Three Years Later

Raziela

“Hey whore, need help folding those legs of yours?”

A hoarse voice called from my right, and it was followed by a rowdy laugh from the other group of men gathered, but I pressed my lips together, kept my head low and continued moving.

“You know what they say about omegas like her—once you’ve had one, you can’t stop.”

More laughter.

‘Just ignore them, just ignore them.’ My wolf whispered to me and I swallowed, nodding my head before pressing forward, doing my hardest to ignore all the slurs and catcalls that the group of warriors threw my way as I passed by them, into the pack house.

Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, with a couple of drops racing down the side of my face. They clung to my dress and spine, but I ignored it. I'd just finished scrubbing about fifty sheets with my hands, and my knuckles were beyond sore. My back ached, and I was this close to passing out, but I couldn't. I was nowhere close to done with my work for the day.

I just needed to get these sheets back in place, and I could take a little break before my next task. I moved into the pack house, keeping my head low to avoid any interaction.

I was halfway up the main stairs, when a sharp voice cut through the quiet. “Raziela!”

I stopped, my heart jumping in my chest. Madame Helen. I turned slowly, coming face to face with the older woman standing at the bottom of the stairs, with hands on her wide hips. Her permanent frown painted her face.

Her gray-streaked hair was pulled back so tight it looked like it was stretching her skin, making her usual frown look even meaner.

“Yes, Madame Helen?” My voice was quiet, almost a whisper.

“Spending all day on a few sheets, are we?” Madame Helen’s voice bounced off the walls.

“I’m sorry, Madame,” I said, looking down. “I was just taking these to the Alpha’s room.” I nodded my head toward the basket.

Maybe if people didn’t keep stopping me, I would be faster.

Madame Helen’s small eyes looked me up and down. “Well, hurry up. Don’t take all day. And then go straight to the kitchen. Cook Agnes is already losing her patience.”

“Yes, Madame.” I turned and almost ran up the rest of the stairs.

When I got to the hallway of the Alpha’s wing, I naturally slowed down. This part of the pack house was always quiet and I knew I had to be careful here. As I got close to the Alpha’s door, a door to my right opened and a big man stepped out from it.

Grom.

A cold shiver of fear ran down my back. He was the pack's Enforcer of punishment. Not only was he strong and scary-looking, he had a nasty scar that split his already mean face into two and eyes that always made me feel uncomfortable, like he was looking right through my clothes.

“Well, well, look what we have here,” Grom’s voice was low and deep, and it had that familiar, nasty sound l hated. He stood in my way on purpose, a smirk on his thick lips. “I noticed you’ve been avoiding me lately whore. We got a problem?”

I held the basket tighter, my knuckles turning white. “Excuse me, Grom. I need to take these to the Alpha’s room.” I tried to keep my voice steady.

He leaned closer and I caught the smell of his sweat, mixed with something metal that made me want to gag. “The Alpha’s sleeping. He took a break during the meeting earlier cause he was coming down with something. I don’t think you want to disturb him right now.” His eyes moved over me, stopping on my chest under my plain dress.

He reached out a thick, rough hand, trying to grab my arm, but I was used to him and several others trying to touch me, so I reacted quickly. I neatly stepped around him, making sure to put some distance between us. “I have work to do,” l said. My voice was firm, even though my heart was beating like crazy.

Grom’s smirk faded a little, and he looked annoyed. “Playing hard to get, little mouse? We all know what you are, your slimy little bastard is proof of how wide your legs can open. Where is she anyway? Is she chasing after boys her age already?”

I ignored him. Pushing open the wooden door to the Alpha’s room and slipping inside. The click of the door closing behind me made me release a relieved sigh.

The air in the Alpha’s room felt very different from the rest of the pack house. It was cold and the scent of jasmine was thick in the air. The thick, dark curtains were closed over the big windows, making the room completely dark and it took me a few seconds for my wolf to adjust to the room.

And then I saw him.

Alpha Marcus.

He really was asleep on the huge bed. I thought Grom had been lying.

Even when Alpha Marcus was sleeping, he seemed to fill the whole room. His breathing was deep and steady, and it caused my breath to catch in my throat. I really didn’t think he would be here.

‘Move quietly. Don’t wake him up!’ My wolf screamed in my mind.

But she didn’t need to tell me, my heart pounded against my ribs, as I tiptoed toward the large wooden closet at the end of the room. Where the clean sheets were usually kept. Every creak of the floorboards under my flip flops sounded like a loud bang to me.

I carefully pulled open the drawers and stacked the sheets in. When the last sheet was in place, I closed the lid as gently as I could and immediately turned to leave.

Just as I neared the door, my foot caught on something and I lost my balance. The basket fell from my hands as I stumbled, but my hands went out to stop my fall. I landed hard on my hands and knees and sharp pain shot up my arm, but it was nothing like the cold panic that went through me.

No, no, no!

On the bed, Alpha Marcus moved. A low growl rumbled from his chest.

I scrambled to my feet, my body shaking. I didn’t dare look back. I grabbed the fallen basket, gathered the things into it and ran out of the room. Not caring to check if he had really woken up or not.

I burst back into the hallway, almost running into Grom. He was still waiting there, and when he saw the panic on my face, his scarred face twisted into a smirk.

“Told you he was in there, dint I?” he sneered.

I didn’t answer, I quickly pushed past him, ignoring the slurs that he hurled at me, as I flew down the stairs.

Even the other omegas of the pack were capable of hurting me mercilessly, I could only wonder the things Alpha Marcus would do if I offended him. I really didn’t even need to offend him, just my presence alone was enough to upset him. I was so far below the rank, while he was so far above.

Men with power like him were dangerous to people like me.

Just like that man in that room, three years ago.

The one who ruined my life.

Even now, I couldn't remember his face. Just how he growled and grunted as he rammed into me, over and over again…

A few pack members in the main hall looked at me curiously as I ran past them, but I ignored them. I didn’t stop until I was outside, gasping for the cleaner air, my lungs burning.

I leaned against the cool wall of the pack house, my body shaking as I took deep breaths. I brought my hand up to brush my hair out of my face and it was then that I realized that my wrist was empty.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” I rubbed my empty wrists, looking frantically around for my bracelet.

It must have fallen off when I tripped in the Alpha’s room.

I had to get it back. That was the only valuable thing I had. I dropped the basket of laundry on the ground and turned around, but I could only take one step forward.

Could I really go back into the house? Back into that cold, dark room where the Alpha was sleeping? Past Grom, who would definitely still be hanging around, and then face Madame Helen’s anger for being late? Or even worse, running into the cook!

But my bracelet! Ugh!

I squeezed my eyes shut. The fear that I felt inside that pack house every time I was in it, was like a living thing inside my stomach. That bracelet was very important to me. It was a part of me, it was all I knew. I couldn’t just lose it.

But right now I can't go back. Maybe I could talk to whoever was in charge of cleaning Alpha Marcus’ room tomorrow, and try to get her to retrieve it for me.

Yes, that sounded like a better idea.

I picked up the basket from the floor, heading towards the other houses around the estate to deliver the rest of the sheets. I was halfway through to my next destination when a shrill cry pierced through the air. It was sharp and loud, and I recognized it immediately. A child's cry.

My child's cry.

Enid!

Fear buzzed deep in my bones, but it quickly made way to something more when I heard the panic in my child’s voice.

I felt a blinding anger consume me and the basket tumbled from my hip as I rounded the corner where the scream had come from. The fresh linen I'd just washed tumbled on to the dusty ground, but I couldn't bring myself to care less.

She'd told me she was going to play around somewhere, which she usually did while I worked, but I hadn't seen her yet. I finally found her, and the moment I did, I froze.

My breath caught in my throat as I took in the sight of my sweet three year old daughter. She was curled up on the ground, with tears in her eyes, her arms wrapped tightly around her eyes. A group of older pups circled her ferociously, like predators attacking prey.

“She doesn't even have a father. Just like her mother!” The first one sneered, while his friends laughed in response. Their laughter sounded like a cruel joke, and it only made Enid cry harder.

“Bastard pup.” another spat. He kicked her side, before smearing dirt all over her.

“Why don't you shift and fight back.” Another one jeered. “Oh wait, you can't. You're a runt, just like your mommy.”

“Stop it! Stop it!” I yelled, running in their direction. “Just stop it.”

I shoved past the kids, dropping to my knees. In an instant, I gathered Enid in my arms, pressing her cheek against my body. She sobbed quietly, her tears seeping into my dress. Her tiny body raked with sobs, and I didn't miss the split lip, blood and dirt marring her entire body.

The sight of my child like this broke my heart into pieces.

“Please.” My voice came out hoarse. “ She's just a baby. You don't have to do this. Please.”

I didn't know what I expected from these kids, but it definitely wasn't the train of laughter that followed my voice. I didn't know them, but I could easily tell they were children of the Alpha's and Beta's, so there was no way they would pay attention to me and I didn’t dare lay a finger on them.

“You don't get to tell us what to do.” An older pup, a girl, yanked my hair from behind. She fisted my hair around her wrist, and I blinked back tears at the pain that seared through my scalp. “You omega whore.”

The other kids laughed again.

“Just look at them.” The first boy sneered. “They're so pathetic.”

He reached out to yank Enid from my hand, a string of insults still falling from his lips but the rest of his words faded away as a raw, searing heat ignited in my chest, spreading like wildfire through my veins, the moment he pulled my child out of my hands.

My muscles tensed, coiling beneath my skin. My wolf stirred violently, clawing at my insides, desperate to break free. The edges of my vision blurred, darkening as a dizzying rush of fury overtook my senses.

My nails elongated, sharpening into claws that itched to tear through flesh, to wipe the cruel sneers from the faces of the children who dared hurt my daughter. For a second, I didn’t think about the consequences, I didn’t think of the fact that I would pay with my life if I touched any of them.

I didn’t think!

I reached out to the girl closest to me.