POV: Maya
The hot soup splashed onto my hand like liquid fire.
"Ow!" I yelped, dropping the wooden spoon with a loud crash. The burning pain shot up my arm as I clutched my wrist, watching the angry red mark spread across my skin.
"Maya Rivers!" Mrs. Peterson's words boomed across the kitchen like thunder. "What did you do this time?"
My cheeks burned hotter than my hurt hand. "I'm sorry, I just—"
"Sorry doesn't fix ruined soup!" The head cook stomped toward me, her face red with anger. "Do you know how much food costs this pack? We can't afford to waste it because some stupid omega can't pay attention!"
I wanted to sink into the floor. The other kitchen workers stopped what they were doing to stare at me. Again. Why couldn't I ever do anything right?
"Clean up this mess," Mrs. Peterson snapped. "And next time, keep your head out of the clouds!"
As I grabbed a rag to wipe up the spilled soup, I couldn't help but look out the kitchen window. There she was—Sophia Chen, the Beta's daughter, sitting in the sunny garden like a princess. Her golden hair caught the sunlight as she laughed at something one of the Alpha's sons said. All three boys sat around her like she was the most important person in the world.
Which she was.
Ethan, the gentle healer, gave her a flower he'd picked from the garden. Logan, the strong warrior, showed off by moving a heavy stone with one hand just to make her smile. And Kai, the future Alpha, listened to every word she said like it was pure gold.
My chest ached watching them. Sophia had everything I'd ever dreamed of—respect, beauty, and the attention of the three most amazing boys in our pack. Everyone knew she'd mate with one of the triplets when she turned eighteen next month. She'd become Luna and rule beside whichever brother picked her.
"Earth to Maya!" Jamie's voice snapped me back to reality. My friend and fellow omega stood beside me with worried eyes. "You're staring again."
"No, I wasn't," I lied, cleaning the floor harder.
"Yes, you were. And you had that sad puppy look on your face." Jamie knelt down to help me clean. "You know dreaming about them will only hurt you, right?"
I knew she was right, but I couldn't help it. Ever since I was little, I'd watched Sophia live the life I wanted. She got pretty dresses while I wore old, worn clothes. She sat at the high table during pack dinners while I served food and cleaned dishes. She learned music and dancing while I scrubbed floors and washed clothes.
"Sometimes I wonder what it would feel like," I whispered, "to have someone look at me the way they look at her."
"Maya—"
"I know it's stupid," I said quickly. "I'm just an omega. The lowest rank in the pack. But sometimes I dream about being important enough for someone to notice."
Jamie squeezed my shoulder. "You are important. You make the best soup in the pack, you grow the most beautiful herbs in the yard, and you're the kindest person I know."
Her words were sweet, but they didn't stop the empty feeling in my chest. Being good at cooking and gardening didn't make boys write you love songs or bring you flowers. It didn't make your folks proud or give you a seat at the important table.
"Maya!" Mrs. Peterson's sharp voice made me jump. "Stop talking and finish your work. The soup won't remake itself!"
For the rest of the morning, I stirred pot after pot of vegetable soup, trying not to think about Sophia's perfect laugh or the way Kai's golden eyes sparkled when he smiled at her. But every time I looked out that window, jealousy curled in my stomach like a hungry snake.
At lunch, I brought bowls of soup to the dining hall where the pack ate together. The high table sat on a stage so everyone could see the Alpha's family and important pack members. Alpha David sat in the center with his three boys on one side and Sophia on the other, right where the future Luna belonged.
I kept my eyes down as I served them, trying to be invisible like always. But when I put Ethan's bowl in front of him, he looked up and smiled.
"Thank you, Maya. This smells wonderful."
My heart skipped. He knew my name! "You're welcome," I managed to say without stumbling.
"Did you add those herbs from your garden?" he asked. "The ones that help with healing?"
I nodded, too shocked to speak. He'd noticed my herbs?
"You have real talent," Ethan said kindly. "Maybe you could teach me about growing healing plants sometime."
Before I could answer, Sophia's sweet words cut through the air like a sharp knife. "Oh Ethan, you're so thoughtful, caring about the staff. It shows what a good leader you'll be."
The way she said 'servants' made my face burn with shame. I wasn't a person to her—just paid help who didn't matter.
I hurried back to the kitchen, Ethan's kind words and Sophia's cutting ones fighting in my head. Why did she have to ruin the one moment someone actually noticed me?
The rest of the day crawled by. I washed dishes, swept floors, and helped prepare dinner, all while trying not to think about tomorrow. My eighteenth birthday. The day every werewolf got their mate mark.
Not that it mattered for me. Omegas generally mated with other omegas or stayed alone. I'd probably spend tomorrow just like today—invisible and unimportant.
That night, I walked back to my tiny room in the servants' quarters. Through the Alpha house windows, I could see the family having dinner together, laughing and talking. Sophia sat right there with them like she already belonged.
I touched my left wrist where my mate mark would appear tomorrow. What if nobody wanted me? What if I was doomed to be alone forever?
"Don't be silly, Maya," I whispered to myself. "Girls like you don't get fairy tale endings."
But as I drifted off to sleep, something strange happened. My wrist began to tingle, then burn, like fire spreading under my skin.
I sat up in bed, gasping. It was still hours until midnight—too early for my mate mark to appear. But the heat grew stronger, and when I looked down at my wrist in the moonlight, I saw something impossible.
Three tiny silver stars were forming on my skin, spinning slowly around a half moon that glowed like real moonlight.
My heart stopped. I knew what this mark meant. I'd heard the old stories Elder Rose told about ancient pack tales.
It was the Triple Star Mark—and it only showed for one reason.
My mate was one of the Alpha's triplet kids.