For Every Lifetime

Olivia's POV

All my life, all I have ever wanted was the ability to become invisible. Today, it looked like it was definitely not a good day for that.

"Olivia, quit sitting around doing nothing and go to the kitchen. The guests are arriving soon, and they certainly do not want to see your ugly face.” my mother yelled, cutting into my thoughts.

I stood up and patted my butt to rid it of the dust that it had picked up as I sat in a small corner of the storage room.

Today was not like any other day, it was one of the days I hated most in the year. The new moon festival has been an annual ritual in my pack. My father was the Alpha and in a different setting, I wasn't supposed to lift a finger this week.

I heard my elder sister's loud hissing and turned up to face her. Annalise. I never understood why anyone would hate me, but since I was born, I have never experienced joy for a full day without my family or a pack member reminding me that I was the only Alpha's child with a weak wolf.

That was supposed to be my secret but at the age of 11, we were usually taken for training and of course, I came last in all the categories, putting my family to eternal shame. Annalise, on the other hand, had aced all the categories; hence she became the belle of the pack.

"You know, mom called you approximately 9 minutes ago. If I tell her that I found you doing nothing in the storage room, she won't exactly find it funny.” she sneered at me.

I shook my head and slowly dragged myself out of the storage room, totally ignoring her. I knew that any engagement with her would lead to me being punished for even daring to speak to her.

"And where have you been?” The head chef yelled at me as soon as she set her eyes on me.

"I'm sorry. I took my 10-minute break.” I managed to say, my voice was small and barely audible.

"Did you just say you took your ten-minute break?” The head chef asked me and I wondered why I had done wrong this time since the ten-minute break was for everyone and not just me alone.

"Yes.” I said, the fear emboldened me. I already knew what would come.

"You are a shame to yourself and to your family. No wonder, no one loves you. What are you taking a break for? You should walk until you pass out and die, that way, you will finally be rid of the curse.” She sniggered angrily.

I simply did not answer her, I bowed my head and went straight to washing the plates. Everywhere was quiet for a while and I could hear the hustle of activities. The neighboring packs Alphas were beginning to arrive, but I had learned not to get excited about anything in front of others.

"You stink. Move” one of the assistant chefs that I knew would have never had the guts to talk to me that way shoved me roughly aside as she moved in with the pastries.

The hot baking pan seared my arm as she made sure that she used it to touch my skin. I yelped, and the head chef yelled from the other side of the kitchen.

"Olivia, we don't have all day. If I hear one more word from you before your assigned chores are completed, then you would be in serious trouble.” she said, and I bit back the tears that stung my eyes.

“Yes ma'am.” I said quietly and focused on washing my plates.

“Lest, I forget, I would rather not see you anywhere near the ceremony. We do not want our guests to question our hygiene standards.” The head chef said to me, her eyes were filled with so much mockery, but I had seen that look on the faces of even kids in the pack, that it no longer meant anything to me.

“Yes ma'am” I said again.

“Make sure you go to the stables to clean up, if you do not do the right thing, there will be no crumbs for you to eat, and I will make sure that you do not sleep at all tonight.” she threatened and I swallowed.

I was starving and the thought of going to bed without food was so draining that I immediately steered my mind from the impending sense of doom I knew would come later at night when I couldn't sleep because of body pains.

As soon as I was done in the kitchen, I hurried to the stable to take care of the horses. It was my favorite thing to do, even though it was really tedious. But, the horses were the only ones in the pack who didn't treat me like I was some leprous animal. They didn't refuse the cubes of sugar I fed them, and they listened to me whenever I called.

My favorite of the bunch was the stallion that I had named Sebastian. He was a beauty to behold, and he had my heart from the first day I walked into the stable, and he ran towards me, hiding behind me as the stable boy was trying to whip it for not eating its potions.

“Horses have souls too.” I said to him that day, but he had looked at me like I was unworthy to speak to him. It was almost laughable.

“Hello Sebastian” I said, and the horse whined and matched around me, taking care not to hurt me. It neighed happily and I rubbed its head.

Suddenly, Sebastian retreated, it was almost like he had seen something but when I turned around, the only thing I could see was the party lights at the pack house.

“it's nothing Sebastian. Absolutely nothing. You are safe. No one is coming to hurt you.” I said as I moved close to him.

Even though, I had assured Sebastian, there was a gnawing feeling in my heart that something had really been there.