As Amara scrubbed the huge marble floor of Blackthorn Pack's main hall, her back hurt. Even though her face was wet with sweat, she didn't dare stop.
Mrs. Bellows, the head helper, kept a close eye on everyone. "Faster, omega," Mrs. Bellows snapped. "The Alpha returns from his hunt soon."
"Yes, ma'am," Amara said in a whisper as she scrubbed harder.
In Blackthorn Pack, being an omega meant you were at the bottom. Servants, cleaners, cooks - that's what omegas did. The alphas were in charge, the betas helped, and the omegas did the work.
Amara put her brush back into the bucket of soapy water. She kept going even though her knees hurt. It would be bad if she didn't finish before Alpha Kade came back. She had never actually seen Alpha Kade up close.
Most omegas hadn't.
They said he was tall and strong with black hair and storm-gray eyes that could freeze you with one look. Everyone whispered about how scary he was - how he'd throw servants out into the bush if they made mistakes.
"I bet he's not that scary," Amara grumbled to herself, rinsing her brush.
"What was that?" Mrs. Bellows barked.
"Nothing, ma'am!"
The giant castle clock struck noon. Panic rushed through Amara's body. Alpha Kade would return any minute! She scrubbed faster, her arms burning.
"One day," she whispered to herself, "I'll have my own little house with flowers out front. No more scrubbing floors."
It was her best daydream. Sometimes when work got hard, she'd close her eyes and imagine sitting in a cozy chair with a book, not having to bow to anyone.
The huge front doors suddenly crashed open. Amara jumped, splashing dirty water across her newly cleaned floor. "No, no, no," she gasped, hurriedly trying to mop up the mess.
Heavy boots beat across the marble. Amara kept her eyes down, heart pounding in her chest. Everyone knew to never look directly at Alpha Kade. She hoped he wouldn't notice her.But the boots stopped right in front of her.
"What's this?" a deep voice growled.
Amara froze, still on her hands and knees. She watched as dirty boots, covered with mud and something that might be blood, turned toward her. The mess she'd just made surrounded them.
"I-I'm sorry, Alpha," she stammered, keeping her eyes on his boots. "I'll clean it right away."
Mrs. Bellows rushed over. "Alpha Kade! Please excuse this awkward girl. I'll have her punished immediately."
"Look at me," the Alpha ordered. Amara's stomach tightened. She slowly raised her head, afraid of what would happen next.
For the first time in her life, she looked straight at Alpha Kade Blackthorn. He wasn't what she expected. Yes, he was tall and muscular with wide shoulders that blocked the light behind him.
His jaw was strong and his black hair wild from the hunt. But his eyes - those storm-gray eyes everyone feared - they didn't look evil. They looked... surprised.
Amara quickly glanced back down, remembering her place. Then something strange happened. Alpha Kade took a deep breath through his nose. His whole body stiffened.
"Your name," he ordered.
"Amara Hale, Alpha," she whispered. He took another deep breath, leaning slightly closer to her. His eyes narrowed.
"Mrs. Bellows," he said, not taking his eyes off Amara, "who is this omega?"
Mrs. Bellows wrung her hands. "Just a poor girl, Alpha. Her parents died years ago. She works in the kitchens and cleans."
Amara wished the floor would open up and swallow her. Every second under his gaze felt like an hour.
"Stand up," Alpha Kade ordered. Trembling, Amara got to her feet, still holding her scrub brush. Water dripped from it onto the floor. She kept her eyes down, but she could feel him watching.
"How long has she been here?" he asked Mrs. Bellows.
"About ten years, sir. Came as a child."
Alpha Kade circled Amara slowly, like an animal. She could feel his eyes studying every inch of her. Her heart pounded so hard she was sure everyone could hear it.
"And I've never seen her before?" Alpha Kade asked, sounding almost angry.
"She usually works in the east wing kitchens," Mrs. Bellows explained. "I only brought her to help with the main hall today because of the full moon celebration tonight."
Amara held her breath. The full moon party! She'd forgotten all about it. Once a month, the pack met under the full moon for a huge party. Alphas and betas would feast and dance while omegas provided food and drinks.
"Put her on serving duty tonight," Alpha Kade said suddenly. "In the main hall."
Mrs. Bellows looked shocked. "But sir, she's never served before. She might make mistakes."
Alpha Kade's eyes flashed dangerously. "Are you questioning me?"
"No, Alpha! Of course not!" Mrs. Bellows bowed quickly.
"Good." He turned back to Amara. "You'll serve my table tonight."
Amara's eyes widened. The Alpha's table? That was where the most important pack members sat! Only the best workers were allowed there.
"Thank you, Alpha," she whispered, confused but glad she wasn't being punished.
As Alpha Kade turned to leave, he stopped. "And find her something better to wear than those rags."
After he went down the hallway, Mrs. Bellows grabbed Amara's arm painfully tight. "What did you do?" she hissed.
"Nothing!" Amara insisted.
"The Alpha never notices servants, especially not omegas!"
Mrs. Bellows glared at her suspiciously. "If you embarrass me tonight, you'll be sleeping in the cold shed for a month!"
As Mrs. Bellows stomped away, Amara sank back to her knees, mind racing. Why had Alpha Kade looked at her that way? Why did he keep sniffing the air around her? She went back to scrubbing, but her hands couldn't stop shaking.
All the stories about Alpha Kade rushed through her head - how he never kept the same woman for more than one night, how his temper could make grown men cry, how no one dared question him. And tonight, she'd be serving at his table.
Later, in the tiny room she shared with three other omega girls, Amara changed into the dress Mrs. Bellows had thrown at her. It was simple but nicer than anything she'd worn before - dark blue with silver trim.
"Why did the Alpha pick you?" her roommate Lina asked, eyes wide with curiosity.
Amara shook her head. "I don't know."
But as she pulled her long chestnut hair into a neat braid, something deep inside her stirred. Her wolf spirit, usually so quiet, was suddenly alert and eager. What's happening to me? Amara wondered, placing a hand over her racing heart.
As the sun set and the full moon began to rise, Amara headed to the great hall. The strange feeling grew stronger with each step. Something was changing tonight. She could feel it in her bones.
Little did she know, as she pushed open the heavy kitchen doors, that after tonight, nothing in her life would ever be the same again. Because Alpha Kade Blackthorn had caught her scent. And he was hungry for more.