A Low Life

It was a new day, a special day for me.

I stared at my reflection with an excited grin. Gray eyes and rosy red lips stared back at me, my long red curls finally tamed and pulled up into an elegant bun. My mother always warned me not to let my beauty get to my head, she stopped at nothing to remind me of how my beauty would never matter because of our low status.

I’ve grown to hate my reflection and love it at the same time, conflicting emotions that sometimes brought tears to my eyes but, not today! Today was going to be different!

It was the day I would get my wolf.

My 20th birthday and also the day I would find my true mate in the pack. Something almost the whole pack looked forward to. Everyone wanted to know who would have the misfortune of becoming the mate of the only daughter the Wilsons had, the poorest omegas in the pack.

Despite all that, no one was more excited about the day than I was, my hopes of finally leaving her father's home and the clutches of my exploiting and emotionally draining family had finally come.

“What’s taking so long?” I flinched and so did the beauty in the mirror as I heard the unmistakable drawl of my brother’s voice from behind the door. It was only nine am but no doubt he would’ve drank the house dry of alcohol again after another argument with our parents.

My fingers clenched into fists on my faded blue jeans as I inhaled deeply and tried to push away the growing feeling of dread in my chest. I won’t let my brother or anyone else ruin my mood, not today at least.

I was more excited about meeting with Luke today, to know if he truly is my fated mate…I feared that the man I’d spent five years loving would become nothing more than a past relationship if my hopes turned out to be false today.

“No,” I shook my head, pushing down the looming thoughts as I stood up and walked away from the vanity table, and made my way towards the door.

My brother was right in front of the door once I opened it and just as I suspected, his once pale face was tinted with a dark pink and his breathing was ragged, his grey eyes took in my appearance and his head nodded in satisfaction. He had similar features to mine but his were more chiseled and rough from the hard work he did every day. He was ten years my senior but sometimes he acted like our roles were reversed but I knew today wouldn’t be one of those days.

“You look like you could birth some strong babies,”

Which was my brother’s way of saying I looked pretty.

I never get much compliments from her brother, Andy, my lips couldn’t help but curl up as I looked up at him.

“Thank you, Andy, you brush up rather nicely as well,” I said pointing at his shirt that had been buttoned all the way up, his poor attempt at trying to look responsible.

He coughed and looked away, his whole body reeking of alcohol.

My nose scrunched up as I followed behind my brother and we both left our small cottage. As expected, my parents weren’t even at home, no doubt they’d forgotten it was my birthday today…I shook my head. Trying to dismiss the sadness that crept up in my heart. I should be used to it by now…I was used to it. Still, my heart ached at the thought of it, and brushing it off wasn’t easy.

“Listen, you’re not the only person turning twenty today,” Andy began as we slowly made our way to the pack house, “So remember not to do anything that would anger the alpha or make you stand out, just get there, do not look him in the eyes, collect your mark and leave…understood?” Andy asked in a gruff voice. Looking down at me like I was some chicken with no brains.

I nodded, I’d heard those words a thousand times and I already knew what to do.

It was tradition, to get a mark from the Alpha on your twentieth birthday to officially connect you to the pack as your wolf would also awaken in a few days.

“Who knows…maybe you’ll be the mate of that Luke boy and become the beta's wife…that would help our family out of this fucking slump we're in,” Andy spat, I could tell he was banking on it despite him trying to make it sound dismissive. My parents were banking on it as well, all for the wrong reasons.

Once we finally reached the pack house, the line was rather long but I waited patiently with my brother by my side. I couldn’t look the alpha in the eyes when I was finally in front of him, he radiated so much power that I couldn’t lift my head, he was cold but he was a good alpha to the pack. While he gave me the mark on my wrist, I closed my eyes and turned away as a strange buzzing began in my ears, and for a split second, it felt like I could hear everything and everyone before it finally quietened down.

“Protect and grow our pack with pride, Andrea Wilson,”

Those were the words that made me open my blurred eyes. They met with the Alpha's dark brown ones, his aged eyes stared back at me, and a faint frown between his brows. He looked like he had something to say to me and at the same time seemed disgusted by my presence.

Of course.

No alpha would want to touch an omega for this long.

“I will, thank you, Alpha,” I bowed and walked away.

My brother had left before the ceremony even ended. I didn’t expect him to stay but seeing others meeting excitedly with their families afterwards only dampened my mood more…though I promised myself it wouldn’t.

Once I was out of the pack house and on my way to her favorite pastry shop, I got a call from Luke. Looking down at my screen and seeing his name made my heart skip a few beats, my mood instantly brightened as I answered the call and brought the phone up to my ear. My heart pounding so fast I could hear it in my ears.

“Hey!”

“Hey baby,” His low voice came from the other line, “Happy birthday, sorry I couldn’t make it I was…” He cleared his throat, “…caught up,” His voice sounded strained and I heard some shuffling on the other line which made my brows furrow deeply and my eyes narrow with suspicion

“Is everything okay?” I asked.

“Yes um…everything is fine, are we still on for cake and coffee today? We need to talk, ” He said in a low voice. I should have been bothered by how he had said his last sentence but I brushed it off instead.

After all, he’d just said that he was fine and that nothing was wrong.

I didn’t believe him, he sounded off and rather distant but the last thing I wanted to do was probe too much and push him away. If he left me I would have no one else to save me from the torture that is my life in that cottage.

He is the only person who cared about me this much. I had to keep from offending him.

“I’m actually on my way to Sugars And Sweets café right now, how soon can you get there?”

“Give me ten minutes baby,”

Then the call ended and the cab I was in pulled to a stop in front of the café.

I was grateful that my favorite table was not taken, I’d taken the liberty to order for Luke as well as I knew what he preferred. After all, we have both been dating since high school and soon, I would be transferring to his college as well so we could be closer.

The thought of it brought a smile to my face and every jingle I heard at the door made me jump in my seat as my gaze shifted to the door, excitedly.

Even after the coffee and cakes I’d ordered had been brought over, Luke still didn’t show up. After over two hours of waiting, the doors opened. I didn’t lift my head as I figured it wasn’t him, then a sweet scent wafted into my nostrils and the heavy footsteps I’d heard stopped. I lifted up my head and I met burning blue eyes staring back at me. He had cropped black hair and stopped at his neck, a pointed nose, and a sharp jawline. He was tall, not too muscular but he was fit and he was strong, after all, he was the beta of the pack.

It was Luke.