1, HEARTBREAK

ANDREA

"Get up, you lazy twat!" A scream followed by a whip against my back, jerks me up from my sleep. 

Conscious of my surroundings, I adjust my clothes; bowing my head to the ground ashamed to face Lady Meade, Alpha Duncan’s daughter. 

Given her rank as the alpha’s daughter, Lady Meade treated we omega as slaves-- especially me, Andrea Vuk. 

Lady Meade had made me work three days straight without food nor water so while doing the dishes earlier, I’d decided to take a 'little' nap before she’d ruthlessly woken me up with a whip against my back. 

I guess she considered this treatment alright by the rules of the pack, but I didn’t. It only made me eager for tonight to come quickly because tonight is my 18th birthday and the day I finally get a mate.

By the goddess, I hope my life will change like my best friend’s, Avery who found her mate last year and was able to get out of this unruly treatment. 

"Answer me!" Lady Meade shouts, hitting her whip against the ground; snapping me out of my thoughts. 

Trembling in fear, I respond, "Forgive me."

Lady Meade scoffed. "Did you just ask for my forgiveness? You, a worthless creature?"

Clenching my fist against the tip of my dress, I say nothing because no matter the response I give Lady Meade, she is still going to do as she pleases. 

"I’m talking to you!" Lady Meade’s whip goes up in the air about to make contact with my skin when she abruptly halts by the entrance of Beta Princeton, her father’s right-hand man. 

"Lady Meade, your father calls for you." 

Annoyance washed over her face. "Tell him I’m busy."

"I’m afraid it’s important."

Without another word, Lady Meade grumbles before taking her leave. 

Once alone in the kitchen, I stagger and fall to the ground sobbing softly as my hands reach for my scarred back. 

Rising to my feet, I dabbed off my tears, finished up the dishes then made my way out of the pack house to a small cabin that was meant for the omega’s of the pack. 

Bursting through the cabin door, Avery rushed up to me with urgency. "Andrea, what happened to you?"

"Avery, you are here? Why?"

"Why?" Avery repeats, astonished. "Tonight is your birthday that’s why. Now, you answer me. What in the world happened to you?"

As Avery helps me to my bed from the main entrance, I give her a quick rundown of what happened in the pack house. "I don’t know if I should be grateful that we omegas don’t live in the same pack house as the Alpha’s and Beta’s. At least I get to have some peace of mind here in this cabin."

Avery punches my arm. "Don’t say things like that. Who knows? Your life might change tonight."

I blushed instantly thinking about Brody. Brody is the pack's alpha brother’s son whom I have a secret crush on. 

Brody and my friendship was more of a secret that I decided to keep from the rest of the pack to avoid rumours spreading because I was positive they would make a big deal of two mateless wolves; especially since he was linked to me, a measly omega. 

But even though our friendship was a secret, Brody always turned up for me in his ways. Like earlier in the kitchen, I was pretty sure he was the one who had sent Beta Princeton to my rescue. 

His little gestures made me wonder if Brody reciprocated my feelings. 

And there was only one way to find out; The full moon festival tonight. 

It was a festival that was held every year for wolves who were yet to find their mate. I was over the moon especially tonight because it was my birthday. 

It meant that no matter how the night was going to turn out; I was going to end up with a mate. Now, it was just up to the moon goddess in her infinite mercy to let that mate be Brody. 

Avery jabs my arms, teasing. "What’s with that blush?"

"It’s nothing," I mumbled sheepishly.

Glancing up at the wall clock, Avery says, "The festival starts in less than three hours. Shall we get you dolled up?"

My stomach grumbles as I shy away in embarrassment. "Sorry, I haven’t eaten yet."

Avery flashes a smile at me before revealing a lunch box. "Brody told me to give this to you. He packed your favourite dishes."

"I can’t wait to dig in!" 

With a disgusting gusto, I gobbled down the food. Afterwards, Avery proceeded to doll me up for the festival. 

In the next three hours, my brown thick hair was neatly packed up in a bun as I was cladded in Avery’s green gown which she’d graciously lent to me. 

"You look so stunning, Andrea!" She squealed.

I blushed, looking at myself in the mirror unable to believe that the girl staring right back at me was ME. "Either that or you are just a very good makeup artist."

"You are going to turn heads tonight girlfriend. Now go and have the best night ever!"

With Avery’s words of encouragement, I walked out of the cabin; heading to the venue of the full moon festival. 

Outside the ballroom, I searched for Brody and when I’d finally seen him; it felt like the air had been knocked out of me as Brody looked breathless in a brown suit. His long brown hair was tied up with a pink hair band I’d given him last year. 

As soon as his brown eyes made contact with mine, I felt myself completely melt. "Brody, hi," I mumbled shyly.

"Andrea," he says my name as if almost breathless. "You look beautiful."

Shy, I looked away "Thank you."

"Happy birthday."

I blushed. "It isn’t 12 yet."

"Still, it’s better now than later," he said softly.

"You’re right." Managing to meet his gaze, I say. "I got the lunch box. Thank you, I really enjoyed it."

This is what happens whenever I talk to Brody; I run out of things to say. 

"I’m glad you did. I apologise on Meade’s behalf."

"Just because she’s your cousin doesn’t mean you have to apologise for the things she does." 

Although I didn’t say it often, sometimes it felt like Brody was just friends with me out of pity rather than sincerity and that fact singed. 

Wanting to disregard how I was feeling, I quickly changed the subject. "Tonight is the night we finally find our mates."

Brody’s face brightened up. "On that subject, there is something I want to tell you."

I brightened up as well. Could this be the moment I’ve been waiting for? Was Brody going to confess to me even before our fates would be decided?

Bracing myself up for the good news, I brightened up as well. "What is it?"

"I’ve found my mate."