Chapter 2

Hazel

 Life has not been kind to me since my parents were exiled.

 Everything changed the day the Alpha declared them traitors and banished them to the merciless Zanzu Desert. Since then, the pack has treated me as if their crime runs through my blood. I endure sneers, whispers, and cruel stares wherever I go. Even the children who once played with me now throw insults as though it is their duty. The bullying comes from almost everyone in the pack, and no one stops it.

 My only friend, Ariana, changed too.

 I understand why. She is the Alpha’s only daughter. Being seen with me now would stain her perfect image — the image of a future Luna. Associating with the daughter of so-called traitors would damage her standing in the pack. So she avoids me. She does not meet my eyes anymore. And though it hurts more than I will ever admit, I do not blame her.

 What hurts even more is the work.

 I work harder than any of the other pack maids, yet I receive the harshest punishments. No mistake is too small for them to use against me, and most of the time there is no mistake at all. Ressa, the pack’s head maid, seems to enjoy watching me suffer. No matter how hard I scrub the floors, how spotless I leave the halls, it is never enough for her.

 Tonight, I am on my knees once again, scrubbing the marble floor for what feels like the hundredth time. My hands burn, my back aches, and my stomach is empty. I have not eaten since morning.

 “I’m so tired…” I whisper.

 I know even if I scrub until my hands bleed, Ressa will still find something wrong. The realization drains the last of my strength. My arms give out. The pail slips from my fingers and clatters against the floor, sending water splashing across the tiles. I sink down beside it, staring blankly at nothing, feeling hollow… soulless.

 Then the bell rings.

 Once. Twice.Three times.

 The signal for an announcement at the podium. Everyone must gather immediately, no matter what they are doing.

 I force myself to stand and drag my exhausted feet through the corridors until I reach the crowd forming near the podium. The pack’s Beta, Blaze, steps forward. His voice is strong and commanding.

 “We will be celebrating the Alpha’s daughter’s birthday in two days’ time,” he announces. “The Alpha expects perfection. All pack servants are to work efficiently. Any flaw in the celebration will not be tolerated.”

 With that, he turns and walks away.

 Blaze used to be my father’s closest friend before everything happened. Now he does not even look at me. Not once.

The crowd slowly disperses. Servants return to their duties. I remain standing there for a moment, wishing I could disappear. I truly do not want to return to scrubbing floors, but I have no choice.

 Alpha Bruno is a man everyone respects — strict, disciplined, and fiercely protective of his people. His love for his daughter Ariana is legendary throughout the pack. His mate, Luna Aurora, has always been gentle and quiet. She and my mother were once inseparable friends. Aurora carries herself with a calm, pure aura that makes everyone admire her.

Sometimes I wonder if she remembers me.

 When my work is finally finished, night has fallen. The pack has grown quiet. I sit alone on the cold floor, my body trembling with exhaustion. No one to talk to. No one to laugh with. No one to share the silence.

And still… my wolf has not awakened.

 I am already past eighteen, yet nothing. The elder said my wolf will only emerge when I find my mate. That was why my father used to take me to other packs’ ritual gatherings — hoping I would meet the one meant for me. Every attempt failed… until the day they were exiled.

 Now I am trapped.

Maybe I should continue my father’s plan. I must find my mate. It is my only hope. But how? How do I leave the pack unnoticed? How do I survive long enough to make it happen?

I press my hands against my eyes, fighting the tears. Life is so cruel.