Chapter 1

Alessia's POV

It didn't start today, I had been having a crush on Phoenix, the incoming Alpha of my pack, and the most handsome guy in class. I wouldn't say I'm the only one, a lot of girls are in the same shoes as me but he has a girlfriend. Today is going to mark the end of my crush on him, although I hate to, I have to let go of him so I can come across my mate. 

Seeing him from a distance, not being able to talk to him didn't stop me from desiring to be with him, it has been my agelong dream. I lived in the Pack Estate, right from when I was a kid. I, thereafter, began my work as a maid, the feelings grew more intense. Phoenix pretended not to notice my interest in him all these while working as a mate for his family. Him being with his girlfriend didn't stop me from desiring him, after all a girlfriend isn't a sign of a fated mate. The only time he would talk to me was when he needed something, like I should prepare a particular food for him or clean up a mess. Our conversation was mostly formal, and this isn't what I wanted. 

It's my eighteenth birthday, the custom here dictates that all she wolves would come across their mates on the day they turn eighteen. The only thing which could make one not to find her mate on your eighteenth birthday is a curse, a curse from the moon goddess may delay this or never bring your mate your path. I'm not cursed, so I'm expecting to see who that will be. I so much wished I could get Phoenix to be mine but that's just like a one in a million probability to come true. He is the dream of all girls, the prospective Alpha while I'm just an Omega, working under his authority in the Pack Estate and also his coursemate. 

Over the years I've been working as a maid in the estate, there hasn't been a day I have not received ill treatment from him, he has always criticized my every move and deed in the estate, mocking me for being poor and sometimes going a long way to make sure I don't get my full salary at the end of the month for a minor mistake or some I incurred within the previous month. This didn't deter me from still crushing on him, at times, he showed me he could be a true and caring lover if he ever became my mate. I remember once where Gracelynn, his current girlfriend, who by then used to visit the estate regularly because of him, asked me to kneel under the rain for failing to serve her breakfast on time, that's a year ago. It was raining heavily and since I was also serving the current Alpha and Luna upstairs, it took time to come to handle her demands. I only came after I was done and I was forty minutes late, there wasn't any second cook then. I did the washing and cooking. 

Phoenix was still asleep. I stood there looking at Gracelynn with scorn and all the hatred in the world. No one has ever asked me to kneel before at my age, I stopped kneeling as a punishment at thirteen. But here she was asking me to kneel outside the estate, under the rain. Being that she had some authority in the house though she wasn't blood related to Phoenix, but because she was seen by his parents as his prospective mate and the future Luna of our pack, the New Gardens Pack, I had no other option but to kneel. 

Phoenix woke up later, I saw him storming to where I was kneeling under the rain. He got very angry at her, making me do this and threatened to break up with her if she didn't apologize right there for what she did. At least, the rain beat her for the few seconds she asked me to forgive her. I know this wasn't from her heart but she was humbled to the point of apologizing. Phoenix later called me that day, as compensation he got me sitting on his lap, while he held me and gave a thirty minute lecture on how I should stand up for my rights and not let anyone dehumanize me whatsoever. I felt he had this little spot for me in his heart which would have been more if not for Gracelynn being in his life. Which prospective Alpha would sit you, a maid and an Omega on his lap, and tell you to be confident in yourself. 

Though he used to punish me but not the type Gracelynn gave to me, he punished me with dignity, though I most of the time didn't deserve any of them, maybe he wanted to show his power to me. More than anything, the fact that he stood up for me and respected me when I was dehumanized by Gracelynn makes me have a deep crush on him and wish I could have him but today, I'll obviously know who would be in my life for the rest of my days. 

Early this morning, I woke up with a great enthusiasm and that enthusiasm was revealed in the way I did things. I made sure I had a very strong scented flavor in my body wash, the perf and body spray I applied were unthinkable, scents which are designed to last for twenty-four hours. 

No wonder when I walked into class today, everyone turned their eyes to me. I had been someone no one dared to look at. I have been dressing poorly, the money paid me as a maid in the pack estate isn't enough to live a rich or an average life, so I manage what my parents gave to me. They are living far away from my hometown and this is in the remote part of the pack. 

My beauty prior to this has been disguised for a long time, I wish I had the money, I would be a great attraction to not only Phoenix, but him especially. I can't help even though he is with a girlfriend he loves so much, feelings are natural, they could come on you, on anyone, under any circumstances. So far as he hadn't found his fated mate yet, I committed no crime in crushing on him. 

Today, I had determined it was going to be a different day from all my normal days going to college. I go to New Gardens College, a prestigious university in the pack, and I'm lucky to be in the same department and level with my crush. It's a law that all workers in the estate ought to attend college here free, as their school fees and other fees would be covered under the administration of the Alpha, I doubt if Phoenix will continue this once he steps up as the Alpha.

I used my savings to purchase myself a yellow crop top which reveals my tummy, a pair of designer popstar trousers and black designer sneakers. Everything cost three hundred dollars, a huge amount for a girl of my status. I did this to attack good luck, to attract my mate. My efforts aren't in vains as my wolf has identified the only guy whom she is fated to. 

As I walked through the door with all eyes on me, a strong scent entered my nose, a familiar one even before I got to the front of the lecture theater where I usually sit to receive lectures. I freeze on the spot when I see Phoenix turn from the third row he is sitting beside Gracelynn to stare at me. I feel he has noticed something too. This look is no ordinary look, it accompanies a strong, weakening aura which weakens my knees and makes my body shiver.

Is it true that Phoenix is actually my mate?

I can't afford to ask myself this question. Though I had a crush on him, yet it's totally shocking to find out that the guy who has been creating so much trouble for me at the pack estate is actually going to be the one I would be spending my forever with, only if he will accept me. 

Gracelynn turns after me and her eyes fall on me, she looks at Phoenix with such a hot gaze as if to slap him, she is irritated that he was staring at me and more into this, she must have felt something too, her wolf might be letting her know something is wrong at this moment. For a clear ten minutes, Phoenix's eyes and mine have been interlocked, I remained fixed to the spot, this continues despite the large number of people awaiting the lecturer. 

"Hey mate!" I smile, waving and taking myself to his seat where he is staring right at my direction on me, his eyes charming blue, dreamy and flirty looking at me makes me want to strip myself and walk naked before him. 

He parts his lips to say something when the door opens and the course lecturer walks in. A grunt escapes my throat, my expectation hanging aloof with no hope of revival. This is the first time I have the perfect privilege to go and see him. He has always been aloof and knowledgeable of girls like him. I simply don't exist in his eyes. Now that the unexpected was to occur, the unexpected in a different dimension occurred which is the course lecturer of Civil Engineering Practice walking in. Worst is that his class is three hours long and it's our last class for the day. After this, most students are mostly expected to go home as always. 

"Settle down class, we've got a special topic to treat today!" Saying this, he brings out his long notes, hardcover, and starts to scan through it. This takes about ten minutes, then my mind returns to Phoenix, I steal flirty glances at him. On his face, it is supposed to be happiness but I find nothing but an expression of shock. My wolf tells me that. Being a dreamy-eyed guy, no one knows when he is angry or downcast except he shows it by his speech and actions. 

Phoenix throws frequent glances at me from where he is sitting, each time our eyes lock, I feel electricity spark in me. The next thing I find him pulling out a sheet of paper from his notebook, scribbling something on it and passing down to me, urging the guys on the lines of row to help me. When the letter reaches me, my hormones jump up, causing a sudden increase in my heart beat. I can't wait to see what's written on it. Then finally I unfold the paper and open it. 

"Can you go online now, want to chat with you?" I raise my head to look at him and he nods. Phoenix is driving me crazy, he hasn't reciprocated any of my feeling of crush which I had for him, yet today he is the one asking me to come online so we can talk. 

Readily, I log in to my W******p account and send 'hi' to his account. Being coursemates we had each other on W******p, apart from now, I haven't chatted with him before, making it kind of thrilling to be doing this for the first time. Gracelynn tries to see what he is typing, I can see her perch into his screen but he covers it. No one would be able to wait if they were in the same situation as me. The typing dot appearing on my end, kicks tension high off me, I know that any second from now, his message would be dropping and I'll know my fate.

"We are mates, right? Sure." 

My eyes roam back to him and his lips part slightly, into a not-too obvious grin, a grin you wouldn't easily notice except you take a closer and more steady look at him.

"Yes, we are mates." I hastily typed and hit the send button delivering it to him. 

"So since this is the last class for the day, can we meet before everyone in front?" I wonder what's going to happen here. 

"Okay," I managed to say.