Chapter 1

Aria's POV

I was born into a family with an Omega bloodline. My parents worked as slaves to ensure that I was fed well and survived despite harsh circumstances. I was born with a problem, one I was mocked for as I grew. I couldn't shift, not even when I entered the age for shifting. My mother felt I was cursed. She would cry to the moon goddess each night asking for a reason for my birth if I was just going to suffer all the days of my life. I felt cursed, not only because I couldn't shift but also because I wouldn't be able to recognize my mate. I indulged in reading werewolf Novels, searching for one that showed my kind of life. Searching for an answer I didn't have a question to. 

I wrestled in bed trying to wake up from my sleep but I was too trapped in my mind. The moon goddess had called for me.

"Aria, Aria," she called.

"Yes Moon Goddess," I replied looking anywhere but her face.

"I'm Fiona Little One," she introduced.

"Why did you appear to me?" I questioned.

"Because you need me," she responded.

"I don't need you. Matter of fact I hate you," I said.

"Why do you hate me Little One?" She asked infuriating me more.

"Because of everything. You could have just let me die in my mother's womb if I was to be cursed by birth," I responded tears falling from my eyes.

"You hate me because you're weak?" She taunted.

I was mute.

"You're a strong girl Aria. You may not realize that now but sooner or later you'll get to realize that," she added.

"Give me a time frame to look up to please," I begged.

"I may be the Moon Goddess. I may create things and put things in place in our world. But the decisions of the people determine how fast or slow they meet their fate," she responded before leaving me to my thoughts.

I finally woke up. I was mute. The Moon Goddess had appeared to me in my dream but I couldn't make meaning of the things she had said. I couldn't even recall what she said. It was like I could only see her mouth moving but no words were being heard. Truly, I was cursed. I began to tear up again. I hated my life. As always, I woke up to the absence of my parents. They had gone to work leaving me all alone in the house. This particular morning felt different. I looked outside my window to see maids running around trying to get work done. I wondered what was going on. 

My mum returned home to prepare breakfast for me. I quickly rushed into the kitchen to help her out.

"Mum, what's going on?" I asked her.

"Beta James will be coming here today," she replied.

"Who's Beta James? Which pack? Why?" I bombarded her with questions.

"Have a seat young lady while I talk to you," she responded. "Beta James is from Black Moon Pack. He found his mate here and has come to take her back."

I nodded my head just as she finished making my favorite strawberry pies. I started eating slowly after which she left to return to her duty post. I stayed alone in the house till sleep came. I had another dream. This time around I saw a big black wolf with a touch of gold. It signified royalty. It looked at me for a while before running back into the forest. I didn't know whose wolf that belonged to or why I had even seen it in the first place, at the same time, I felt safe within its stare. I woke up after a while and went downstairs to get a glass of milk. 

My mum was resting her head on the kitchen counter. I went to wake her up so she could rest on the bed but she didn't move.

"Mum.... Mum," I called out.

No response! I began to shake her body but it was hard to move. The reality dawned on me. My mother had passed away. That night I screamed. It was the first time I had screamed, the walls of the house began to shake, and chairs began to rattle. Soon enough, I fell down and my eyes closed. I woke up to find myself in the Omega's clinic. I wouldn't fully call it a clinic but rather a house with a bed to lay one's head.

I squinted my eyes just so that I could get used to the environment.

"Aria," I heard someone call.

I wondered if that was my name.

"Aria," the voice called again.

I turned my head to the side to see who had called.

"Aria, it's me. Your father," the voice said once again.

"My father?" I questioned.

I didn't know who I was neither did I know who he was. What happened to me? I wondered. The man who called himself my father called for a doctor. A woman who hung a stethoscope around her neck came into view.

"Do you know who you are?" She asked.

"I don't know," I replied.

"Can you remember what happened to yourself?" She asked another question.

"I can't remember," I responded feeling blank.

Her eyes showed pity and remorse for me. She ran a few tests on me before leaving me to my thoughts. She was talking to that man again, my father. I could hear what they were saying from where they stood.

"It's best her memories don't return," she said.

"Why?" Her father asked.

"After what happened a week ago. Aria would be safer that way," she responded before I gave into sleep.

I stayed in the clinic for a week before being discharged. A day after I was discharged, I was sent to the Alpha's ward to start working as a maid. It was like I was a baby once again. The only thing I knew about myself was that I was Aria, six years old and an Omega. I didn't have a mother but I had a father. When I was off work, I would spend a little time with my father. I didn't ask about my lost memories. I had dreams, but they weren't anything serious. The first day I stepped foot into the house after I left the clinic, I realized that the house was kind of destroyed. I guessed it was the kind of house suitable for Omega's like my father and I. 

During work hours I was mistreated by the head of housemaids. The woman was wicked. She did everything in her power to try and break me. I was clumsy; my feet and palms were always sweaty, and my head ached sometimes, but it was nothing I couldn't deal with. 

"Aria," the head House Keeper called.

"Yes ma'am," I responded quickly.

"You'll be moving into the servant's ward by tomorrow," she said.

As much as I hated it. I didn't have a say.

"Yes ma'am," I responded like the good girl I was.

"For a moment I thought you would argue foolish girl," she commented making me bite back a tear.

"Return to your work now," she added.

I quickly went back to scrubbing the toilet. I felt queasy all of a sudden and threw up. A belt landed on my back.

"Oh foolish girl," I heard my head housekeeper say to me. "What have you done," she said beating me some more.

"I'm very sorry ma'am," I apologized.

"As you should be," she said wiping a sweat bud under her chin with a kerchief.

"Lara.... Come take this filthy girl out of here," she called to someone.

Soon enough, a young girl walked over to me and helped me up to my feet. I followed her to get cleaned up. I was told to stay put all through the day and continue work tomorrow. I returned to my house at the end of the day to pack my belongings as I would be staying in the servant's ward from the following day. My dad's heart broke when I told him that I would be leaving his side.

"Aria," he called.

"Yes Father," I responded.

"I want you to always remember that you're weak. When people say nothing good can come out of you, please believe that," he said hurting my feelings.

"But why dad?" I asked.

"Because that's just how it is," he responded.

"Books say a different thing," I said not caring to find out where that came from.

"Books aren't reality. Don't try to dream big. Accept your fate the way it is," he said holding onto my hands.

I noticed the tears threatening to fall at the corner of his eyes.

"Yes, father. I'll hold on to your words forever," I promised before hugging him.

But deep down, a tiny spark of rebellion ignited within me. Books say a different thing. What if they were right? What if my father was wrong?