1| Bad Mood.

ELARA

My hands tremble, beads of sweat rolling down my forehead as I stare at the shattered plate on the floor. I was in the pack kitchen doing the dishes when I got lost in thought, and the plate accidentally slipped from my grasp. Breaking a plate means extra work, and all I wanted was to go home to my kids, who had been waiting for me all day.

“Are you blind?!” Matilda, the head maid, screams as she marches towards me, rage vibrating through her tone.

“I am sorry, I’ll—” I begin, bending down to clean up the broken shards, tears welling up in my eyes.

“Elara, no!” my only friend, Isla, exclaims. She quickly kneels beside me and jerks my hand away before it can touch the glass. “Do you want to injure yourself?”

“And how is that your business, huh? Isla?” the head maid snaps, glaring at her.

“I—” She trails off and swallows hard.

Matilda lets out a long, sharp hiss before turning her attention back to me, a deep frown masking her features. “Clean this up. And you’ll be staying an extra hour before you leave.”

I want to protest, to beg her to let me go home to my kids. But I know it would be to no avail. So, accepting defeat and swallowing hard, I nod. “Okay.”

“Good.” She glares at me for one more second before turning around and whisking away.

I hate living like this, being treated as though I am nothing. What makes it worse is that I am going through all this just because I refuse to be Alpha Jaxon’s plaything. So he demoted me to a maid, trying to break me until I bend over and allow him to stick his disgusting self into me. That would never happen!

But I don’t blame him. I blame the Alpha of my former pack—the Mountain Shadow Pack, for banishing me six years ago for something I know nothing about.

The night before his coronation was my eighteenth birthday and that was when we found out that we were mates. It was magical between us, and we made love all night. He had promised to announce me as his Luna at his coronation, only for him to humiliate me instead.

That night, he accused me of sleeping with the Alpha of the rival pack, then he rejected and banished me without a care in the world.

He didn’t even listen to me, didn’t allow me to explain myself. I was intensely hurt, so shattered that I thought I was going to die.

After I was banished, I found this pack and was accepted by Alpha Jaxon. Coming to this pack, I hoped for a better life for me and my kids. Little did I know that I would be met with an even crueler fate.

The torture, the disrespect, and the filth I endure daily make being a rogue seem like a better option than staying in this pack. But my kids, my beautiful children, Adrien and Aria, are the only things holding me back. I couldn’t risk putting them through the dangers of a rogue’s life. So, I endure. I bear it all for them if it means keeping them safe.

After cleaning up the mess, I return to washing the dishes, Isla still beside me.

“You know you don’t have to stay, right?” I say, glancing over at her.

“I’ve got nothing better to do,” she replies with a shrug.

A smile curls on my lips. “Sleep?”

“That’s overrated,” she says, and I burst into laughter.

She always knows how to lift my spirits.

We continue washing dishes, and thanks to Isla’s help, we finish sooner than expected. We grab our things and head out of the kitchen. Since we both stay in the maids’ chambers, we always walk home together at night.

“Elara,” she calls, looking concerned as we walk home together.

“What’s wrong?” I ask immediately, searching her face for answers.

“Alpha Jaxon has been in a bad mood lately. I know you can be rebellious sometimes, but just steer clear of him. Be careful,” she tells me.

My eyes narrow. “What do you mean by ‘bad mood?’” I ask curiously. “What did he do?”

“I’m not sure. But he has been drinking too much lately and all. And I know how he likes to take his frustration out on you sometimes.” She shrugs, shaking her head. “Just try to avoid him. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

I nod, exhaling sharply. “I understand. Thank you for telling me.”

We stop in front of my room, and she kisses me on the cheek. “Give my regards to those two adorable little beings.”

“Of course. Take care of yourself,” I say with a smile.

“You too,” she says, her smile mirroring mine.

After she’s gone, I step into my room and find my children already asleep. Gently, I pull the blanket up over their small bodies. As I look at them, a deep ache settles in my chest. I hate leaving them alone all day, but it’s the only way I can protect them. If I don’t follow Alpha Jaxon’s orders, he’ll take them from me, and I can’t even bear to imagine what he might do to them.

“I am sorry, babies,” I whisper silently. They deserve a better life, and I will do all I can to give them that, even if it is the last thing I do.

I stay there staring at them for a few more minutes with bitter tears rolling down my eyes, before finally kissing them and leaving their bedside. Then, I walk to the bathroom to take a shower, allowing the cold water to run over my body. I don’t know how long I stand there for, lost in my thoughts, when I suddenly hear loud bangs on the door.

My heart rate accelerates, and I panic, wondering who it is. Without hesitation, I wrap a towel around my body and rush into the room, quickly slipping on a loose grey maxi dress.

Before I can make it to the door, it crashes inward with a thunderous noise, the wood splintering as it slams to the ground. Four soldiers stand before me, their faces as hard as rock.

The loud noise startles my children awake, and they begin to cry, looking terrified.

“Mommy!” they scream as they scramble out of bed and run to me, wrapping their tiny arms around my legs.

My heart is beating rapidly against my chest as I wonder why these soldiers are here. But I can’t show weakness before my children. I have to stay strong for them.

“It’s okay, sweethearts. Everything is fine,” I say gently, crouching to their level and wrapping them in my arms.

“Alpha Jaxon wants to see you, immediately!” one of the soldiers barks in a harsh tone.

My heart drops to my stomach.