CHAPTER 2: STRUGGLES

Selene’s breathing slowed, but the ache from the nightmare she just had in her chest remained, as real and raw as the day had all happened. Ten years had passed, yet the memories of her family’s past lingered, refusing to fade away and always reoccurring in her dreams.

No matter how much time went by, the dream always felt the same—too vivid, too cruel, too close and very frightening.

Her head lolled against the hard edges of Alpha’s bed as she stirred. The faint scent of his cologne clung to the sheets she had spent hours washing and folding, but exhaustion had claimed her before she could finish.

Her body was curled awkwardly on the floor, the pile of fresh linen she had gathered earlier now forgotten beside her.

“Selene”

The deep voice cut through the fog of her half-conscious mind, sending a jolt of panic through her chest.

Her eyes flew open to meet the cold, sharp, gaze of Alpha standing over her, his arms crossed, his lips pressed into a thin line.

She scrambled upright. Heart pounding as she realized where she was. Alpha’s presence loomed, his irritation evident in the tightness of his jaw.

“Did you think my bed was yours to rest by?’ His voice was low, dangerously calm, yet laced with unmistaken irritation.

“I, I’m so sorry,” she stammered, brushing at the creases in her dress and avoiding his gaze.

Her knees swayed as she stood still, the soreness from sleeping on the hard floor making her movement awkward.

Before he could even respond, the room reverberated with sounds of clicking heels against the wooden floor.

The scent of floral scent preceded Seraphina, Alpha’s intended mate, who entered the doorway with her arms folded and a look of disgust on her face.

“Damian, what is it?” Seraphina’s voice was shrill, cutting through the tense air. Her piercing eyes darted between Selene and Alpha, narrowing as they settled on Selene’s disheveled form.

Alpha turned to Seraphina, his expression undefined, yet Selene could feel the tension shift in the room.

I asked her to clean, that's why she's here,” he said flatly, his tone devoid of any emotion. “She obviously fell asleep while doing so.”

Seraphina scoffed, the sound sharp and mocking. She took a step closer, her heels clicking with every movement, and glared at Selene as if she were a stain on the pristine room.

“She fell asleep? Here? How lazy can one person be?” Seraphina snapped, her voice dripping with disdain. “Honestly, Alpha, why do you keep her around? She’s pathetic.”

Selene’s cheeks flushed, her fingers gripping the hem on her dress as she fixed her gaze on the floor.

Every word from Seraphina felt like a strong lash against her already fragile pride, but she swallowed the humiliation and stayed silent.

Alpha let out a long, irritating sigh, rubbing his temples as if Seraphina’s presence was more exhausting than Selene’s.

“Seraphina, that’s enough," he said curtly. “If you’re done with your commentary, she has work to finish.”

Seraphina’s mouth opened to object as her eyes widened in disbelief, but Alpha’s piercing gaze silenced her. Tossing her hair over her shoulder, she huffed but not before shooting Selene a poisonous stare.

“She’s worthless,” she muttered beneath her breath as she turned on her heels and stormed out of the room.

Alpha’s gaze returned to Selene, who remained motionless, her hands shaking slightly. He gestured towards the bed with a quick nod.

‘When you’re done, change the sheets you leaned on and wash them again. And don’t fall asleep on the job next time.” His tone was clipped, but not cruel. It was a warning, simple and direct.

“Yes, Alpha,” Selene whispered, bowing her head as he left the room, the door closing softly behind him.

Her knees buckled as she sank to the floor once more, her hands shaking as she gathered the used sheets. The humiliation lingered, the sting of Seraphina’s words and Alpha’s coldness weighing heavily on her chest.

Selene’s fingers brushed against the bed’s fabric, and for a brief moment, she closed her eyes, letting the ache in her heart consume her totally.

She wanted to scream, to cry, to flee the oppressive existence she was compelled to endure. But she couldn’t.

Instead, she picked herself up and set to work, folding the sheets and preparing the bed with quiet efficiency.

Selene moved through the pack's house like a ghost, her head bowed and low, her footsteps light. The other pack members barely spared her glance, except to throw sneer or a whispered insult in her direction.

“She’s lucky we let her stay.” one of the younger wolves murmured as she passed, loud enough for her to hear.

“Lucky? Please, she's nothing more than a charity case. another replied with a laugh.

Selene’s fingers tightened around the tray of dishes she carried, her knuckles turning white. She didn’t respond. She never did. Engaging would only make things worse.

As she reached the kitchen, Evelyn stopped her with a sharp glare. “These floors are filthy. Did you even bother to clean them last night?”

Selene glanced down at the floorboards, which gleamed under the morning light. “I cleaned them, ma’am,” she said softly.

“Not well enough,” Evelyn snapped, her lip curling in disdain. “Do them again. And this time, make sure I don’t have to remind you.”

"Yes, ma’am,” Selene replied, setting the tray aside and grabbing a bucket of dishwashing water.

Laughter filled the room as she kneeled down to scrub the floor. A group of pack members had gathered around the dining table, their carefree chatter a stark contrast to weight pressing down on her shoulders.

“Imagine being her,” one of them said, his tone dripping with mockery. “Carrying the weight of her parents' betrayal must be a miserable experience.”

Hearing this Selene bit her lips so hard she tasted blood, but the physical pain wasn’t a welcoming distraction from the emotional wounds their words inflicted.

Without thinking twice, her fists clenched, her feet moved on their own. She marched up to the girl who had spoken, her footsteps echoing like thunder in the silent room.

Before anyone could react, Selene’s palm struck her cheek in a resounding slap. The sound echoed through the entire room, leaving everyone stunned.

The deafening silence that followed left a tension-filled atmosphere thick enough to cut.