REJECTED TWICE: CHOSEN BY FATE

CHAPTER 1

Asha's POV

The morning sun filtered through the breaks in the trees as I trudged down the narrow path, my mind already preparing for what was waiting for me upon my return to the pack-house. I'd been out gathering herbs since the early morning hours, a contrived excuse just to get free from it all, if only for a brief period. The Omega's daughter, preordained to a life of servitude-I'd heard them all, but no one reminded me of it more than my stepsister Lilith.

I'd felt it the instant I stepped into the pack-house: she was here. There was something about Lilith that made the very air feel heavy and cold, a storm brewing just out of sight. She was leaning against the kitchen table, her eyes-ice blue, lips twisted in a mocking smile-watching me.

"You are late, Asha," she said, her voice dripping with sweet mendacity. "You must have forgotten that we have guests coming tonight. And it is your turn to assist in the preparations."

I kept myself back and there was such a strong urge inside me to lash out, but I nodded instead. "I know. I'll get to it."

Lilith took a step closer, her eyes constricting. "You have much to be thankful for, you know. Without us, you'd be nothing. Just nobody, Omega's daughter, a burden." She tilted her head to the side; the hint of satisfaction was clear in her voice.

Those words hurt more than they should have, but then again, that was what Lilith did best. She always managed to strike exactly where it would sting the most - those sore spots, those insecurities I'd tried to bury. I had tolerated her cruelty for years now, with constant reminders from her about how much "beneath" she found me. She just loved to throw around in status: Berta's daughter, as if it alone made her untouchable. What hurt more was that everyone else actually believed it, even my mother.

"Stop standing around, and get to work," Lilith sneered, the pause somehow taken as a personal affront. She tossed a cloth at me, not bothering to mask the contempt in her gaze.

I took the cloth wordlessly, the rough fabric between my fingers, and headed for the kitchen sink, where there were already dishes piled up, remnants of the mess from breakfast. I scrubbed and cleaned, trying to shut Lilith's presence out of my mind as she hawkishly watched my every move, probably just waiting for me to slip up on something.

"Pitiful," she muttered to herself, but not softly enough that I did not hear.

My fingers shook, my jaw clenched as I focused on the plates. I wanted to scream at her, to ask her why she hated me so much. But the years of being taught not to talk back, to keep my head low, lashed me into obedience. I knew well enough not to give her the sight of my ire. Lilith lived for that. She was the type to stab and stab until she reached blood.

I finished up and walked into the living room to set up for tonight. Our Alpha's son, Rylan, would be coming in, and I could already imagine how Lilith would drool all over him, playing sweet, innocent pack princess. Everyone adored her-or pretended to. She had been charming when she had wanted to be, a side she reserved for anyone but me.

"You missed a spot," Lilith's voice stabbed through my mind like a knitting needle, as I put the plates down on the table. Her finger was pointing at an invisible smudge. Her eyes shone with mirth. "Honestly, Asha, you're hopeless."

I nodded stiffly; inside, my gut was on fire. What was the point of arguing? She would only use it against me later on, twisting my words to make me look even more incompetent. That was the way she lived for that control, that power over me, and I just would not hand her more ammunition.

By nightfall, I was dropping on my feet-but the night was just getting started, that is. Lilith had traded in her rough clothes for a skintight black dress with a silky shine. Blonde tresses flowed like honey down her backside, and her makeup was flawless. Me? I wore a simple-dress-something not particularly becoming, not when it didn't fit too well. I stitched it together myself from rags and tatters, and it hardly hide the bruises from my last training sessions.

Lilith's gaze wandered over me, her expression unreadable, before she smirked. "You know, if you tried just a little bit, you might not look so plain." She stepped closer to me, tracing a finger down my shoulder as if scanning me. "But I suppose that's a lot to ask of someone like you.

I looked away, clenching my fists. It wasn't that I hadn't tried-hard. I'd spent years trying to fit in, to find my place. But no matter what I did, Lilith always found a way to tear me down, to remind me of my "place" in the pack hierarchy. The words seemed to echo in my head, making me feel so small, like the dirt beneath her designer shoes.

As the guests came, I went back to my station near the door of the kitchen, unseen but in clear sight to perform my duties. Rylan came with a group of people, and his commanding presence preempted attention. Lilith didn't waste one moment but swooped down on him; her voice turned sugary sweet, her laughter filling up the space. It was like watching an actress- everything in a calculated move, each smile meant to ensnare.

I busied myself serving drinks, being very careful not to meet anyone's eye. But even as I circulated through the room, I knew Lilith was watching me, her eyes following every step I made until I slipped. I stumbled once, spilling a drink just about, and I caught the satisfied smirk that oozed across her face. She leaned in to whisper something to Rylan, and they both glanced my way, snickering. Heat crept up my cheeks, mingling shame and frustration.

By the time I finally made it back into the kitchen, Lilith followed; that smile was gone now, replaced by a hard glare. "You're embarrassing," she hissed, her voice low but venomous. "Do you know how pathetic you look, fumbling around like that? Honestly, you are a disgrace to the pack.".

I bit back a retort, my nails digging into my palms. "I'm doing my best," I said, though my voice shook.

Lilith laughed, the sound high and reedy, grating on my nerves. "Your best? Face it, Asha, your best will never be good enough. You'll always be weak, always beneath me. Just accept it." She took another step closer, her face inches from mine, her breath a burning mist of heat against my cheek. "No one will ever want you. Not Rylan, not anyone. You're nothing.

Her words fell over me like a lead weight, but I wouldn't let her see the sting. Instead, I held her gaze, swallowing the retort that would have spilled from my mouth. Years of her torment had taught me to mask my reactions-to lower my head and just survive. But something inside me whispered one day would be different. One day, I wouldn't be her punching bag.

Lilith must've seen the defiance in my eyes because her smirk faltered and was replaced by a flash of irritation. "Don't look at me like that," she snapped, her voice cold. "You think you're special, don't you? Just because you're Omega's daughter? Newsflash, Asha; that makes you the lowest of the low."

With one last sneer, she turned and strode out of the kitchen, leaving me standing. She was really getting on my nerves, but what could I do? Nothing.

“I hope I can avoid you for the rest of today,” I muttered, believing that she had done but I was wrong.

“Did you just refer to me?” She asked, staring at me with venomous fury.

My body began to shake in fear and I curled my feet, trying to think of a reply to give her.

“Uhm…. No- no. I wasn’t talking about you,” I stammered but before I knew it, her hand struck against my cheek.

I fell into a chair, letting out a shaky breath. The words played in my head, and I was on the thin age of hitting her back.

My eyes shot a hard glance at her and she scoffed, “why are you looking at me like that? Do you want to fight back?” She mocked, while my breath was fastened.

“Come on, stand up and fight back,” she jeered, and at once, I jumped up and raised my hand to hit.

My hands stopped midway when I saw her pop her eyes wide open. What the hell was I thinking? Hitting her could get me into so much trouble. I quickly lowered my hand down and all the anger in me vanished.

At once, she let out a loud laugh and kicked my stomach, causing me to fall again but this time to the floor. “The ground is where you belong, always know your place!” With that, she walked out.