Chapter one
1088 Words
POV:Ariana🦋
Life as an Omega has never been easy.
I wake before the sun, long before the pack house stirs, my body aching from yesterday’s work and the day before that and the many days that came before. The cold seeps through the thin blanket beneath me, the stone floor biting against my skin as I sit up. My room if it can even be called that is nothing more than a small basement space beneath the pack house. No window. No warmth. Just four walls that remind me every day where I belong.
At the bottom.
My name is Ariana.
Just Ariana.
No surname.
No family name to carry with pride or shame. I was found as a baby in the forest, abandoned and half-dead, according to the whispers I overheard growing up. The Alpha of this pack brought me back and decided to keep me alive, but that was where his kindness ended. I grew up not as a daughter of the pack, but as its servant.
An Omega.
I sigh softly as I stand, stretching my sore limbs. Complaining won’t change anything. It never has. If anything, it only makes the day harder. I quickly tie my hair back and head upstairs, careful to move quietly. The pack house must be spotless before anyone wakes, or I’ll pay for it later.
I start with the floors—sweeping, mopping, scrubbing until my hands sting. Then the common rooms, the stairs, the entrance hall. Every corner must shine, even though no one ever thanks me for it. By the time I’m done, my stomach growls loudly, but I ignore it. Omegas eat last. Sometimes, not at all.
The kitchen is next.
I move quickly, preparing breakfast for the entire pack. Eggs, bread, soup simple food, but enough. I stir, taste carefully, and adjust the seasoning just the way they like it. When it’s done, I set the long dining table neatly, placing everything in perfect order.
Only then do I hear voices.
Pack warriors.
They’re coming downstairs.
My heart jumps into my throat. I don’t belong here when they’re awake. I quickly rush out of the kitchen, keeping my head down as I head for the back corridor that leads to my room. I slow my steps when I sense them nearby, especially Edward—the future Alpha of this pack.
And Mia.
Edward’s girlfriend.
My tormentor.
Mia never misses a chance to remind me that I’m nothing. Her laughter cuts sharper than claws, and her words always find the weakest parts of me. I keep my eyes on the floor, praying they don’t notice me.
I almost make it.
Almost.
After locking myself in my small basement room, I release a shaky breath and head for the tiny bathroom attached to it. I wash quickly—cold water only—and change for school. My clothes are old and worn, faded from too many washes. A green shirt with frayed edges and a blue skirt that’s seen better days. Still, it’s all I have.
I sling my bag over my shoulder and quietly make my way back upstairs, hoping to slip out before anyone stops me.
I’m one step from freedom when—
“Omega! Where do you think you’re going?”
My blood turns to ice.
I turn slowly to see Mia standing at the top of the stairs, arms crossed, eyes sharp with irritation. Edward stands beside her, watching with that familiar cold look.
“Come here. Now.”
I hurry toward her, lowering my head. If I hesitate, it will be worse.
“Yes, ma’am,” I say softly.
She wrinkles her nose in disgust. “Why did you make this for breakfast? It’s tasteless. I can’t eat this.”
“I—I’m sorry,” I say quickly. “I can make something else, but I’m late for school—”
The slap comes out of nowhere.
My head snaps to the side, pain exploding across my cheek.
“You said what?” she snaps.
“I—I said I’m late fo—”
She cuts me off by shouting, “Edward!”
My heart sinks.
“Oh no,” I whisper. “I’m finished.”
“She refused to make me breakfast,” Mia says dramatically. “Can you imagine?”
Edward steps forward. “Omega. Get here.”
My legs tremble as I walk toward him. Before I can say anything, he shoves me hard. I stumble, pain flaring as I fall to my knees, clutching my stomach. Laughter erupts around us—pack members watching, amused by my humiliation.
I bite my lip, refusing to cry.
Mia laughs, then suddenly waves a hand. “You know what? Forget it. Let’s just go.”
She kisses Edward like nothing happened, like I’m not kneeling on the floor in pain.
“And you,” she says, turning to me, “make sure you eat and clean my room later.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I whisper.
They leave, laughter trailing behind them.
Only then does Bella rush to my side.
My best friend.
“Are you hurt?” she asks, helping me stand.
“I’m fine,” I lie.
“Let me help you clean,” she offers.
“No,” I say quickly. “You’ll be late for school.”
She frowns. “I don’t care.”
But I shake my head. “Please.”
Together, we finish the work as fast as we can and rush to school, arriving late—as always. Whispers follow me through the halls, but today there’s something else in the air.
Excitement.
“The mating ceremony is in two weeks,” girls whisper eagerly.
“The Alpha King is coming.”
Some girls giggle nervously, others smile dreamily. They talk about him like he’s a legend—powerful, terrifying, untouchable. Some say he chooses someone from the packs he visits. A companion. A bond.
I lower my head, my chest tightening.
I don’t want anything to do with him.
I pray silently that fate will never be that cruel.
When school ends, I return to the pack house, finish my chores, and retreat to my room. I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling, counting the days.
My eighteenth birthday is close.
Soon, I’ll have my wolf.
Soon, I’ll meet my mate.
Hope curls softly in my chest as sleep finally claims me.
I wonder what he’ll look like.
And for the first time in a long while…
I smile.
- Writer
