My heart still hammered against my chest, a frantic drum against my ribs, as I stumbled back to my tiny bed.
The thin sheet barely covered the worn mattress. Jessie lay curled beside it, her breathing soft and even until she stirred at the sound of my frantic footsteps.
"Hey... what's wrong?" she mumbled sleepily, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. Her scent, usually comforting, was now mixed with the faint scent of sleep and lingering worry.
"Nothing. Go back to sleep," I whispered,
forcing calm into my voice. I slid under the rough sheet, curling my trembling body away from her, desperate to hide the fear that still clung to me.Sleep didn't come easily.
My mind was still trapped in the cold terror of Silas's smirk, the chilling judgment of Alpha Draco's stare... every detail from the night before played on a loop. But eventually, exhaustion won, and darkness pulled me under.I felt hands shaking me roughly.
"Wake up, Elara... wake up!" Jessie whispered urgently, rocking my shoulder. Her voice was sharp with a panic that jolted me.
"Mmm... leave me alone. It's not time yet..." I groaned, turning over, trying to escape the light.
"Tatiana is—"I bolted upright, fear pushing away the last traces of sleep.Tatiana. The ruthless Chief Maid. The one who deliberately made my life a living hell. I had vowed last night to make her change my routine—to get me away from the Alpha's chambers, whatever it took. I couldn't face Silas again.
"Yes, Tatiana..." I muttered, leaping from the bed, still tangled in the thin linens from my awful night. I didn't care if I was messy—I was going to have my say before the day started, before she could assign me another impossible task.Jessie watched in shock as I frantically scrambled for something clean to wear.
"What's gotten into you? Why the sudden rush?" she asked, blinking, clearly confused by my sudden burst of energy.I didn't answer. I hurried down the corridor, past the kitchen. The hallway gleamed under the soft morning sun—a testament to my sleepless scrubbing last night. My punishment. My shame.
In the kitchen, the air was thick with steam and delicious scents—coffee, bacon, cinnamon, fresh herbs. A whirlwind of activity. Omegas rushed about, their movements quick and stressed, preparing for something big. Pots clanged against the stone counters. Water boiled. Spices filled the air, making my nose tingle.I grabbed a nearby maid, desperate for information.
"What's going on?" I asked, my voice breathless.She gave me a miserable, strained look.
"The Full Moon Gathering... it starts in two days. All the Alphas and Betas are arriving. We have to prepare everything for their stay.
"I could barely spot Tatiana in the hazy chaos of smoke and frantic movement. Giving up on finding her, I turned to find Jessie, my only source of sense in this overwhelming place.I caught her in the hallway, pulling her aside.
"Jessie, what's happening in there? I couldn't even get near Tatiana."She shook her head, a wry, knowing smile on her face that held a hint of resignation.
"Didn't you know? The Full Moon Gathering. It happens every year. All the packs meet here, the high ranks sit together... and the rest of us, the Omegas and loners like us, we get stuck cooking and cleaning. We're beneath notice today, just servants.
""But—where are they gathering?" I asked quickly, a new unease settling in my gut. This meant more eyes, more potential danger."Most of the Alphas and Betas are here already," Jessie explained,
lowering her voice, her scent growing sharp with bitterness. "The dining hall. The training grounds. Everywhere. The Omegas prepare everything while the big shots sit around talking about alliances and territory, showing off their power.
""You know what that means?" she muttered, her voice tight with resentment. "Serving those arrogant Alphas and Lunas—and worse, the Betas. No one likes that job. Too many eyes watching, too many hands waiting to grab. You're a fresh face, Elara. Be careful."My stomach twisted into a knot. Silas.
The thought made me sick."I don't want to serve them," I muttered, my voice firm despite the rising fear. "I can't. I wanted to get Tatiana to change my post—to assign me somewhere else."Jessie sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"Too late. The others already picked the good duties. You and me? We serve. Like always. No choice, Elara. Not for us.""No," I said firmly, my jaw clenching. I had to try. "I have to speak to Tatiana."I stormed back toward the kitchen, pushing past bustling maids.
Finally, I spotted her—Omega Tatiana, barking orders, waving a large metal spoon like a weapon. Her face was flushed with anger, her voice shrill.
"Ma'am!" I called, standing just beyond reach of the kitchen chaos.She spun around, her eyes narrowing, a sneer twisting her lips.
"Speak of the devil. Here—" she shoved a heavy tray into my hands, steaming mugs of coffee threatening to spill over. The heat burned my fingers.
"Take this to the dining room. Serve the Alphas. And behave yourself, Elara. If you mess up..." she leaned close, whispering wickedly, her breath hot and acidic on my ear. "They'll handle you themselves. And no one will care.
"Her harsh, cackling laugh followed me like a curse as I trudged out of the kitchen, carrying the heavy tray like it was filled with fire.Please let the table be empty... I prayed, my heart pounding a desperate rhythm. If it was empty, I could set the cups and leave. If it was empty, I wouldn't have to face anyone.It was. No one had arrived yet. My heart slowed its frantic beat, a tiny sense of relief. I could do this. I set the cups down carefully, one by one, arranging them neatly on the polished wood as I'd been taught.But then... voices.Faint.
Whispering.
Too soft for me to hear clearly at first.I paused, freezing in place. Listened harder.Two figures stood near the far end of the vast dining hall, hidden by the deep shadows of the arched windows—unaware I was there.
"It's getting worse. I can't control it anymore... the voice keeps coming," one said. A male voice, strained, filled with raw despair.
"You have to hold on. Wait for the full moon. Maybe... maybe the bond will stabilize. I'm still searching for a solution," another said softly.
A woman's voice, calm, but laced with a hint of worry.
The first voice was filled with a desperate, guttural despair that made my stomach clench.
"Options? I have none. What if this moon is like the last? What then? What if I lose control completely?"I pressed closer to the heavy wooden door, curiosity dragging me toward danger, my breathing shallow.
A loud clink—my hand, still trembling, knocked a cup on the tray. Coffee sloshed, dark liquid spilling over the pristine white ceramic.Silence. Immediate.
Heavy.
I turned slowly, a cold dread creeping up my spine... and my stomach dropped.Alpha Draco. And... the Healer.His dark eyes, which I remembered burning like furnaces, flicked to me like sharpened knives. Hers—wise, curious, but now suddenly sharp—settled on my face, assessing.I bowed low, my body folding almost instinctively, my heart racing wildly against my ribs.
"Who is she?" I heard the Healer ask quietly behind me, her voice cutting through the ringing silence.
"Nobody," Alpha Draco replied coldly, his voice flat, emotionless.The word hit me harder than any physical blow. A sharp, suffocating pain stole my breath. My chest ached, a silent whimper echoing deep inside, from a place I didn't know existed within me.
A profound ache, not just from fear, but from something deeper, something vital that recoiled at his dismissal.I fled.Rushing down the hallway, clutching the tray, burning with shame—and a new, aching kind of fear. His single word, "Nobody," had cut deeper than I ever expected.
When I finally reached the safety of my small, cold room, I collapsed against the door, heart hammering in my chest like a trapped bird. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing away the shame, the fear, and the unexpected pain of being unseen.