Odessa's Destiny

Chapter 4

ODESSA'S POV

Three days had passed since the Royal Gala, the worst night of my life.

Yet, I could still feel the sting of champagne on my skin and Princess Amaya's slap echoing across my cheek.

I hadn't seen Prince Asher since, and I was trying to convince myself that it was for the best. After all, he lived in a different pack, and our worlds were far apart.

But despite my best efforts, I couldn't shake off the memories of him. Tall, gorgeous, smirky, and infuriating.

I groaned and flopped backwards onto the wooden floor, scrubbing harder at the dusty floor of the maids' quarters.

My arms ached, my knees were sore, and my mind was somewhere it absolutely shouldn't be.

Specifically, wrapped around images of a certain prince.

I muttered to myself, pressing the back of my hand to my forehead like I was dying of lovesickness, which maybe I was.

It'd been three nights of him haunting my dreams. And not just the cute, talking kind. No. The wet kind. The kind that made me wake up panting and ashamed.

How pathetic was that? He was a prince. I was...nothing. If only my mother hadn't fallen in love with a rogue, maybe things would have been different.

Maybe I'd have a pack that loved me. Maybe I wouldn't be the daughter of a scandal, the reminder of her shame.

But here I was. A rogue, at least that's what the pack labeled me as.

Everyone knew I was my father's child, but my father hated me because my mother had cheated on him with a former rogue who'd also betrayed the pack.

My whole life had been one heavy sadness after another, and at some point, I became numb to everything.

A wave of sadness came over me as I remembered how much money I lost that night.

I had been planning to use that money to run away to another pack or, hell, the human world, away from everyone that didn't love me.

But since I had only spent one day and caused a lot of trouble for the caterers, I had not received a dime, not even for my cupcakes.

"Odessa!" I heard a familiar voice call me from behind.

"Grace!" I turned, a smile spreading across my face.

She was my only friend in the pack house. "What are you doing here?" I asked, watching her pant like she'd run a marathon.

"Odessa, the prince, the prince is here," she said, her eyes wide with excitement. I had a confused look.

“What prince?"

"The prince from the Ember Moon pack," my stomach flipped. "What? Why?"

"Why else? He's here for you!"

I laughed, nervous as hell. Oh my God, he'd come to kill me for his bride or worse...what could be worse than death?

"That's impossible," I said, trying to sound calm.

"Girl, if you don't stand up and go see him, I'm going to drag you there," Grace said, her voice firm.

I hesitated, my heart racing with anticipation.

"Odessa!" a sharp voice rang out behind me.

I flinched before turning, already knowing who it was. Remi, my stepsister.

Her eyes narrowed, her face twisted in a scowl. "What are you doing here?" she spat.

I stood up, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew I had to face whatever was coming my way.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come. I immediately pretended like I was scrubbing the floor.

She stood at the entrance of the maid quarters, arms crossed, wearing her signature scowl like a crown.

The gleam in her eyes told me she hadn't come to say something kind. She never really said anything kind to me. None of my supposed family did.

"Scrubbing the floor suits you so well, sis," she began, her voice dripping with malice.

I didn't say anything, just kept scrubbing the floor with a mixture of anger and frustration.

"Anyway, my clothes are in the laundry basket, don't forget to wash them. I still have to go to the ball," she added, her tone condescending.

I remained silent, not wanting to engage with her.

"Aww, is someone sad because she didn't get chosen by the Prince of Ember Moon?" she mocked, her voice echoing through the room.

"Answer me," she yelled when I didn't say anything, her anger and irritation palpable.

Angry that I was ignoring her, she kicked down the bucket of water I had been pretending to clean with.

The sound of the bucket crashing to the floor was followed by her venomous words: "Daughter of a whore."

I froze at her statement, my heart racing with anger. "What did you say?" I asked, my voice low and even.

"Now you speak. Very good," she sneered, her eyes flashing with malice.

I could already feel the anger in my wolf building up, urging me to react.

Calm your horses, girl, I said to my wolf, trying to keep my emotions in check.

But it was too late. Remi had crossed a sensitive line, and I couldn't help but react.

"What did you say?" I asked again, this time slowly, my eyes meeting hers.

“I said your mother was a w***e that f****d a rogue!" she spat at me, her words like a slap in the face.

I didn't think of the consequences, only the fact that she'd hurt me deeply.

I pounced on her, scratching her face with my claws before I realised what I was doing.

“Guard!" she called out, clutching her face.

I ran out of there before the guards came, not stopping until I was safe in the woods.

As soon as I got to a quiet clearing, I dropped to my knees, breath ragged, heart pounding.

The sting of Remi's words and my own actions throbbed inside me like a wound.

I snapped, again.

"Running away suits you," a voice said, breaking the silence. I looked up to see Prince Asher standing beneath the trees, hands in his pockets, eyes locked on me like I was prey.

"You," I breathed, my heart racing with surprise.

"I came for you," he said, stepping closer. "Be mine, Odessa," he added, his gaze intense.

I felt like I was dreaming, like this wasn't real. He wanted me? Wait, what was he even doing here?

"You want me to meet you?" I asked, trying to process what was happening.

"I want you as my mistress," he said, a sudden coldness in his voice. The world stopped, and I felt like I'd been punched in the gut.

"What?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You want me. I want you. Let's not pretend, we can be beneficial to each other.” He said, his eyes locked on mine.

Suddenly, the man I remembered was gone, replaced by someone I didn't know.

“It's okay, I can take you away from this, all of this," he added, his voice dripping with confidence.

"I will not become your mistress," I said, my voice firm.

"You'd rather live your life as a slave? Instead of my mistress?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

“Well I guess the Apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, you might as well turn out to be a w***e just like your mother.”

Without thinking, my palm met his cheek with a loud slap.

He didn't flinch, just looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Go to hell," I spat, turning away from him.