Chapter 1

I try to be strong most of the time. I don't like showing weakness, no matter how weak my body proves itself to be.

The Moon Goddess decided to punish me.

Here in the Midnight Pack, I'm considered a freak.

My life took a turn the moment I shifted for the first time, and it's only grown sadder since — every insult, every look of contempt, every physical blow. My body is marked by the violence of those who think themselves superior. Being an omega is already no advantage, but being an omega without a wolf spirit is even more humiliating.

We omegas are at the bottom of the wolf hierarchy — the pack's workhorses, its weakest members. Right now I'm being woken by shouts and curses at my bedroom door, coming from the other omegas responsible for chores at the pack's main house.

"You stupid freak, can't you see you're already past your work hours?"

One of them shouts.

"You really think we're going to cover your share while you sleep?"

I don't have the energy to argue with any of them. I just ignore them and drag my aching body up — sore both from work and from the state of what passes as my bed. Nothing but a thin mattress lying practically on bare wood.

I wash my face with the icy tap water and rush through my hygiene routine before I earn a punishment this early in the day. I pull on an old, worn dress. I don't have anything better — they're all the same, old and threadbare — but it doesn't matter. I never cared much for vanity. I've always kept a simple style.

The sun is still rising, the first rays hitting my face as I cross the yard toward the main house.

I live in the staff dormitories at the back of the estate. I go straight in through the service entrance and collect my cleaning supplies. Keeping this place clean is my responsibility.

Breakfast is a luxury I can't afford. The smell of freshly brewed coffee invades my senses, but I know I'm not permitted to help myself. My stomach aches — I went through another night without dinner. A punishment for talking back to the omega cook.

Once I finally finish my tasks, I'll try to find something to quiet my hunger. I start cleaning. The house is enormous, and I push myself to work fast because the pack's Luna is extremely strict about cleanliness. Every last corner must be scrubbed thoroughly. My knees ache from spending so long on them, scourging the floors.

Hours pass, and without thinking I leave a small puddle of soapy water near the staircase. Isaac, the Alpha's son, comes down at that very moment and barely avoids slipping. I feel my body tense with dread at the punishment I'm about to receive.

"Incompetent. I could have fallen."

"I'm sorry, Alpha. It wasn't intentional."

I apologize without meeting his eyes. He isn't the Alpha yet, but everyone calls him that since he's next in line.

"Clean that up. You want my mother or my father to fall?"

"N-no..."

I wipe the floor clean quickly, and my reward is a kick to the ribs. I grunt in pain and nearly lose my breath, but I don't let him see how much it hurt. Isaac grabs my hair and forces me to look at him — something he does whenever he gets the chance, just to intimidate me.

"Next time I'll do worse. I don't like that cold look you give me."

He slaps me lightly across the face and releases me, noticing his father approaching.

This is my chance to get away from Isaac. I gather my things and leave immediately. The Alpha doesn't like looking at me any more than the others do.

I don't know why they still let me stay in this pack. Why they haven't banished me. I've started to think it must be out of gratitude to my parents.

I'm the adopted daughter of the former beta. He and my mother died in a confrontation with our rivals — the vampires. My birthday was close, so I barely had time to grieve before my first shift happened.

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