It's Either You, Alpha or the Rogue

Chapter 1: Introduction

Note: This story moves at a relaxed pace, focusing on character growth and setting. It's a slow-developing tale that needs some patience. If you're okay with that, let's keep reading together. If not, no worries - feel free to stop anytime.

~ARIA~

Selena stormed into the room, her face twisted in anger. Before I could even say a word, her hand came down hard across my cheek, the slap loud. I staggered back, clutching my face. My skin stung, but it wasn't just the pain of the slap... it was the humiliation that cut deeper.

"Worthless Omega," she spat, glaring at me with so much hate in her eyes. I didn't understand it. Why did she hate me so much? What had I ever done to her?

I stayed silent, not daring to meet her gaze. Selena was a Beta, and I was just an Omega, the lowest rank in the pack. I didn't have the power or authority to defend myself. If I so much as raised my voice, she'd only make things worse for me. So I bit my lip, holding back the tears that threatened to spill.

"You think you can just walk around here like you belong? You're nothing, Aria. An Omega like you should be scrubbing toilets, not walking around like you matter," Selena hissed, her voice dripping with venom.

Her words got to me, they always did. I had always done what I was told, worked hard, stayed out of trouble. But it never seemed to matter to her. Selena had always singled me out, making my life harder with each passing day.

"I don't want to see you anywhere near the palace unless you're cleaning the filth. Tomorrow morning, you'll be scrubbing toilets from now on," she said, her tone full of disgust as if I wasn't even human. "And if you're late, you'll regret it."

With that, she turned on her heel and walked out, leaving me standing there, my cheek still burning, my heart heavy.

I waited until I was sure she was gone before I let the tears fall. I hated how weak I felt, how powerless I was to stop her from treating me like this. No matter what I did, I was never good enough in her eyes. And now I had been given the worst job possible... toilet duty.

I sank to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest. The palace was massive, and the work would be endless. I'd have to wake up before dawn to even stand a chance of getting it all done. And knowing Selena, she'd find a reason to punish me, no matter how hard I worked.

I wiped my tears, taking a deep breath. This was my life now. No one cared about what happened to an Omega like me. I was just a tool, something to be used and tossed aside when I wasn't needed.

This is my life. I'm a lone wolf, no parents, no siblings, no family. It's hard, but I've learned to survive. Being an Omega is tough, people treat us like trash. But for me, it's even worse. Selena always made sure of that. She hated me for reasons I couldn't understand. Every day felt like a new punishment.

Last night, after she slapped me and ordered me to clean the palace toilets, I couldn't stop crying. I hated that I let her get to me. I hated feeling so powerless. But what choice did I have? I had no one to turn to, no one to defend me. It was just me, struggling to get by in a world that didn't care.

I cried until I couldn't anymore and fell asleep. The next morning, I woke up before the sun rose, dragging myself out of bed to do what Selena had told me. If I didn't, I knew she'd find a way to make my life even worse. I grabbed the cleaning supplies and went to the palace bathrooms, scrubbing each one like my life depended on it.

As I scrubbed, I tried to keep quiet, but the brush kept squeaking against the tiles. The palace was so quiet that even the smallest sound echoed. I was almost done when suddenly, I heard heavy footsteps behind me.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A deep, angry voice snapped.

I froze, slowly turning around. My heart dropped when I saw him. Alpha Xander. He looked furious, his dark eyes glaring at me like I had just committed the worst crime.

"I-I was just cleaning," I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. I kept my head down, not daring to look him in the eye. Omegas weren't allowed to meet the Alpha's gaze, especially not when they'd angered him.

"You woke me up," he growled. "Scrubbing so loud that it echoed through the halls. You have no sense, do you?"

"I'm sorry, Alpha," I whispered, shaking. I couldn't believe this was happening. Of all the people to wake up, it had to be him.

He took a step closer, and I could feel his presence screaming almighty. My heart raced, not just from fear, but from something else. Something I didn't understand.

Then it hit me. The air around us felt different. It was like a spark had ignited between us. I felt a strange pull towards him, and the way his expression softened for a brief second, I knew he felt it too. A connection.

My breath caught in my throat. No, it can't be. Alpha Xander? My mate?

I looked up at him, my eyes wide with shock. His expression changed too. He wasn't angry anymore, just surprised. He felt it. He knew.

"What..." he started to say, but I couldn't process anything else. My mate? The Alpha?

Should I be happy? Or scared? I didn't know. All I knew was my world had just turned upside down.