty, and no matter how many times Elora, Darby, or even Luciana called her ugly, she never let it get to her.

Oh, I cannot wait to dance with Prince Darwin and make him fall in love with me, Darby gushed. It will be magical.

King Alec’s ball was the talk of the town. Everyone was going to be there. The men would attend, hoping to find suitable brides, and the ladies would attend to capture the hearts of the gentlemen. It was a ball open to all kinds.

Viola had her eyes on Prince Darwin, too. Deep down, she felt unworthy of a man like the prince. There was no way he would look at a woman like her when there were more elegant ladies frolicking around him. But Viola’s plan had everything to do with him. Hence, she had to make it work, and that was why she was working so hard on her gown. Red wasn’t particularly her color, and Viola worried it didn’t suit her skin tone, but it was all she could get. The curtains were a light red color, adorned with traced-out flower patterns.

There will be other suitable men at the ball, Elora said. Not just Prince Darwin. There will be shifters, too. Alphas. The lot of them.

Shifters…

What did you do, Viola?!

Darby’s loud gasp snapped Viola back to reality. She had been so distracted by her thoughts that she’d pulled the rope too hard and ripped it off.

Viola jumped, instantly regretting her actions. Not only had she ruined Darby’s dress, but she had also enraged her stepsister.

Did I not tell you not to pull it too tight? Darby rasped through clenched teeth as she slowly approached Viola. You did this on purpose, didn’t you, Viola?

Darby, I am so sorry. I was thinking about something else, and I—

You did it on purpose! Darby repeated.

Viola shook her head. I would never.

You’re bitter because you cannot attend the fancy ball. You did this to spite me.

I can fix this. Just take the gown off. I will get my sewing kit and fix this for you in no time, Darby. Trust me. It’ll be as good as new.

Mother! Darby whined, stomping her feet on the ground. She ruined my dress.

Oh, relax, Luciana said as she approached them. It’s just the rope. Nothing is stopping you or Elora from attending the ball. Besides, Viola mends all our clothes, so she can fix this in no time at all.

Viola nodded. I’ll just go and get the—

Go then! Luciana ordered and rolled her eyes. Goodness, she talks too much.

This incident was going to delay Viola’s secret preparations for sure. How would she finish working on Darby’s dress and have time to finish her own? Luciana and her daughters were unwittingly ruining Viola’s plans. Was this a sign that she should stay at home?

No, Viola mumbled to herself on reaching her room.

It was a mere setback, that was all. She had to stitch Darby’s dress as fast as she could, make an excuse, and return to her room. Nothing would stop her from finding a suitable mate at the king’s ball. Prince Darwin was at the top of her list, but she was open to any decent man willing to make her his wife.

Would you hurry up! Darby screamed.

Viola groaned as she made her way up the stairs. There was still lots of time before the ball, making Darby’s impatience absurd. But pointing this out to Darby would only worsen her mood, so it was best not to say anything.

I’m here, Viola said. Alright, take the dress off.

I’m so upset, Darby whined, struggling to pull the dress off.

And I’m still hungry, Mother, Elora added. My stomach hurts.

Viola, fix Elora something to eat quickly, Luciana told her. She didn’t eat a lot this morning.

Mother, my dress! Darby yelled. Are you telling me that Elora’s stomach is more important than the dress I’m to wear to the ball?

Viola has time to fix it, Luciana argued. Let Elora eat something.

No, Darby stated. My dress is more important, and Viola isn’t leaving this room until she fixes it.

So I’m supposed to starve because you cannot wait a couple of minutes? Elora retorted.

That’s up to you. Viola ruined my dress, and now she has to fix it. I don’t care if you starve. I couldn’t care less about anything else, honestly. Viola, sit there and fix that dress.

Viola rolled her tongue in her mouth and sighed. She was twenty-one years old and the oldest daughter of her father. Darby was the second, born eleven months after Viola. But anyone who had walked into the room and witnessed that conversion would find it hard to believe that Viola was the oldest, given the way Elora and Darby spoke to her…belittled her…taunted her…

Viola! Darby yelled. Sit. Now. Fix the dress.

Darby Penelope Martell! Luciana said sternly. Behave yourself. Do you think I will let you miss the ball even if you wanted to?

But Mother—

Do not argue with me, Luciana said. Viola, set the dress down and get them food. Girls, you need energy for the ball. If you don’t eat, you might feel faint, and you don’t want to pass out while dancing with the prince.

Viola placed the dress on the table and walked out of the room, feeling defeated. Great. Another setback in my plan, she mumbled.

two

I wonder what I’ll say to the prince when he picks me for his first dance of the night, Elora said.

All this talk about the prince was wearing Viola out. Elora and Darby spoke of him as if they were the only proper ladies in the kingdom. As if Prince Darwin only had two choices. Although she hated listening to them gush about their love and admiration for Prince Darwin, Viola understood it. The man was the most eligible bachelor in the nine kingdoms. He was handsome, charming, and powerful.

You say nothing, Luciana said to Elora.

The three of them sat on the bed as Luciana lectured them on their demeanor for the ball. Elora had already put on her dress while Darby stared Viola down, waiting impatiently for her to finish.

You won’t talk unless the prince talks to you, Luciana continued. If Prince Darwin asks you a question you cannot answer, you giggle and compliment something about him. Men love to be complimented, and I’m certain the prince will like it, too.

But what if I run out of compliments to give him? Darby questioned. I can’t just stand there, giggling like a fool in response to whatever he says.

How in the world can you possibly run out of compliments, Darby? Luciana retorted. "Stop overthinking. I want you and your sister to be calm and collected. This ball is a big deal. Any lady