claim by the wolf king

The Moonlight Pack believed omegas were born to suffer. Weak. Pathetic. Disposable. Katerina Vale had heard those words her entire life. At nineteen years old, she already understood her place in the pack better than anyone. Omegas were at the very bottom of werewolf society. Lower than warriors. Lower than servants. Sometimes, it felt like they were treated lower than animals. And in the Moonlight Pack… Being an omega was a curse. The loud sound of the morning bell echoed through the servants’ quarters before sunrise. Katerina slowly opened her eyes. The small room was freezing cold. Four omega girls shared the tiny space together, sleeping on thin beds with worn blankets that barely protected them from the winter air. “Wake up already,” one of the girls groaned tiredly. Katerina sat up quietly, rubbing her aching arms. Yesterday’s punishment still left bruises across her skin. She glanced at the cracked mirror hanging on the wall. Dark curly hair. Soft silver eyes. Dark skin slightly pale from exhaustion. Nothing special. Just another omega. She quickly changed into her simple black maid uniform before rushing outside. The pack house was already awake. Servants moved everywhere carrying buckets, cleaning supplies, and baskets filled with laundry. Warriors trained outside while powerful alphas walked proudly through the halls like kings. Meanwhile omegas kept their heads lowered. Always silent. Always careful. Katerina grabbed a bucket and began scrubbing the marble floor near the main staircase. The freezing water burned her hands, but she continued working quietly. “You missed a spot.” A cold voice suddenly spoke behind her. Katerina immediately lowered her head. “Sorry, Beta Clara.” Beta Clara was the head servant of the pack house. She hated omegas more than anyone else. Clara crossed her arms. “Do it again.” Katerina nodded softly and scrubbed harder. No matter how much she cleaned, it was never enough. “You omegas are useless,” Clara muttered before walking away. Katerina remained silent. She was used to it. Insults no longer surprised her. The Moonlight Pack had taught her one thing very clearly— Omegas were not allowed to fight back. As the morning continued, Katerina moved from one task to another without rest. Cleaning floors. Washing dishes. Carrying laundry. Preparing baths. Serving food. By midday, her body already felt exhausted. Still, she forced herself to continue. Because slowing down meant punishment. And punishment in Moonlight Pack was cruel. Sometimes omegas were denied food for days. Sometimes they were beaten publicly to “teach obedience.” Sometimes they disappeared completely. Nobody ever asked what happened to them. “Katerina!” A cheerful voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned slightly and relaxed upon seeing Lena running toward her. Lena was another omega maid and Katerina’s only real friend in the pack house. Unlike Katerina, Lena smiled often despite their miserable lives. “You’ve been working since dawn again,” Lena whispered. “You’re going to collapse one day.” Katerina gave a small smile. “I’m fine.” “You always say that.” Lena carefully looked around before pulling a small piece of bread from her apron. “I saved this for you.” Katerina’s eyes widened slightly. “Lena…” “Take it quickly before someone sees.” Katerina hesitated before accepting the bread quietly. Her chest tightened with emotion. Small acts of kindness were rare inside Moonlight Pack. “Thank you,” she whispered. Lena grinned proudly. “See? I’m the best friend ever.” Katerina laughed softly. A genuine laugh. For a brief moment, life did not feel so terrible. Then heavy footsteps echoed through the hallway. The omega girls immediately straightened. Alpha Lucien walked past them surrounded by several warriors. The future Alpha of Moonlight Pack. Tall. Handsome. Powerful. Golden eyes filled with pride. Every servant lowered their heads instantly. Katerina stepped aside quietly, hoping not to be noticed. Unfortunately— Lucien stopped walking. His sharp gaze landed on her. “You,” he called coldly. Katerina froze. “Yes, Alpha?” Lucien glanced at the bucket beside her before smirking slightly. “You’re in the way.” Before she could react, one of the warriors kicked the cleaning bucket toward her. Dirty water splashed across Katerina’s dress and floor. The warriors laughed. Katerina lowered her gaze quickly. “I apologize, Alpha.” Lucien looked bored already. To him, humiliating an omega meant nothing. “Clean it properly this time,” he said before walking away. The laughter faded as they disappeared down the hall. Silence remained. Lena clenched her fists angrily. “I hate them.” Katerina slowly picked up the fallen bucket. “It’s fine.” “No, it’s not fine!” Lena whispered harshly. “You didn’t even do anything.” Katerina forced a small smile. “That’s just how things are.” But deep inside— For the first time in years— She felt tired. Not physically. Emotionally. Tired of surviving. Tired of being treated like she was worthless. Tired of existing only to suffer. That night, after finishing her duties long after midnight, Katerina quietly stepped outside the pack house. The cold wind brushed against her face. Above her, the moon shined brightly across the dark sky. Beautiful. Free. Katerina stared at it silently. Sometimes she wondered what it felt like to truly belong somewhere. To be loved. To be wanted. But dreams like that were dangerous for omegas. So she buried those thoughts deep inside her heart. Unaware that the Moon Goddess herself had already chosen a destiny that would change her life forever.