Claimed by the Ruthless Alpha

Chapter 3

The sun came up through the small, cracked window of the attic. It was a cold, pale light that did nothing to warm my frozen skin. I woke up on the hard floor, my muscles screaming in protest. My first shift had left me feeling like every bone in my body had been broken and put back together the wrong way.

I was hungry. No, I was more than hungry. My wolf was starving. Shifting for the first time takes a lot of energy, and I had nothing in my stomach but the bitter taste of my own tears.

I looked down at my hands. They looked the same, but they felt different. There was a strength under my skin that hadn't been there yesterday. I closed my eyes and tried to talk to my wolf.

*Are you there?* I asked in my mind.

*I am here,* she replied. Her voice was like silk and steel. *He hurt us, Elara. The Alpha hurt us.*

*I know,* I whispered. *But we have to be strong. We have to hide.*

I found an old, oversized shirt and a pair of leggings that were full of holes. They were the best clothes I had. I pulled them on, my skin still stinging from the rough fabric. I didn’t have a mirror, but I didn't need one to know I looked like a ghost. My hair was a mess, and my eyes were red from crying.

I had to go to the laundry. Kael had been very clear. If I didn't show up for work, he would make me regret it. And in this pack, "regret" usually meant a beating or worse.

I left the attic and walked down the back stairs. These were the stairs meant for servants. They were narrow and dark. As I reached the main floor, the smell of bacon and fresh bread hit me. My stomach growled so loudly it echoed in the hallway. I wanted to go to the kitchen, but I knew I wouldn't be allowed to eat until the warriors were done.

I made my way to the laundry room in the basement. It was a large, damp place filled with giant tubs of hot water and heavy stones for scrubbing.

"You're late, Omega!" a sharp voice barked.

I looked up to see Sarah. She was a high-ranking she-wolf with long blonde hair and a permanent scowl. She was one of the many women who dreamed of being Kael’s Luna. She hated me because I was the lowest of the low. If she knew I was Kael’s fated mate, she would probably kill me before the sun went down.

"I’m sorry," I said, keeping my head low. "I wasn't feeling well."

"I don't care how you feel," Sarah snapped. She pointed to a mountain of heavy, mud-stained blankets. "The warriors came back from a patrol in the rain. These need to be hand-washed and dried by tonight. If there is one speck of dirt left on them, you won't get dinner."

I looked at the pile. It was huge. It would take three people to finish it, and I was only one.

"Start moving," Sarah yelled.

I walked over to the first tub and began to fill it with water. It was heavy, and my arms shook as I lifted the buckets. My wolf was growling deep inside me. She didn't like being talked to this way. She wanted to bite Sarah’s throat.

*Patience,* I told her. *We are not strong enough yet.*

For hours, I scrubbed. The hot water turned my hands bright red. The soap stung the small cuts on my fingers. My back ached from leaning over the tub, and the steam made it hard to breathe. Every time I thought I was making progress, another servant would drop more dirty clothes on the pile.

Around noon, the door to the laundry room opened. Usually, only servants came here. But the air suddenly changed. The smell of winter and cedarwood filled the room, cutting through the scent of soap.

My heart skipped a beat. Kael.

I didn't look up. I kept scrubbing, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. I could feel his eyes on me. They were like cold lasers, burning into the back of my neck.

"Leave us," Kael said. His voice was low and carried the weight of a King.

Sarah and the other servants didn't wait a second. They dropped what they were doing and scurried out of the room like frightened mice. The heavy wooden door slammed shut, leaving me alone with the man who held my soul in his hands.

The silence was heavy. The only sound was the dripping of water from the blankets in my hands. I kept my head down, staring at the grey soap suds.

"Look at me when I enter a room, Omega," Kael commanded.