BENEATH THE ALPHA'S MOON

ARIA'S POV The mornings in Silvermoon had a familiar feeling: chilly, still, and filled with the scent of damp soil mixed with smoke from the ever-burning cooking fires. I woke up before daybreak, as was my routine since omegas weren't allowed to sleep in. Omegas had no rights at all. My back ached from lying on the hard floor of the servants' quarters, but I managed to get up, brushing hay off my thin blanket. Now, the room was empty. The others had already gone, never waking me. If I were late, the blame would rest entirely on me.   I stepped into the cold, feeling a shiver as the brisk air touched my skin. My breath formed white puffs as I exhaled. Across the yard, warriors finished their morning drills, moving precisely in the soft light.   Their laughter resonated through the quiet, yet they never looked at me...except to mock me. I kept my gaze down and hurried toward the kitchens. "About time," Maren, the head cook, snapped as I slipped inside. Her grey hair was tied back, and her arms dusted with flour. She never raised her hand to me, but her sharp tongue was enough. "Get to peeling those potatoes. We've got hungry mouths to feed." "Yes, ma'am." I grabbed a knife and a sack of potatoes, settling myself at the corner table. My fingers moved quickly, though the knife had grown dull long ago. It felt like this all the time- endless work that no one else wanted to take on. Omegas weren't trusted with weapons, decisions, or honour. We cleaned, carried, and bled just for a chance at some recognition. It's tough, but that's how it was. But I reminded myself that today was just another day to get through. Only one more to endure. Because tomorrow... tomorrow was the day I celebrated my birthday.   Eighteen. The age when a wolf finally senses the bond of destiny, and the Moon Goddess reveals their true mate. Some omegas dream of finding a warrior who will lift them up, while others dare not hope for anything.   As for me? I clung to hope as if it were a lifeline keeping me alive. Perhaps fate wouldn't be unkind forever. Maybe tomorrow would bring a significant change.   I was still holding onto that thought when a sharp voice interrupted my daydream.   "Well, if it isn't little Aria, lurking in the kitchen once more."   I froze for a moment as I recognised that voice. Glancing up, I saw Lila, a she-wolf from Beta lineage, standing in the doorway with two of her friends. Her golden hair sparkled in the glow of the fire, and a sly smirk was on her lips.   "I'm just quietly observing", I said softly, making it sound more reassuring and warm. Lila moved away from the wall and approached, her heels echoing on the stone floor. "Really? Because that's all I ever see you do...lurking around, hoping no one notices. Like a mouse." The girls behind her giggled. My chest tightened. I dropped my eyes back to the potato in my hand. "I don't want trouble," I whispered. "Oh, but trouble wants you," Lila said sweetly. She plucked the knife from my hand and studied it, twirling it in her fingers. "Honestly, it amazes me you're still here. No family. No friends. No worth. If I were you, I'd have left years ago." Her words burned because they were true. My parents had died when I was ten, killed by rogues on a border run. Since then, I had belonged to no one. Lila leaned close until her perfume filled my nose. "You'll never be more than this. A dirty little omega peeling potatoes." I clenched my jaw but said nothing. Answering back only made things worse. She straightened and tossed the knife back onto the table, blade clattering against wood. "But maybe you can still be useful. There's mud all over the training field from last night's storm. Go clean it up before the warriors start again." My stomach dropped. The training field stretched wide, churned by dozens of boots and paws. Mud up to my knees. It would take hours. "I... I still have to finish these," I tried. Lila's smile turned cruel. "Then I'll tell Alpha Zac you refused a direct order from a higher rank. I'm sure he'll enjoy hearing that." The other girls laughed, their eyes bright with malice. I wanted to scream, to tell her she had no right. But I knew how this worked. The Alpha would never side with me. He barely remembered I existed. So I bowed my head. "Yes, Lila." The field was worse than I had feared. Mud clung to my legs, cold and heavy, pulling at my boots with every step. I carried bucket after bucket of water to wash it away, then scrubbed the ground until my hands blistered. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, exhausted and hungry. The warriors passed by now and then, snickering, tossing casual insults. One of them, a tall man with sharp green eyes, paused to watch. Damon Hale. The Beta. My heart leapt even as fear prickled my skin. Damon was everything the pack admired...strong, ruthless, handsome. And entirely out of reach for someone like me. His lips curled into a smirk. "Careful, omega. You're making the mud look better than you." His friends laughed, and heat rose to my face. I dropped my gaze to the ground. "Yes, Beta Damon," I murmured. He lingered a moment longer, then walked away, his laughter echoing behind him. My chest ached, but I forced myself to keep working. By the time the sun dipped low, my arms trembled with exhaustion, and the blisters on my hands had split open, leaving streaks of blood across my skin. Still, I kept going until the field looked passable. I sank onto the edge of the training platform, trying to catch my breath. My whole body ached. Tomorrow, I thought. Tomorrow it will be different. Maybe I'd wake to a mate who saw me. Someone who didn't laugh or sneer. Someone who wanted me, even if I was just an omega. My chest warmed at the thought. I closed my eyes and whispered into the wind, "Please, Moon Goddess. Just give me a chance." Behind me, a voice whispered, "She thinks she'll matter tomorrow." I stiffened and turned. Lila stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her friends beside her. They had followed me. "What do you mean?" I asked. She smirked. "Don't pretend you're unaware. Everyone knows tomorrow is your birthday. Do you really think fate will give someone like you a partner? You'll wake up alone or, even worse, tied to someone who doesn't want anything to do with you." My throat tightened, but I refused to let her see my fear. "It doesn't matter what you think." Her eyes narrowed. "We'll see." They left me there, cold and bleeding. I pulled my knees to my chest and stared at the sky. The moon hung low, silver against the dark. My parents used to tell me the Moon Goddess watched over her children, that she never made mistakes. If that was true, then maybe she hadn't made a mistake with me either. Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday. Tomorrow, everything could change.