Chapter 1: Millicent, the Omega Maid

Millicent's POV

I look around and saw that I still had alot more to do but the heat was draining and I was getting tired. I prayed for the strength to complete my chores today.

I wiped the perspiration from my forehead with the back of my hands, first with my right and then my left hand before it could slip down into my eyes, blinding me. And then proceeded to wipe them on the apron I had on. My body was soaked with sweat and my palms were very dirty from doing the chores all day.

I finished sweeping the training arena as well as the reception and dinning halls for the top officials and council of elders.

Then, I bent down to scrub, the sweat pouring down my body like someone had poured a bucket of water on it. My palms were no longer enough to wipe it, I had to use the apron to wipe my face at least. It was the middle of summer and the weather was really very hot. I got a mop and started mopping the the places I had swept and scrubbed, I do this everyday, at the Alpha's orders, which must be obeyed or be damned.

I heard footsteps and looked up to see it was Cathania. I frowned inwardly, hoping she was not going to pick on me this time.

'Have you really mopped these areas?' she asked indicating the areas I had just mopped.

'Ye...', I started but the word stuck in my throat as I saw that Cathania had covered the floor I had taken pains to scrub and mop with her mud- covered boats. Where she got her boots covered in mud was beyond my comprehension since the grounds were supposed to be dry this time of the year. She had probably gone to the stream or improvised in some way to make my work harder for me. I was sure it was a deliberate action to make my life harder.

Looking at the mess, I was so angry, I could not utter a word. And my stomach growled making me remember I had not eaten anything and needed to ingest something. Cathania smiled smugly to indicate to me that she had heard it too, getting me more furious and embarrassed..

'You could at least have used the doormat', I lashed out, trying to keep the anger out of my voice but failing woefully. 'If you had, there won't be mud all over this place! You do not know the first thing about scrubbing, so you wouldn't know how hard it is!'

'Are you speaking to me that way?' Cathania asked. 'How dare you take that tone with me!' Cathania was the lover of Alpha Sylvester and it was rumoured that she was going to be his Luna. But why she chose to pick on me everytime, was something I just could not understand.

As I looked round the sullied reception area, I felt like throttling Cathania.

'Get started with your work before I make a report of your lackadaisical attitude to your chores to Alpha Sylvester', she threatened.

I swallowed the sharp comeback that was on the tip of my mouth and bent to start mopping the arena all over again, seething impotently.

Cathania hissed as she walked out, stamping her feet as she did. I heaved a sigh, thinking that I got off easily this time, but there was no such luck as she came back with the dirty doormat and flipped it on the floor, allowing sand and dust particles to fly in all directions.

The mop slipped from my hand as I looked furiously at Cathania. But my fury only amused her. I imagined myself giving her a slap that would get her pale face red but I knew I could not dare and I bit my lip in frustration.

'Get on with your chores beggar maid', she taunted. 'I have other interesting things to do, things like being with my fiance. Else, I would have spent more quality time with you'. And off she went, swinging her waist, leaving me to clear the mess she had made. I watched her leave, seething, and unable to do anything about my fury except to attack the chore with vehemence. My stomach growled again, and with great effort, I picked the broom and started sweeping off the dirt and dust particles before proceeding to mop all over again, all the while, sobbing silently in rage, cursing my fate for being so unlucky. Then I looked up, screaming out my frustrations in my head: It is getting too much, How much longer will I have to endure this before justice is served? Will I get my revenge when I slump and die? Oh Moon goddess, you have to come to my aid.

Afterwards, bent double with fatigue and hunger, I looked into the kitchen to make sure I have stacked the plates well after washing. The dishes and pots were well stacked, glittering in their rack. The cabinets were spotlessly white as was the floor, and I sighed with satisfaction at the impeccable job I had done, though I knew that my efforts were not going to make any impact in the cold heart of that bastard with the title Alpha.

There was an incident that took place some years back, when I was yet to learn how to stack the plates and one had fallen and shattered, pieces of broken China all over the place. The head Omega had been mad, scolding me unendingly, no one caring to see that I had torn my feet when I had inadvertently stepped on the pieces of china, in my effort to salvage the situation. It had been hell.

'You are going to sweep the whole of Moon Ville Pack', the ruthless Alpha had ordered when he heard. I was supposed to be his personal maid, but I was actually Pack's maid because I did all the chores in the pack. Not that the other Omegas didn't do some chores, but they left the bulk of it to me. I can't complain, not because I am the youngest - although I am among the youngest. I feel, it is because I am not from the MoonVille pack but had been brought from another pack, - Crescent Pack when Alpha Sylvester had attacked and conquered my people. I had been ten at the time but being blessed with a photographic memory, I recall how my world had been turned upside down.

It had been a massacre. Too much bloodshed. I can never forget how I lost my parents in that war. The scene is still etched in my memory.

It had been close to dawn, when we had heard some noise, the warriors had been roused and went to investigate, not really expecting something threatening. They had been taken by surprise as they faced and tried to fend off attacks coming at them from left, right, and centre. The warriors had been brave, protecting their Alpha but the attacking pack had been more prepared, the element of surprise on their side. There had been a disagreement between the Alpha's of both packs and Alpha Sylvester had threatened them. Crescent Pack had not taken the threat from the Moon Ville seriously because Alpha Harry, my father had told Alpha Sylvester he was innocent of the crime he was accusing him of and that if he doubted it, he was free to carry out his own investigation, - what nature of crime it was, I never got to know, because no one wanted to tell me anything, they felt I was still too young to learn about the official matters of the pack.

There were bodies everywhere one looked My father - Alpha Harry was torn down as he fought fearlessly. He stood and continued fighting with blood dripping out from his injuries as he took down some of his attackers. He was fighting without any weapon since it fell from him when he fell the first time and there hadn't been time to search for it or to take another from other fallen warriors as he was the main target. His own warriors were busy fighting and none noticed he did not have any weapon, or they could have thrown him one. Then Alpha Sylvester came and delt him a blow on the head with his weapon and my father staggered and fell, the blow disoriented him, I believe. I covered my eyes with my palms as I felt fury raging inside of me. Who dates raise their hands to my father? Luckily, he grabbed a weapon that had fallen from another warrior and was about to struggle to his feet again when someone clawed him down. I waited for him to get to his feet again but the sword fell from his hands and he remained on the floor.

I had refused to go into hiding, and when I was forced, no one saw me sneak out again. They were all too busy being afraid and discussing the raging war.

Seeing my father fall and not able to get to his feet again, I had come out from behind the door where I stood watching the fight and run to him. I had been so confident he was going to win the fight. He had never lost before.

'Daddy, no daddy, don't leave me. Don't die', I pleaded as I saw my father bleeding to death. 'Who will take care of your little princess if you die?'

'Run', he had mouthed with his failing strength as the life drained out of him, but I wouldn't leave him. My father and I had been very close. He tried to push me away from him but I held on tight, not really understanding why he would want me to leave him in his condition.

'Run!' he repeated.

'No. I cannot leave you Dad. Where could I possibly run to? I shall stay here and nurse you back to health'.

He shook his head, but I wasn't paying attention. I hugged my father kissing him on his cheek as though to kiss life and strength back into him.

'I did not do it', he said. I did not know what he was talking about. But that was not important at that moment. What was paramount was to get him some help.

'Of course, you did not', I said, hoping the assurance that I believed him would give him strength.

'Amelia', he whispered.

Amelia was my mother, he must be wishing to see her. But even I did not want her to come here.

When I felt no movement from him, I looked down at him, shaking him violently, I saw a tear drop from his eye. My own eyes widened as fear gripped my heart.