Ch 1. Belittled.

*Aurora’s P.O.V.*

Present…

Scrubbing the filthy stable floor with my bare hands, the hot odor of horse shit filled my nose. The rough texture scraped against my skin, leaving light cuts as a constant reminder of my degrading existence. As a pack slave, this was my daily chore - cleaning up after the entitled wolves who belonged to the domineering alpha family. Just as I finished the last section of the stable, a poisonous voice echoed from the packhouse.

“Aurora! Get your sorry ass in here, you little bitch!” It was the alpha's daughter, Sabrina. I let out an exasperated sigh, wiping the sweat from my brow with the back of my hand and rubbing my filthy hands on the apron attached to my maid’s uniform. I exited the stable and headed towards the packhouse.

As soon as I crossed the door of the packhouse, a burning slap landed on my cheek, jerking my head to the side. Sabrina stood by the door, arms folded and a malevolent glare twisting her pretty face.

"You burned my fucking clothes, you pathetic excuse for a slave!" she spat venomously. "I specifically ordered you to iron them, not turn them into fucking ashes. Do you even have half a functioning brain in that skull of yours?"

I bit my lip, holding back the truth that was threatening to come out. The truth that she had been the one to set fire to the clothes herself because she didn't fancy them, yet she was too spineless to own up to her own shit. But in this twisted pack, the utterance of the alpha's brat carried more weight than mine ever would.

Before I could respond, Sabrina cut me off, tossing the burnt sparkling dress in my face, its scent reminiscent of her awful ass. "Answer me when I'm talking to you, you worthless piece of shit!" she yelled.

“Fix my fucking dress, even if you have to beg on the damn streets to get it repaired!” She spat, her outburst causing the other pack members to fix their malevolent gazes on me. I clenched the dress in my trembling hands, watching the spoiled brat storm up the stairs in a fit of rage.

“Bitch,” I muttered under my breath as a fellow maid named Leni approached me. “Alpha Finn wants your sorry ass in his fucking room now,” she stated bluntly.

I frowned, wondering what kind of shitstorm he had brewing. He was just another prick like Sabrina - both entitled brats who thought the world revolved around them.

“What the hell does he want?” I asked Leni, my irritation growing.

“How the fuck should I know? Get your ass over there and find out,” she replied, walking away. My encounters with Alpha Finn had been rare, characterized by quick and impersonal exchanges. But I had learned long ago not to question the whims of those perched higher on the pack hierarchy.

I inwardly groaned as I dragged myself to his room. Upon reaching his door, I hesitated.

Before I could gather the courage to knock, the door swung open, revealing Alpha Finn casually leaning against the frame. His frigid blue eyes locked onto mine, emanating a destructive intensity as he addressed me.

"I have got something I need you to do," he said, his voice as smooth as velvet. My heart raced as I braced myself for his request, fearing the worst. Little did I know that nothing could have prepared me for what he was about to say.

 "I need some fucking condoms," he stated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

“I…I can’t, I can’t get it. It’s…” I stammered, struggling to respond, but Finn simply curled his lips into a malicious smirk, enjoying my discomfort.

"Go on, you fucking slave," he taunted.

"Do you plan to stand there all day?" he snapped. I swallowed hard and turned on my heels. It wasn’t anything novel – he had quite the reputation as a pack-wide fuckboy, dragging a different girl to his den every damn day.

As I walked the corridor with Sabrina's burnt dress still hanging on my shoulders, I squeezed my way into the stuffy storeroom of the packhouse. Inside, a fellow maid was tidying up, the sunlight streaming through the window casting a bright glow in the room.

I scanned the room and spotted a bundle of condoms. Reaching in, I yanked one from the bunch. In my haste, something fell from my body, but I couldn't be bothered to give it a second glance.

Hurrying out, I stood before his door once more, composed to knock when his voice halted me.

“Get in here, Aurora. Don't think for a second, I can't hear you hesitating,” he called from inside the room.

Stunned by how he knew my name, I stumbled into the room, barely grabbing the doorknob before my entrance. There he lay, sprawled over an omega, the two of them entangled in a heated kiss. The sight churned my stomach – it was no secret that Finn indulged in a revolving door of flings.

“Alpha, here—” He raised a finger, silencing me mid-sentence as he continued to devour the omega’s lips, their hands roaming each other's bodies with shameless passion.

“Alpha, I—” I attempted to speak once more, yet they paid me no attention. Frustrated, I made my way to the nightstand and dropped the condom there, hoping for a swift exit.

Just as I aimed for the door, Finn's voice sliced through the air. “Where is the goddamn condom?” he demanded, brushing his golden blonde hair away from his face.

“Uh, it’s on the nightstand,” I replied, my head bowed.

A rustling sound and then he erupted like a volcano. “What the fuck is this?” he roared.

“Did I specifically ask for just one condom? Is this a fucking joke? Are you deaf, you incompetent shit?” he raged, his fury uncontainable.

“I told you I wanted condoms, did I fucking say one? This is an insult to me!” he spat, climbing off the bed, leaving the omega sprawled there, her legs spread, and her breasts exposed.

“No, Alpha, I'm so sorry, I must have misunderstood,” I blurted out, my gaze meeting his.

"How dare you lock eyes with me while you speak? Scum like you aren't even worth a glance," he snarled, his tone rough. He advanced, narrowing the space between us, trapping me against the door, my back pressed against it as I clung to the knob for support.

I struggled to avert my gaze from his eyes, fighting the magnetic pull they seemed to exert. “Lower your eyes, you fucking slave,” he barked, a command that compelled obedience.

I swiftly dropped my gaze, obeying his order for the first time. “I'm terribly sorry, Alpha. I misunderstood your request about the condoms, I thought you meant just one pack,” I stammered, my attempt at explanation brushed aside.

“Shut the fuck up, don’t tell me you brought one because you think I can't last in bed and only go for a single round,” he remarked, his finger tracing a path along my face.

"Or maybe you are jealous? If that's the case, feel free to join us on the bed. You are the only maid I haven't fucked in this packhouse," he taunted. His words made my stomach churn, and I flinched involuntarily at his touch.

He seized my hand, attempting to pull me toward the bed. “Join us,” he demanded.

“No, I can't. I’m a virgin, saving myself for my mate,” I blurted, mustering the courage to resist. He released his grip and climbed onto the bed.

“Don't worry, everyone starts somewhere,” he responded, his mouth descending to meet the omega's lips. She halted his advance, gripping his face in her hands.

“I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I'm just not in the mood anymore,” she stated.

“What do you mean you are not in the mood?” he inquired, but she pushed him away, adjusting her outfit and arranging her disheveled appearance as she exited the room.

I moved to follow her, but his hand snaked around my wrist, halting me. “Where do you think you are going?” he questioned, freezing me in place.

"Alpha, please, we can't do this. I don't want this, I don't love you," I confessed, my words barely escaping my lips, my gaze steadfastly averted. I was determined not to allow him to exploit me.

“Who the fuck do you think you are to reject an alpha like me? Omegas go wild just to fuck me, they kneel at my feet for a taste of my cock,” he bragged, his arrogance on full display.

I pulled my hand from his grasp and dashed for the door, my name echoing from the packhouse speakers.

“Aurora, report to the Alpha’s office.”