POV: Scarlett
The bucket of dirty water crashed to the floor, splashing everywhere as my body hit the ground hard. Pain shot through my knees, but I bit my lip to keep from crying out. Vivienne stood over me, her perfect blonde hair shining in the sunlight coming through the pack house windows.
"Watch where you're going, omega trash," she sneered, stepping over the mess I'd made. Her fancy shoes clicked on the wet floor as she walked away with her friends, their laughing echoing down the hallway.
I stayed on my hands and knees, watching the soapy water spread across the marble floor I'd just finished cleaning. My chest felt tight, like someone was squeezing my heart. This was my life every single day. Clean, get knocked down, clean again.
"Hurry up, Scarlett!" Mrs. Henderson's sharp voice made me jump. "The future Luna doesn't have time for your clumsiness!"
I grabbed my cleaning rag and started wiping up the mess. My hands shook as I worked. Future Luna. Those words hurt more than falling on the hard floor. Vivienne would marry one of the Alpha's sons and become the most important woman in our pack. She'd live in luxury while I cleaned toilets for the rest of my life.
That's what happens when you're born an omega. You get the worst jobs, the smallest room, and everyone treats you like dirt. But omegas are supposed to accept it with a smile. We're supposed to be grateful for any help we get.
I wasn't feeling grateful today.
"Did you hear about the Luna ceremony?" one of Vivienne's friends whispered close. "It's going to be so romantic!"
"Which brother do you think will choose her?" another girl asked. "They're all so handsome!"
My stomach twisted into knots. The Alpha had three kids - triplets who would turn twenty-two next month. Dante was smart and serious, perfect for leading the pack. Ryder was strong and brave, the best fighter we had. Phoenix was quiet and strange, with magic that made everyone nervous.
All three of them were incredibly good-looking. All three of them would never notice someone like me.
I finished cleaning the spilled water and picked up my bucket. The pack house was huge, with more rooms than I could count. Every single one had to be clean for tomorrow's big party. Important people from other packs were coming to watch Vivienne become Luna.
My wrist started to itch as I walked to the kitchen. I scratched at it without looking, focused on getting through the rest of my work. Maybe if I worked really hard, I could finish early and sneak away to my favorite spot by the lake.
"Scarlett, wash these dishes," Cook ordered, pointing to a huge pile of dirty plates. "And don't break anything!"
I nodded and got to work. The warm clean water felt good on my hands, and washing dishes was peaceful. Nobody worried me when I was elbow-deep in bubbles. I could pretend I was somewhere else - maybe a small house in the woods where I could live alone and be happy.
But I wasn't meant for happiness. Omegas didn't get fairy tale ends.
My wrist itched again, worse this time. I looked down and almost dropped the plate I was holding. A metal mark had appeared on my skin, shaped like a crescent moon. It glowed softly, like moonlight on water.
My heart stopped beating for a second. What was that thing? I'd never seen anything like it before.
I quickly pulled my arm down to hide the mark and looked around. Nobody was watching me. Good. If anyone saw this weird mark, they'd think I was sick or cursed. They might kick me out of the pack completely.
The mark burned against my skin, hot and cold at the same time. It felt... living. Like something inside me was trying to wake up.
I finished the dishes as fast as I could and ran to my tiny room in the maids' quarters. It was barely big enough for a bed and a small desk, but it was mine. I locked the door and rolled up my sleeve.
The silver mark was bigger now, covering most of my wrist. It pulsed with its own light, making my skin tingle. When I touched it, lightning shot up my arm.
What was happening to me?
I'd heard stories about magical marks, but they only appeared on important dogs. Alphas and Betas sometimes got them when they turned eighteen. Never omegas. We weren't special enough for magic.
But my eighteenth birthday was tomorrow.
A terrible thought crept into my mind. What if this mark meant something bad? What if I was sick and going to die? My parents were already dead - I had nobody to help me figure this out.
I sat on my bed and stared at the bright mark. It was beautiful and frightening at the same time. Part of me wanted to show someone, to ask for help. But who would believe me? Who would care about an omega's problems?
Through my thin walls, I could hear Vivienne and her friends still talking about the event. Their excited voices made my chest ache with loneliness. Tomorrow, while everyone enjoyed her new life, I'd be hiding in my room with this strange mark.
The mark pulsed brighter, like a beating made of light. Heat spread through my whole body, making me dizzy. Something was definitely wrong with me.
Or maybe something was finally right.
I pressed my hand over the mark, trying to make the fire stop. But instead of cooling down, my whole arm caught fire with silver light. The glow was so bright I had to close my eyes.
When I opened them again, the light was gone. But I wasn't alone anymore.
Three different scents filled my tiny room - pine trees, summer rain, and midnight air. Impossible smells that made my heart race and my wolf stir inside me. My wolf, who had never shown any interest in anything before.
The smells were getting stronger, coming closer. Heavy footsteps sounded in the hallway outside my door. Multiple sets of footsteps, moving with purpose.
They were looking for something.
They were looking for me.
My doorknob started to turn.