Every Omega, in fact every wolf always wondered how it would be like on their eighteenth birthday. That was the age when they officially came into their wolf.

My eighteenth birthday was fast approaching and I was no different. I prayed to the moon goddess.

'Oh goddess, you have not been fair to me, you blessed me with everything and then took everything away from me', I said as I recalled my mother falling with her her unborn son, throat bitten off, and my father lying in the pool of his own blood as the life drained out of him.I sniffed and looked up, to stop the tears falling. 'You allowed me to be orphaned and all I hold dear taken from me. I am asking for a very strong wolf on my eighteenth birthday, to enable me work out my revenge on my enemy'.

The day of my eighteen birthday dawned and I longed for a work - free day to help me celebrate in private this special day. But did I say a work - free day? Was it going to be possible since my birthday coincided with the engagement party of the Alpha, I wondered.

I stretched my hands above my head and my legs as well as my bones cracked into place. I then bent backwards as though breaking myself in two. I just wanted these few moments alone. 'Happy birthday, Millicent O'Brien Harry', I wished myself quietly. 'May this new year of yours bring you closer to the realisation of your dreams'.

When I realised a couple of days ago that the engagement ceremony was coinciding with my birthday, I had gone to Lilian.

'Ma'am, You know that I always do my chores without complaint. But I just found out that the Alpha's engagement party is on the same day that I turn eighteen. Could I be excused from work on that day?' I asked.

'Really?' Lilian asked. 'But you see, there is nothing that I can do about it. Alpha Sylvester wants you to handle the chores, serving the guests and all. But you can go to him and explain. He is the only one who has the authority to excuse you from your duties on that day', she smiled sympathetically at me.

I hate asking any favours of Sylvester but I just wanted that day to myself so that I could indulge in thoughts of my parents and discuss with my wolf in case I came into it that day. So, I went to him and found him where I knew he would be - in the throne room.

'Alpha', I greeted respectfully.

'Did I send for you?' he asked arrogantly.

'You did not. I came of my own volition', I said my head bowed.

'Speak. What do you want?' he asked.

'Your engagement coincides with my eighteenth birthday, and you know how important that particular birthday is', she said.

'So?'

The way he said that single word made me visualize a raised eyebrow.

'I was hoping that you would excuse me from my chores that day. Make it a work free day for me. Of course I shall continue with my duties the very next day, working double if necessary', I declared, still bowed and aching from the strain of it and hating Sylvester for not being considerate enough to ask her to stand upright.

'And who told you I did not know it is your birthday, next tomorrow? That is the express reason I fixed my engagement on that day', he said mockingly, with a corresponding mocking smile playing on his lips. I stood upright with shock, not waiting for him to ask it of me. I could not believe what I had just heard. I was his personal maid and he was supposed to know my birthday if he was a considerate Alpha which he was not. All these years, he had not said anything about my birthday. I had not felt like celebrating it and so had not mentioned it to anyone except to Samantha and I am sure she hadn't mentioned it to anyone. But this birthday was special to me.

'You knew?' I asked, shocked as what he said sank. How could someone be as cruel as this?

'You are my maid. How could I not know?', he asked, watching her contemplatively. 'And how dare you think of celebrating on the same day that I am? Do you not have any respect for your Alpha? Perish the thought and get yourself ready for your chores on the said day. Now get out of here!' he ordered dismissively.

'But...'

'This matter is settled!' he said in a voice that brooked no contradiction.

I left his presence seething.

Today, the morning of my eighteenth birthday, the memory of my discussion with the Alpha besieged me but I pushed it to the back of my mind. I was not going to allow anything take my joy from me.

Before starting my chores, I decided to go for a quick dip in the stream, not far from the Omega's quarters.

I ran all the way there. I like being the first there. It felt special that way and if that was the only treat I could give myself on this day, then so be it.

As I was about to get into the water, I looked into it and instead of my reflection, I saw a white wolf. I looked behind me to see if there was someone else there but saw no one. Where had the wolf come from? I looked into the water again and the wolf was still there.

'Hello, Millicent. Happy Birthday to us', the wolf said and I understood.

'Yes, as you have just realised, I'm your wolf, Milly'.

'I'm glad to have you', I said happily, hoping the wolf was as strong as I desired and had asked of the moon goddess.

'That is not all. Strong or not, our mate should more than make up for that. With him, we are stronger than you can imagine'.

'Our mate?' I asked astonished. 'You know who he is?' I had not been particular about a mate but if the mate was as strong as my wolf was intimating, then rather than be an obstacle to my purpose like I feared, he just might help me accomplish my mission. I had heard of extraordinary things mates did for each other due to their mate bond.

She nodded and said, 'And so do you'.

'Who is he?' I asked.

'He is none other than Alpha Sylvester'.

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of his name but I hastened to assure myself that I must have heard wrong. I inserted a finger into each of her ears, shaking them vigorously, to clear off any dirt that might be responsible for causing her to perceive Milly's words wrongly. Then I looked at the wolf but Milly just stood there solemnly.

'What?' I exclaimed, fear that Milly might be right twisting my stomach. 'You must be joking! You are joking, aren't you?'

'No, I'm not'.

There was a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. What have I done to make the moon goddess despise me so much? I must have been very bad in my previous life to be punished this way.

'You mean, the man who caused the death of my parents and that of a brother who did not even have the chance to be born, destroyed my pack, and have tortured me for many years is my fated mate?' she asked in anguish.

'I'm afraid so', she said but didn't sound too displeased about it.

'You seem not to be bothered that he is our mate', I said accusingly. Milly kept quiet. She had no response to that. At least not one that I might want to hear, it seems.

'How am I to avenge my parents', if he is indeed my mate? Why did the moon goddess do this to me?'

'I believe everything will work out just fine', wolf Milly said in an attempt to console me and make me accept the inevitable. I doubted that I could but maybe, my plan could still work. I only need a change of plan or another approach.

My mood was spoilt and this was as a result of that frustrating discussion I had with Alpha Sylvester. It nearly caused me, my usual dip in the stream but I refused to be sorrowful. So I discarded my clothes and into the stream I walked, splashing, determined not to permit myself any depressing thought. My wolf was laughing as we had fun splashing around in the water.

'Hope you have started your chores?' The voice permeated my consciousness, making me stop my thrashing in the water and look around but seeing no one, I realised that Alpha Sylvester had spoken to me through mind - link. The fun went out of my bath and I stepped out of the stream, down cast.

'Cheer up. It is not all bad', wolf Milly said.

I ignored her. Afterall, she was happy to have that God forsaken Alpha as her mate but I was not going to accept that except there was something in it for me - some way I could use it to my own advantage and work my vengeance on him. But how could my wolf and I have contrary feelings concerning the same person Were we not supposed to be one?

I was so deep in thought that I did not see my friend, Samantha until she was upon me.

'Happy birthday, dear friend. When I didn't see you in the quarters, I knew you'd be here, your most favourite place'.

'Thanks alot for your best wishes, Samantha' I said. 'And yes, I came for a dip'.

'You look sad', she observed, 'What is the problem?'

'Nothing', I said, trying to inject cheerfulness into my voice.

'You are not a good liar', she said. 'Spill'.

'I saw my wolf today', I blurted for want of something to say.

'And that made you sad?' she asked incredulous.

'No, it did not', I said quickly. 'I am just not used to it yet'.

'But of course, you're not. But you will soon be though. It is such a joyous occasion. Cheer up. Things are far better than you are imagining', she said sounding uncannily like my wolf.

I made an effort to smile, trying not to recall the mate I have been cursed with because that was what he was - a curse, but it came off as a grimace, which she quickly smoothened out and replaced with a smile.

'I recall when I came into my own wolf...', Samantha started.

It was a story she never stopped telling anyone who would care to listen.

Samantha was two years older than me but you wouldn't know it from the way we related to each other. On her eighteenth birthday, she had been running round in the open air, happy to be eighteen, when suddenly, she fell on all fours and a piercing pain shot through her as she screamed in confusion, not knowing what was happening. She felt as though her whole body was being ripped apart and she twisted in anguish. This attracted other more experienced wolves, who came to try to ease her pain. 'Take in air', they advised 'now release it'. She kept taking in air and releasing it, howling and growling from the pain she felt. It felt like she was dying. Then all of a sudden the pain ceased and she found she was moving on all fours. She looked at her limbs and they were not hers at all and then she realised what had happened. She had transformed. She was filled with joy. She felt free and strong and able to take on anything and anyone. She felt able to conquer and she leapt into the forest and kept moving all around, flaunting her wolf. The people who had gathered to help her with the experience laughed, happy for her for getting her wolf and being able to transform. Not all werewolves could do that. After that first experience, however, transforming became less painful but more pleasurable and exhilarating. Two years later however, she was yet to find her mate.

'Do you know who your mate is?' she asked, the question I had been dreading.

'Who needs a mate?' I asked, feigning nonchalance. 'You have not found your mate yet, I am not in a hurry'.

That topic was too distasteful to me and definitely not what I wished to talk about on the day that was supposed to be the happiest day of my life as a werewolf but which was fast turning into a nightmare.

'Go ahead to the stream', I said too brightly. 'I have chores. We shall see later at the party', and I hurried off, because I could no longer hold back the tears that were already stinging my eyes. I felt her eyes follow me. She must have wondered why I did not offer to wait for her so that we could get back together like I normally did. But I just did not want to break down before her and I did not want any show of pity which would most definitely cause me to shed more tears.

I wanted to start my chores when I had the mind link again.

'Come and see me right away'. It was Alpha Sylvester.

What did he want now? I wondered.

I scurried to the throne room. And as soon as I got there, he dismissed the officials he had been speaking with which surprised me, making me suspicious.

'Yes?' I asked wondering what was so important or private that he wanted to speak to her about that he had to dismiss those men.

'I feel that you have something to ask me!' he said without preamble.

'I do? What about?' I asked confused.

'Don't tell me you have not found out yet that I am your mate?' he asked leeringly.

'My wha...', I started, then my eyes grew very round as what he had said sunk and the implication dawned on me. 'You mean you knew I was your mate all this while , yet you never once told me or even gave me a clue? I asked, shocked again at his callousness. He knew of my birthday and of this and had kept it to himself, treating me like dirt.

I had wanted to hide this information from him, for how long before he smelled it, I did not know but for as long as possible had been my plan, but now that he knew, I was going to have to make the best of it.

'Well, now you know, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to call off your engagement to Cathania and claim me?' I asked hating to ask but having no choice because I needed to prepare a great defense against that. His next words showed me I needn't have bothered being afraid.

'Hell, no', he laughed mirthlessly. 'Look at you and then at me. I am a very powerful Alpha who is feared and respected by all and you think that I will stoop so low as to accept a lowly, weak maid like you, as my Luna? I'll be a laughing stock', he said looking at me condescendingly.

I could not take my eyes from him as I absorbed his every word.

'I could take you as my sex slave if you are that desperate to be with me, and If I want', he further said and I felt my heart sink to the bottom of my stomach.

Oh no, moon goddess, let him not want because I definitely do not want that, I prayed silently but not giving anything away.

'But I do not want!' he said and I offered silent thanks to the goddess for hearing my prayers. I was so relieved his next words rolled off me. 'I cannot forgive you enough for your crimes to want to be with you in such an intimate manner.

So, I, Sylvester Falcon Merryweather, Alpha of the Moon Ville pack reject you, Millicent O'Brien Harry as my mate'.

I clutched my heart. The pain was piercing. I didn't know why I should feel such pain, afterall, I had no feelings for him, and I could feel my wolf reeling and wringing from the force of the pain of his rejection.

I straightened and looked him straight in the eye.

'And I, Millicent O'Brien Harry accept your rejection, Sylvester Falcon Merryweather wholeheartedly'.

Sylvester's eyes were round as saucers. It was clear he had not expected that response from me and I laughed inwardly. He may have thought that I would go down on my knees and beg, being an orphan with no where to go and all.

'I exile you from this pack. You have just today to stay here. And that is because you still have to do your chores at my engagement party. After that, I do not want to see you here anymore!' he thundered.

'Your command shall be gladly followed!' I said, very pleased to see the shock reflected on Sylvester's face. He could not have given me a better birthday gift than his rejection but it was clear that my wolf Milly did not agree with that but I couldn't care less.

Alpha Sylvester's POV

Her reaction was totally unexpected and disturbing. What is wrong with Millicent? I thought, as I watched her walk away with her head held high. It almost felt like she was happy to be exiled. Why should she when she had no where to go? She had not gone out of the Pack since I brought her here.

'And why not?' Ezra my wolf challenged. 'You have not given her a reason to want to remain here with us'.

'And I do not want to', I said irritably. 'She has to suffer for what her father did to me!'

'Listen to yourself! You sound like a broken record. Repeating yourself all over again. Why must she suffer for the crimes of her father? She is not her father afterall and may not be aware she is paying for her father's sins!' Ezra was really furious. I knew it was because he hadn't wanted Millicent out of our territory, because he still considered her our mate and harboured the hope that I might change my mind and claim her.

'I understand how you feel Ezra, but you must realise that she has nothing to offer us. She is too weak to be my Luna. I need a Luna who will complement me so that together, we will be indestructible! I explained.

'And you think Cathania is the Luna that will do that for you?' Ezra asked.

'I don't think! I know!' I was getting angry with Ezra. Why wouldn't he support me in this?

'Why did you have to make her leave? She could still remain here as your maid', my wolf suggested.

'It would make everything awkward!'

'How so? Are you saying you have secret feelings for her? Feelings you are afraid to admit because you think it will make you look weak?' he asked.

'Hell no! Feelings for that ...that wret..ched ... maid?' I asked angrily, actually stuttering in my fury.

'We could have been with her right now. We had her with us but you let her go. We could have had her now and enjoyed every second of it. if you are sincere with yourself, you will admit that we could have had great fun mating with her', Ezra ranted in frustration.

'Shut up! I do not want her. Not now, not ever and I do not want to set my eyes on her ever again! She should be thankful she got off lightly. I could have treated her far worse!' I howled at Ezra.

'How much worse would you have treated her? You gave her hell while she was here!'

'At least I didn't make her my sex slave like I had originally intended!' I hissed at Ezra.

'Maybe, that would have been better', Ezra muttered and I felt him smack his lips with his tongue. 'But I guess that would have taken something from you. Something you are not ready to give or accept!'

There was no reasoning with the damn wolf and I was getting too exasperated with his continual convinction that if I allowed Millicent stay, I might fall in love with her, that will never happen and the earlier Ezra knew that, the better for everyone.

I went into my study to go through some correspondence but surprise of all surprises, I found I could not concentrate. My thoughts kept returning to Millicent and the joyful look on her face when I exiled her. I thought back at the look of disgust in her face when she had entered my office on a previous occasion and had seen me together with Cathania. Other females would have blushed and been aroused but she had been disgusted. I can still see the disgust in her face and hear it in her voice as she said, 'I knocked but you were obviously too busy to hear it'

This will not do! How can an Alpha like me be distracted with thoughts of such as Millicent. It is really quite unlike me. As I recalled that occasion, I wondered if I had secretly wanted her to be jealous of my relationship with Cathania or to arouse her. Preposterous! If I wanted to arouse her, or wanted her in any way, I'd just take her and she would be unable to do anything about it. I was the Alpha afterall.

I remembered that I needed to speak to my twin about some matters bothering on the security of the pack so, I called him.

'Brother how is the situation at the border?' I asked.

'I was going to call', Christopher said simultaneously with me. 'I believe congratulations are in order. Heard you are getting engaged today'.

'Thank you', I said but before I could say any other thing, he spoke again.

'I am sorry, my hands are tied at the moment and I won't be able to attend your party. The Pack comes first as you know'.

'Yes, apology accepted', I said. 'About the borders, anything we should know?' I asked again and soon we were engaged in a discussion that soon led to us arguing as usual. For the first time, I actually enjoyed the argument because it put my mind off alot of unwanted thoughts.

Christopher can really be very contradictory. He was always contradicting me. I do not know if our interests were not aligned or he just likes antagonizing me. It was good that he was not running the pack with me but guarding our borders. Else, I do not know how we would have managed the pack together without tearing each other apart first.

Being an Alpha was not an easy thing at all. There was so much to take care of.

'Daniel, summon a meeting of the council members. Something has cropped up. Christopher told me something we need to take very seriously'.

'As you command, Alpha but is there any need for that right now?' Daniel asked.

'What do you mean by that? Are you questioning my orders?' I asked in a very quiet voice which everyone, especially my Beta knew, was the calm before the storm.

'I'm sorry, my Alpha', Daniel replied hastily. ' I do not want to be presumptuous, but I thought that since this was a special day, your engagement ceremony, you might want to postpone it till a later date. Tomorrow preferably?'

I had totally forgotten where I was being distracted by unwanted thoughts. My rising fury calmed at the logic behind his words. 'You're right', I conceded. 'Still inform them that we need to meet tomorrow at noon. And Beta?'

'Yes, my Alpha?'

'Thank you for reminding me. Now we need to get prepared for the special occasion. Come help me get dressed!'