Selena's POV
The subtle rustle of bedsheets startled me awake, but it was the laughter drifting up from the floor below that pierced the shroud of unconsciousness. I squinted against the dull light streaming into the tiny attic, where I slept with a handful of other omegas. The echo of delight felt like a distant realm I could never approach. Lifting myself from the uncomfortable mattress, I shook the sleep from my eyes and forced my feet onto the cold wooden floor.
This was my reality: being the unseen hand that serviced the pack. Omegas like me were mere shadows, saddled with the lowest professions, our value assessed in servitude. Thoughts of my mother flooded back, her piercing words reverberating in my memory, telling me that I was born an omega. I had accepted my duty but loathed it bitterly, a bitter pill trapped in my throat.
As I prepared for the day's responsibilities, I pulled my knotted hair back from my face. I longed for respect, ached for the time when someone would finally regard me as more than simply a servant. But daydreams were transient, soon swept off like an errant leaf in the wind. My yearning thickened the air around me as I went down the steep stairs, the warmth of hope warring against the coolness of sorrow.
That's when I heard it: Raven's undeniably sarcastic voice just outside the door, piercing through my thoughts like glass. "What a pathetic little rat," she hissed. My heart raced, and a cold shiver slid down my spine. What was she plotting now?
The kitchen hummed with activity, a cacophony of talk and clinking dishes. I entered, the weight of humiliation covering me like a thick shroud. I was met with stares that flashed with scorn and indifference, a reminder of where I stood in the pack hierarchy. Raven stood over a feast of food, her laughter ringing out, searing my heart.
"Selena, did you get lost on your way to the trash?" She shouted out, a vicious sneer pasted on her lips, her long black hair falling down her shoulders. The others giggled, their eyes flitting between us, relishing my humiliation.
I swallowed hard and pushed myself to focus on the work ahead, cleaning the countertops and washing the dishes, scenes of my daily life, never changing. I saw glimpses of Maddox leaning against the doorway, his presence imposing, a blend of power and grace, with those piercing blue eyes that contained a world of secrets. I could not breathe as I sneaked peeks from the corner of my eye.
Underneath the joking and laughing around the table, a thread of tension threaded through the air. Raven's cutting comments hinted at something deeper, her eyes glinting with more than simply pleasure. What was she planning? I tightened my teeth and focused on my responsibilities, mindful that behind the joviality, the danger was getting closer.
After breakfast, the company withdrew, leaving just quiet whispers in the air, but I detected a disturbance. The training area outside thrummed with life. I felt myself inexorably drawn toward the cacophony, the clashing of swords and howls of wolves sparking a fire inside me. When I sneaked to the edge of the training area, the picture of Maddox altered my universe.
He moved with precision, his muscles rippling beneath the sunshine as he sparred with a fellow alpha. His presence was compelling and strong. I always felt alive beside him, a craving for connection that wrenched in my gut. "Focus, Maddox!" a voice cried, yanking me from my fantasy.
Just then, I spotted Raven sauntering closer, her hungry stare locked on Maddox as if she were circling her prey. The laughing of the warriors filled the air, yet something ominous threaded through their friendliness. I moved in closer, my pulse hammering as I overheard fragments of their talks, tales of renegade wolves stirring unrest in the regions.
Before I could walk away, I met Maddox's stare, and everything around us dissolved into quiet. He gazed, keeping my gaze longer than before, and I felt a flash of connection, a moment I urgently wanted to grasp. Yet Raven shattered the enchantment, standing in between us, casting a black shadow. It always felt like she was there to grab away what little hope I clung to.
Night approached very soon, its gloom heavy with uncertainty. The pack elders gathered grim-faced, debating the renegade menace. I stood in the back, folds of my modest dress constricting about me as I struggled to listen. A mixture of anxiety and eagerness thrummed through me, tightening my stomach in knots.
"Rogues grow bolder at the borders," an elder stated, his voice somber as thunder. I felt the air grow heavy with worry; it soaked into my bones. Maddox, standing tall and firm, controlled the room with his commanding presence. The intensity in the air descended like a heavy weight, increasing my yearning for attention and appreciation.
Suddenly, a scout rushed in, his visage as pallid as a ghost. "Rogue wolves have breached the eastern borders!" Panic arose. Everyone rushed to prepare, but my pulse raced for another reason. I wanted to be part of something larger than myself.
As mayhem exploded around me, I stepped forward. "I can help!" The words spilled out before I could stop them. Gasps flooded the room, and I froze, every head turning toward me. Raven's cackling slashed through the air like a razor. "Help? From an omega?" Her taunting hung thick.
Maddox shifted his eyes to me, scrutinizing. I felt the weight of his eyes, half-hopeful, half-disappointed, making my heart beat. Would he legitimize my appeal, or would he toss me aside like everyone else?
The anxiety lingered thick in the air as the scouts raced out, their footsteps echoing in the shadowy passageways. I stood still, the buzz of activity creeping into my bones. Maddox's eyes lingered on me. Was it pity or something deeper?
The elders yelled instructions, everyone huddled into groups, and the terror in the air became apparent, kindling something ferocious inside me. I went forward once more, bravery boiling within despite the rampant self-doubt. "I may not be a warrior, but I know the woods. I can scout and alert you of any rogue's approach."
The pack mumbled, some nodded in hesitant assent, but Raven's contemptuous shriek destroyed any confidence. "Look at her! What can she do? Bring us more trouble?" Her comments filled the area with anger, but before the elders could answer, a menacing growl rumbled from the tree line.
The air burst with tension, and instinct shouted at me to run. But there was no time. Everyone turned as shadows swirled around the boundaries of the clearing. Maddox went toward the sound, muscles stiff like a tightly wrapped spring. I couldn't let dread immobilize me anymore. It was time to confront my demons, whatever they may be.
The growl grew, and adrenaline rushed. With every pulse, the space between safety and danger narrowed. There would be no going back.