The Promise He Broke Beneath The Moon

"Scrub it harder, trash."

A wet rag hit my cheek. I gripped the rough stone of the pack house wall, soapy water stinging my cracked knuckles.

Mara Laurent crossed her arms. The silver crest on her jacket caught the afternoon sun. "Did you hear me, Lila? There's still mud on the stone."

"I heard you, Mara," I said.

"That's *Omega Mara* to you," a Beta girl named Tamsin snapped, kicking my bucket. The soapy water spilled over my worn sneakers.

"Just Mara is fine," I replied, keeping my voice even.

Mara stepped closer, grabbing a fistful of my hair. "You think you're clever. You think because he talked to you once when we were pups, you matter."

I met her glare. "I never said that."

"You don't have to say it. I see how you look at Alpha Kael." She shoved my head back. "He is pureblood. You don't even know who your father is."

I forced a smile.

It threw her off. Her grip loosened for a second.

"Are you smiling at me?" she asked, her voice pitching up.

"Just thinking about a joke," I said.

"You're disgusting," Mara spat. "Look at your clothes. Look at your hands. You belong in the dirt."

"Then let me get back to the dirt," I said. "Unless you want to help me scrub?"

*Smack.*

Tamsin slapped my shoulder. "Show some respect."

"Leave her," Mara sneered. "She’s pathetic. Let her wash the walls. It’s all she’ll ever be good for."

"Make sure she does the entire east wing," Mara added over her shoulder as she turned away. "If I see a single speck of grime, she goes without rations tonight."

They walked away. I picked up the rag.

My fingers brushed against the hard lump in my pocket. A small wooden wolf.

"They took my boots," I cried, shivering by the eastern border gate ten years ago.

"Take mine," Kael said. He was only twelve, but already taller, broader than the other boys.

"You'll get in trouble with the Alpha."

"I don't care," he said, pressing the wooden carving into my palm. "Keep this. It's a promise, Lila. One day, I'll lead this pack. And you won't ever have to hide by the walls again."

"They say Omegas like me are cursed."

"They're wrong. You're mine to protect."

"Forever?" I asked.

"Forever," he swore.

I squeezed the wooden wolf now. He promised. Kael Thorne never broke a promise.

"Still playing in the dirt, Lila?"

I turned. Kael stood at the edge of the courtyard. He wore the dark velvet jacket of the Alpha heir. His eyes, sharp and gray, locked onto mine.

"Just finishing my chores, Alpha Kael," I said.

He closed the distance between us. No one else was around. The shadows from the watchtower stretched over us, chilling the air.

"You let them push you around," he said. His tone was harsh, clipped.

"I survive," I corrected him.

"You bleed." He pointed at my scraped knuckles.

"It washes off."

He stepped into my space. "I told you to keep your head down."

"My head was down. Mara found me anyway."

"Mara is a noble. You shouldn't provoke her."

I stared up at him. "Provoke her? I was scrubbing algae off the stones."

"Don't talk back to me." His jaw tightened.

"I'm talking to my friend," I whispered.

"Your friend is an Alpha," he muttered, glancing over his shoulder. "And you are an unranked Omega."

"Does that matter?"

"It matters to the council. It matters to my father."

I dropped the rag into the empty bucket. "So what do you want me to do, Kael?"

"Stay out of the main courtyard. Take the servant paths."

I let out a harsh laugh. "Hide. You want me to hide."

"I want you safe."

"You want me out of sight so you don't have to feel guilty."

He grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm, burning hot against my cold skin. "I'm doing everything I can to secure my position. Once I have the title, things will change."

"When?"

"Soon."

"Mara says the mating ceremony is next month."

Kael froze. His thumb stopped rubbing the back of my hand. "Mara talks too much."

"Is it true?"

"My father is pushing for an alliance with the Laurent family."

"And you're going to agree?"

"I didn't say that."

"You didn't say no."

He dropped my hand. "You don't understand pack politics, Lila."

"I understand that you promised me." I tapped my pocket. "Ten years ago."

"We were children."

The words hit me like a physical strike. I stepped back.

"Children," I repeated.

"Lila, listen to me—"

"Alpha Kael!" a voice called out.

We both turned. Mara walked back into the courtyard, flanked by two guards. Her eyes darted from Kael to me, narrowing instantly.

"What are you doing over here?" Mara asked, her tone coated in fake sweetness as she approached him.

"Inspecting the perimeter," Kael replied smoothly. His posture shifted. He stood taller, colder. The Alpha mask slid perfectly into place.

"With her?" Mara gestured at me like I was a pile of garbage.

"She was just leaving," Kael said. He didn't look at me.

"Good. She smells like wet dog and cheap soap," Mara said, linking her arm through his. "Your father is looking for you in the war room. We have details to finalize."

"I'm coming," Kael said.

He walked away with her. He didn't look back. Not even a glance over his shoulder.

I stood there, the cold wind biting through my wet clothes.

*We were children.*

He had never said that before. Every time we met in secret, every time he sneaked me extra rations or bandaged my knees, he always renewed the promise. Today, he called us children.

"Hey, mutt," Tamsin said, lingering behind. She kicked my bucket again, sending it clattering across the stones. "Clean that up. Then go to the kitchens. Head Omega wants you."

I bent down and retrieved the bucket. "Fine."

"And Lila?"

I looked up.

Tamsin smirked. "Don't bother looking for a dress for the mating ceremony. Unranked Omegas aren't allowed in the grand hall."

She strutted off.

I walked to the kitchens. The heat from the massive ovens hit my face, a stark contrast to the freezing courtyard.

"You're late," Head Omega Elara barked, shoving a massive silver tray into my hands. "Take this to the council room. Now."

"Me?" I asked. "I'm not allowed in the council room."

"You are today. Half the staff is sick with the winter fever. Move!"

I balanced the heavy tray of roasted meats and wine. My arms ached from scrubbing the walls, but I didn't argue. I pushed through the heavy oak doors and navigated the long, dimly lit corridors of the pack house.

The council room doors stood slightly ajar.

I approached quietly, intending to knock.

Voices drifted through the gap.

"The Laurent alliance is non-negotiable, Kael," Alpha Thorne's booming voice echoed off the stone walls.

"I understand, Father," Kael replied.

I froze. My hands gripped the edges of the silver tray.

"Mara will make a fine Luna," Alpha Thorne continued. "She has the bloodline, the wealth, and the respect of the pack. You will announce the mating tomorrow night at the full moon feast."

Silence stretched. I waited for Kael to argue. I waited for him to mention the promise, to mention me, to say anything at all.

"And what of the lower ranks?" Kael asked.

"What about them?"

"The unranked Omegas. Will they receive better quarters once the alliance brings in the Laurent wealth?"

"We are not wasting resources on the weak," Alpha Thorne growled. "You care too much for the dirt beneath our boots. Focus on your future Luna. Do we have an agreement, Kael?"

My knuckles turned white.

*Say no, Kael. Please, say no.*

"Yes, Father," Kael said. "I will mate with Mara."

The tray slipped from my hands.

Silver crashed against the stone floor. Wine shattered, splashing dark red across the threshold like blood.