Forsaken by the Alpha

CHAPTER FIVE - PACKS POLITICS

The din of voices in the dining hall rolled over Selene like a crashing wave. The clinking of silverware against porcelain and the low hum of laughter and conversation created a backdrop of inference that Selene had grown used to.

Her hands trembled as she carried her heavy tray, laden with plates of food she wasn't allowed to touch, to Alpha's table. Her arms ached, but the fear of faltering was stronger than the pain.

The Alpha sat at the head of the table, his presence commanding the room without effort. Damian Stormcrest didn't need to raise his voice to remind everyone who held the power here.

His gaze swept over the room like a predator surveying its domain, sharp and calculating. Selene avoided his eyes, lowering her head as she placed the dishes carefully in front of him and the others seated around him.

“Faster girl” snapped Beta Liam, his voice laced with irritation. His words cut through Selene like a blade, sharp and deliberate. Selene flinched but didn't dare to look up.

“Yes, Beta Liam” she muttered, her voice barely audible. She moved swiftly, careful not to spill a single drop from the goblet she set before him.

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, the pressure mounting with every second she hung in their presence.

“Selene,” someone sneered from the middle of the table. It was the girl she slapped earlier. Her tone dripped with mockery. “You are shaking. Are we scaring you?”

The laughter that followed was cruel and biting, echoing in the corners of the hall. Selene's cheek burned, but she kept her head down, her lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't trust herself to speak. Any response might fan the flames of their ridicule.

Seraphina leaned back in her chair, a smirk playing on her lips. “Careful little one, we wouldn't want you to drop something. Damian's temper can be….. Unpleasant.”

The Alpha didn't react, he never intervened in their games, never stopped the jabs or the subtle cruelty.

Selene wasn't worth defending, and they all knew it. Her wolf, which was yet to come, offered no comfort, only a hollow and ache of longing.

As she retreated from the table, the conversation resumed as though she wasn't there. She moved silently among the tables, collecting empty plates and cups while the pack members nearly noticed her existence.

Some shoved their plates towards her without a word. Others didn't even look up when she reached for their dishes.

Selene's stomach churned not from hunger, she had learned to ignore that long ago, but from the constant reminder of her place. She was a shadow in the house, a ghost among wolves who thrived on power and dominance.

She didn’t belong here. She didn’t belong anywhere else either. The pack was all she had, and yet she had nothing.

“Selene, clean up this mess!” A voice snapped from the far corner of the room, jarring her from her thoughts.

Her head turned quickly to see Seraphina pointing at a spilled drink on the floor. The liquid spread in a dark stain across the polished wood, glistening under the glow of the chandeliers.

“I'm sorry,” Selene said softly, hurrying to grab a cloth. She dropped to her knees, ignoring the dull ache in her joints, and began scrubbing the floor with quick, frantic motions. Selene scoffed, stepping over her without so much as a glance.

On the ground, Selene felt smaller than ever, her position a glaring reminder of her status. The pack thrived on hierarchy, on the unspoken rules that kept everyone in their place.

The Alpha sat at the top, his words, law. His will, absolute. Beneath him, the Beta and other ranking wolves carried out his commands.

The omega served as workers, their role thankless but necessary. And then there was her, Selene, the orphaned outsider with no rank, no worth, no future.

“Enough!” The Alpha's voice cut through the noise, sharp and commanding.

The room fell silent instantly, the weight of his authority pressing down on everyone present. Selene froze, her hands stilling on the damp cloth. She didn't dare look up, didn't dare breathe too loudly.

“Seraphina,” Damian said, his tone even but dangerous, “don't waste my time with your petty games.”

Selene's heart leaped to her throat. It wasn't a defense of her. She knew that. It was a warning to Seraphina, a reminder that even the Alpha's mate wasn't above his disdain. But still, it felt like a small reprieve, a fleeting moment where the tide shifted ever so slightly.

Seraphina muttered an apology, her tone subdued, but Selene didn't miss the venom in her eyes as she glanced in her direction. The promise of retribution was clear, and Selene's stomach twisted in anticipation of whatever punishment would come later.

As the night wore on and the dining hall emptied, Selen was left alone to clean the mess they all left behind. Plates stacked very high, spilled drinks stained the tablecloth, and crumbs littered the floor.

She moved with a sudden mechanism, her body running on an autopilot while her mind swirled with emotions she couldn't quite name. Sadness. Anger. Resentment. They all knotted together, a tangled knot she couldn’t untie no matter how hard she tried.

Her tender hands ached as she scrubbed the last table in the hall, her muscles screaming for rest, but the work wasn’t done. It was never done. She had to prepare the Alpha’s quarters, clean the training room, and ensure the hallway was spotless before morning.

The Alpha's quarters were the last on her list to clean. She pushed the heavy door open cautiously, stepping into the dimly lit room.

The air inside was very thick with his cologne, earthy, commanding, and unmistakably him. It sent a shiver down her spine, though she couldn't tell if it was fear or something else settling in.

She worked quickly, her movements precise and efficient. She wiped down the furniture, folded the blankets, and also straightened the books on his shelf.

Her fingers brushed against the helm of the leather-bound journal, and for a moment, she hesitated. The temptation to open it was fleeting but powerful.

“What did Alpha Damian write about? Does he have secrets, fears, or desires? Or was he untouchable as he seemed?”

She shook her head and waved the thought. It wasn’t her place to wonder, it wasn’t her place to feel anything at all.

She finished and turned to leave but halted in the doorway, her eyes lingering all over the room. It was a reminder of all she wasn’t. Everything she would never have. Power, belongings, and freedom.

The sound of the door echoed in the empty hallway upon closing the door. She leaned against the wall for a moment, her eyes stinging with unshared tears.

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand upright. There was no room for weakness or tiredness here, no room for dreams and hopes.

She was Selene, the invisible girl, the shadow who cleaned up after the powerful. And no matter how long she yearned for something more, she knew the pack would never let her be anything else.