Bound To The Broken Alpha

Chapter 2

Elena’s POV

Elena’s POV

I stayed behind the shed for a long moment, trying to steady my breathing as my heartbeat kept pounding like someone was trying to escape my ribcage. I wiped my face with the back of my hand and looked at the dirt smudged on my skin. Great. I looked as pathetic as I felt.

Well, no time to cry about it. Wolfless omegas do not get crying breaks.

I walked back toward the storage room to pick up the supplies I needed for the next task, but when I pushed the wooden door open, my stomach dropped immediately.

My basket was gone.

No, not gone. Emptied. Everything inside, from my spare cloth to the jar of herbs I spent a week saving for, was missing. The only thing left was the broken string of the handle.

I stared at it for a few seconds, then let out a long breath that sounded way too tired.

Of course this happened. Of course someone stole my things again. Why not. I was everyone’s free entertainment.

I crouched down and picked up the broken string. I knew exactly what it meant. Someone took it. And someone wanted me to know they took it.

People shoved me in the hallways, called me useless, mocked my clothes, pulled my hair, stole my food. This was not new. This was not surprising. This was normal.

But today, something sat heavier in my chest. Something angry. Something hot.

I just did not have the time to feel it.

I walked out with an empty basket and went to start my chores again. My back ached. My cheek throbbed from the slap earlier. My ribs felt bruised from yesterday. Every step reminded me that people did not even need a reason to hurt me. I existed and that was enough.

I reached the corridor leading to the supply closet when I heard high heels clicking unnaturally loudly on the wooden floor. The kind of entrance someone makes when they want the whole world to look at them.

Mira.

Perfect.

She walked in wearing her peach dress that swayed dramatically as she moved, hair in those stupid soft curls she always flaunted like she invented them. Her smile stretched wide, bright, fake. Almost pretty. Definitely poisonous.

“Oh, Elena. There you are,” she said in a voice sickeningly sweet, loud enough so everyone nearby heard her acting like she was my friend.

I prayed silently to any higher being listening. Please let me disappear into the wall. I could be a smudge. A stain. A shadow. Anything but here.

No such luck.

I kept my eyes down and tried to walk past her, but she stepped right in front of me, blocking the path like she owned the entire hallway.

“Do not run away,” she giggled, lightly touching my shoulder as if she cared. “You look terrible today. Rough morning?”

My jaw clenched. She knew exactly what happened earlier. She always knew. Rumors loved her. Gossip followed her like perfume.

“I have chores,” I said softly, stepping to the side.

She stepped to the same side, blocking me again. Her smile never moved even though her eyes turned cruel.

“You always have chores. If you moved any slower the wolves will mistake you for a corpse.”

My cheeks heated with embarrassment as a few people passing by laughed. Mira made sure to giggle with them, acting like it was all one big friendly joke.

I swallowed my pride and said nothing. There was no point arguing. Mira was the pack’s beloved sweetheart. Everyone adored her. Everyone believed her. And I was the pitiful omega who slept on the floor by the laundry room.

I pushed forward anyway, trying to pass her and head to the cleaning station, but she flicked her wrist so casually that I barely saw it happen.

My tray of supplies flew out of my hands and crashed to the floor.

Brushes. Soap. Towels. Everything scattered everywhere.

Gasps filled the corridor.

Mira put a hand to her chest and stepped back with a dramatic gasp. “Elena. Look at what you did. You need to be careful. You nearly hit me.”

A few people snickered. Some shook their heads at me. One woman tsked loudly like I had personally offended her ancestors.

I felt my face burn. I crouched down quickly to gather the items. My fingers shook the entire time. I hated that everyone saw me on my knees. I hated how familiar it felt.

Mira knelt beside me, pretending to help, and whispered so quietly that only I heard her.

“You are embarrassing. You know that. Why do you even bother waking up in the morning.”

I swallowed hard and pushed her hand away by accident. Not forcefully. Just instinctively. But even that tiny movement made her smile twitch.

“Elena,” she said in a voice dripping with fake concern. “Why are you being so sensitive today.”

I looked up at her and for a second, I did not see the sweet girl she pretended to be. I saw the truth. The one who used to braid my hair when we were six. The one who used to promise we would run away from this place together. The one who suddenly stopped talking to me when people started liking her more than me.

“Mira,” I whispered before I could stop myself. “Why did we grow apart. What happened to you. Why did you suddenly change.”

Her fake smile faltered so slightly that I almost missed it.

But she did not break character. She leaned closer with the prettiest expression on her face and said through clenched teeth that no one else could hear.

“Stop acting like a pitiful whore.”

The words sliced through me. Sharp. Clean. Cruel.

I froze. Then she stood back up and turned to the others with a sweet giggle.

“She is so clumsy today. Poor thing.”

People nodded and moved on. No one cared. No one ever cared.

I held the tray tight and stood up slowly. My knees felt weak. My chest hurt again. Not physically this time. Emotionally.

Mira stepped close, her lips brushing near my ear as she spoke softly.

“Be careful, Elena. Thieves get punished.”

I frowned slightly. “What is that supposed to mean.”

She only smiled, tapped my cheek lightly, and walked off with her skirt swaying as if she had won something.

I did not have the energy to decode whatever threat she tried to plant in my head. Not today. I carried the tray toward the back rooms and focused on finishing the last of my chores.

Hours passed. My body felt heavier with every movement. My ribs hurt each time I bent. My cheek still stung. My hands shook each time I reached for something. I felt like a fragile stick someone had stepped on repeatedly and expected to still stand straight.

By the time I scrubbed the final floor tile, my arms were trembling. I sat back on my heels and let out a deep sigh.

Maybe if I was lucky, nothing else would happen today. Maybe I could crawl into my corner, eat whatever crumbs were thrown my way, and sleep for a few hours without someone waking me for more work.

That was the hope.

Then the shouting started.

Dozens of voices erupted outside. Footsteps slammed against the floor. People ran past the open window yelling things I could not make out.

I stood up quickly, gripping my chest as a strange heaviness settled inside it.

Something was wrong.

Everyone was rushing toward the main hall. Warriors. Elders. Patrol guards. Even omegas were being pulled along, ordered to gather.

My stomach twisted.

Whatever happened, it was not good.

I stepped out into the hallway, clutching the tray against my chest, and the noise hit me like a wave.

“Everyone to the main hall.”

“Hurry.”

“Find out who did it.”

“The Alpha’s possessions have been tampered with.”

“What do you mean tampered.”

“I said move.”

People shoved past me as if I was invisible again.

But one thing made my blood run cold.

Mira. Standing at the far end of the hall. Watching the chaos with a satisfied little smile, like she knew something no one else knew.

She looked directly at me and tilted her head slightly, as if asking whether I understood her little warning now.

I did not. Not yet.

But my heart dropped anyway.

Something important was missing.

Something that belonged to the new Alpha.

And somehow, I felt sick because whatever danger was coming, my name was probably already tangled inside it.

I took a shaky breath.

Then I walked toward the main hall with everyone else, not knowing that my entire life was about to shatter.