"Genevieve Havisham!" Annex's shrill voice pierced the air as she stormed into the kitchen, her face red with indignation. "Why are my clothes still unwashed? Didn't I make it crystal clear that I needed them for something important tonight? Why are you so utterly incompetent? Huh? Can't you do anything right for once?"
With her hands firmly planted on her hips, Annex's condescending gaze followed Genevieve as she struggled to place the heavy barrel of water on the kitchen floor, one of ten she had to fill by herself.
The spoiled daughter of the Alpha of Mystic Peaks seemed to take great pleasure in watching Genevieve toil away, her expression a perfect blend of disdain and boredom.
Using the back of her sleeve to wipe the sweat dripping from her forehead, Genevieve turned to face Annex, her eyes flashing with a mixture of frustration and resentment. Why did this annoying omega brat always have to drop by the Evernight pack every week, anyway? Didn't she have her own father's pack and people to torment back in Mystic Peaks?
Regardless of how much that thought raged in Eve's mind, she never dared to spit it out. Instead, she lowered her head, her tone laced with forced calm as she explained. "Forgive me, Lady Annex. I had planned to do your laundry earlier, but the head omega requested that I fill the barrels first. I'll attend to your clothes now."
"What sort of a beta are you?" Annex sneered, folding her arms across her chest. "Betas are supposed to be vibrant, energetic, and quick on their feet. But you.. you're a shame to the name. If it weren't for your lack of scent, I'd have pegged you as a lazy, unwanted omega. Get moving, would you? I don't have all day to waste on your incompetence. My plans tonight are super important to me, and I need those clothes ready, pronto. Got it?"
Fuck you!
Eve instinctively bit her tongue before those words could slip out, fighting the urge to retort Annex's venomous words. She lowered her head once again in a polite gesture, enduring the lady's final, disdainful glance before she exited the kitchen. Once Annex was gone, Eve turned her attention to the barrels she had successfully set down, carefully aligning them to avoid another unwarranted scolding from the head omega.
It wasn't that she was lazy, but she had been occupied since dawn, and her days as a lowly servant in the werewolf pack was filled with endless tasks. Not only had she start the fire in the morning, she had rekindled the hearth and cooked meals for the pack. She had swept the floors of the main packs area, tended to the gardens, ensured the livestock were fed and their stalls spotless. The head omega had also tasked her with gathering firewood, cleaning and performing a multitude of other chores.
Insane, right? Not to them.
Due to her work, painful blisters had formed in her raw hands and feet, plus, her back ached from the physical labor.
After spending hours doing all of this, without even a break in the middle, she still had to fill nine entire barrels with water, a task that left her exhausted and her back nearly breaking in two. Then, to add insult to her injuries, that spoiled arrogant omega had the audacity to call her lazy because she hadn't done some stupid laundry.
She wasn't the only servant in the entire Evernight, yet everyone seemed to notice only her and her imperfection.
Unfortunately, this was her life. A never-ending cycle of drudgery and belittlement, all because of her circumstances and the whims of those like Annex who thought themselves as superiors. As much as she hated to admit it, they weren't exactly wrong, because as an outcast who got taken in by the Evernight pack, what other fate awaited her except to become another tool added to make their own lives easier.
Letting out an exasperated sigh at her devastating predicament, Eve finally decided to stop her mental ranting and finish the rest of her work before she gets punished for slacking around again. After retrieving a basket filled with Annex's clothes, Eve made her way to the stream nearby to wash them. Not surprisingly, a few male wolves hanging within the perimeters had spotted her and called her over, adding their own dirty laundry to the already filled-up basket, piling it to a heap.
How exciting.
As she continued to walk down the layne that led to the forest, the midday sun beat down on her, making her skin feel sticky with sweat. Even the trees' shade offered little respite from the thick, heavy air that clung to her like a second skin. The thought of a good bath was nothing but a sweet dream to Eve, because even something as compulsory and necessary as maintaining personal hygiene was limited for servants like her.
Upon arriving at the stream, the earthy scent of damp soil filled her nostrils but she didn't mind it at all. Thankfully, there was no disturbance at the stream today, which meant she could do her laundry in peace. Placing the basket of clothes on a flat rock, she winced in her attempt to straighten her aching back.
The dull throb in her spine and the sting of fresh blisters on her palm made every moment a quiet misery, but she persevered.
Crouching down, Eve dipped one of the garments into the rushing water, her fingers numbing instantly as they touched the cold stream. With another tired breath, she channeled her inner strength and began to wash, scrubbing the fabric against the stone with slow, deliberate motions. Her arms trembled from the effort, and the mere thought of tossing all of Annex's clothes into the running water was dangerously tempting.
But none of that mattered. The quicker she finishes the job, the sooner she'll have Annex out of her hair.
Focusing intently on the task at hand, Eve flinched when suddenly, someone tickled her from behind, making her nearly jump out of her own skin. She swiftly turned around, only for her eyes to land on Gareth's warm, smiling face.
His intense blue eyes sparkled with amusement as he chuckled at her dumbstruck reaction.
"Alpha Gareth, it's you," Eve said, her tone firm but not unfriendly. "I've told you to stop doing that. You know I don't like being tickled in that manner. For a second there, I actually thought I was in danger."
Sensing the seriousness in her voice, Gareth's smile faltered, and he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Right, I apologize. I didn't mean to frighten you. I had a feeling you'd be here, so I came to check up on you the moment I got back from training."
At first, Eve didn't react. But after his apology, her initial wariness slowly gave way to a sense of relaxation. Her deep, dark eyes roamed over his handsome face, taking in the concern that creased his features as he surveyed her from head to toe.
The contrast between them was striking– while Eve looked disheveled and undernourished, Gareth exuded strength and fitness. His outfit was clearly made of rich material, a clear testament to his status as the Alpha's son.
"Eve…" Gareth took a sudden step closer, his eyes locking onto the cuts on her hands. He gently took her hands in his, his blue eyes clouding with worry. "How did you get these injuries? Don't tell me… has the head omega been making you overwork again?"
In response to the genuine concern in his voice, Eve's expression softened slightly. She couldn't blame Gareth for not knowing about her condition. He was rarely around to notice anyway, and as the next Alpha set to take over the Evernight pack in his father's place, she understood that his responsibilities took precedence.
She tried to withdraw her hand, but Gareth held firm. "It's nothing new," she muttered, flicking an indifferent glance at her reddened skin. "They'll heal eventually. I have work to do, and these clothes won't wash themselves. If you'll excuse me—"
"Don't forget who I am," Gareth immediately snatched her wrist when she attempted to continue. "Leave all that nonsense and talk to me. I simply won't let them treat you like this now that I'm back, not anymore. Come." Before Eve could wiggle free, he tugged her toward the smooth stones lining the bank. Eve clicked her tongue but allowed herself to be led, her protest dying in her throat when he pressed her down to sit. She was after all nothing but a maid around these parts, and going against an Alpha's order was considered disrespectful.
With detached curiosity, she watched as he crouched before her, tearing a strip of his fine garment and using it to wrap her hand. His brows knit in quiet concern, but Eve barely arched one in response. "That's expensive fabric," she pointed out.
"I don't care."
"Seems wasteful."
Ignoring her, Gareth's fingers were gentle as he secured the cloth, whilst Eve studied him through narrowed eyes, and a peculiar warmth stirred in her chest. The feeling was mildly irritating, slightly unfamiliar, and it was something she couldn't quite put a name to. She would have dismissed it entirely if not for the unwanted heat creeping up her cheeks.
Still, her expression remained as dry as ever.
Out of everyone in the pack, Eve found Gareth the least insufferable. He had chosen to befriend her when she started working as a maid in his father's pack, and since she could not refuse him, she allowed it. Each time he claimed to care about her, she let herself believe it, if only because it made things easier.
"This won't do," she heard him mutter suddenly, his grip tightening around her hand. His expression was unusually serious as he caught her gaze. "There's something I need to tell you. It's one of the reasons I took a break from training." He then hesitated, and Eve, sharp as ever, caught the flicker of unease in his eyes. A familiar prickle of suspicion crept up her spine, and she forced herself not to recoil from his touch.
'If you're about to confess your undying love, I'd rather you didn't. That sort of thing makes digestion difficult.'