"Why are you lingering? Attend to your duties!" she bellowed.
With a final glare, she turned and lumbered off. I sighed, making my way to the cloakroom where Shawn Gibson's garments awaited. Today marked his eighteenth birthday, the day he would ascend to Alpha.
The sun peeked over the horizon as I finished pressing his attire.
Our Black Moon Pack territory was perennially shrouded in clouds, the air always damp and cold. Bundled in threadbare layers, I fetched a pail for the banquet hall.
Within, an array of elegant tableware awaited the festivities.
As I wiped the steps, a stiletto clicked against the floor. Looking up, I met Lucy's gaze, daughter of the Gamma.
She sported a sleek black gown, her crimson curls cascading. "Move aside," I said coolly.
"Do you comprehend where you stand? This is no place for the likes of you," she retorted, kicking my bucket.
"Lucy, you're pushing boundaries."
"A mere servant dares challenge me? How quaint. Allow me to stoke your ire further."
With a toss of her curls, she gestured. A she-wolf approached, dumping slop before me.
The stench lingered.
I watched with icy resolve.
Rancor simmered within.
With a smirk, Lucy awaited my reaction, anticipating my humiliation.
But I refused to grant her that satisfaction.
"Is that all?" I asked, unperturbed, as I cleaned the mess.
My nonchalance seemed to irk her, her smirk faltering.
"You're insufferable," she spat before departing.
In her absence, tears welled, unchecked.
In moments like these, I yearned for my mother. I wasn't born into servitude; my mother had been the Beta, rare for a female in our history.
She was both gentle and resolute, showering me with love.
But fate's hand is cruel.
Falsely accused of regicide, my mother was executed. I became an outcast, branded as the traitor's kin.
They heaped blame upon me, relegating me to the lowest rung.
Daily, I endured servitude, humiliation, and occasional beatings.
With this burden, I toiled, head bowed.
I had to ready the hall ere the guests arrived, lest I face harsher repercussions.
"Lila, do not despair. I am with you always," Yana, my wolf, soothed.
"I am grateful for your presence, Yana. Together, we endure."
"You'll never be alone. Your mate awaits, somewhere."
"But I'm eighteen now, and still no sign," I lamented.
My mother had faced adversity alone; I yearned for a different fate.
"Perhaps our escape is overdue," Yana suggested.
"Not yet. I must first clear my mother's name," I resolved, her memory a weight upon my soul.
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