ECHOES OF FORGOTTEN

••ALEXANDRA POV••

"Alexandra, you wench! What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

My mother's words are as harsh as the slap landed on my cheek.

"You can’t even clean a room properly? Look at this dirty water everywhere, you fool!" she hissed with disgust, but it's her who kicked the bucket of water accidentally, still I can't speak it out, she yanked my hair, "Guests will be arriving soon for your sister’s birthday week celebration, and you can’t manage this simple task? Useless!"

I flinched in pain but didn't dare to make a sound, though the pain made my eyes fill with tears, still I kept my head down, focusing on the ground.

"Mom," The word slipped out before I could stop myself, but as soon as I said it, I knew it was a grave mistake.

Another slap. Harder than earlier.

"I told you never to call me that!" she pushed me hard enough making me fall on the floor. "You're not allowed to call me mom, you wretched girl. You will address me as Luna even if it is just two of us, do you understand?"

I nodded quickly with fear, my cheek burning as if it touched the fire. I should’ve known my position for better, "Yes, Luna," I barely managed to say like a mere whisper.

Mom's gaze was cold as ice, her lips curling as if she hated to even look at me, "You’re an omen. Your existence is a curse on this pack. You are lucky we’ve allowed you to live this long, if not for your sister, I could've killed the moment you were born."

I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears. I have heard these words numerous times, it's not new to me, and yet, today… today it hurts more.

"Do you understand me?" she barked, making me jump in fear.

"Yes, Luna," I whispered again. What else could I say? It's not only Selene's but also my birthday, being born as twins, one with a wolf and the other wolfless, is it my mistake to both wolfless? Did I choose to be born like this? I wish I was never born.

She stood there for a moment, glaring down at me, and then turned around to leave, "make sure it’s spotless before your sister comes out of the shower, if not I'll peel your skin to make a carpet in this room," with one last warning, she left the room.

I let out a shaky breath and slowly touched my cheek, wincing at the sting. It wasn’t just my face that hurt, it was everything. Every word. Every reminder that I don't belong to anyone.

I picked up the rag again and got back to cleaning. There was no point in dwelling on it. I had work to do if not I'll be starved again. This room had to be perfect for Selene, the apple of my parents' eyes. The perfect daughter they always wanted. She had a week of celebrations ahead of her, and the whole pack would be here to celebrate her. Of course, no one would remember that it was my birthday too.

No one ever did.

As I'm arranging the pillows properly, my fingers brushed something smooth. I glanced up and saw a beautiful jewelry set lying on the bed, shining under the soft light within the room. Sapphires and diamonds, glittering like stars.

It was stunning, something out of a dream. For a moment, I imagined what it would be like to wear something like that, to feel beautiful, to be noticed for more than being a mistake.

I reached out, almost touching the necklace when the door creaked open making me fear.

"Caught you, you thief."

I retrieved my hand back immediately  and turned to see Selene standing in the doorway, her perfect figure draped in expensive silk, her brown hair flowing in waves around her shoulders. She looked every bit like a dreamy princess everyone talks about.

"What are you doing in here?" she sneered, walking toward me, her eyes fixed at the necklace which I almost touched, "Were you trying to steal that?"

"No, I...I was just cleaning," I stammered, quickly moving away from the bed.

"Cleaning?" she laughed sliding her finger on my bruised cheek, and pressed her nails hard into my skin, "You don’t deserve to even be in the same room as something this valuable, let alone thought of touching it. A filthy thing like you wouldn’t even know how to wear it." Pushing me aside, she took the necklace up, holding it against her chest.

"Someone like you doesn’t deserve anything nice apart from those rags. You’ll never be anything more than a stain in this pack, so learn your position my dear useless twin."

Her words pierced my heart like stabbing with daggers, but I stayed silent, my hands trembling. Selene always has to say to remind me that I'm nothing in front of her.

She walked past me with a smirk. "Now, get out of here. You’re an eyesore that is giving me a headache."

I didn’t argue, I couldn’t either. With my head down, I stepped out of the room, biting my lip to hold back the tears threatening to rush out.

I returned back to the servant quarters, my head still spinning from the pain and humiliation, servant quarters is the place where I live, someone like me isn't allowed to live in a palace like Selene.

As soon as I stepped inside, Clara, my only friend in this horrible place, rushed over with concern watching bruises on my face.

"Oh God!" she gasped, immediately grabbed a wet cloth and gently pressing on my bruised cheek, "how can they treat you like this?"

"It’s nothing," I lied, I don't want her to scold them, if we were to get caught by speaking behind their back, punishment don't stop with just whipping.

"Nothing? You aren't even able to stand properly," she exclaimed softly, her fingers moving carefully on my bruised cheek as she is applying the ointment she kept hidden for me. "You don’t deserve this, Alexa. I wish I could help you get out of here."

I couldn't help but to smile faintly knowing it's impossible, "I've no place to go."

Just then, another maid burst into the room shouting for me, "Hey Alexandra, what are you doing here? Princess Selene wants you immediately in her room. You were supposed to be helping her get ready for the party!"

Clara gave me a sympathetic look as I stood up with great difficulty but it's my duty to follow the orders of Selene.

When I entered Selene’s room. She was already pacing in front of the mirror, dressed in a robe, being extremely frustrated.

"Where have you been, you useless bitch? Where is my dress?" she screamed, glaring at me as if I had personally insulted her by existing. Before I could even open my mouth to respond, she grabbed the nearest thing she could, a heavy flower vase, and threw it directly aiming at me.

I don't even have time to dodge and the vase hit me straight on the side of the head, creating a sharp pain. I stepped backward, clutching the spot, blood beginning to drip down my temple. But I didn’t scream or cry. Instead, I did what I always did, I swallowed my pain since they don't even like to see me crying.

Ignoring the piercing pain in my head, I bent down, picking up the broken vase pieces one by one. My vision started turning blurry, but I managed to throw those broken pieces of vase just like my heart in the trashcan so that Selene wouldn't be injured.

I went towards the wardrobe. "The dress is already prepared for you," I said softly taking out the dress I prepared for Selene.

"You should have brought it to me immediately, lazy idiot" she rolled her eyes, but she didn’t apologize for her earlier behaviour. I never expected her to. She never did either.

I used a piece of cloth to stop the bleeding, so that my blood wouldn't taint the room, Selene sighed, "how long you're going to act as if your head is torn apart? Stop whining and move your dumbass from there to dress me up for the party."

Ignoring about my injury, I helped her to get dressed, my fingers trembling as I tied the ribbon bow, carefully done her makeup and hairstyle.

Selene inspected herself in the mirror, twirling with a bright smile, looks like she is impressed.

Ofcourse she'll be since she looked beautiful, like an angel descended from heaven.

Then, she looked at me, her personal maid, her useless twin sister. Grabbing me by the arm she dragged me in front of the mirror, forcing me to look at both of our reflection in the mirror.

The difference was unbearable. Selene, glowing like a star in the night sky, and me, bruised, covered in dirt, my clothes nothing more than rags, if there's any other word more humiliating than embarrassment I wish to use that to describe my situation.

"Look at us Alexa," she whispered with a venomous smile, "I was born to be a princess, to live in luxury, adored by all. But you," she sneered with full of disgust, "you were born to live like the trash you are. A stain in this pack."

I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. She was right. I stared at our reflection, my heart aching, not because I envied her, but because I would never escape this fate. I was trapped in it, bound by blood to live in her shadow forever.

"Come with me to the party hall," she ordered snapping her fingers, "And don’t forget your place."

I obeyed, following her like the obedient servant I had always been. The grand party was already filled with music and laughter in every corner.

Selene wasted no time in making me her personal servant in front of her friends, ordering me to fetch things as if I were a pet dog. Handkerchief, juice, snacks, more juice. I ran back and forth for her every demand

"You pig, can't you be faster?" she sighed wanting a glass of water, just as I was hurrying back, I wasn’t paying attention, and I bumped into someone.

I got tripped and landed on the floor being embarrassed in front of everyone.

"Are you injured?"

His voice was soft, concerned, and for a moment, I forgot about both the pain and the party, who wouldn't? I lifted my head to see the most handsome man I had ever seen.

His blue eyes held a warmth which I had never seen before, and his gentle smile made my heart almost skip a beat. He forwarded his hand politely, trying to help me up, and for the first time in my life, I felt recognised. Not as a servant, not as an outcast, but as a person.

I felt my cheeks reddened, unable to face him. But before I could even say a word, his expression changed. His eyes narrowed, and his face darkened with a frown, "Mate?"