~Gabriella’s POV~

I groaned softly as the sound of my alarm drilled into my ears. Just from the way it rang, I already knew—today wasn’t going to be any different. Another bumpy ride, another terrible morning.

The early rays of the sun forced their way through the tiny gaps in my curtain, spilling across my room like they wanted to mock me. A new day had started, but it felt no different from yesterday or the one before. I pushed my eyes open slowly, heavy as rocks. The shadows beneath them told their own story—I was tired of this life. Completely tired.

People liked to remind me that I was the Alpha’s daughter, but that meant nothing. I still did chores beneath the level of a servant. Scrubbing, fetching water, and bending my back while others strutted around in silks. I grabbed the dented bucket by my door and stepped out, heading to the well to fetch water for my bath.

As I walked, I kept my eyes sharp, shifting left and right, not wanting to cross paths with her.

“Gabriella.”

Her voice slithered across my spine, cold as ice. I froze where I stood, then slowly turned around.

“Good morning, Luna,” I said flatly, bowing my head just enough. By now I had nothing left to give her—no emotion, no warmth. My heart felt like it had been drained empty, leaving only darkness behind. Still, deep down, I couldn’t stop wishing that my mate would come soon and pull me out of this nightmare.

The Luna’s eyes bored into me, black and merciless. “Starting today, you’ll take over the maintenance of my hot springs. I dismissed the other maids, so it will be your duty alone. Begin immediately.”

My lips twitched, but I forced them still. I looked at the other maids standing behind her. They were dressed as if they were headed to some grand party, with perfect hair and clean gowns. Always the same. Meanwhile, I wore rags that barely counted as clothes. Sometimes I wondered if I really belonged to this bloodline at all, or if fate had dumped me here by mistake.

I dipped my head. “I understand, Luna. But… permit me to bathe first. I can’t start cleaning your springs in this state, can I?”

Her eyes narrowed, stabbing into me like thin needles. For a moment I braced myself, waiting for the explosion, for her insults to rain down like fire.

Finally, she said, “You’re right. Do bathe first. I don’t want your stench contaminating my springs.”

Then she turned and walked away, her maids trailing behind like spoiled shadows.

Just as expected. Nothing more, nothing less.

Talking to her always felt like balancing on the edge of a blade. One wrong word and it would cut straight through me. I clenched my fist around the handle of the bucket, jaw tightening. My mind flashed, wild and dangerous—imagining ripping out her sharp tongue so I’d never hear it again.

I told myself long ago I couldn’t feel anger anymore, not toward her, not toward the Alpha. But today? Today I did.

Cold water spilled over my head, soaking me to the bone. For a second, it knocked the air out of me. My thoughts slipped away to darker places—death. Would I die in the arms of someone who actually loved me? Or would I die here, a servant, forgotten, nothing?

Running away was always a thought in the back of my mind. But rogues didn’t survive long. They were hunted down like prey. And me? I was too small, too weak. I wouldn’t last a day.

When I finished, I pulled on the only dark clothes I owned. They matched the black of my hair and my marble eyes, turning me into something that almost looked like a witch pulled from the shadows. I wasn’t one of the beauties of the pack. I knew that. But the way I lived only buried whatever beauty I might have once had.

At the springs, I got to work. My hands moved fast, scrubbing, sweeping, cleaning until my back ached. My eyes searched every corner, catching every speck of dirt. Hours blurred by. Finally, I climbed onto a polished rock and looked at what I’d done.

For the first time today, I smiled. Just a little. The water shimmered. The stones gleamed. It wasn’t much, but it was mine, a small piece of pride in a world that gave me none.

“Gabriella.”

The voice behind me snapped the smile right off my face. I turned. Another maid stood there, stiff and serious.

“The Alpha requires your presence.”

My heart skipped. “The Alpha?” I whispered. She nodded once.

The council room swallowed me whole as I stepped inside. The heavy doors shut with a thud that made my stomach lurch. My father sat at the head of the table, his presence towering even when he didn’t move. On either side of him sat the betas, silent, watching.

“Gabriella.”

My father’s voice rolled through the chamber, bold and commanding. My chest tightened. My heart slammed against my ribs. I bowed low. “My lord… how may I serve you today?” My voice wavered, no matter how I tried to steady it.

He smiled, but it wasn’t warm. It was sharp, like a predator baring teeth. “Serve me? No, Gabriella. Today, you’ll serve the entire pack.” He gestured toward the betas, his tone heavy with meaning.

Confusion twisted inside me. “I… I don’t understand, my lord.”

He leaned forward, his voice calm but carrying weight. “The Darkmoon Pack has come to us with an offer of peace. They’ve given us something valuable to prove their goodwill. In return, we must give them something just as valuable.”

I swallowed hard, twisting my fingers together. “I still don’t understand…”

He chuckled low, shaking his head as though I were foolish. Then his eyes sharpened. “Gabriella, what I mean is this—you will be given to the Alpha of the Darkmoon Pack. As his bride.”

The words hit me like a blade straight through the chest. My knees nearly buckled. The air in my lungs vanished. My heart plummeted into darkness, shattering whatever hope I still carried.

~Gabriella’s POV~

My eyes widened at those words. My heartbeat quickened, breaths sharp and uneven, as I stared at the alpha and the circle of beta wolves around him. My fists clenched until my claws cut deep into my own skin. Warm blood slipped down my palm. I lifted my hand, staring at it, and the thought came like a whisper that burned in my chest. Why was I born this way? Why was I cursed with such an unfortunate life?

All I had ever wanted was peace—just a sliver of it—while I lived out my days in the chains of the Dark-Hound Pack’s alpha. Was that too much to ask? Why this?

“The Alpha of the Dark Moon Pack will send his warriors in a few days to collect you. In the meantime, we will celebrate the bond between our packs once the deal is sealed.” Her voice cut through the room like a blade. Luna. I lifted my head toward her.

The look on her face was unmistakable—pure disgust, sharp as a knife. I didn’t need words to feel it. I could hear it in her thoughts, taste the hatred rolling off her, drilling into my chest like steel.

“You may leave. I’ve said all that needs to be said.” The alpha’s words followed a kiss pressed against his wife’s cheek. Their love—if it could be called that—was a cruel contrast to the emptiness I carried.

I turned away in silence, questions clawing at me with every step. Why did they hate me so much? Why did they despise my very existence? Was this how parents were everywhere? Or had I been cursed, singled out, forsaken by the moon goddess herself?

“Gabriella,” she called.

I stopped, sighed, and turned slowly, my gaze fixed on the floor.

“Yes, Luna,” I answered softly.

“You’ll be the one to prepare the celebration hall. The warrior wolves will arrive in a few days, and that place must be spotless. Get to work.”

“Yes, Luna,” I murmured, my voice muffled behind the black strands of hair falling across my face.

I slipped out of the room, picked up my bucket from where I had left it by the door, and dragged myself toward the dining hall.

As I moved sluggishly through the passage, a teardrop slid down from the corner of my right eye. I halted, wiping it away quickly with the tip of my finger, forcing myself to pull together before continuing.

When I finally reached the dining hall, I stood there with the cleaning tools in my arms, staring up at the vast room. Its size pressed down on me, the task impossibly heavy. How was I supposed to finish before the day ended?

Still, I bent down, picked up the broom, and braced myself. That’s when I heard it—the sound of two distinct footsteps entering the hall. They stopped right beside me.

I raised my head and turned to my right. Two of my friends stood there in silence, smiles on their faces as they stared out across the large hall.

“Marian, Lily… What brings you here?” I asked, confusion flickering across my face.

They both turned to me, their smiles radiating a kind of positive energy that seemed to brighten every corner of the room.

“We’re here to help, madam. You’ve already been through enough—we just want to loosen things up for you a little,” Marian said gently.

I stared at them for a moment, then turned back to the hall. “No, I can handle this myself. You girls probably have your own work to do. If you’re caught helping me, you could get into serious trouble.”

“But we don’t care, my lady,” Lily said firmly, her expression etched with concern. “It’s our duty to serve the alpha and his family… including you.”

I sighed. “Listen, I know you want to help. But if I accept, I’d be putting both our lives in danger. Please—let me be.”

Silence. Their smiles faded, disappointment dimming their faces. I braced myself, waiting for them to turn and leave. Instead, guilt pricked at me. They only wanted to help.

Then, just as suddenly, their lips curled into even wider smiles.

“See? We don’t need your permission to clean here,” Marian said with a mischievous grin. “Pick a side of the hall, and we’ll take the other. If not, we’ll get angry and report you to the warrior wolves.”

I froze. They had planned this out, fully expecting me to refuse. This was their backup plan all along.

“Fine. You win,” I muttered, groaning. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

They squealed in excitement.

Marian and Lily were the only two people in the entire pack who truly cared about me. The only two I ever dreamed of sparing—when the day came that I burned this pack to the ground, when my demons finally cut loose.

They were the only two reasons I kept my feet on the ground and kept pushing forward, even when everything around me tried to drag me under. The thought of leaving them alone in this place was terrifying. Still, I told myself they’d probably be fine—because they weren’t me.

As we cleaned the place up, my mind wandered to the life waiting for me in the new world I was being sold off to. Would it be better? Worse? Or would nothing change at all? The thought of being married off into some strange land, never knowing the joy of finding my true mate, made my stomach twist. And yet, somehow, leaving this wretched place sparked a faint, guilty happiness in me.

That night, after hours of backbreaking work, I collapsed onto my bed. The aches caught up to me all at once, clawing at my muscles and joints. I groaned through clenched teeth, curling up tight, my fists pressed to my chest. The only mercy of being a werewolf was that by morning, my body would heal itself, even if my spirit never did.

When evening came, the alpha and his family gathered at the dinner table for their last meal of the day. Though I was his daughter, I was never welcome at that table. My place was with the maids, serving food and eating whatever scraps remained. Tonight, I carried in a large tray stacked with raw ox meat—their favorite.

Hunting had always been my father’s pride. Whenever he set out, he wouldn’t return without dragging home a massive ox to show for it. I lowered the tray carefully to the center of the table, willing my hands not to tremble, not to spill.

But before the tray could even touch the surface, he attacked.

My little brother. The brat who had been pampered all his life, their only son—their future alpha. He was weak, far weaker than the warrior wolves, but he was still stronger than me. And that was all that mattered.

To be honest, my life was blissful until he was born. He took everything from me.

His elbow drove hard into my stomach, knocking the breath out of me. I staggered, the tray slipping from my hands, its contents crashing onto the table before tumbling to the floor. A large piece of meat landed with a wet thud on the wooden surface.

The room went still. Luna turned toward me, her eyes sharp and poisonous, her lips curling into the kind of scorn that could cut deeper than any blade.

“Can’t you do something right for once in your life?” she spat. “Clumsy little brat. Useless, good-for-nothing piece of trash.”

Each word stripped away what little self-worth I clung to, leaving me bare, trembling. Her voice rose, venom dripping with every syllable.

“YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF RAG WE PICKED UP FROM—”

Her tirade was cut short. The Alpha’s hand slammed against the table, the sound reverberating through the hall like a crack of thunder. Silence followed.

“Gabriella,” he said, his tone calm but firm. “Clean this up and return to your quarters.”

“Yes, my lord.” My voice was barely more than a whisper. I hurriedly gathered the ruined meal, my fingers shaking as I scooped the scraps.

When I finally left the hall, the echo of Luna’s words clung to me like a shadow. A piece of rag we picked up from…

The sentence unfinished, but the wound already carved.

Part of me longed to know the truth she had been so eager to hurl at me. But another part knew that chasing answers in this family meant courting death.

GABRIELLA’S POV

The morning came heavy with noise. One by one, the high-ranking wolves of the Dark Hound Pack filed into the great hall, their footsteps echoing against the stone floors. The place buzzed with laughter, clinking goblets, and the low hum of conversation. For me, it meant endless running—tray after tray, bow after bow, pretending that every forced smile I offered wasn’t burning my lips raw.

At least for today, Luna was too busy. She flitted about like some gracious hostess, all false warmth and polished elegance, greeting every guest as if she hadn’t been spitting venom at me the night before. I told myself to be grateful—grateful that for a few hours, her scorn wasn’t aimed at me. That meant no daggers disguised as words, no deliberate little humiliations in front of the others. But still, even the absence of her cruelty didn’t feel like peace. It only felt like the eye of a storm.

I carried trays to every table—beta wolves puffed up with their own importance, their wives draped in jewels, and their spoiled pups who laughed too loudly, knocked cups over, and barked at me as though I were their personal servant. By the time the sun had barely crept above the treetops, I was already drained. My legs dragged beneath me, aching as though iron chains clung to them. Every step sent a groan slipping past my lips.

When I pushed open the kitchen door again, I froze. Something was wrong. The air itself shifted. It wasn’t just that someone was in there—it was the kind of presence that prickled at the back of my neck. Strong, alive, unfamiliar. Omega.

Impossible, I thought. No outsider could breach the alpha’s house—guards lined every wall, every corner. The kitchen was supposed to be safe.

I eased the door open wider, my fingers tightening on the edge, and slipped inside.

“You maids are really good at cooking, aren’t you?”

The male voice came from deep in the kitchen, smooth but mischievous. My heart leapt to my throat. Instinct took over—I hurled the tray in my hands straight toward the sound.

But he moved. Effortlessly, like he had seen it coming before I even thought to act. The tray clattered against the wall as I stumbled, landing flat on the cold stone. Heat rushed to my cheeks.

“You should watch your step,” he said lightly, a piece of meat dangling between his fingers before he popped it into his mouth. “Wouldn’t want to lose a tooth on a day like this.”

My jaw clenched as I pushed myself upright, fists balled. “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

“Steven,” he replied simply, licking grease from his thumb as if this were his kitchen, not mine. “I came for food. There’s so much here I can’t decide where to start.”

My eyes darted over him—dark blue eyes, so striking they looked carved from polished marble. Black hair fell in silky strands around his face, catching the faint firelight from the kitchen torches. He wore black leather, jacket and pants that clung like a second skin, giving him the sharp, dangerous look of someone who didn’t belong.

I shook myself. Don’t look too long. Don’t let him pull you in.

“This place isn’t for omegas,” I snapped, pointing at the door. “You’re not allowed at the ceremony, and you’re definitely not allowed in here. Get out before you bring trouble on both of us.”

He raised his hands, a lazy smile tugging at his lips. “Alright, alright. But at least let me take some stew and meat with me. Call it a favor.”

I wanted to scream at him. I wanted to tell him how stupid it was, how dangerous. But all I managed was, “No. If anyone notices food missing, it’ll be me who pays for it. Now go.” I turned my back, hoping he would listen.

That was my mistake.

By the time I faced him again, he was gone—bowl in hand, slipping through the doorway like smoke.

“HEY!” I shouted, rage boiling through me. My exhaustion vanished. My legs surged with sudden energy, driving me after him. The tray clanged against my thigh as I sprinted through the passages.

But how did he know the way? Every corner he turned, every hall he slipped down, he moved like someone who had studied the place for years. Only servants or family knew the layout this well. My skin prickled with unease.

I stretched out, fingers grazing the edge of his jacket—

And then Luna’s voice cut through the hall.

My blood froze. She was coming closer.

Panic flared in Steven’s eyes, mirroring my own. Without thinking, I grabbed his collar, yanked open the nearest door, and shoved him inside. I followed, slamming it shut just as her footsteps rounded the corner.

The air in the room was thick with dust and the smell of wood polish. Cleaning supplies crowded the shelves, leaving barely enough room for the two of us. His chest pressed against mine, his breath warm against my cheek.

“It’s pretty tight in here, isn’t it?” he whispered, the amusement still in his voice.

“Shut up,” I hissed. “If she finds me slacking off with some freeloader, I’m dead. So stay quiet.”

But even as I scolded him, I couldn’t look away. Our gazes locked, blue to brown, and something inside me cracked open. For the first time in years, I felt my chest lift, felt warmth where only bitterness had lived. My lips curved upward before I could stop them. A smile—real, fragile, mine.

Then the sound of Luna’s steps faded into silence.

The moment shattered. I broke our stare, cleared my throat, and reached for the door behind him.

But he hadn’t noticed. He leaned back, thinking the door was still closed, and toppled straight through it.

The bowl flipped, hot stew spilling down his face and chest.

“AGHHH! IT BURNS!” His cry rang out, and I lunged forward, dragging him upright before the whole house could hear. “Quiet!” I hissed, tugging him back into the kitchen.

I doused him with cool water, scrubbing away the red stew that dripped down his jaw. To my relief, no burns marred his skin. He laughed softly, even as water streamed from his hair.

I couldn’t afford to laugh with him. Every second felt like borrowed time.

“Go,” I urged, shoving him toward the hidden passage by the pantry. “If anyone sees you, it’s over for both of us.”

We slipped through winding tunnels until, finally, the fresh air of the outside world hit us.

At the exit, he paused, eyes on me again, the same smile tugging at his lips—gentle, knowing, dangerous.

“Goodbye, Gabriella.”

And then he was gone.

I stood there, breathless, my hand still raised in a weak wave.

The words formed silently in my head, echoing in my heart with a weight I couldn’t ignore.

I found him. My mate.