ALPHA'S SCHEMING ATTENDANT

CELIA Tears rolled down my cheeks as my eyes witnessed his pale face. “B-rother!” My trembling voice mumbled. A sheer white cloth shrouded his cold body, exposing a little of his blue feet at the bottom. “Jaron failed his test to become the Zeta. He couldn't accept the failure and stabbed himself with a dagger in the pack house.” Mother uttered the words, crying loudly. I knelt on the ground beside Jaron’s body and slowly brushed my fingers through his gelid face. “My brother was not weak!” “He sent us a letter last week saying his test went well.” My lips muttered, synchronized with the strong feeling inside my heart. Mother held my palm tightly. “Someone killed him!” She whispered with absolute surety. Fear crawled over my skin. “I sensed it in their eyes.” Her sobbing voice muffled. Earlier, four men from the pack house delivered Jaron's body to our doorstep. They appeared to be hiding the real brutal truth behind his death. It was like they were only saying what they were taught to. “What about Hayes?” I inquired in the utmost distress. “They said Hayes also failed the test and disappeared somewhere.” Mother muffled her crying voice. My ears turned cold. Hayes was our younger brother. He went to the pack house with Jaron for the test. One brother was killed, and the other one was missing. Everything was strange! A strange feeling enveloped my soul, and fury replaced agony. Someone took away my brother from me, and even the thought of it was piercing my chest with pain. Jaron was my protector, best friend, guardian, and everything. I wouldn't sit back and accept it. Hayes needed his sister. “Mother” She looked into my teary eyes, and my lips sucked in a deep breath. “Please allow me to apply for a job in the pack house. I want to find out the truth behind Jaron's death and save Hayes at all costs.” Her eyes widened. “Have you lost your mind?” She raised her voice angrily. “Don’t expect me to turn a blind eye to my brother's murder. Also, Hayes could still be alive.” I growled. Mother clutched either of my arms. “You're wolfless, Celia!” She muttered underneath a heavy breath, clenching her teeth. It was my only weakness. A wolfless wolf is considered a bad omen in the Crystal Moon pack. For generations, wolfless wolves were considered enemies and killed by the pack members. Even their families weren't spared. Some families would kill their own children who were born wolfless to save themselves. That's how terrified people were. A wolfless' smells the same as others in the Crystal Moon pack. A rare kind of scent that Crystal Moon pack's wolves harbor. The only difference is wolfless can't transform into their wolf form. Unlike my twin brother, I was born wolfless. Even though we shared different faces, our hearts were connected. Jaron was three seconds older than me but far more mature for his age. Mother gave birth to Hayes three years later, and he was born a full-wolf like Jaron. My parents could have killed me like other families, but they were too soft for such cruelty and ended up raising me. They took a huge risk! My birth was kept a secret in the pack. No one knew Jaron had a twin sister. Father renovated our basement into a cozy room, and I was raised there secretly. My family never allowed me to step outside the house alone or visit crowded places. After my father's death from a disease, Mother and Jaron became even more protective of me. Even though Hayes was younger, he always acted as my older brother. “You're not going anywhere, especially the pack house!” Mother furiously stated her final decision. “We can't give up on Hayes like this!” I said frustratingly. Her eyes replenished with a sudden emptiness. “Do you really believe Hayes is alive?” Words froze over my lips. “I don't know what happened in the pack house and why someone killed my sons, but they're both dead.” “Your brothers are gone, and I'm not ready to lose my daughter.” She shut off any further discussions. The next day… Rain lashed down over us, and we bid goodbye to Jaron. A bitter funeral it was. Mother and I were the only ones attending the funeral—more like we buried Jaron's body underneath the ground and accepted the deceptive truth. The black dress on my body was taunting my vulnerability. Mother gave up for the sake of our lives, but I was desperate to avenge Jaron's death and save Hayes. Upon returning home, Mother went straight to her bedroom and closed the door. She wouldn't accept it, but her heart was completely broken, feeling as helpless as me. I stepped into my room and gazed at the packed red bag. Pack House was my choice! Grabbing a blue pen, I wrote down a letter for Mother. She might hate me for this, but with time, her rage would eventually understand my decision. It was for Jaron and Hayes. Dear Mother, I know you told me to stay away from the pack house, but I wouldn't be able to face myself in the mirror if I didn't do anything. Jaron was my twin; we were connected, and Hayes could still be alive, waiting for his sister to save him. My heart tells me that something really bad happened to him. Until now, Jaron and Hayes protected me, but for the first time, I'm doing something for my brothers. Your daughter is not weak; even without her wolf, she knows how to fight. Jaron had taught me the best skills. Forgive me for leaving without informing you. Please don't hate me for this. I left the letter on my desk, grabbed my bag, and left the house. My feet took the route through the woods; it was much safer for me. Jaron used to teach me self-defense in the woods. There was only one way to enter the famous pack house…a job! Alpha rules the pack house, and only skilled people selected by the Gamma can enter the pack house to serve the Alpha. Not everyone can pass the difficult test. Jaron and Hayes had been living in the pack house for two weeks. The pack house hosts a two-week briefing session for all the applied wolves and then conducts a test. My brothers wanted to be Zeta under Alpha. It was their dream. The pack house is a dream for many, and every young blood struggles day and night to get the opportunity to serve Alpha. I never felt the desire for such an opportunity…until now! After a long walk through the dark forest, my feet arrived at the pack house. The huge silver gates called my name as if they wanted to show me the secret passage to hell. I step forward courageously. There were two guards in black uniforms on either side of the gate. “Who are you?” The one on the left asked for my identification. “I am Rose Lancaster.” A fake name rolled over my lips. “Weren't you sick?” The guard twitched a brow. The Lancaster family lives next door to us, and their youngest daughter, Rose Lancaster, is very sick. She never leaves her warm bed. Rose was perfect for my disguise, and the disguise was important to keep my connection with my brothers a secret. “I am healthy now.” My voice, wrapped in tenderness, cleared his doubt. The guards passed each other a glance for a brief second and slowly shifted their unsettling gazes back to my face. “Why are you here?” One of them inquired. “For a job!” I answered. “My dream is to serve the Alpha.” A fake smile glinted on my lips.